“What?” I shoot back.
“You’re pretty boring.”
I grab a french fry and launch it at her. “Shut up! I had a weird upbringing, so I’m a weird person.”
The foster care stuff can wait for another day. It’s never a great icebreaker, and it damn sure doesn’t pair well with 90’s R&B and Moscow Mules.
The waiter drops off her next drink while I down my glass of water and request a refill.
I flip the conversation back to Marlow. “What about you? You dating anyone?”
I skip the other small talk because let’s be real—I already know way too much about her from internet-stalking her father.
She laughs—but it’s shaky. That kind of nervous, unsteady laugh that carries more weight than humor. And then, she full-on breaks. Tears. Full meltdown.
“Dating someone? How about married to a man named Declan that I met once and then ghosted because I had a wedding to get to but was so hungover that I forgot his last name, room number, and hotel he was staying at so I couldn’t go find him? And now he’s back in Italy probably sleeping with some hot girl named Francesca or something and I need a divorce?”
I take a long sip—scratch that, a gulp—of my Moscow Mule. “Okay...so, you’renotdating anyone. Got it.” I grin, trying to lighten the mood.
She sniffles and then laughs. “Oh God, do I have snot on my nose?”
“Yes.”
We both laugh and she grabs a napkin, frantically wiping her face.
“I can’t believe I just told you all that!”
You and me both.
Then my mind flashes back to Luca’s confession earlier today.
“Don’t tell me…The night we—” I pause, catching myself before I admit way too much. “You did that stupidSightUnseenreality show thing?”The same night I was trying to get in your daddy’s pants!
She gasps. “How did you know?”
“I’ve seen the guy in Vegas before. He tries to recruit people all the time.”
She drops her head in her hands. “I can’t believe I did that. My boyfriend cheated on me and then I got drunk and—”
“Yeah. Seems like you’ve been doing that a lot lately. Getting drunk.”
She nods miserably. “Eslin, I’m the good girl. The one who does everything right. The one who never missed curfew. The girlfriend who sucks dick from the back!”
“Wait, what? You can do that?”
She nods vigorously, eyes wide and whispering like she’s sharing a trade secret. “Hand to God. And the boys love it!”
At this point, I nearly spit out my drink. Lord. What have I gotten myself into?
Eslin is cool, and I’ve instantly related to her.
I laugh at her wild, unexpected confession. “You are something else.”
“And completely not what you expected, huh?” she teases, flashing that mischievous smile.
I shake my head, still grinning. “Not at all! And girl, you’s awholemarried woman!” I yell just as the band transitions into a smooth, live rendition ofPoisonby Bell Biv DeVoe.
“OMG!” I squeal. “This is my song!”