Page 124 of While You Were Trending

“Adults know things. It’s such a burden.”

I angle so I can see her squinting at him.

“Do you think adults are annoying?” she asks him.

“A lot of them are.”

Lav spots me, and her face lights up. “Ginny! Ginny,where have you been?” She darts through the apartment without asking permission, tackling me with the human equivalent of the greeting Flow gave me.

“Working,” I tell her as I hug her back.

“That’s dumb. No one has to work because we’re making wine and so we’re rich.”

“Who told you that?” I ask.

“Leland. He said anyone who makes wine is rich.”

“Leland sometimes gets his facts wrong.”

“Foxy, would you please tell Ginny that she’s the one who’s wrong?” Lav says.

Declan’s jaw works as he tries to hide another smile. “I have a rule against getting between two ladies when they’re having an intellectual debate over anything.”

Lav rolls her eyes. “He likes dogs and he’s useless in debates. Why is he even here?”

“To remind you of how good you have it when I’m not here,” Declan replies.

“Is your dad here with you?” I ask Lav. “Did he come back for something?”

She grumbles something under her breath.

“Cricket?” I ask.

“Is Cricket ever where my dad isn’t?”

“Yes. Frequently. And whenever you get old enough to want to date someone, you should have your own interests andhobbies and be your own person outside of your relationships too.”

That’s my problem.

It was always my problem.

I made my entire personality about making sure that I was lovable and did everything my boyfriends wanted me to do and was everything they wanted in a partner.

Boyfriends.

All three of them.

The first dumped me because I was too clingy, I dumped the second when he started talking about doing a reality show together since I had connections—definitely not safe anymore after that—and then there was Alex.

Lav’s shaking her head at me like I’m hopeless. “Ginny. You know I’m never dating.”

“Maybe you will, maybe you won’t, but stranger things have happened when little girls grow up.” I squeeze her hand. “C’mon. I’ll take you back to the barn. Otherwise, you’ll miss dinner, and a hungry Lav is a cranky Lav.”

She looks at Declan. “You heard the woman, Foxy. You’re gonna miss dinner.”

“I have dinner here,” he tells her.

“Put it in the refrigerator and eat it for breakfast tomorrow.”