I latch onto the word like it’s a candle in the darkness. She wants to go on a date. A real one. She does want me after all.
Hannah trips up to us and hands Dani a glass. “Signature cocktail! Also, they have ‘Spend the Day with Ryder O’Connell.’ You can even stay at one of the skyboxes in the Direwolves stadium, and there’s free food. But I need you to spot me like an extra fifty grand? Please, Graham?” she begs him.
“Since when do you like hockey?”
“Hockey is big right now.” Dani fishes the cherry out of her glass and pops it in her mouth. “Hannah, I already give money to this charity. I’m not supposed to buy things from them too.”
“Dani!” Hannah pleads. “I thought we were friends.”
“I already have a hot guy in my life. I don’t know if my nerves can take another.” Dani wraps an arm around my waist.
Everything fades away to gold, and all I can think of is her. She’s soft and warm, and I’m teetering on the edge of an abyss I swore to myself I’d never fall into.
“—hot dogs on Friday, but you have to be careful because Dad burns them.”
“What?”
“I told Dani that Mom and Dad want you two at the cabin this weekend.”
“Aren’t you going to the Hamptons?” I ask Dani.
“She’s not going to the Hamptons. It’s the dead of winter. Don’t worry, Dani, it’s not like a crappy cabin. It’s nice. Graham bought it for our mom. It’s on the lake. You in or not?” She pulls out her phone. “Mom’s going shopping tomorrow.”
Dani looks at me, wide-eyed. “I… um…”
“Fair’s fair. You had Graham over at your parents’ house.” Hannah nudges her.
“Oh gosh, he told you about that?”
“It was a trial for him.” Hannah is pretending to be serious. “You owe him. Big time.”
Dani chews her lip, worried. “I’m not really an outdoorsy person. Camping’s not my thing.”
I don’t know if I should be relieved or sad she’s not coming.
Relieved. I’m definitely relieved.
“You have to come. You can’t be one of those girlfriends who steals the guy away from his family,” Hannah warns her in a pretend-threatening way.
Dani stammers, “Oh, well… I don’t want you all to think that. A relationship should be the blending of two families.”
“Fantastic! Make sure Graham comes early on Friday so we can do the cookout! I’m calling Bridgie now.”
“See?” I hiss at Dani as she sucks down her cocktail. “You’re too nice.”
19
DANI
“I’m so nervous! I’m freaking out,” I tell Piper in the lobby of the Svensson Investment building. “This is why I don’t do this. This is why I don’t date. Because inevitably you have to spend holidays together, and you know I like my alone time.”
“Yeah, you were in the bathroom way too long this morning.”
“I was doomscrolling on my phone without my mom after me every five minutes.” I pick at dog hair on my sweater. “I’m almost ready to join a gym just to get some time away from her.”
“Wow, you’re really spiraling, huh?”
“What if this is my only moon shot at a real relationship? Shouldn’t I be taking it more seriously?”
