The Introvert's Guide to Online Dating - Emma Hart Page 0,33

got some mountainous terrain that he can’t use, but we can, so he’s willing to discuss selling more off.”

“I wanna rock climb,” Josh mused. “Think we could come crash it one day?”

“You’re there every day.”

“Working. It’s not the same. Besides, if I fall and break my ankle on the job, the boss has to deal with it. If it’s on my own time, it’s on you.”

“Ah, friendship. Isn’t it great?” Dylan said dryly. “By the way, did anyone see Tori and London come in?”

I stilled. “She’s in here?”

“Over there.” He jerked his head in her direction, and we all looked.

Josh tilted his head to the side. “Their date can’t have gone well.”

“I’ll go ask.” Seb got up with his beer before I could stop him, and I watched with mild horror as he weaved his way through the tables and the people until he got to them.

“Motherfucker,” I whispered, much to the amusement of my so-called best friends. “This is why we never told you.”

“Might have been a mistake admitting it.” Josh bobbed his head in agreement. “Now you’re gonna have about ten pairs of hands getting involved.”

“I don’t want anyone to get involved. There’s nothing to get involved in.” I glanced over at them and caught Tori’s eye.

Something flashed in her gaze, but before I could pinpoint the emotion, she dipped her head, letting her dark hair fall from behind her ear.

It blocked my view of her face entirely.

Especially when she very pointedly turned her back to us.

“Nope,” Dylan said brightly. “Not a bloody thing, eh?”

***

Tori and London had left the bar shortly after Seb had spoken to them. As far as I knew from my sister’s texts this morning, our entire friend group knew we’d been hooking up, and it sounded like the girls were on a matchmaking mission.

My friends were doing much better.

They were trying to control the matchmaking.

The last thing either of us needed right now was to have that going on. I really hoped my friends were able to reign their respective partners in, or I was going to have to hop in my truck and start driving.

I had no idea where, but I would.

I hadn’t quite managed to swallow all my misery last night in beer, so today’s plan was to work it off instead. Since I didn’t actually have to work, I was going to hike.

There was something about hiking the trails around here that made me feel better.

ME: Are you working today?

KINSLEY: Nope. My Saturday off. Why?

ME: Wanna hike with me?

KINSLEY: Can I listen to my book and only talk to you to judge you?

ME: As always, yes. You at Josh’s?

KINSLEY: Home. I’ll meet you at the foot of Peak Place in half an hour.

ME: We’re going higher than Peak Place.

KINSLEY: I know, but I can’t be bothered to drive to one of the other trails.

ME: Want me to bring lunch?

KINSLEY: Food, a book, and I can judge you? Best Saturday EVER

ME: See you in 30.

I was already regretting that little decision, I thought as I put my phone into my shorts pocket. It sucked that she was the only person around to hike with because I knew she’d eventually question every single little thing about Tori.

I hoped she’d listen when I said I didn’t want to talk about it. The point of this hike was to clear my mind, not clog it up with someone else’s opinions.

By the time I’d fixed lunch and put it in my backpack, it was time to get in the car and head to the trail.

I arrived before Kinsley, but not much earlier. I was just tightening the laces on my boots when she pulled up next to me and bounced out with her earbuds already hanging around her neck.

“I can’t remember the last time we hiked together!” She hugged me quickly. “Did you bring food?”

I raised the backpack in answer and shrugged it on. “Shall we go?”

“Yes, let’s!” She locked her car and adjusted her earbuds. “I assume you don’t want to talk? At all?”

“I’d prefer not to right now.”

“Noted.” She put both earbuds in place and made a show of hitting play on her phone. The light rumble of an audiobook in a distinctly droll tone escaped from the earbuds, and I almost rolled my eyes as I heard the word ‘cock’ when she passed me.

My sister was listening to sexy romance while we hiked.

That was about right.

I knew better than to call it literary porn or some other derogatory term. I’d had that