Page 175 of While You Were Trending

No.

Oh my stars.

This is an official, public date.

And I’m suddenly excited about it.

I’m doing something brave.

Something scary.

Something borderline wrong.

“When’s the last time you had maintenance done on your car?” Dori asks. “Is it dependable enough to make it to San Francisco and back?”

He squints at her. “It’s a two-year-old Range Rover.”

“And how do you treat the car?”

“Like I want it to last twenty years.” He glances at me and catches me trying to hide a smile.

I could tell my friends that if Declan invested in a nice car, he’s taking care of it because he’s a cheapskate who won’t want another car expense for at least that long.

But instead, I merely smile and let him field more questions from Dori.

“Have you ever gotten a speeding ticket?” she asks.

He keeps glancing at me as he answers, and butterflies swoop through my midsection every time.

“Two before I turned twenty-one, none since,” he says.

“That’s a very specific statistic,” Dori says.

“I have a good memory. Haveyouever had a speeding ticket?”

“Dude. My grandparents are old, and I love them, and so I over-obey every law so that I don’t accidentally give them heart attacks.”

“We’re here,” Cricket calls from the kitchen as a door slams. “Did we miss the inquisition?”

“I was just getting warmed up,” Dori says. “He’s ready for you.”

Declan slides another look at me.

I shrug, still smiling.

He smiles back, shakes his head a little, and then nods to Cricket, who’s joined us in the hallway in front of the pictures of all of our past residents.

“When’s the last time you were tested for STIs?” she asks as she breezes past me, making me belatedly realize I should’ve asked the same thing a week ago.

“About six months ago,” he replies without hesitation.

“And how many women have you slept with since?”

His gaze slides to me, then back to Cricket. “None.”

Everyone looks at me, then back at him.

I don’t sayhe means none other than me, even though every fiber of my being believes it.