Chapter 16 - Sarah
SARAH
‘Done.’ Ben dropped a book on my office desk, causing my head to bolt up.
‘Hello to you too!’ I said before glancing at my watch.
Our meeting wasn’t due to start for another ten minutes and I was still working on my social media plan, which unfortunately included creating the videos with Ben that Jess had suggested.
‘Didn’t want you running off to management and telling tales about me not finishing the book in time. You said I had to read it in a week, so that’s what I did.’
‘Good boy, gold star!’ I said sarcastically and Ben narrowed his eyes. ‘So? What did you think?’
‘Nothing special.’
‘Care to elaborate?’ I asked.
‘Not really. The so-called hero was blander than a piece of stale bread with the IQ of a mosquito and the female main character was needy and equally stupid. There was zero chemistry and the basis of their whole relationship was just sex.’
‘I thought that’d be right up your street,’ I said.
‘I just didn’t feel a genuine connection between them. Every element of the book was completely unoriginal, forgettable and of course predictable.’
‘Wow.’ My jaw dropped. ‘Why don’t you tell me what you really think?’
‘Look, it’s just my opinion. I’m sure there are millions of readers who’d disagree, which is fine, because I’m clearly not the target audience.
And of course, I mean no disrespect to the author, because I know how hard it is to write a book, so I’d never share my opinion publicly, but it just wasn’t for me. ’
In hindsight, if I was going to give Ben a hockey romance, I should’ve recommended Icebreaker by Hannah Grace or The Deal by Elle Kennedy. I loved both those books, whereas I just liked the one I’d given Ben to read.
‘Fair enough.’ I shrugged, trying to ignore the knots that had formed in my stomach. If Ben could be so scathing about a book with thousands of great reviews that was written by an experienced author, imagine what he’d say about a debut novel from a newbie writer like me.
Not that I’d even written a book yet, but it was so painful to know that someone could trash something I’d spent months or years pouring my heart and soul into. Although at the rate I was going, it’d take decades to write anything.
‘Oh, I keep meaning to ask. How’s your writing going?’
Was he a mind reader? Crazy that Ben knew I was just thinking about my book.
‘It’s, er… a… work in progress,’ I said diplomatically, thinking it was sweet of him to ask, but also secretly hoping he wouldn’t probe so I wouldn’t have to admit I was more blocked than a constipated drainpipe.
‘Great! Anyway, as I was saying, if that book was your best attempt to change my mind about romance, you’re going to need to do a lot better.’
Damn. I really thought he’d like that one. Perhaps like was asking for too much from Ben, but at least I hoped he’d think it was passable.
It was stupid that his opinion bothered me.
I shouldn’t give a shit whether he liked the books I enjoyed or not.
Reading was subjective. A million people could love a book and rate it five stars, but a million other people could hate the exact same novel with a passion.
So maybe I was fighting a losing battle and should just accept he hated romance novels and move on.
Except I couldn’t. Because Jess said I had to give him a book to read every week.
Ugh.
Okay, so that book wasn’t his cup of tea, but it was the first attempt. I’d just have to try something else.
‘You’re entitled to your opinion,’ I said, keeping my cool. ‘Maybe it’d help if I knew more about your reading tastes and the kind of things you liked. Are you interested in sports in general? If you’re not keen on hockey romances, maybe we could try a football romance or golf?’
‘I’m not really a sporty kind of guy. The only exercise I enjoy is running, working out at the gym and of course enjoying some horizontal refreshment. Or vertical, or perpendicular. I’m always up for trying different angles!’ He smirked.
‘Horizontal refreshment?’ I frowned.
‘It’s nineteenth-century slang for sex.’
‘Really?’ I gasped.
‘Yep.’
‘You learn something new every day.’ I nodded, then realised this conversation was straying into dangerous territory and I needed to steer it back. ‘Okay, so we’ll press pause on the sports romance for now. So if you know about nineteenth-century stuff, maybe some historical romance.’
‘No,’ he said flatly.
‘What about fantasy?’
‘You tell me yours and I’ll tell you mine, Jeffries…’ he teased, and I rolled my eyes. ‘Hold on. Let me guess. Your fantasy is spending all day in a room with me so you can admire my beauty? Am I right?’
