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“Not successfully,” he responds, laughing. “Is it that one girl?”

“You’re going to have to be more specific than that.”

“That girl who was also going through a breakup?” Jay tries to remember. “You said she cried after you slept together.”

“Now, why would I take her?” I ask him seriously.

“I don’t fucking know,” he says. “You felt sorry for her?”

“God, no,” I say. “I hope she’s doing okay.”

“Wait, tell me everything. Who’s this new woman?” He shifts. “I fucking knew it too! You seem different.”

“I do not seem different.”

“Yeah, you do.”

I couldn’t be completely honest with my own brother for many reasons—one being that if Lucy is going to be going toSadie’s birthday and the wedding, everything needs to be foolproof. I can’t have people knowing we’re putting on a charade. It needs to feel as real as possible when I’m with my family. Meanwhile, Jay’s aware of the ins and outs of everything that happened with Julia. I have nothing to lose by telling him.

“Her name is Lucy,” I say. I’m already starting to feel warmer, and I have no idea why. “She’s amazing. She actually writes the sex column atThe Rue.”

“Get out.” Jay looks up. “Is that how you met her? At work?”

I try the arugula salad, enjoying the distinct, peppery flavor. “I met her at your going-away party if you can believe it.”

“You piece of shit!” Jay says. “You ditched me to pick someone up?!”

“I didn’t know she worked atThe Ruewhen I met her!”

“Well,you’re welcome.” Jay leans back in his chair.

“Yeah…thanks,” I laugh.

“But that was only a couple of weeks ago? She’s going to the wedding?”

There isn’t really a great way to sugarcoat this. Especially not to Jay.

“Yeah,” is all I say.

Jay frowns, setting his fork down. “What?”

“What?” I ask.

“Did she pressure you into taking her?”

I guess technically she kind of did. Lucy kind of pressures me into a lot of things, but it’s what I like about her. She doesn’t give a shit about how it might make her look. She speaks her mind and brings that out in me too.

“No, it’s not like that,” I say.

“Then what?” he asks. “You don’t think it’s a good idea?”

Jay and I have known each other since we were twenty years old, and it makes complete sense that he can see right through me.

“It’s a little complicated.” I rub the back of my neck.

“In what way? Because she works atThe Rue?”

“No,” I struggle to get out. “We’re, uh, we’re notreallydating.”