Because they look nothing like me.
Because they aren’t going to squat in his car or leave their shit all over his house so he has to dump it in front of said car.
McCarthy’s not going to taunt them with ex-boyfriends during meetings, since all of the girls are too young to have a messy dating history. Also, they won’t even have meetings because their lives aren’t already overly enmeshed.
The tears threaten to start.
I think about the horror on his face when he thought he’d hurt me, the way he cupped my face, searching my eyes.
Is there something there?
Only Jenna losing her mind.
“Definitely too early for pizza.” I grab a napkin that smells like grease and blow my nose.
“Jenna!” Hannah cries, wrapping me in a hug. “You don’t wish it was you dating McCarthy, do you? I know how you fall for guys too hard too soon.”
“Way to call out your best friend.”
“It makes you charming and empathetic. Also, I live for the messy stories.”
“I’m not,” I protest as Hannah hands me my cup of sugary soda. “I slept in his car last night, and he found out, and it was awful.”
“See? That’s the Jenna mess I live for. Sleeping in the car of a guy you’re not even dating? That’s a new low for you.”
“I am dating. Not McCarthy,” I add hastily. “I’m going to find another guy.”
“To live with and mooch off of?”
“No, to fall in love with and marry and have a stable marriage where we both die in each other’s arms in our nineties.”
“And you think you’re going to find him online?”
The Meat Market dating app pings.
“Look, found one!” We peer at the notification. The guy has a nice, almost-familiar face. He’s older and bearded, but hey, beggars living in their clients’ cars can’t be choosers.
“He wants to meet for dinner.”
“Why do I feel like I’ve seen him before?” Hannah squints.
“Maybe he was someone’s date to a work function?”
“We haven’t worked with him before. At least I haven’t.”
“I’m lining up another date after it just to make sure,” I promise. I swipe right on another picture, this one of a younger guy. “One for drinks and apps, one for dinner.”
Hannah bows. “Teach me your ways, master. We are not worthy. We better check that he’s actually single, because no one is more single than a man in an unhappy relationship.”
I wipe at my eyes. “I don’t actually need either to be single.”
“Ooof, Jenna…”
“No, not like that! I’m dating him because of McCarthy.”
“This is healthy…”
“I need to get him out of the house, and this is the only way.”
