Bottled Up: April Fools For Love by Roxy Mews Page A

my books to the library.”
    Ang put the bag of chips Betty had been dipping in the gelato back in the cupboard. Betty frowned, but it was probably for the best. She’d skipped her power yoga class twice this week. She didn’t want to think about how many sun salutations she’d have to do as penance for those sour cream and onion goodies.
    Betty jumped at the slap of Ang’s hand on the wall over her head. Her roommate swung her key around her finger. “We’re going to the shop to check up on things after the appointment, but we were thinking of having an early dinner before I’m due in for work. Want to meet us there?”
    Betty waved her phone at them. “Just text me.”
    The two took off for the doctor’s appointment and Betty had to make herself move. She tried to text Nate again. It couldn’t hurt, right?
    She had waited for three days since she last sent him a text. That way she wasn’t stalkerish. Or as stalkerish. It wasn’t that she couldn’t move on from him as a potential relationship, but she couldn’t leave things like they were.
    She couldn’t have Nate out there thinking she didn’t see anything in him beyond the physical. Shouldn’t she get points for being attracted to him when he was a plumber? She thought about how she’d nearly ripped his clothes from his body. Nope . She didn’t come off any better in that instance either.
    I just wanted to say I was sorry again, and offer to take you out for dinner to apologize. I don’t expect a reply, but I wanted to say it anyway. I’m sorry, Nate.
    She waited until the message was read. Then immediately put her phone to sleep and headed out. Maybe Patty would have a new batch of books in. The librarian sometimes told her what books they were about to order so she could put her name on the waitlist first. There were some good romances coming out next month, and it looked like she’d be getting her groove on in literary form for a bit.
    Betty made it to her car, and her phone buzzed. She scrambled to open the text she’d gotten. But the image sent to her was Twila puffing her belly out and making a goofy face. It wasn’t from Nate. Betty texted back “LOL” and tossed her phone into the seat. She wasn’t really laughing out loud, but it was the easiest way to end the conversation.
    She blasted the radio loudly enough to drown out any phone noise and let the good sound system vibrate her rear view mirror all the way to the library.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN
     
    Nate held his phone as he sat in the parking lot. He wanted to respond, but he didn’t know what to say. He’d felt used before, but it wasn’t like he hadn’t done the same to other people. He didn’t even know if he had anything in common with Betty any more.
    Was it worth starting a new relationship on such bad footing?
    He couldn’t see how it would be. He got another text. This one was from the guys at the Bently Bombers. Nate’s friends from the modeling community had snubbed him immediately after he didn’t have the cash to get into the good clubs any more. The strippers still called him.
    Frank wanted to know if he was still coming for poker night. He’d agreed to the game last week. Making foul jokes and telling horror stories about jobs was a fantastic stress reliever. It was a twenty dollar buy in, but the winner usually just bought the drinks for the next game. The bombers took care of each other. He was down with that. And even though he felt like hanging home after his round of mid-terms this week, he told Frank he’d be there early to help set up.
    Nate shoved his phone in his pocket and headed into the library. The book he’d been waiting for had to be back in by now. He was next in the cue for his favorite comedian’s book, and the library tended to have the book on hand for twenty-four hours before they updated their website.
    He’d always loved reading humor, but he could really use a good laugh after getting another text from Betty.
    The doors slid open and Nate