Tangle (Dogwood Lane 2)

“See? I don’t love breakfast that much. What’s my problem?” She sighs.

I swallow, my mouth sticky from the sugar. “I think your problem is your attitude.”

A rag launches my way. I duck, the white fabric shooting over my head and landing at the foot of the salad bar.

“What did Joel want, anyway?” Claire asks.

The mention of Joel’s name zaps the Trevor-induced energy right out of me. I stab a bit of doughnut with a little more force than necessary and remember his text. He was sweet, asking how I was doing, and wanted to see if we could meet up for dinner. For a moment, it was like old times. The Joel I was infatuated with for almost a year. Then, lucky for me, I recalled the way he ghosted me for a full week before finally finding the balls to break up with me. Via text.

“What he told me he wanted or the truth?” I ask.

“The truth.”

I drop the fork and look at Claire. “He wanted to have sex with me.”

She makes a point of sighing, her head rolling around on her shoulders in frustration. “Of course he did. He’s a hippie. Free love and all that.”

“You’d be proud to know I told him to cuddle with some Matcha.” I grab my coffee and pull it to my chest. “I mean, I was tempted to cave, but I held strong.”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t get what is tempting about him. He’s a hippie, for the love of God.”

I laugh. “He’s not a hippie.”

“Still.”

“Still, I said no and . . . you know what?” I smile smugly. “It wasn’t all that hard. And not because he’s a hippie,” I mock, getting that in there before she can, “but because this not-dating thing I’m doing is working.”

“How many weeks have you gone now without a date?”

“Many, but it’s mostly as a security precaution for me. Habits are hard to break, and I might’ve been addicted to dating, actually.” I pause. “Can you be addicted to dating?”

She shrugs.

“Besides,” I say, moving on, “if I win, I get to name Dane and Neely’s baby.”

Claire furrows her brows. “I didn’t know Neely was pregnant. Wow. That was quick.”

“She’s not. At least, if she is, I don’t know it.” I lug my purse onto my lap and find my debit card. I slide it across the counter.

“I can’t remember the last guy I saw you with, actually.”

“I didn’t think I’d make it this long. I think this is week seven. Eight, maybe.” I make a face. “Anyway, it’s amazing how much time you have on your hands when you’re not worried about someone else’s schedule and wants and all that crap.”

“Yeah, but you don’t just date. You fall in love. That’s a whole other level of commitment.”

She’s right. It’s a vicious cycle I’ve been in my entire life—meeting a guy, going on a few dates, and then attaching myself to him like my life depends on it. I read a book one rainy day at the library that said this is a habit of people who weren’t shown enough attention as a child. I’m not sure about that. I had a great childhood—attentive parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins who loved me. I never felt attention-deprived.

The truth of the matter is I’m tired. And as much as I fight it and hate to admit it, Dane is right. I owe it to myself to step back from dating and focus on me for a while.

“I’m not looking for a committed relationship until I’m out of school,” Claire says. “No guy is worth the distraction when I’m this close to finally graduating.”

“I’m so proud of you,” I tell her, wrinkling my nose. “I wish I would’ve figured out how to finish my degree when I moved here.”

“You’d just lost your mother. Moved to a new place and were taking care of your cousin’s baby, Haley,” she says softly. “You did great.”

I lift my fork, cut a chunk of doughnut, and fill my mouth. “Sure I did. I’m twenty-six. Work part time at the library. And am alone.”

She shakes her head. “It’s amazing no one has married you yet, with those impeccable table manners.”

I fire her a look, making her laugh, before swallowing. “Well, no one is marrying me for a while. I have a bet to win with Dane.”

“Are you still babysitting Mia?” Claire asks. “With Dane and Neely living together now, I wasn’t sure.”

“Yeah. I still grab her after school a lot, and she sleeps over a night or two a week. Actually, I need to run her leotard to Dane before I go to the library.”

I think about Dane and smile. No one could ask for a better cousin. We’re only a couple of years apart in age and fight more like siblings, but he’s always been there for me. And despite our propensity for silly bets, he’s kind and thoughtful. Neely is a fantastic fit for him, and I’m glad he’s finally found the happiness he deserves.