Prank Date [✔]

Part 9

"So," Jisoo closed the novel, "which book should we discuss next time?"

A lively discussion broke out in Jisoo's living room, with me suggesting some of the mystery novels on my to-be-read pile.

"How about Breathing Room by Susan Elizabeth Phillips?" Mina asked.

"Or one of Jennifer Crusie's novels." Nayeon leaned forward on the couch, her dark eyes glowing with enthusiasm. "Her books are great."

I groaned at the usual suggestions. "Oh, come on. Not another romance novel. There are other books, you know?"

Jisoo poked my shoulder. "You mean other than accounting books."

"Very funny." I was glad for the reddish lighting of Jisoo's lava lamps since they hid my blush. "At least I'm not the one who got caught reading a romance novel at work."

The other women laughed.

"What do you want to read?" Jisoo asked.

"How about one of Sandra Scoppettone's?" I said. I had tried for ages to get the others in the book club to read one of Scoppettone's novels. "Her plots are captivating, and her novels have some of the best dialogue I've ever read."

"They're also out of print and very hard to find," Jisoo said.
She leaned back in her orange armchair and swung one of her slippers back and forth on her foot. "Hmm. How about Tana French? You said she's good, right?"

I nodded. "She is. Maybe Faithful Place? I heard it's her best, and I haven't read it yet."

Mina and Nayeon shrugged and scribbled it down.

"All right." I rose from another of the hideous armchairs. "I need to go. I'm driving to Fresno later and I promised my neighbor that I would look in on her before I go. She broke her ankle last week, but she's too stubborn to stay in the hospital."

The three other women exchanged panicked glances.

"Oh, no, you can't go just yet." Jisoo pressed me down into the armchair. "Don't let her leave, girls." She rushed toward the kitchen while Mina and Nayeon hovered over me as if they wanted to bodily keep me in the chair.

I frowned. "What's going on?"

Jisoo came back into the living room, carrying a cake covered in burning candles. They started singing Happy Birthday, making up for their lack of vocal talent with pure volume. With a smile that was almost brighter than the candles, Jisoo stopped in front of me.

"Surprise! You didn't think we would let you leave without cake and presents, did you?"

Nayeon slid a heavy box that was wrapped in dotted paper onto my lap.

"Uh. No," I said, but it wasn't true. When no one had congratulated me, I had thought the other book club members had forgotten about my birthday. I had been disappointed but had quickly gotten over it. After all, Nayeon and Mina were more Jisoo's friends than mine, and Jisoo was a busy woman.