Page 10 of Can We Skip to the Good Part?

Em smiled. “You’ll bring a new perspective to our discussions.

Very cool.” They shared a soft smile before Ella focused on the wineglass in her hand, anything to ground her.

They pressed on, turning over the intricacies of Parker Bristow’s cleverly woven romance.

The more they talked about the story, the more Ella felt herself pulled into the world.

The other women in the group made her think about so many angles that she’d missed on her read, which energized her all the more.

In fact, she planned to read the book a second time starting that very night.

She’d always enjoyed romance novels, and the rediscovery of a lost love was honestly just what she needed.

“So, will we see you next week? We’re trying an enemies-to-lovers,” Olive said. She quickly rushed to explain the trope, remembering who she was dealing with.

“Sounds fiery.”

“They’re the best,” Olive said with a ferocity Ella hadn’t expected.

“Down, girl,” Em said with a grin.

“Yes, I’ll be back. I just need to swing by Doug’s Books for the new read.”

Stevie stepped in. “Sweetheart, I already gave him a list of our next five or six selections. You can scoop ‘em up all at once. But don’t get too far ahead or your feelings won’t be fresh when we meet.

” Ella appreciated how important the discussion seemed to be to this particular group.

Nothing like the clichéd book club reputation that had women skipping the reading part to drink wine and gossip. Not that she wouldn’t enjoy that, too.

“Perfect,” Ella said, more pleased with tonight than she would have expected.

As everyone began to pack their belongings and break off into side conversations, she surveyed the room.

Empty wineglasses littered the surfaces.

The charcuterie board Stevie had made for them had been demolished, with only a stray sweet pickle, two cheese cubes, and a lonely slice of round salami remaining.

A sure sign of a successful meeting. Both bottles of wine had been killed, and a third had been retrieved and opened, with about a glass remaining.

The decibel level in the room had surely tripled since they’d kicked off the meeting, and six of them now talked over one another comfortably, all formality abandoned.

Laughter had been a highlight of the night and continued freely.

Ella’s face hurt from smiling so much. She ruminated on one of her favorite moments.

“Stop it. I can’t believe you thought her housekeeper was some kind of voyeur!” Ariana had yelled with tears of laughter glistening in her eyes. She waved her hands in front of her face as the rest of them fought the same battle. Stevie was doubled over. Em wiped her eyes. Ella struggled for air.

“What?” Morgan asked in defense, though she was laughing so hard her eyes had misted, too. “She kept watching their exchanges throughout the whole middle section. What was I supposed to think?”

“That she was bored and interested in their conversations!” Stevie called out, up on her knees now. “Not that she wanted to watch them get naked!”

Morgan brought her shoulders to her ears. “Listen, I thought Bristow was taking us somewhere new and upping her typical spice level.”

“To housekeepers who are a little dirtier than the houses they service?” Em smiled and shook her head in amusement.

“Yes! Exactly that!” Morgan cried out. “I thought she was a dirty girl, and, to tell you the truth, I wasn’t sure I minded.”

Ella’s stomach still hurt from the laughter, just imagining the prim housekeeper of the wealthy main character entering the sexual fray.

Morgan was shaping up to be a treasure to protect.

The group had been rowdy, but Em, who, for whatever reason, had stolen her focus, always maintained an element of control.

She would describe her as quiet, but she wasn’t that—more like intelligent and calm.

The group seemed to both adore and look up to her.

If Ariana was the most vocal member of the group, often steering the conversation as moderator, Em seemed to serve as their quieter leader.

Intriguing. Ella could admit to wanting to know more.

There was always next week. She thanked Stevie, who kissed her cheek with a smack, said her goodbyes to the rest of the group, and headed out to the cute little porch in search of her Mini.

“Headed out?”

She turned, and there she was, sitting on the wooden porch swing, the blue-hued moonlight illuminating a portion of her face. Em. She suppressed the dreamy sigh that threatened to escape. “Didn’t see you there.”

“Forgot to turn the porchlight on. I was just taking a minute before heading home. The fresh air helps me regroup.”

Ella wasn’t sure what to say, but she didn’t want their moment alone to end. If only her thoughts would settle. “Where’s home?”

“I’m about four miles east, not far from what we would consider downtown. But for newcomers, it’s that way,” she said, pointing to her left.

“Very helpful. You’ll find that I’m directionally challenged and self-aware enough to admit that.” She rocked back on her heels. “Now you know.”

Em smiled. “Then I should walk you to your car so you don’t get lost along the way.”

Ella went up on her tiptoes. “I won’t say no.”

As they covered the twenty-five feet, Ella couldn’t help but admire the clear, crisp sky. Maybe it was the romance novels that had her noticing every picturesque detail. “It’s nice out tonight.”

“Want to take a stroll around the block? This street is basically a circle.” Em shrugged. “Not quite ready to go home. I’ll likely start working, and who wants that?”

“No one,” Ella said, a hit of energy zapped her at the idea of walking with Em, just the two of them. She was about three inches taller than Ella was, and somehow that seemed to fit their … everything. “Let’s do it.”

Max wasn’t sure what made her ask Ella to take a walk, other than the obvious.

She wanted a few more minutes with her. First of all, she was captivating.

Pretty and blond, with eyes that latched onto anything she found intriguing, which tonight had been a lot.

They were newly into September, which meant the days were chilly, but the evenings were cold.

At least tonight there was no harsh wind to brace against and a nice bright sky to enjoy.

It almost felt like the stars had joined them for their walk. “So, what’s your story, Ella?”

