Contents
3: The Pete-Cute
Overview
January, hungover and panicked about her deadline, ventures into town and bonds with Pete, the café-bookstore owner. She secures a book club invite, a potential lifeline for her stalled career. A display of The Revelatories reveals her neighbor is Augustus Everett, her college rival, escalating personal and professional tension.
Summary
January Andrews wakes with a brutal hangover and a deadline reminder from her agent, Anya. Haunted by evidence of her father’s affair in the house, she vows to cope without drinking and heads into town in search of coffee, reflecting on her father’s encouragement to pursue her own life and the betrayal she now feels.
January arrives at Pete’s Coffee, chats with the gruff, warm barista-owner Pete, and misses the version of herself who easily connected with strangers. Despite the bad latte, she’s charmed by Pete’s welcome and decides to introduce herself next door at Pete’s Books to support her career.
Inside the bookstore, January pitches herself as a visiting author. Pete eagerly invites her to Monday night book club and promises to order January’s titles. January agrees, recognizing the marketing boost and craving community.
As January turns to leave, she notices a display of The Revelatories—signed copies. Realization strikes: the author is Augustus Everett, her former college rival. The bell rings; Augustus enters, confirmed as her next-door neighbor. Startled, January ducks behind a shelf to avoid him.
Who Appears
- January AndrewsProtagonist; hungover, grapples with her father’s affair, seeks coffee, networks with Pete, agrees to book club, realizes neighbor is Augustus.
- Pete (Posy)Warm, outspoken owner of Pete’s Coffee and Books; invites January to Monday book club and promises to order her titles.
- Augustus Everett (Gus)January’s grumpy next-door neighbor revealed as her college rival and author of The Revelatories; enters as January hides.
- AnyaJanuary’s agent; texts a deadline reminder that intensifies January’s pressure.
- ShadiJanuary’s friend; trades brief texts, highlighting January’s social ties despite isolation.