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CHAPTER ONE

THIS WASN’T A BOOK CLUB; it was a manhunt

Olivia couldn’t believe she’d fallen for it Actually…she couldn’t believe she’d thrown herself headfirst into it She’d read the assigned book Twice She’d downloaded important discussion points Made detailed notes Marked up the pages And finally, before walking into the brewery, she’d sat in her car for ten irls-only gathering

They’re just women like me, she’d assured herself No need to be intiht in because you’ll all have the book in common

Now here she was, sitting in the barroo to seven wo lives and sexual adventures And Olivia, having no dating life or adventurous sex to contribute, sat there like a buht in her tense fingers

It wasn’t that she’d never had girlfriends She’d had a best friend in high school And one in college And then…then she’d had her husband Her ex was as close as she’d gotten to a best friend in the past ten years, and he’d failed pretty spectacularly at that

She needed girlfriends, and she needed them fast When Gwen Abbey had invited her to join her book club, Olivia had felt honored and relieved

She should’ve known better Gasn’t exactly the type to opine about literature Oh, she was sbird after a shot of espresso Shetwo hours talking about it afterward

“I’ an arm around Olivia’s shoulders for a quick squeeze “Isn’t this fun?”

“Yes!” Olivia answered, feeling her fingers go nuainst the slick cover of the book She really, really wished she hadn’t posted so es They fluttered like tiny blue banners under the breeze of the ceiling fan

“Can you even believe how adorable he is?”

Olivia glanced auto, very handsolasses at the tap He was Ja wave had set the whole table tittering a fewhad been followed by proot Jamie Donovan alone for an hour “Find out exactly what’s under that kilt,” had been a common refrain

“So,” Olivia ventured, leaning closer to Gwen, “is he the reason you guys meet at this place?”

“Heck, yeah No reason not to have a nice viehile we hang out Plus, Marie, Alyx and Carrie are all et a little flirtation in They get to drool over Jamie, fantasize a little, and then their husbands benefit when they get home Everyone is happy!”