Page 24 of Making It Up

Charlie gives me a knowing look, then says, “We write fanfiction.”

That was not what I was expecting. I blink at him. That wasn’t even on the list of top five things I expected. “You what?”

Charlie shrugs my hand off and steps back. “We write fanfiction for a series we both read and liked. Well, she read it first and then challenged me to read it. I did, and it was pretty good. But then she told me about the fanfiction for it. I started reading that for the entertainment but then actually got into it. I write on the mystery side, but I definitely read the sex club side.”

I’m staring at him. Is he fucking with me? It’s possible. “The what club?”

“The sex club. That’s the side Mia writes on.”

I don’t even really know what he’s talking about, but I still snort. “Bullshit.”

“I’m serious. And she’s amazing.”

I scowl at him. “What’s that mean? Are you having online sex with her? Like in an online chat or something?”

I might kill my brother.

It is not okay that I feel this way about Mia Hansen. But the idea that my brother might be saying things to her like…nope, I can’t even go there.

“Jesus, no.” Charlie laughs.

Laughs.

“Why not? You don’t think she’s sexy?” I demand.

Charlie looks around, and I realize I’ve raised my voice.

I also realize that I shouldn’t be jealous about him potentially having online sex—or real sex—with Mia and then be upset that he doesn’t want to.

I’m losing my mind.

Charlie grabs my arm and pulls me into the alcove just inside the door. “Okay, you need to relax. She’s an amazing writer. Fanfiction is when fans of something—a book series, a movie franchise, a TV series—write additional scenes or stories for the characters or set in the established world. It’s…like an homage. The series is Hot Cakes by Erin Nicholas. It’s a small-town rom-com series.”

“Rom com? It’s a movie?”

“A book series. Romantic comedies. Set in a fictional town in Iowa. The fanfiction takes off where the series ends. But with twists not in the books. There are a couple of mystery fanfic series set in the town. One is cozy mystery that’s a little lighter. Most of the mysteries happen in or around the bakery in the town, and the bakery owners, Zoe and Josie, help solve them. Then there are some really gritty ones. Murders and kidnappings. Those are the ones I write in.”

I’m not surprised. Charlie has always loved mysteries and police procedurals.

“Tell me more about the ones Mia writes.”

Charlie grins. “The series about the sex club.”

“Shut up. Yeah.”

“Fun, erotic stuff. They’re funny, but also very hot. Mia’s little series does the best. The one millionaire from the series, the uptight grumpy one, Grant, actually started the club in her version. He was apparently her favorite guy in the original series, so she wanted to write more about him and thought it would be funny for the buttoned-up millionaire to own a sex club. Of course, he’s not buttoned up once he falls for the heroine in his book…”

Charlie’s gaze goes to something behind me, and I look over.

Mia is near the front desk, about forty feet from where we’re standing. She’s squatting next to a little girl in short, stubby pigtails, looking at a book the girl is showing her.

She’s smiling, and my gut clenches.

But worse….her hair is in a bun. And she’s wearing glasses.

And a pale pink cardigan sweater.

Fuck. Me.