I feel a little guilty. Just the smallest, tiniest amount of guilt for not being the kind, welcoming hostess Gran taught me to be. But the rest of me is so relieved that while Jasper might be literal physical perfection, who he is as an actual human is the last thing I’d want in a boyfriend. Because I’m busy, you know? I don’t have time to pine after a guy who will undoubtedly leave me high and dry and sadder than I already am. Unlike Jasper’s books, real life does not come with happy endings. My entire fucking life is proof of it.

“Yeah, Drew, why does he get the feeling that’s not actually great?” Elsie echoes his sentiment. However, her look is less confusion and more a promise of her cussing me out later. Out of earshot of her small humans, of course.

“I don’t know.” I widen my eyes at her, giving her my best “shut the fuck up, I’ll tell you later” look. I hope she gets the message, and then I plaster on my biggest, fakest smile maybe ever and look back to Jasper Williams, Author. “It is great. You’re an author. This is a bookstore. This is great.”

I know I don’t sound very convincing, but lucky for me, before Elsie can call me out on it, yelps of goodbyes and tiny squeals of laughter drift to the front of the store.

“Sounds like story time is over,” I say to Elsie, a real smile tugging at my mouth. “You should probably go get the girls.”

Saved by Elsa! Look at story time paying off in spades.

She purses her lips together and shoots me a death glare that has only become more potent since she’s given birth. “You’re so lucky right now,” she murmurs beneath her breath before turning her attention to Jasper. “Nice to meet you, Jasper. I read The Beginning when I was pregnant with this one”—she gestures to a still-sleeping baby Finn—“and adored it. Clara was so relatable and I loved watching her transform.”

“Thank you so much,” Jasper says. “I see you have your hands quite full, so it means more to me than you know that you would spend any of your time reading one of my novels.”

I don’t know where to look. At the man who casually used the word novels or my best friend, who is apparently a secret romance reader. All I know is that Elsie better have bought that book from here. If she ordered the e-book, we might have to fight.

“I can’t wait to read more,” she says to Jasper before turning back to me. “And you. Behave.” She scolds me like I’m one of her kids and speaks again before I can defend myself. “Call me later so I know when to set my alarm for yoga tomorrow.”

Yoga.