and developed some feelings.”
Eliza smiled like this was the best news she’d ever heard. “Really? That’s great! Opening yourself up to that is like a whoa big deal for you.”
“Yeah,” Hollyn said, reaching out and giving Andi’s arm a little squeeze. “He seems like a good guy. I’m happy for you.”
Andi shook her head. “Y’all might want to hold off on the congratulations. I slipped up and talked about feelings with him today. We’re not on the same page. He reiterated that this is strictly a friends thing and he isn’t interested in dating in any real way.”
Eliza cringed. “Eww. So, like, I’m cool having sex with you but don’t want to have to actually buy you dinner in public?”
Andi frowned and shook her head. “No, not like that. He wasn’t a dick about it. He just thinks that since I don’t have a lot of dating experience, I’m only getting the feels because it’s new. He called himself the practice guy.”
Hollyn sipped her wine, her gaze concerned.
But Eliza looked pensive. “Practice, huh? I don’t know the guy, but therapist me thinks that may be more about him than you. Maybe he’s trying to protect himself. Sounds like he expects you to move on before long.”
Andi tapped her fingernails against her glass, considering that angle. “Maybe. He is going through his own stuff, too.”
Eliza’s expression turned empathetic. “Girl, aren’t we all? But regardless of how it turns out, I’m proud of you for putting yourself out there. Even if it turns out to be practice, it’s been good for you. You’ve gotten something positive out of it. That’s more than I can say about most of my relationships.”
Andi sighed. “I know. This experience has been worth it. And I have gained a new friend, which can’t be discounted.”
Hollyn shifted to fully face Andi. “Also, I’m definitely not experienced enough in relationships to give advice. Jasper and I are figuring it out as we go along. But”—her tics pulled at her face—“nothing is written in stone. Neither of you really know how this is going to turn out. Jasper and I weren’t planning for things between us to turn into a serious relationship, but it happened. Despite our best efforts to screw it up.” She gave a chagrined smile. “So, as clichéd as this is going to sound, I’m a believer in if something’s meant to be, it will happen. If it’s not, then he was meant to serve some other role in your life and that’s okay, too.”
Andi reached out and patted Hollyn’s knee. “Thanks, lady.”
“And if nothing else,” Eliza said with a sly grin, “you’re having some fantastic sex.”
“How would you know?” Andi said, throwing popcorn at her friend. “I have given you no details on the sex.”
“Oh,” Eliza said with a smug look. “You don’t need to tell me. I watched that cooking video. Girl.”
Hollyn laughed and gave Andi a look. “The chemistry was pretty obvious.”
Andi’s face heated. “Fine. The sex is spectacular.”
Eliza sighed and leaned back in the chair with a dramatic slump. “I’m so jealous. Happy for you, but a jealous bitch. I swear, this online dating world is going to kill me. The last guy I swiped right on met me for a drink and admitted that he’d only agreed to meet me because he needed free therapy.”
“Ugh,” Andi said. “He better take a seat. I’m the only one who gets free therapy from you.”
Eliza laughed. “Damn straight.”
“You’re braver than I am,” Hollyn said to Eliza. “Those dating apps and the whole scene would’ve sent me straight into social-anxiety meltdown mode. Like would I have had to put ‘has Tourette’s’ in my profile or something? God.” She shuddered. “Jasper almost had to literally fall into my lap for what happened to have happened with us. And it still almost didn’t work out.”
Andi smiled, remembering how adorable Hollyn and Jasper had been around each other in the beginning. They had both been clueless, but Andi had seen the sparks early. The memories gave her a little flutter of wistfulness.
“Sometimes I think I should take a break from the apps altogether,” Eliza said. “Go old school. But I work so much, and I don’t live in a romantic comedy. Mr. Wonderful is not going to randomly show up on my doorstep.” She grabbed more popcorn. “I don’t even need someone to love. Just someone to make out with would be nice.” She got a dreamy look on her face. “I wonder what Paul Rudd is doing these