Page 68 of The Wrong Date Deal

Piper really, really didn’t need to be told that. Not after tonight. “It is.”

“Ah,” she said, her grin getting wider. “So, you two went back to her place, were sexy dancing together, and… what’s the end of this? Why aren’t you over there having sex right now?”

“Her brother walked in.”

“Oh. Awkward.”

“Indeed. But, it would have been either way. We haven’t talked about being together or being into each other. We’re friends. What, were we just going to have sex and then…”

“Be together? Yeah, that’s a legit way to do that. People do it all the time.” She shook her head. “Why are you being so weird about this? You’ve dated before.”

“Ugh. I don’t know.”

“Is it because you like herso much?”

Piper stared at Shea, scowling. Eventually, she sighed. “Fine. Yes. It’s because I like her and… honestly? I think I’d given up on the idea that I was going to meet someone I genuinely clicked with.”

Shea’s expression dropped. “What? But you’ve still been going on dates and stuff.”

“Yeah. I know. It was like… I wanted to believe it was possible. It was happening for other people. Maybe it could happen for me someday. But, you know, I’ve been on a lot of dates and it wasn’t happening. You can only go on so many before it seems like the universe is trying to send you a sign.”

“Pipes,” she said softly. “I had no idea you felt like that.”

Piper shook her head. “It’s fine. I was fine. I enjoyed the process, you know? The dates were fun or interesting. Or some of them were just good stories to tell other people, but at least that’s a fun story.”

“And then August. Who you weren’t even supposed to be on a date with.”

Piper laughed, the sound a little hollow. “Indeed. How ironic, right? I literally have another date this weekend with someone who isn’t her.”

“Are you going to cancel?”

“I don’t know.” Piper huffed a breath. “I want to. It feels unfair to go through with it if I already know I’m not into it. But… if she’s not interested, I have to get over her somehow.”

Shea scoffed. “She’s so into you we shouldn’t even be having this conversation.”

“That’s just what you think because you’re a good friend and you want it to be true for me.”

“That’s not it at all.” She laughed. “Like, I love you, Pipes, but that’s not what my deductions are based on.”

“You haven’t even met her!”

Shea folded her arms and shot a deadpan look at Piper. “So, if I tell you this after we all meet her on Friday, will you believe me then?”

“Maybe?”

“Yeah, that sounded believable.”

“Sorry,” Piper groaned. “I just… I don’t know what to do with this. But after Massima walked in on us, and her brother, and the level of… tension, I guess, that there could have been tonight, I’ll be surprised if she even shows up on Friday.”

“She’ll show.”

“Maybe. But there’s a lot of time between now and then.”

“Just text her tomorrow like everything is fine. Be normal. And everything will be okay.”

“That’s your suggestion? Just act like tonight didn’t happen?”

Shea threw her hands out in front of her. “I didn’t say that. And, honestly? My advice would be to call her about how you feel right now—”

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