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No.

I don’t allow myself to finish that thought.

“I’m heading to bed.” Conrad stands and stretches. “You need anything?”

“I’m good.” That’s not exactly true, but there’s nothing my teammate can do to alleviate the stress from today.

He heads for his bedroom, hitting the hall lights on the way to bed. I use the bathroom and then shut off the rest of the lights in the living room before stretching out on the sofa.

But I can’t sleep.

Minutes turn to hours, and the phone on the table beside me lights up. It’s quiet, but the bright light doesn’t help. I reach for the phone.

It’s Conrad’s, and he has a new message from Juniper on the dating app.

I shouldn’t read it. It’s an invasion of privacy. But I’m overtired and I’m still fuming that she kissed my brother and now she’s texting my best friend. What the hell, Juniper?

Was one dick tonight not enough?

Conrad uses his birthday as his phone password, so it’s easy to unlock, and I open the Kiss Connection.

Sure enough, there’s a message from Juniper staring right back at me. But it’s not the first message, there are quite a few previously exchanged between them. Conrad neglected to mention that tonight.

Juniper: Thanks for your message, but I’m not interested in meeting any more hockey players.

I shouldn’t.

It’s a bad idea.

But I’m still tipsy and definitely not thinking clearly, blame my intoxicated state. That’s my excuse, what’s hers?

Me: Are you sure? I saw you tonight, things got quite heated.

Definitely a bad idea texting her.

I watch as three little dots appear on the screen while she’s answering my text. Correction, while she’s answering Conrad’s text.

Six

Juniper

I should swear off dating apps. I only have bad stories to share after meeting guys on those apps. Usually, they’re looking for a hookup and suggest a seedy dive bar, or worse, they send unsolicited dick pics because they think a girl wants to see that.

And the number of guys who sext me after one or two friendly texts, gross.

Trust me, we don’t want pics of your hairy balls or your flaccid cock. Honestly, I could do without the hard dick pics too. If you’re worthy of the hype, I’ll see it in person, but not after a first date. I’m not a one-night stand girl.

To make matters worse, the newest app I’m on has me somehow conversing with hockey players. Did I accidentally click that I like professional winter sports? Why are they all flocking to me? Like I have any interest in hockey.

Sure, I played soccer growing up; maybe I should have left that off my dating profile. I’d rather read a book. It’s why I’m majoring in business management and minoring in English literature. Weird combination, I know, right? My dream job would be opening a bookstore in a small town. I want to get as far away from New York City after graduation.

I have impossible dreams.

I graduate this winter, in just a few short months. Thinking about it is overwhelming, which has me surfing dating apps because I didn’t really date much in college. I’m not a virgin, but I’ve only had one boyfriend. I’ve been on enough dates to be comfortable dating. I just, I haven’t found any guy worthy of my time.

Rowan says I’m too damn picky, and maybe she’s right.

The first three years I spent hard on studying and books. I’ve finally managed to feel like my workload isn’t overwhelming and I want to date. Okay, maybe I want a boyfriend. I’m ready for a guy who knows what he wants and goes after it.