Page 18 of To Her

The bio now read: "Professional mermaid by day, ninja by night. I collect vintage spoons and can communicate with squirrels. If you can't handle me at my weirdest, you don't deserve me at my slightly less weird."

"I look insane," I protested, though I was still grinning.

"You are insane. This is truth in advertising." He saved the changes before I could object further. "Now, on to phase two of Operation Get Geri a Life."

"I have a life!"

"You have jobs, plural. That's not the same thing." He opened the app store on my phone. "Time to join the twenty-first century dating scene."

I watched in horror as he downloaded Tinder. "Oh no. Absolutely not."

"Oh yes, absolutely yes." He was already setting up my profile, using one of the few decent photos of me from Haley's Instagram. "Trust me, this is for your own good."

"How is having strange men send me dick pics for my own good?"

"You need to chase new men," he said, ignoring my question. "Right now, you like boys. You need ones who will treat you like a lady."

I snorted. "So I need a sixty-year-old man who'll still open the door for me?"

"Exactly!" He nodded enthusiastically. "That's exactly what you need."

"Oh, maybe a rich one," I played along. "With a mansion of his own."

"Now you're getting it."

Before I could stop him, he started swiping right on profiles, moving so quickly I could barely see the men he was selecting.

"James!" I snatched the phone back. "What are you doing? They're all—" I paused, looking at the most recent match. "Actually, he's kind of cute."

"See? Trust the process." He stood up, checking his watch. "Break time's over. Marco needs me to prep for the dinner rush, and you need to get changed for your shift."

I glanced down at my spa uniform—black pants and a polo shirt with the spa's logo—and sighed. "Thanks for the food. And the... whatever that was."

"Social intervention," he supplied. "You're welcome."

The dinner shift passed in a blur of orders, spilled drinks, and a particularly obnoxious table of businessmen who seemed to think their generous tips entitled them to comment on my appearance. By the time we closed at ten, I was running on fumes and autopilot.

"You good to get home?" James asked as we finished closing duties.

I nodded, stifling a yawn. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired."

"Text me when you get there," he said, giving me a quick hug. "And check your Tinder. You already had three matches when I last looked."

"Goodnight, James," I said pointedly, but I was smiling as I headed out to my car.

The drive back to Haley's parents' mansion was short, but I still found myself checking my phone at red lights. Not for Tinder matches, but for messages from Matt. Still nothing.

I'd almost managed to push him from my mind during my busy day, but now, in the quiet of my car, the disappointment crept back in. It was stupid to feel this way about someone I barely knew, someone who was leaving in less than two weeks. But I couldn't help it. There had been something there, something real—or so I'd thought.

As I pulled into the driveway, I noticed several unfamiliar cars parked outside. Great. Haley and Anna must have people over. All I wanted was a hot shower and my bed, not small talk with strangers.

I slipped in through the side door, hoping to make it to my room unnoticed, but voices from the living room carried down the hall.

"Geri? Is that you?" Haley called.

Busted.

"Yeah, just got off work," I replied, reluctantly changing course toward the living room.

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