The Introvert's Guide to Online Dating - Emma Hart Page 0,9

Seb wants this barn done. I couldn’t get out of it. I know she’s annoyed.

I was playing therapist here, wasn’t I?

ME: She’s not annoyed. You’re doing what you have to do to provide for your family and she understands that. She just needs a breather, that’s all.

KAI: She couldn’t get out of here fast enough.

ME: She felt guilty about leaving you covered in tiny terrorist vomit, but if she didn’t, she wouldn’t have left.

KAI: That makes more sense.

ME: You aren’t talking to each other, are you?

KAI: When do we have the time? Between work and Tegan and her doing a few hours at the bar we don’t have many chances to be alone.

The lump in my throat swelled. Their entire relationship had been a whirlwind, but I wholeheartedly believed that they were each other’s end game. I’d seen the way they looked at each other, and it made my heart twang every single time.

It was just… love.

Pure love.

The kind of love everyone dreamed of having.

Fairytales couldn’t compare.

And I wasn’t going to let my best friend’s marriage fall apart like that.

ME: Bring Tegan to me when she’s better. I’ll have her for a night one weekend.

KAI: What?

ME: Or I’ll come to your place and you guys go somewhere for the night.

KAI: You’re insane. You hate kids.

ME: I don’t hate kids. Not a big fan of kids who pull my cat’s tail, but Tegan’s a baby. She’ll learn when Gen meows incessantly at her.

KAI: That’s fair. Your cat is about as scary as an umbrella.

That was very, very fair. Ragdolls weren’t exactly known for their aggressive dispositions. They were more… well, big fat ragdolls.

ME: I’m serious. You guys need a break and nobody else is going to give you one. I’m self-employed and work on my own schedule. Just give me notice so it gives me a chance to look over everything and you to make sure you aren’t working.

KAI: Are you serious?

ME: Yes, I’m serious. You guys clearly need to talk. Seb will understand and if not, I’ll sic Holley on him.

KAI: That’s a threat right there.

ME: I’ll find you a place to stay and book it for you. Send me your card details and I swear I won’t use it to call Chinese sex chat lines.

KAI: You’re the best.

ME: You’re buying me dinner that night.

KAI: I’ll prebook your pizza.

ME: Thank you. I appreciate that.

KAI: Not half as much as I appreciate you, Tori. Look after my girl tonight.

I smiled at my phone.

ME: Been doing that for years. You look after mine.

He responded with a picture of him lying in bed next to a sleeping Tegan. She was glad in a fleecy onesie with one arm sticking up like Superman while she sucked on her little pink pacifier.

KAI: Will you let Ivy know she’s okay? I don’t want her to worry but I don’t want to bug her. Jasmine is coming over in the morning if Tegan isn’t feeling better.

ME: I don’t think you can bug her.

KAI: You’ve ever experienced the whole toilet seat conversation in our house.

I grinned.

ME: I got it, don’t worry. Send at least twenty more photos between now and the morning so she won’t wake me up at two a.m.

KAI: You got it.

CHAPTER FOUR – COLTON

rule four: online dating isn’t for everyone.

or anyone. fucking nobody.

“This is bullshit.”

My sister hit me with a withering look. “Colt. You’re over Amber. What does a little dabbling in online dating hurt?”

“Well, given that your own escapades ended up with you sleeping with and then basically living with my best friend, quite a lot.”

“All right, point made, asshole.” Kinsley turned the laptop toward me. “Just try it.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Colton.”

“Don’t Colton me. I’m older than you.”

“Yes, and I was expecting a niece or nephew by now, so the least you can do is check out an online dating website.”

“I don’t believe that’s a part of the brother-sister contract,” I said dryly.

“It should be,” she muttered. “You’re thirty. Come on.”

“What does being thirty have anything to do with it? I had a long-term relationship. We were together for almost ten years. It’s not my fault that in the end it didn’t work out.”

Regret flashed in her eyes. “I know. I just want you to be happy.”

“I am happy, Kinsley.” I took the laptop from her and set it on the coffee table. “I promise you.”

“You would say that even if it weren’t true.”

“No, I wouldn’t. I admit that if I wanted dating help you’d be the last person I’d ask—”

“I resent that wholeheartedly.”

“—But