“In the story we read for book club, the girl activelylikedit when the guy pulled that shit. Remember?”
“True.” She nods. “But only because he reins it in whenshe’saround. He goes hot and cold. It’s a whole thing.”
I sigh. “Sounds complicated.”
She turns to me. “Let’s flip it around. Suppose there’s this great girl you started seeing. And you really like her—”
“The same one as earlier?”
“It doesn’t matter.” Carrie rolls her eyes.
“Well, it does to me. I’m a visual man.”
“You know what, sure!” She waves a hand in the air. “So, you’ve got this girl you really like. There’s something about her. She’s not like all the rest; you’re really into her. And then—”
“And thenBAM?”
“BAM!A guy drops her off one day. Some superhot Campus Drivers guy, and she’s totally checking him out. What happens? Suddenly, you get the ick. You’re not picturing wedding bells and a white picket fence anymore. You’re thinking more party shots and STDs.”
I slow down and turn to look at her. I was right all along—Carrie is batshit.
“Okay, so maybe I’m exaggerating atinybit,” she says when she sees my expression. “But barely. And the key point here is that you need to come across less…” Her voice trails off. “I can’t decide whether the word I’m looking for is ‘available’ or ‘thirsty.’?”
“Right,” I grind out, practically ripping the turn signal off.
She shrugs. “Hey, I’m just doing what you asked me to do, man.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You’re pouting, though.”
“I’m just trying to make sense of it all! Eleanor literally said girlsloveguys who get around because then when they start getting all interested in the heroine, that makes her feel ‘special.’?”
I lift my hands off the wheel and put the last word in air quotes.
“Put those damn hands back on the wheel, Wolinski. And yes, you are correct. But that’s only for like the prologue! You alreadyhavethat rep. So trust me when I say any girl you end up crushing on is definitely going to feel ‘special.’?” She air-quotes back at me. “And I never said you needed to stop fucking—”
“Damn, that’s a dirty word, coming from you.” I glance over, smirking. “You can admit it, you know, if you’re trying to turn me on…”
Truth is, I’m only half joking. I haven’t slept with anyone sinceme and my sister had our talk. And if I’m getting random tingles from Carrie yelling at me, it’s definitely time to address that problem immediately.
I swipe over to my solo-driving playlist. I’m a sucker for old classics. The Clash’s “Should I Stay or Should I Go” blasts through the speakers.
“Wow. You just read my mind!” Carrie gasps.
I glance at her. “Having second thoughts already?”
“Let’s just say I’m starting to get a sense of how challenging this is going to be.”
“I like the old stuff, that’s all.”
“Yeah, it goes with your car and your whole vintage Campus Driver vibe.”
I laugh. “Oh, I don’t play this stuff with passengers in the car. I let them pick.”
“You didn’t ask me what I wanted to listen to…”
“You’re literally getting a free ride, here.” I eye her. “Don’t push it.”