‘Not funny.’
‘I don’t hear a denial, though, so…’
‘What happened to serious, professional Ben?’
‘Oops, sorry!’ He slapped his own wrist. ‘To answer your question, no, I’m not sure romantasy is for me. Then again, I’ve never read any, so who knows?’
‘What about travel romance or mystery or adventure?’
‘Those could work.’ He nodded.
‘Cool. I’ll have a new book ready for you by tomorrow.’
‘Whoopee-do! I cannot wait!’ he said sarcastically.
I was tempted to give him another dirty look, but considering I was about to ask him for his help, again, that wouldn’t be a good idea.
It was a relief that at least I had some kind of direction to help me choose his next novel. I had my work cut out for me trying to convince a giant cynic like him to see the light, but I was determined to do it.
‘So…’ I paused as I tried to work out how best to phrase this. ‘You know how Jess and Theo said that I needed to help you out with the property stuff and you had to help me out with social media?’
‘Yes, unfortunately I do recall that.’
‘Well, I have your first assignment,’ I said, wondering whether he’d be open to being the library’s pin-up guy, which obviously was optional.
‘Go on…’
I explained the videos Jess had seen online and showed him an example.
‘So let me get this straight,’ Ben said. ‘First you want me to pretend to be your boyfriend at your brother’s wedding, and now you want me to pretend to be your boyfriend on social media?’ He raised a thick eyebrow.
‘No! I mean, yes to the wedding thing, but not the social media bit.’
‘But they’re in bed together.’ He pointed at the screen. ‘I already warned you not to fall for me, Jeffries!’ He chuckled.
‘That’s just an example! We wouldn’t do those kinds of videos.
I was thinking we could do them in different places around the library.
So, maybe I’m curled up on one of the sofas and you come up to me and say, “What are you reading, Sarah?” Then you sit beside me and I give an overview of what the book’s about, then you say, “That sounds great”. Something like that.’
‘Hmmm.’ He rested his finger on his chin. ‘I’m not sure it’ll be as effective. There’s no intrigue, excitement or emotions. What works with the examples you just showed of that couple is that you get the impression that the book has inspired them to do something naughty afterwards…’
‘I know, but they’re an actual couple, and despite what you think, I have no interest in pretending that you’re my boyfriend outside of the wedding fake plus-one thing. And like I said before, I don’t want to lie to our followers.’
‘I respect that. I’m sure we can think of something else,’ Ben said.
As we sat there in silence, I racked my brain. This was insane. I shouldn’t have to rely on Ben to help me. I was supposed to be the social media manager. And I was the one who was adamant that I could do this all on my own. Yet here I was, mentally blocked.
I started doodling in my notepad, trying to make myself look busy. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Ben scrub the back of his neck with his hand. Then he pulled out his phone and typed something in.
Stealing a sly glance, I spotted that he was watching more of the videos from the couple that I’d showed him. His brow furrowed like he was deep in concentration.
He had really lovely eyebrows. They were thick and dark and untamed in the most beautiful way.
And his lashes were long and curled up at the ends.
God. If I had lashes like those, I’d save a fortune on mascara.
So unfair.
My gaze travelled down to his lips, which were full and they looked so soft.
I wondered if he used lip balm. I remembered dating a guy whose lips got so cracked that I used to get bits of his skin in my mouth when we kissed.
That relationship didn’t last long. Not because of the dry lips thing. He was just an arsehole.
‘Are you staring at me, Jeffries?’
Busted.
I snapped my gaze back to my notepad.
‘No! I was just… I was trying to see what you were looking at on TikTok.’
‘If you say so. I have a question.’ He locked his phone, then slid it back in his pocket and faced me. ‘If you had to choose between staying in and reading a great book or going out, say to a bar, what would you go for? Be honest.’
‘Staying in to read of course!’ I answered without hesitation.
‘I know you won’t understand, but nothing beats curling up in bed with an amazing book, a blanket and a nice cup of tea and some snacks.
That’s a million times better than being in some noisy bar, where you can’t hear a word anyone’s saying, trying to make small talk with people who don’t really give a toss about you. ’
‘Right.’ He nodded.
