Page 158 of You've Got Hate Mail
“If anything, showing them makes you strong,” Olivia agrees.
“For most of you,” Dori says dryly.
Understandable reaction.
Emotions probably aren't on her list of favorite things considering her feelings were what made her go viral.
Even the kinder comments—thehoney, you can do so much betterandhis losskind of comments—didn’t help.
Her ex had also gone viral not long before their breakup.
For pulling three people out of a burning car.
He’s a volunteer firefighter when he’s not doing his day job, which is running a charity that funds research for rare blood disorders.
It’s hard to look like a more heroic person. At least from the outside. The idea that Dori could do so much better—well, she can.
And she will.
But that’s not something that the general population of the world would agree with based on publicly available knowledge.
“Emotions don’t make you stupid or weak,” Mabel repeats to her.
“What does that mean about you?” Aunt Pip asks with a grin.
Mabel flips her off, and all of us crack up.
Even Heath.
Another sliver of fear slinks down my spine.
Heiseverything on the inside that Dori’s ex seemed to be on the outside.
It would be nearly impossible todo betterthan Heath.
And who am I?
Really, who am I?
“Think you’ll date again?” Ginny asks.
I jerk my head toward her, then realize she’s talking to Elizabeth. Naturally.
She’s not commenting on Heath telling me he’ll take me into town.
I haven’t told anyone here what happened between us last night, and I don’t plan on it.
Not yet.
Elizabeth slides a look at Lav, then grins and winks at Ginny. “I’m not sure I ever want to…date…again. Like that. Maybe I’ll try a new kind of dating.”
Ginny grins back and high-fives her. “Good for you.”
“I don’t want to date,” Lav announces. “I want to go hunt for real dragons when I grow up.”
“Dragons are so much better than men.” Dori shoots a glance at Heath. “Present company excluded.”
“I’d take a dragon over me too,” Heath says, which makes most of the rest of the table laugh.
