The Wrong Mr. Right (The Queen's Cove Series #2)(16)

Max was in his mid-twenties and managed Avery’s restaurant, The Arbutus. He gave us a wave. “Hey.”

“Max, will you go on a date with me?” Again, she rushed the words out, like she couldn’t get rid of them fast enough.

One of his eyebrows rose in disbelief. “You know I’m gay, right?”

Hannah’s throat worked and she nodded.

Max glanced between us with interested suspicion. “What’s going on here?”

I shrugged. “Don’t worry about it.”

His gaze narrowed. “I’m not going to go on a date with you, Hannah, but you can come over and watch The Bachelor with Div and I Sunday night. We eat a lot of pizza and make fun of everyone.” He raised an eyebrow at her. “This is purely platonic, on account of me still being gay.”

Hannah gave a quick nod. “Sure. Sunday night. I’ll bring spinach dip.”

He pointed at her. “Now, you’re thinking.” He glanced between us again and gestured between her and I. “I’m intrigued. Goodbye.”

Hannah shifted on her feet, twisting her hands. “Bye.”

Max walked away, casting curious glances over his shoulder at us as I grinned and waved at him.

“Great. Now he’s going to tell Avery what a weirdo I’m being. Standing outside my own bookstore, harassing innocent men.”

“Bookworm, that was amazing. Two rejections, one after the other? When this is over, you’re going to be bulletproof.”

Her nostrils flared and another spike of happiness rose in my chest. If only she could be this feisty with others.

We’d get there.

We kept waiting on the sidewalk for people to pass. The next three guys were in relationships but flattered someone as cute as Hannah was paying attention to them. I had gone easy on her and let her skip the ones that were walking with another woman. I didn’t want to completely mortify her. Just a little.

Div walked by, in a full suit like always. Div worked for my brother Emmett, first at the construction company Emmett and my other brother Holden owned, and now at town hall, where Emmett was mayor.

“Hey, Div,” I called as he passed. “Hannah wants to ask you something.”

Div raised an eyebrow. “Are you going to ask me out, too?”

Hannah nodded, shoulders sinking. “Max told you.”

“And Don.” He studied her before gesturing. “Well, go on.”

“Div, will you go on a date with me?” Her tone was so dreary and dejected that I had to hide my grin behind my hand.

He shook his head, studying her. “No, but I’m going to ask you questions tomorrow night when you come over.”

“That’s reasonable.” She nodded, pressing her lips together.

Div’s phone rang and he read the name on the screen. “I have to take this.” He answered the call and walked away.

“Four to go, bookworm.” I shot her a wink.

She huffed and chewed her lip. At least she wasn’t mortified anymore. Just irritated.

“Wyatt, my dude!” Carter, the twenty-three-year-old who worked at my surf shop, raised his hand for a high five. He shot Hannah a lazy smile. “Who’s the lady friend?”

“This is Hannah.”

Carter’s dopey smile lingered. It was after eight in the morning so he was probably stoned. I didn’t care if he was high working at the surf shop, as long as he didn’t get stoned before teaching any lessons. “Hey, Hannah. What’s your story?”

“Um. I work at a bookstore.” She gestured behind us. “This one.”

“Wow, cool.” He made an explosion noise in his mouth. “Books, ya know?”

“Yep, books.” She sighed. “Do you want to go on a date with me?”

Carter’s mouth fell open. “For serious? Hell yeah!”

Hannah snapped to attention and blinked a few times. “Oh. Okay, then.”

“I’m going to the bar tomorrow night. You want to come with? They have darts,” he told her. There were a few bars in Queen’s Cove but only one that the locals frequented, a dingy old bar that had been standing since the sixties.

She glanced at me before nodding at him. “Okay. Sunday night at the bar.”

Carter fist-pumped the air. “Right on. See you then, chica. Later, boss.” He made finger-guns at her before backing away. I heard him whoop as he bobbed down the street.

“Nice one, chica.”

“Shut up.” Her mouth twitched. “This was your stupid idea.”

From the way she was trying not to laugh, instead of trying to blend in with the wall outside the bookstore like before, my idea didn’t seem stupid at all.

She winced. “He’s way too young for me. What will people think?”

I shrugged. “Who cares? They’ll probably think, ‘wow, Hannah can get it.’”

“Oh my god.” Her buried her face in her hands and I grinned.

The bell on the door jingled and Liya stuck her head out. “Han, do we have any copies of Pride and Prejudice?”

Her fingers came to her hair, playing as she thought with a little frown on her face. “Second stack from the supply room. On the right.”

“Great.” Liya grinned at us. “Thanks.”