‘Like, sometimes I’d make plans to go out and a friend would text to cancel because they had to work late and they’d apologise and feel bad about it, but I’d literally dance around with excitement, because it meant I could stay in and read.’
‘Wow,’ he said. ‘You really are passionate about books. And what about if you had a date? Would the same rules apply?’
‘Yep. Those were usually shit too.’
‘Have you dated since your ex?’ Ben asked.
‘I tried. Joined some apps and went on some dates, but every time I did, I wished I’d stayed at home.
I’d be sitting there with the guy who usually looked nothing like his profile pics, wondering why I’d shaved my legs and left my flat to come and listen to him talk about who he thought would win the Champions League, dreaming of being at home with my book and spending time with my latest fictional crush. ’
Ben nodded, then tilted his head like he was deep in thought.
‘That’s it!’ He jumped up. ‘I’ve got it!’
‘Got what?’
‘An idea for the videos that will be great for the target audience and reflect our personalities. Well, it’ll fit your personality more than mine, because in reality this would never happen to me, but I’m happy to take the piss out of myself if it’ll help the library.’
‘I don’t follow.’ My face crumpled. ‘What do you mean?’
‘Ah, yes, sorry. Let me explain. So what I’m thinking is that we use part of your original idea.’
‘Okay,’ I said, keen to hear his suggestion.
‘So, imagine, you’re reading in Love & Lattes or somewhere else in the library like you said.’
‘Right.’
‘You’re reading your book, and I come up to you and say, “Hello, Sarah, may I just say how beautiful you look today.”’
I blushed, then chastised myself because obviously he didn’t mean it, he was just giving an example of what we’d have in the script.
‘You’d then look up from your book and say, “Thanks,”’ Ben continued, ‘then I’d say, “I was wondering if you’d like to come out for a drink with me tonight.
” Then there can be some kind of dramatic pause, your eyes pop and you blush because obviously you’re blown away that such a fine specimen like me has asked you out. ’
‘Purlease!’ I rolled my eyes, fighting the urge to smile.
‘Then you’d say something like, “That’s really kind of you, Ben, but I’m reading this super cool romance and the friends are about to become lovers.”’
‘I don’t think I’d say super cool, but I get the point.’
‘Good. Then I’d say, “Got it. Not even I can compete with that. Happy reading!” And then you go back to reading your book and fanning yourself because stuff’s getting heated between the characters.
So that would make the followers want to find out more about what book could possibly be so good that you’d want to reject a god like me. What do you think?’
I paused, then smiled.
Dammit.
That was actually a brilliant idea. Why hadn’t I thought of that? It was like everyone but me was on fire with their creativity right now.
‘I like it. A lot,’ I admitted. I had to give credit where credit was due, no matter how much it hurt.
‘Really?’
‘Really,’ I said. ‘It’s a great idea.’
Much better than what I’d come up with.
‘Brilliant!’ Ben beamed like he was genuinely chuffed to get my approval. ‘But like I said, obviously no one would believe that you’d turn down a date with me to stay home and read, because clearly that would be ludicrous, but it’ll still be fun.’
‘You’re one of the most egotistical men I’ve ever met, but I agree that it would be fun and I reckon it’ll help spark a debate. There will be a lot of bookworms who will relate to wanting to stay at home to read. And there will be others that will look at you and think…’
I stopped to choose my words carefully. The last thing he needed was me to compliment him. If Ben had any more smoke blown up his arse, he’d take off like a hot air balloon.
‘And think what?’ He grinned.
‘There will be others who will look at you and think that they might want to go on a date with you.’
‘I think you’re absolutely right.’ Ben leant back in his chair and smiled like the cat that got the cream.
‘Ugh,’ I sighed. ‘I think you’re doing this because you love the attention.’
‘Nope. Just doing it to help the library. And you,’ he said, and I almost believed him. ‘Right, my work here is done. Let me know when you want to start filming.’ He walked towards the door. ‘Laters, Jeffries.’
‘Laters, Ben-evolent,’ I said, deliberately using one of the nicer nickname suggestions he’d given me. He’d really helped me out again and I wanted him to know I genuinely appreciated it. ‘And thanks.’
I expected Ben to gloat or reply with some kind of cocky comeback, but instead he just flashed that infuriatingly gorgeous Colgate smile and left.