Page 29 of Meet Cute the Virgin

Lily:Not that we’re meeting up.

Lily:We can… I just don’t want to assume.

Lily:I’m going to stop texting now. I’m starving to death, so don’t read into my text. I’m famished.

Me:I’d meet you any day.

Lily:Right, of course. I’m a total catch.

Me:That you are. Now eat before you pass out from the delirium, and then I won’t get any more texts.

Lily:On it. I’ll text you later.

Me:Look forward to it.

The chat goes quiet.

I turn back to the file, knowing I have to get to the bottom of this. It could be nothing, or it could be everything.

Chapter Fourteen

LILY

“Idon’t know if that’s sweet or psycho.” I point my thumb out the diner window to where Killian is walking by.

“Don’t be mean.” Teddy gives a playful smirk. “He can be both. My man is multi-pheasanted.”

“He’s a flock of birds?”

“What?” Her expression turns perplexed, not putting together that she really meant multifaceted.

“I could see that. He’s definitely multi-pheasanted.” I roll with it, cause why not? I’m not the grammar police, that’s for fucking sure.

Teddy flips open the menu like we haven’t been eating here at least once a week and she doesn’t order the same thing every time.

The food at Willow’s Diner is pretty good, even if the place is a little worn down. The vinyl booths have a few cracks in them. The patterns on the plates are fading. My dad would have said this is the kind of place that would make a good cheeseburger. He’s not wrong.

I place my phone face-down on the table, still sending texts to M even though I told him I’d text him later. I really don’t know how to feel about this, but I keep texting. It’s nice to havesomeone to talk to. Someone that wants to genuinely get to know me. Not just get information to control me.

“I still can’t believe you suggested meeting him,” Teddy says, playing with the edge of the menu where the plastic is peeling up. “You’ve only known him a few days.” She’s like the pot calling the kettle black over there.Ms.I went on a road trip across the country with a complete stranger.

Is there a timeline for such things? I know I’ve heard thesex on the third datething, but don’t people connect on these apps and meet the next day?

“I unsuggested it immediately.” While having an inner panic attack.

“You panicked and threw your phone across the room.” She lifts her menu to snicker behind it.

I did. It landed in my laundry basket, which was humiliating and also kind of impressive.

“He said he’d meet me any day. Like that.” I snap my fingers. “No hesitation.”

“Red flag.”

Oh. That’s bad? Shit. Hey, what the hell does Teddy know? She’s never dated in her life. Killian showed up and never left her side. Even now he’s walking up and down the street like a bodyguard because it’s girls’ night. I have to admit it’s pretty funny seeing his version of pouting. I told him to come in, that I didn’t care, but Teddy wasn’t having it.

“Or... green flag? Don’t we want a man who knows what they want?”

Teddy lowers her menu. “If you want to do this, we need to make a plan, and I’ll show you how to use my Taser.”