Page 5 of Yes & I Love You (Say Everything 1)

As Hollyn’s heartbeat raced and sweat glazed her skin, all the things she’d pictured in that imaginary movie of herself melted into the ugly reality. There was no four-leaf clover for her. There was no meet-cute. Her awkwardness was notadorkablelike a movie heroine. She was a goddamned disaster. This monster that clamped its hand around her throat and took control of her muscles was real and it was bigger, meaner, and more determined than ever.

Maybe her mother was right.

She slapped the wall with the palm of her hand and let out a sound of frustration, the noise echoing through the empty stairwell.

No.

She. Would. Not. Run. She loved working in her cozy office. She loved that she was finally earning her own money—even though there wasn’t much of it. She loved having the freedom to go out in the city at night instead of having to watch life go by through a TV screen in her small hometown. She wasMiz freaking Poppy, goddammit. She wasfamous. You know, regionally. Microregionally. Like very micro. On the internet.

She groaned at her lame pep talk, but it at least distracted her from replaying the awkward encounter with Jasper over and over in her head. This didn’t have to be a big deal. She would not let her attraction to some cute barista derail her plan. She could deal with this.

He was just a guy. In a world full of them.

So what if this particular one thought she was rude? It’s not like she was trying to date him. She wasn’t capable of datinganyone. In fact, she never had to speak to Jasper again.

She had nothing to worry about.

Everything was cool.

Totally cool.

Ugh.Maybe she needed to find a new office.