“Oh really?” I snort. “You didn’t mean to ask if it was from my boyfriend, even though that’s literally exactly what you said?”

His eyes go wide. “I was just making conversation!”

“By implying that I could only have this ring if it came from a guy?”

He rubs his hand over his face and frowns. “Listen, I really, truly did not mean it that way. I’m sorry.”

At least he looks properly ashamed. “Fine. How did you mean it, then?”

“What?”

“How did you mean it? If you weren’t asking out of some last-ditch misogynistic gatekeeping, why else would you ask if it was from my boyfr—wait, were you trying to see if I had a boyfriend?”

“I—” He blushes again and starts flipping through the books in the dollar bin. “No.”

I sigh. “I don’t know if that makes it better or worse.”

“What?”

“Why are you all such clichés?”

“Comics fans?”

I roll my eyes. “No, boys. News flash, it’s not okay to hit on every random person you meet.”

“I don’t, I swear. You’re the exception, not the rule. And technically, I didn’t hit on you. I just asked if you had a boyfriend.”

“I’m going to find out who your sister is and tell her everything.”

His mouth pops open, and I swear to god, the boy looks terrified.

“Okay, now I want to find her even more. She seems fabulous, and I think I’m already in love.”

“Does that mean I should have asked if you had a girlfriend too?” He chuckles and scratches the back of his neck.

“Probably, yeah,” I say. “Also, congrats on making it even more awkward by questioning not only my relationship status but also my sexual orientation all within five minutes of meeting me.”

He groans and drops his head down. “Can we just start over? Or else I could go over there with DuckTales until Vera comes back. I’d totally understand. I was trying to be funny, but I made it uncomfortable. That is . . . kind of my superpower.” He grimaces.

“Ugh, now I feel bad. DuckTales? Really?” I huff. “Okay, fine, you get one last chance to turn this all around: tell me what book you’d recommend. You do a good job, you can stay. You don’t, there’s the door, come back later.” I’m just messing with him. Of course I wouldn’t really kick him out, but it turns out he’s adorable when he gets flustered.

He crinkles his eyebrows, a little mischief in his eye. “I thought your pull list was bigger than mine?”

“I’m completely positive that it is, but I still want to know what you’d recommend, because obviously the pull list you made here isn’t accurate. And I can tell a lot about a dude by what he reads.”