Chapter 2
Chapter Two
Drea
“This fucking sucks!” My chaste year started fifteen days ago—yes, I was counting the literal days—and I already wanted to quit.
As Mackenzie had suggested, I found some local classes, trying to find something else to fill my time.
The first class I tried was yoga, and that was an epic fail.
Not only was I terrible at it and had zero flexibility, it was an incredibly erotic class.
All those women in their tight-ass leggings bending over?
Jesus Christ! Needless to say, I wore out several batteries that week and decided yoga was not for me.
Last week was glass blowing, another erotic class. Blowing a hot rod? Who came up with that idea?!
I should have known taking Mackenzie’s suggestions was going to piss me off. She couldn’t have suggested painting or knitting? I should learn to make birdhouses or something. Birds can’t be erotic, right?
This week, I was going to start finding my own activities to try. When I mentioned Mackenzie’s great plan to Cara at lunch, she almost choked on her drink.
“Let me get this straight. You’re going to go a whole year without sex? You? I give it a week, tops,” she had said in a fit of laughter.
Cara and I had worked together since I opened the store five years ago. Cara was the CEO of Wells Publishing. She also took on a few clients herself.
She published several of the authors I had signings for over the years, and she had become not only a colleague but a close friend.
I scowled at her, but eventually she calmed down and actually started being useful. She suggested trying a more physical approach, like pickleball. Physical activity was a good way to relieve stress, and boy was I full of it.
When she introduced me to the sport, I laughed. The only physical activity I enjoyed required a different set of grunting noises. But Mackenzie’s stupid voice was playing in my head, so there I was trying to better myself or some bullshit.
Twenty-two days later, I was dripping in sweat, and not the good kind.
“Fuck you, you suck!” I grunted out. We were ten minutes into our pickleball game, and I was not having a good time.
She laughed, hitting the ball back over to my side. “I’m winning, so I think it’s you who sucks. Maybe if you were getting laid, you would have the stamina to keep up and I could actually have some competition!” She laughed when I almost tripped trying to hit the ball.
“That was a low blow, Wells!”
“You walked right into that one, or tripped into it!” She was laughing so hard I wanted to throw my paddle at her.
I cursed under my breath when I missed my next shot. “Did you come to talk shit, or play a game?” I yelled through gritted teeth.
“Seeing as how you’re losing by a long shot, I think I’m the only one playing. And shit talking is part of the game. I’m pretty sure it’s the first rule, actually.”
“I thought the first rule was not to talk about the game?”
“That’s fight club, Dre. Come on, one more round and I’ll set you free.” She laughed when I flipped her off. “Tempting, but you’re banned from sex.” She winked.
She was attractive for sure. She had the perfect combination of blonde hair and blue eyes, and don’t even get me started on her boobs. But we had been working together for years, and I didn’t mix business with pleasure. Besides, I just didn’t see her that way.
By the end of our game, I had lost five to one, but at least I got a workout in. We turned in our paddles to the front desk and headed for the parking lot.
“You’re getting better, but you seem a little off today. Is everything alright?”
“Besides my self-inflicted dry spell, yes. I’m perfect.” The lie flew out.
I knew she didn’t buy it. “Drea.”
I sighed. I hated being vulnerable. “Fine. I’m a little on edge today, okay? On top of not getting laid, the store isn’t doing as well as I would like and I’m just a little stressed.”
“How bad is it?” Concern laced her voice.
“We’re not in the red or anything, but it’s not doing as well as it has in the past, and I would like to see it get there again. I don’t know what’s been going on.”
“It can be like that sometimes, especially with social media and access to ebooks. You just need to do something to gain attention and bring people in.”
I knew she was right. I just didn’t have a clue where to start. I’d been thinking about adding a little cafe or bar. Maybe a live music night or something, but it was expensive and risky to invest that kind of money if the store wasn’t already doing well enough.
“We had some speed dating events, but they didn’t bring in enough to change things, and I’m stuck. Do you have any ideas on where to start?” I asked.
“This is perfect timing, actually. I might have a business proposition for you, but I need you to hear me out before you immediately say no because I don’t think you’re going to like it, but I think it could be just what you need.”
I had a strong feeling that I knew exactly what she was going to say, and she was right, I wouldn’t like it. Not one bit.