Page 17 of About That Night

“If a guy texts you ‘what’s up?’ don’t answer.”

I stare at him blankly. That’s his big advice? “Why not?”

“Just don’t answer. At all. No response. Don’t ever allow a man to be that lazy with you because it sets a precedent. Trust me, if you ignore him, it will get under his skin, and he’ll try harder. You ignore the ‘what’s up?’ and the next day he’ll be texting you, asking you what your favorite book is or what you love to do on a Saturday afternoon or if you’re big on Christmas.”

He seems very adamant about this. “Isn’t that playing some kind of game or being manipulative?”

“No. It’s not about playing at anything. It’s about not allowing him to be lazy in how he dates you. Don’t engage with lazy, because then that’s what you’ll always get.”

“Are a lot of men lazy?”

“Very. Women are too. It’s easy to just meet someone on an app, send a couple of messages, and hook up. It creates bad habits.”

“Are you lazy?”

“I am when I’m not that interested, but there’s nothing else currently going on. Some women put up with it, some don’t. Then, if something better does come along, I go silent until whatever the new thing is fizzles out. and then I might go back with a “what’s up?” See if I can get her talking to me again.”

His honesty is appalling. “That’s horrible.”

“It’s the truth. Women do the exact same thing. If you want casual, it’s all too easy.”

I sip my sweet tea. This is going to be harder than I thought. I don’t know how to read the signals. At all. “But isn’t it rude not to answer a text?”

“No. It’s rude to send a generic text that puts the burden of conversation on the receiver. It’s basically a guy asking you to entertain him.”

I don’t say anything. I’m thinking, questioning if I really have it in me to ignore someone’s text.

“I can practically hear what you’re thinking. I know it seems rude, but trust me on this. You can do it. Ignore him.”

I make a face, but I nod.

“Lesson two. If he does ghost you and comes back around, block his number. Because that means he’s doing exactly what I just described to you, and he’s only sort of interested, and it’s never going anywhere. He’s just filling time.”

I nod again because I do see his point. “Block him. Got it.”

“If he makes plans with you and flakes at the last minute, also block him. He’s just messing around, and that’s not going to change.”

I’m starting to sweat in my sweater that is too small. I haven’t had the budget to buy a lot of clothes, and I’m feeling like I’m being squeezed by a boa constrictor right now. “It seems to me like you’re assuming something better than me will always be coming along.”

Hank waves his hand. “No, no, that’s not what I mean. I mean that you’re looking for something real. Relationships seem like a great idea in theory to people, but then they get scared when it seems like it might actually happen.”

“Are you talking about yourself?” I ask, curious. Hank has to be thirty. I wonder how many serious girlfriends he’s had. Not that it matters, but I’m still curious. He also admitted he’s afraid he’ll fuck it up, and I wonder why he thinks that.

“What? No. I try to be honest and forthright. I’ve had a couple of serious girlfriends. I just…like to try new flavor combinations.”

I raise my eyebrows. “Sometimes I wonder if you actually hear the things that come out of your mouth. Also, Porte French isn’t exactly bursting with ingredients, so good luck with that.”

“I’m too busy right now to have a girlfriend,” he says. “My restaurant is opening in March.”

“Restaurant?” I’m caught completely off guard. “You’re opening a restaurant here?”

“Yes. That’s why I moved back. I bought the old courthouse on Main Street, and I’m converting it.”

“You moved back?” I realize I just keep repeating what he’s saying, but I had no idea he’s actually here permanently. The thought makes all my girl parts flutter. The ones I thought had been buried deep under a layer of responsibility. “I thought you were in town visiting your family, seeing your grandfather. I didn’t realize you were moving here. Where do you live?”

“Court Street. I got an apartment next to the coffeeshop.”

That’s close to my house. Only a few blocks away. I don’t know how I’m supposed to sleep night after night knowing he is a two-minute drive away from me. “That’s…wow. You moved here. You’re opening a restaurant.”

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