Ella eased her hands into her pockets and glanced over at Max as they walked. “I was at a crossroads in my life, and a good friend suggested I move to where she lived here in Everly Springs. That’s code for I lost my job and needed a clean slate.”

Max nodded. “Completely understandable. I see a lot of that.”

“At work? What do you do?” They followed the road as it curved to the right.

“I’m an attorney who specializes in mediation. Mainly for divorcing couples.”

Ella’s brows shot up. “Oh, so you really do see people looking for a new start.”

“I’m the local expert,” she said with a sardonic laugh.

“No wonder you’re a romance skeptic.”

“I’m not a skeptic when it comes to romance. I believe it’s real. It’s just not as monumental as those kinds of books would have us believe. Doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy pretending.”

“Pretending! Listen to you. I just got here, and you’re already trying to kill it for me.”

Max laughed. This woman was beyond cute.

She wanted to take her to bed and maybe protect her from the world for as long as possible.

Did she go there, or just let things be what they were?

“I would never want to do that. I like that we disagree. It will make our life together more interesting. Our grandchildren will enjoy the bickering as they eat pancakes in the kitchen.”

Ella laughed loudly. “Wow. I’m coming up short after that one.”

Max softened. “I’m kidding. You’ll learn I like to tease.”

“But …”

“Yes?”

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but did we have a moment earlier tonight?”

“I think that’s left to one’s interpretation.”

“Okay. What’s yours?” Ella asked. She seemed nervous, which just made Max like her all the more.

“We definitely did.”

“Oh.”

Max couldn’t tell if she was blushing because her cheeks were already pink from the cold. What she did notice, however, was that she was not wearing gloves and was rubbing her hands together.

Max stopped them beneath the streetlight. “Where are your gloves? Give me your hands.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Ella said, but she placed her hands in Max’s. Max was wearing her cashmere-lined leather gloves and used them to cover Ella’s likely frozen fingers.

“I don’t have to. No.” She met Ella’s gaze and lost herself in those blue eyes that were both beautiful and sincere.

Max was a sucker for that very combo. A flutter arrived in her midsection, confirming the attraction.

The two of them just stood like that, content in the silence underscored by the very distant buzz of the haloed streetlight.

“I wonder if the others are wondering what happened to us.” Ella’s voice was quieter now. Her gaze didn’t move from Max’s.

“They probably forgot all about us.”

“Yeah.”

She was hypnotized and in love with this moment.

She would stand on this street corner with this captivating woman for hours if she could.

How long had it been since someone truly snagged her attention in this short a period?

And right after she’d denounced romance in front of Sonya and the book club. Almost as if fate was daring her.

“Let’s get a drink sometime.”

Ella blinked. “Yeah. Let’s do that.” The way her mouth formed the words sent a ripple through Max’s midsection.

She wasn’t the type of woman who could let a moment like this pass unseized.

It needed something, and she knew just what.

Without waiting, she took one step in and caught Ella’s mouth with hers.

Satisfaction rained down in heaps when Ella kissed her back, slow and perfect.

God, she could have luxuriated in those lips all day, lost herself on the street corner, and never regretted a second of it.

She pulled back ever so slightly and locked onto the blue eyes. “Had to.” Her hand was still on Ella’s chin.

“Do you always act on impulse?” she asked, looking up at Max, her breasts pressing against her white sweater, visible beneath her unzipped coat. Max had been aware of the perfect way it hugged her curves all night.

“No. That’s the tricky thing about tonight. I seemed to have left my control back there. Or you absconded with it when you arrived.”

“Absconded is a big word.”

“If that impresses you, I have lots more words I can say.” Max straightened fully and took a step back. She enjoyed their volleys. Ella was quick in addition to attractive.

“Let’s not go using them all up,” Ella said and passed her a grin.

“Yet, you mean.”

Ella watched her as if trying to figure this all out. “Wow. You are very unexpected.” She whispered with her eyes bright. Max loved the shade of blue, somewhere between slate and sky.

Max handed over her phone. “Give me your number so we can schedule that drink.”

Ella typed and returned it. “If nothing else, I’ll see you at next week’s meeting.”

“I don’t want to wait. I want to hear all about Tulsa.”

“Oh, you do, huh? Tulsa is riveting conversation material for you?”

Max nodded eagerly. “Hell yeah, it is. Oklahoma is on my list of must-get-to destinations. You can tell me all the ins and outs.”

“Tornados.”

Max raised a brow. “Mhmm. All about those.”

“Ranching.”

“Riveting.”

Ella offered a sideways smile that Max liked very much. “Even got a little oil and gas to toss in.”

“See?” She leaned in close. “Now, how can I resist drilling stories?”

“I had no idea you had such strong feelings on the topic. I guess you’ve found the right girl to get drinks with then,” Ella said, holding her ground.

“My lucky night.”

“It’s also a cold night. Walk back with me?”

“What? Before we get into even more trouble?”

“Yes, Counselor.” Ella didn’t wait. But for just a minute, Max took a moment to watch after her and revel.

Tonight had come out of nowhere, but she was feeling lighter than she had in months.

She’d needed this little bit of fun. This release.

And that kiss? She hadn’t even begun to process how good it had been, like a fire had finally been lit.

It felt so ridiculously gratifying after so long of feeling so …

numb. And if they kissed that expertly, with chemistry zipping between them so palpably, what would they be like in bed?

Max couldn’t even go there right now, because torture was not on her list of favorite things.

Plus, she savored the unravel so very much, and the club would serve as a nice way for them to get to know each other over time.

They had a standing date every Tuesday already penciled in.