Page 79 of Say Yes to the Hot Mess

“Who you enjoyed kissing,” he goes on.

“Speculation, Your Honor,” I say.

“All I’m saying is, you kissed me back.”

“Fine, I enjoyed it,” I say, rolling my eyes. I’m still smiling, though. “But you kissed me because you wanted to put on a show for your ex.”

“Yes, but also because you were being very kissable.”

“I’m always kissable,” I say.

Another laugh that makes me smile even wider. “Fair enough. Now what about these salad tongs with the hot plates?”

“A hair straightener,” I say. “Yeah, that stuff is mine. How did they get in with your things?”

“They were probably on the bathroom counter. I sort of just swiped everything into my bag. Want to come get them?”

I glance down at Archer. “Yeah,” I say. “Can it wait a bit, though? I’m snuggling my baby.”

“Of course,” he says, and something in his voice is soft, understanding. “Snuggle away. You can drop by any time.”

“Great, thank you.” I pause, then add, “Also, Dex?”

“Yeah?”

I feel my cheeks heating, and I’m glad we’re not talking in person right now. “Did I say anything…strange last night?”

A beat of silence. Then, “Nah. Nothing of note. Just some babbling.”

I have the horrible feeling that he’s lying, but I don’t push it. “I wasn’t myself,” I say.

“Clearly,” he says, and I can actually hear his amusement.

“I think you’re smirking right now,” I say, narrowing my eyes. “You should know that I’m glaring at you through our shared wall.”

“Ah. You mean through…” There’s a sudden rapping from the other side of Archer’s wall, and I jump. “This wall?”

“Yes, that one,” I say, staring at the patch of wall where I heard him. “I’m in with Archer. Is that your room?”

“Sure is,” he says casually, like he doesn’t find it weird that we’re probably only ten feet apart right now. It feels strangely intimate, knowing that he sleeps just on the other side of that wall, mere feet away. “So I’ll see you later?”

“Yeah,” I say. “I’ll be there in a bit. I’m bringing the cutest baby in the world.”

“I look forward to giving him my cutest regards.”

I smile at that, and the little knot of nerves in my gut unravels a bit. Whatever I did or didn’t say last night, Dex isn’t being weird—although we’re definitely flirting like crazy. Not sure how I feel about that; nervous, but also warm and bubbly. Like a carbonated drink is fizzing around inside.

I’m not even sure why I feel nervous. Yes, I say I’ve sworn off men, but it’s not the sort of situation where I’ve been hurt before and now will never love again. They’re simply a complication to my already complicated life. But it’s not as though I was blindsided by Chet’s actions or behavior. I was just lost and scared, and I hung on to him. I have complete control over whether my next relationship goes the same way. If I want to avoid another Chet situation, the steps seem pretty clear to me: 1) Don’t date a loser, 2) Don’t sleep with the loser, and 3) Don’t get engaged to the loser.

Easy.

I guess it’s just…scary. It’s scary to get back on the horse when the last time I fell off the horse was so life-changing—even if since then I’ve learned from my mistakes, and now I understand how to not fall off horses, as it were.

“See you later,” I say. I hang up and look down at Archer. I stare at him for a good, long time, because I can’t get enough of this child, eventually letting my head drop back and closing my eyes. We doze for a bit, and I only wake when Archer gives a little sneeze in his sleep.

Baby sneezes are by far the cutest sneezes. Like,ever.

I stand, shifting awkwardly so that I can do it without having to push up with my injured wrist. Then I pad downstairs with Archer still fast asleep, cradled in my right arm. I fumble with the doorknob for a few seconds before managing to turn it, and then I’m on my way to Dex’s.

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