Page 53 of The Wrong Date Deal

She’d known she was ready when she agreed to try the app, but it was nice to feel how far she’d come. There’d been a moment after her breakup where she’d wondered if she’d ever want to date again, but maybe that was just breakups. Nothing ever ended because of good things, and even when it was theright thing to do, it left its mark and took time to heal. And August was there. She’d stayed away for fear of being hurt, for going through the motions over and over again, only to be rejected in the end. But here she was, dating, and okay with it not going well. That was definitely a good thing. And maybe that was all she needed as a Valentine’s Day gift to herself.

Meilíng watched her for a long moment before she smiled. “I’m really happy for you.” She sipped her drink and pressed her lips together briefly. “So… What kind of woman are you looking for? Really?”

August laughed. “You think I lied to you over lunch?”

“No. I just think you weren’t… as far along as you are now.”

“It wasn’t that long ago.”

Meilíng shook her head. “I know that. But you’re just being difficult. Something has changed since then, and I want to know if your tastes have changed as a result.”

“My tastes?”

“Your tastes, your answer, whatever. You can tell me, August. We’re friends.”

August sucked in a breath, looking Meilíng over. She nodded. “Right. Well, um, I suppose most of the answer is still the same.”

“Kind, interesting, funny, easy to get along with…?”

“Yes. I guess I just want someone I feel… comfortable with.” She hadn’t said that before. She’d been nonchalant and casual, but she’d admitted more to Piper, and Meilíng was her friend. Besides, didn’t everyone want someone they could just be themselves with?

Piper lingered in her mind. How easily being honest about what she wanted, what scared her, and what she struggled with had come when she was talking to Piper. Maybe it was because Piper hadn’t been there for all the past shit. Piper hadn’t been there through the collapse of her previous relationship andhadn't seen her in that painful vulnerability.But would that really have made a difference? Would it bother her if Piper knew? If Piper had seen her broken by that whole thing? She wasn’t sure.

Maybe it was just something about Piper. Maybe they just understood each other.

Maybe August was looking for someone who made her feel like Piper did, just… less platonic.

But, what if Piper did show up in her matches? Would she really reject it? Just the idea of it felt wrong. And that felt like it meant something. If they’d met on an actual date, would she be so insistent that what was between them was only platonic? When she thought Piper was her date, she had been… interested.

Meilíng laughed. “Where have you gone?”

August blinked. “Sorry. I just…”

Meilíng narrowed her eyes, looking positively glowing. “Have you actually met someone?”

“No.” She said it too quickly, too high-pitched. Why did it feel like she was lying when she wasn’t?

“You have!” Meilíng laughed. “Tell me everything. Is that who the date tonight is with?”

“No, no. No. No. No, no, no.”

“One ‘no’ would have sufficed, you know?” she said, smirking.

“No.”

Meilíng laughed. “I don’t think that counts.”

“Do you not?” August shook her head. “I don’t know why I… reacted like that.”

“Because you like someone, is my guess.”

“I don’t. I just—”

“Like someone but don’t want to admit it?” She frowned and tilted her head, examining August’s expression.

“It’s not that. At all.” She shook her head. “I don’t know what came over me. When you asked, it suddenly felt like I was lying, but I was just thinking about a friend. I wasn’t lying.”

Meilíng hummed and pursed her lips. August wasn’t sure she liked the expression, but Meilíng just nodded and dropped it.

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