“So she talked, and you listened?”
“Listened, and played along when she’d let me get a word in.” He laughed, and so did I. As it faded, still smiling, I shook my head. “Look, one of us has gotta say it. What is this?”
“What is what?”
“You know what.” I gestured to the food, then between the two of us. “Are we just hanging out? Or was this supposed to be a date?”
Joy in his expression dissipating, he pressed his lips together. “Did you want it to be a date?”
“I asked you first.”
“You asked if it wassupposedto be a date.”
“Aw, now you’re embarrassed to say it was?”
“You know that emasculating thing? You’re really good at it.”
“It is something I pride myself in.” He rolled his eyes, and I laughed. “If itwassupposed to be a date, I’d say it’s been a good one.”
His eyes met mine. They looked warmer than usual. Happier. “Yeah?”
“Yeah. I mean, we’re both really bad at it, but I’m having fun.”
“Mocking me over an array of Mexican food—that’s fun to you?”
After the week I’d had? “That is my idea of a good Friday night.”
Something between a harrumph and a laugh escaped him. “Happy to be of service.”
“What, are younothaving fun?”
“I never said that.” He frowned. “I’m just really bad at it.”
“Bad at having fun?”
“Bad at dating. But yeah. Bad at having fun too.”
“If it helps, I have no idea what I’m doing,” I said. “I haven’t done this since I was a kid.”
“Had fun?”
“Who’s giving shit now?”
“You started it.”
I tossed my balled-up straw wrapper at him.
He chuckled and tossed it back. “Last time you went on a date was when you were a kid?”
“Last time I went on a first date,” I said, reverting my attention to another chip. “I met my ex when I was fourteen. Was with him until I came here.”
Sebastian’s eyes softened. “I haven’t really dated since I got Lizzie.”
Cocking my head to the side, I squinted him over. “You haven’t dated in a decade?”
“I’ve gone on a couple,” he said. “But there aren’t that many people in Black Pines. I grew up here, so I know everyone, and everyone knows me, and we’re not big fans of each other. Dating someone from another town is a pain in the ass logistically, so I kinda just gave up. With Lizzie and work, I haven’t had time to devote to a relationship.”
I made a noncommittal noise. “People in town don’t like you?”
