Book Club Discussion Notes Novels & Stories

“You looked, I don’t know, peaceful.” “Honestly, this book is terrible,” Audrey said, holding up some thriller that I vaguely recognized. “I don’t know why the hell Annabelle has it on her shelf, but I fear for any of the recommendations she’s been giving out at the bookstore.” I suddenly realized where I recognized the book from. “Oh, that’s the one that all the book clubs were reading a while back,” I said. “She probably only got it because of that.” “Oh, that makes more sense,” Audrey said. There was an awkward silence. “So, are you going to sit down or what?”

“In fact, with Gunnar and Henrik, I actually threw them into the lake on more than one occasion for trying to hit on me, both before and especially after Nigel.” Her tone indicated that she found those memories as amusing as they were exasperating. The ire of her teenage years bubbled up for just an instant before she shrugged it off. “And now I don’t like those two. I think next month’s book club will focus entirely on mxm. They get queasy when there are gay sex scenes in a book, probably because it makes them too aware of how close their dicks get when fucking Zoe. André will be thrilled to have a month of books to give him more deviant ideas for the bedroom.” I decided.

I’m trying to be patient, but it’s harder than I’d like to admit. Two months ago, I opened my bookstore, and it’s been incredible. Twice a week, we host book clubs, and I’ve made it a point to bring one of the guys with me to each session. It’s hilarious watching their faces as we dive into the discussions. The women seem to enjoy it too—something about discussing steamy romance scenes with a bit of eye candy in the room. The door finally creaks open, and I sit up straighter as they walk in.

"We can take it slow. Or not take it anywhere at all if that's what you want." "That's not what I want," I said quickly, then winced slightly at how fast the words came out. "I mean. I don't know what I want. I just know I don't want pressure." He smiled. "Then no pressure." We finished lunch talking about the book club. He told me when they met, who usually showed up, how half the discussions turned into arguments that had nothing to do with the book. It sounded normal in a way that made my chest loosen a bit.

He shifts back; putting a seat between us and truly looking horrified. Bibah simply shakes her head at our childish shenanigans and takes a sip of her iced latte, metal straw clinking in the Hydro Flask. “The Awoo Book Club’s pick for this week is H.P Lovecraft.” She pats the voluminous book atop the pile and I notice it’s the library copy of H.P Lovecraft’s Omnibus 3. “I’m so excited to roast his ass.”

Veronica begins, "Are we going to set up another book club meeting at your house?" "Oh, yes," Jessica sighs, grinning. "Pride and Prejudice is getting too good to put down. I had to force myself to stop or else I'd end up reading it all in one night." Maryanne laughs at her friend's reaction, but her face soon washes with fear. She doesn't live in the same, crumpled apartment as she did a week ago. "Oh, um, about that." "What's wrong?" Jessica sits back down at her desk, but turns the chair toward Maryanne.

Even though Lyra is guy crazy, so I know she's just saying this to make me feel better, so I jump in talking about how guys can kiss my you-know-what. We all laugh and a few minutes later somehow the conversation takes a turn and suddenly we're talking about how Allie Hamilton should have stayed with Lon Hammond instead of Noah on The Notebook. How they hell they came to that conclusion is beyond me. And then of course that somehow brings the conversation to how they should have ended the Batman movie series with the Joker killing Batman. I'm laughing really hard at something Chloe had said when I get a notification on my phone. I pull it out of my pocket to see a group message on F******k f

She sighed heavily. "It's fine. This is the last time I'll need the notebook anyways." She said, making everyone slightly sadder. This was the last time Kyle will destroy Becca's notes, and the last time that Steve chucks an empty energy drink at Kyle. All of them were thinking it, but none of them wanted to. "I was hoping we could all skip book club. I want to spend time with my friends properly." Kendra said. Steve smiled and sat back down, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

Compliments passed back and forth, smiles filled the air, and the amount of giggles would make you think you were at a teenager’s sleepover talking about the hottest guy on Teen Vogue. And I must say that it was a nice day. Book club went off without a hitch, and the exchange of ideas fueled more conversation about home, family, work, and life in general. And then we heard it. The salsa dance. The library was closing in thirty minutes. Again, now in fifteen minutes. And last call, time to pack up and go.

He studies me for a beat too long, his gaze warm enough to make the air between us thrum. We talk about safer things for a while. Favorite coffee orders, the absurdity of genre marketing, the time I tried to join a book club and quit after one meeting because everyone treated The Great Gatsby like gospel. He laughs at that, low and genuine, and I swear it lodges somewhere in my ribcage. Every so often, his knee brushes mine again. I should move back. I don’t. In fact, I may shuffle forward a little as surreptitiously as possible.