Page 101 of The Gin Lover's Guide to Dating

‘But loveisimportant.’

Reyes gives Dylan a sickeningly love-struck look, which he returns. I realise this is real between them.

‘I am not stopping to believe in love just because my husband is leaving,’ she continues. ‘This is why, when you tell me that Dylan is liking me and he is online dating, that I have to date him before any other chica.’

‘Can you imagine how happy I was when Reyes turned up on the dating app I was on?’ Dylan’s grin is so wide, he looks goofy.

‘Oh, you guys.’ I feel an unexpected tightness in my throat. ‘You’re a bunch of buggers for not telling me… but I’m so happy for you.’

‘We didn’t want to tell you until we knew it really was something,’ says Dylan. ‘Because we knew you’d freak out. We were actually gonna tell you this week.’

‘I wouldn’t havefreaked out.’ I suddenly realise I’ve done just that. ‘You realise the two of you can’t break up now. I amnotgoing to choose between you.’

‘I think we’re probably good.’ Dylan pulls Reyes into him and plants a smacker of a kiss on the top of her head, while she giggles delightedly. ‘So, now we’re sorted, what about you, Squirt?’

‘What about me?’ I sigh.

‘Any more progress with your apartment? How’s the blogging going?’ he asks.

‘You are hearing anything from your online hombre?’ Reyes chips in.

I slug at my cocktail to stall for time, while I consider my answers.

‘It’s actually good news with my apartment – if I can call it that. There’s already been quite a bit of interest, and it’s only been on the market for a week and a half. Apparently, my area of the city is having a surge: just been named as one of the up-and-coming places to live. I may get a little equity out of my sale after all.’

‘I know you really don’t want to sell, but that’s good news for your finances,’ says Dylan.

‘It is,’ I agree. ‘And my Gin Fizz site has continued to climb in subscribers; I’ve also gained followers on my new site much quicker by cross-referring. I’ll still be on your couch for a bit once my apartment is gone, but not too long, I hope. Especially if I can pick up a bit of bar work on the side.’

‘As long as you need,’ says Dylan. ‘Sean will just have to bloody deal with it.’

‘Chica, you come stay with me,’ Reyes says suddenly. ‘You must not be on this couch in a flat of hombres.’

‘What? Really?’ I look at her in hope. The thought of sleeping on Dylan’s couch not being something I was relishing; especially when one of Dylan’s flatmates has made a fuss about it.

‘I am insisting.’ Reyes puffs herself up in her seat. ‘I have spare room.’

‘There you go, Squirt.’ Dylan grins adoringly at Reyes.

‘Oh, this is amazing! Thanks, Reyes.’ I launch myself on her with a rather uncharacteristic and suffocating hug. ‘You’ve no idea how much I appreciate this.’

‘De nada, Chica.’ She laughs and hugs me back. ‘And the online hombre?’

‘Ah, Graham.’ I’m suddenly sobered by the change in topic of conversation. ‘I’ve still not heard a word from him. He’s just disappeared.’

I feel a familiar sad, churning emptiness in my stomach at the thought of him.

‘Aww, I’m sorry,’ says Dylan. ‘It did seem like he might be a good guy in the end. It’s a shame it ended like that. But he did help you move on from something you’d been struggling with for years. Maybe he’d served his purpose. Like it was meant to be that way.’

‘What, you mean like fate, and being part of the bigger plan for me.’ I throw him a sarcastic look. ‘You don’t suddenly believe in stuff like that, just because you’ve bagged yourself a hot girlfriend, do you?’

‘What? No.’ Dylan’s face colours. ‘Shut it, you douche. I just mean that he maybe wasn’t going to be your perfect guy, and he knew that. So, he moved on – but he did have that impact on your life.’

‘Or maybe this complication in his life gets more complicated. He has to stop speaking with you?’ Reyes suggests.

‘I guess it could be either. Or neither.’ I sigh again. ‘I know I never met him in person, but I miss him so much. I really feel like I’ve been ditched by the man of my dreams.’

‘You will meet other perfect hombre.’ Reyes squeezes my arm. ‘I know this. I am so proud of you. You make big progress.’

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