Page 108 of The Great Dating Fake Off
Her smile is sad. She picks up a plastic knife and cuts into the fudge. “Thanks. I really appreciate that. I was angry at my brother for lying to me, but I wasn’t holding a grudge against you. And he apologized, which I appreciate. The week was just a mess in the end. Whether or not my mom found out about you and Sebastian and made a huge scene, I think it still would’ve ended this way. When your families are mortal enemies, what hope is there for a marriage?”
I sip my coffee as I contemplate whether or not that question was rhetorical.
My phone lights up on the table.
Sebastian Rossi
I clock the extra thump in my chest that always seems to come when I think of him after not thinking of him for a little while. It’s an extra heartbeat of mine that belongs to him.His text is on the screen for both of us to see.
How’s coffee going?
“Is that Sebastian?”
I blink and find Ro’s gaze fixed on me. A swell of tangled emotion twists in my gut. I’m sure she doesn’t want to see the smile Sebastian puts on my face when she’s dealing with this break that I refuse to think of as a breakup. “Sorry, I’ll text him later.”
Her laugh is rich. “It’s okay. I’m glad someone found love at my wedding, even if it wasn’t me.”
My heart lurches. “Ro—”
“I’m fine. Honestly, I could use a girl chat that isn’t focused on me and people feeling sorry for me. Gia keeps looking at me like I might collapse any second. Tell me everything about what’s going on with you two. Leave no detail out. I want to know all about his big, fat—
“People can hear!”
“—personality.” She beams. “And his dick.”
A laugh escapes me. The sun warms my skin as a few birds fly overhead.
Girl chat. How long have I wanted exactly that? And maybe it’ll help me make sense of things. It’s not like I can talk to Benji about Sebastian. He’d just say huh, wow, did you want to talk about it? after I’d already been talking about it for several straight minutes.
“We aren’t in love, first of all,” I say, swirling my coffee cup as my heart flutters.
“Okay, so no love. Yet. I guess it must be pretty new if it started at the wedding? You’re still in the talking phase?”
“We talk.”
“Right, but are you talking?”
I cock my head to the side. “What does that mean?”
“Talking is post-hookup and pre-exclusive where everyone is really coy about their feelings.”
“What are the other categories?” I ask. “Besides talking?”
“I think they’re called ‘levels,’ not categories. There’s pre-hookup, talking, exclusive, and then in a relationship. That’s when you’re boyfriend/girlfriend/partner.”
“What’s the difference between exclusive and in a relationship?”
Her brows knit. “I’m not sure, actually. Meeting the family, maybe?”
“Ah.” My limbs vibrate, and not just from the roller coaster thundering in the distance. If that’s a level, Sebastian and I skipped a few by accident when I met Nella.
I shake this off. I didn’t “meet his family.” It was just poker night.
And then all the things that happened after poker.
My face warms from more than just the sun.
“So, what level are you and Sebastian?” she asks with an eager twist of her hand. “Spill.”
