So You Want a #BOOKBOYFRIEND? (Love Canyon: Blind Date with a #BOOKBOYFRIEND)

Chapter 1

Mikayla Jayne (The Bad Ass FMC From Deck My Halls)

“ M ikayla Jayne, I told you that book was going to cause all kinds of problems.”

I smirked into the phone. “Now, Nana, if you hadn’t snuck it out of my bag at Christmas-”

“Pshaw, you left that right out in the open. I’m starting to think you did it on purpose,” she grumbled, but I heard the glee in her tone. And the wheels she had spinning, churning, and ready to launch some insanely wonderful idea only she could do. My eyes narrowed as I caught a glimpse of Ryan, my fiancé, as he snuck into the house, thinking I wouldn’t see him. A wicked grin grew across my face. “I bet those problems are exactly the kind of things you like-and don’t even try to tell me otherwise. You were the one telling me book club was getting boring.”

She snorted. “It was so bad, even Clara wouldn’t show up. Which meant no cookies or cupcakes, which was half the godforsaken draw lately, to be honest. But now…” her voice trailed off.

“I told you Delena Bennett would curl their toes.”

“Sweetheart, it’s not their toes I’m worried about. Once they figure it all out.”

I groaned inwardly. “Tell me you didn’t send the book without telling them what the book was about?”

She cackled. My 70 year old Nana fucking cackled , gleefully. This time my groan was audible and I literally smacked my forehead. “ NAN !”

Ryan peaked his head in, glasses and an Anders Racing polo tight across his chest. I momentarily forgot about my shock and not-too-stunned reaction.because she pretty much was my idol growing up–at Nana’s devious plans. I glared at him and his irresistible Clark Kent-ness and shooed him away with my free hand. Spinning so I no longer felt the distracting pull of the man who rocked my world, I hissed, “Those ladies are going to have a heart attack and you might just lay out half the damn population with the scenes in that book!”

“One could only hope, dear, and besides, there's only a handful of people that actually show up anymore. And,” her tone turned gleeful, “Meredith is bringing a friend next book club.”

My cousin, Meredith, had just moved to Love Canyon after graduating college. Not that we’d ever been super close, but she had a wicked sense of humor–and maybe had gotten into trouble with me a few times.

“ Friend ? Nana, please don’t tell me you're doing anything crazy. I thought book club was only once a month now?”

“Twice a month. Your mother and Marie want to get a head start, plus why wait? Once the girls find out it’s some boring love story without an HEA, maybe they’ll show up. And a few nice boys... Now stop trying to stifle me before I call that young man of yours and make him put you in your place. Or maybe I should send him that book,” she teased.

I rolled my eyes, still not totally able to digest the idea that Ryan’s mom and my mom were now in cahoots with my Nana. Reading romance novels that she pilfered from my bag last time we visited. “What makes you think I didn’t already make him read it?”

“That’s my girl. Kinda like that cute hockey player that posts his reactions on social media. Ooh, I wonder if Oliver could convince him to do one just for us? Or maybe your mother could convince that cutie Noah to come for a visit.” She chuckled.

“Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

“Oh, Mikayla, I hope not.”

“And I’m sure Noah is busy being…Noah.” My stepbrother's best friend was a goalie with the Montreal Triumph. Growing up with a hockey player for a sibling meant I got to witness their bromance develop over the years. Noah was a part of the family. After college, they were both drafted by different teams and had thriving professional careers, but on different teams.

And I think Noah had a crush on me that developed into a fun and flirty friendship. The group texts, however, were out of hand. There wasn’t a day that I wasn’t removing myself from at least one. “Have fun at book club, and try not to scandalize everyone too much.”

“Just a little, Mikayla. Just a little.”

I laughed and hung up the phone, hoping those women at least checked out the blurb. Stalking and a mask-wearing book boyfriend might work for some people, but I wasn’t sure if the town of Love Canyon was ready for that level of spice.

Or, who knows, maybe they needed it all more than they knew.