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CHAPTER 1

ANGRY HOT GUY

RIAN

I flip throughfor a sale on the jumbo box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal so I can price match it I’ circle before tucking the red Sharpie into the front of ister, I want to make it as easy as possible for the cashier and the people in line behind anized price matcher

I shi over the store intercom as I toss boxes of mycli over my shoulder Aprecariously out of the cart in an atterab a box of Fruit Roll-Ups I can’t blame him They are artificially delicious

But theHalfway down the aisle is a suit A big suit Well over six feet of ray fabric He doesn’t have a cart or a basket And he’s staring at h to decide if he’s fa back

I have the urge to check my appearance, worried I have his attention because my hair is a mess, or there’s a sweat stain down the center ofat the ym my twin sister forced me to try out

Marley bought an online two-for-one coupon for forty bucks, so now I have to attend six of these stupid classes with her I et out of last week’s class, but she wouldn’t let me escape teeks in a row My tank is still dewy, post-exertion, I have terrible under-boob sweat, andis all wonky If I were alone in this aisle, I’d for sure fix the last issue, but suit guy is here so I ed uncoina lips

The suit quickly shifts his attention to the shelves and picks up the jar directly in front of him, which happens to contain prunes He inspects it, then maybe realizes what it is, because he rushes to return it, exchanging it for another ite state I’ checked out

As suit ives the shelf in front of him his full attention, I return the checkout favor His attire and his posture screa coht At one tihed at—like an entitled jerk—now it’s a necessity

Suitit’s late April and we’re experiencing tee for this ti it’s a high-end brand He’s complemented it with black patent leather shoes Very impractical for this weather and location Does he realize he’s in the Hamptons?

He’s wearing a watch, and from his profile, he can’t be much beyond his early thirties I have to assume the only reason for the watch is because it’s expensive and he wants to show it off In my head, I’ve already profiled him as a pretentious, rich prick who probably commutes to NYC a few times a here he bones his secretary and has a penthouse with the barest of furniture The rest of the time he works from home

I return to shopping and continue down the aisle, in the opposite direction of the suit—it’son me or not I keep tabs on him in my peripheral vision as I scope out more sales and more delicious, unhealthy food iteetablesout in the produce section

I grab a jar of the no-naood stuff isn’t on sale, dropping it in the cart My phone keeps buzzing init and check es

It’s my sister

We’re in the sae, so I don’t knohat could be so pressing that she needs to text four thousand ti me

ABORT SHOPPING