Page 14 of Built to Last

ALLY: Is that supposed to be a dirty metaphor? I’ve lost too many brain cells through breast feeding to understand it.

ME: No! He’s actually here.

ALLY: So I take it last night went well?

ME: Uh…

ALLY: Okay, wait, I’m just now noticing this is a new text thread with just you and me. On purpose?

ME: Yeah. I didn’t want to make anything weird for Jilly.

ALLY: OMG! Did y’all sleep together?

ME: NO!

ME: I mean we kissed at the bar, but that was all for show. All the fake dating stuff.

ALLY: You sure?

ME: Of course. I might not be very experienced, but I know enough to know that Finn is off the charts hot and I’m a lab rat.

ALLY: I don’t think Finn sees you as a lab rat.

ME: He sees me as his little sister’s friend.

ALLY: He doesn’t treat me the way he does you. Just saying.

ME: But you’ve always had Cooper.

ALLY: Ok. New angle. How do YOU feel about Finn?

ME: He’s great. So sweet.

ALLY: And you said off the charts hot.

ME: Well, I’m not blind, Ally! Declan is very attractive too.

ALLY: Some might say that Dec is the cuter of her brothers.

ME: And some people would be wrong.

ME: Wait, why are we even discussing this?

ALLY: Riddle me this… Why are you interested in the nerdy guy from your office?

ME: We make sense together. Similar interests and education.

ALLY: Is he attractive? To you? I mean are you attracted to him?

ME: Not particularly. But you know me. I seem to be missing that spark that other people have. I don’t just see an attractive man and immediately want to see him naked.

ALLY: Except for Finn.

ME: Right.

ME: Oh shit!

ALLY: