Page 126 of The Great Dating Fake Off
“A lot?”
“A lot,” I confirm. “And I don’t expect Sebastian to change his plans, either.”
Maybe I should’ve had a little empathy for my mom, because if she felt for the men in her past even a shred of what I’m feeling for Sebastian, it makes perfect sense to me that she’d take a risk. Chase them and put her heart on the line. Because when I’m with Sebastian, my usual pragmatic brain exits the building and I’m totally willing to wrap myself in danger and plunge headfirst into risk, so long as he’s by my side.
Though there’s one big difference between me and my mother: she’s always the one to end things with the guys, and I know if I went all in with Sebastian and he felt the same, that’d be it for me.
I groan and drop my head to the table. “I think I’m falling for him.”
“Obviously. You’re being sloppy during Catan.”
“What do I do?” I lift my head and search for an answer in his steadfast gaze. “You’re the smartest man I know. Tell me the answer and I’ll accept it.”
“Decide. You have to.”
“Okay, Yoda.”
“I’m saying I can’t make this decision for you. Nor will anyone else.”
He is so frustratingly logical and correct.
“I guess.” I can feel myself frowning but do nothing to stop it.
He sighs and leans over and takes the cards from my hand. “For example, I’m not going to tell you to buy a settlement”—he pulls out four cards—”but you should buy one and put it on the sheep port.” His Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows. “And I’m not going to tell you to go for it with him, but I will say some people wait their whole lives to meet someone worth agonizing over and never get the chance. You’re going to miss him either way when he goes, why not at least give it a shot? It’s not a perfect plan, but it’s a start. Otherwise, what was all this misery for?”
I level him with a look as heat pricks behind my eyes. “Oh my God, have you secretly been a romantic this whole time?”
“No.”
“Benjamino Tobleroni—”
“Stop.”
I sit up straighter in my seat as a dangerous, heady hope works through me. “You’re right. I am going to miss him either way. I already do. Why not give it a shot?”
“There you go.” He places my wooden settlement piece for me, the equivalent of this pity party has gone on long enough. “Statistically, women fall in love slower than men. With you feeling all this”—he gestures at me like I’m a museum exhibit—“chances are he’s somewhere having the same thoughts, even more intensely.”
I like the sound of that. “Should I just blast into his house Kool-Aid-Man style and ask him to talk? If he even wants to talk to me, at this point.”
He hands me the dice. “You may be seeing him sooner than you think. At least, I assume he’ll be there tomorrow.”
My stomach pulses. “Wait. Where?”
His phone chimes again, this time several times in a row. “You’ll never guess who called me last night.”
“The same person who is blowing up your phone right now?”
“One and the same.” He slides the phone my way. “I can’t believe what I just agreed to, but I’m going to need your help.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Nora
Riding in cars with Ferraros should be its own sitcom.
Ro checks her lashes and lipstick in a handheld mirror beside me as Benji takes a turn too fast.
“Easy, you’ve got precious cargo back here!” Mamma V gripes from the second row.
