Page 176 of While You Were Trending

“Are you unable to perform, or are you picky about who you sleep with?” Cricket asks.

I bite my lip and cover my face with my hands, peeking between my fingers at Declan’s growing grin.

“No and yes,” he replies.

“How many kids do you want?”

“Three.”

“Big wedding or small?”

“Ambivalent.”

“Do you think this is a date with Ginny tonight?”

“Until she tells me it’s a date, it’s not a date.”

“Oh, that’s a good answer.” Cricket’s nodding and taking notes on her phone. “Very nicely done.”

Declan inclines his head. “Thank you.”

“I think you’ve gotten everything you need,” I interrupt, mildly irritated that I’ll now be picturing Declan’s wedding to his perfect future wife and their perfect future three kids with Flow and probably two or three other dogs and definitely a cat. They’ll need a cat to balance out all of the golden retriever energy in the house. “If we don’t leave soon, we won’t have time for dinner, and I don’t want to be hangry during the show.”

“But I still need to ask about the worst thing he’s ever done and if he’s ever been married,” Cricket says.

“I was a dick to Ginny for years, and no.” Declan tilts his head at me. “Ready?”

I am.

And I’m not.

But I want to be, so I nod.

And then we’re off.

On our not-date date.

While a butterfly garden blossoms in my belly and my pulse goes wonky.

Fine.

It’s a date.

And I like this man who’s taking me out.

I like him so much it hurts.

And it’ll hurt worse when he leaves.

Unless I’m brave.

34

CHATS, CATS, AND AUTOMOBILES

Declan

Ginny smellslike her favorite oatmeal walnut chocolate chip cookies and anxiety as we pull onto the back highway behind the winery, and I give in to the urge to reach across the console to grip her hand. “Zander got us tickets up front and has someone who’ll seat me first, and then you as the lights go down. And I can get dinner delivered backstage instead of going out for it. No one will see you.”