Page 21 of The Happy Ever After Playlist

Jason:Rehearsing. So who came over?

He was fishing. I smiled.

Sloan:My best friend, Kristen.

Jason:Did you talk about me?

I blanched. Then I panicked. How was I supposed to respond to that? Yes, we talked about you? My best friend advised me to climb you like a tree in search of your nuts? And then we talked about my vagina? Of course I was going to lie. But I was too guilty to think up a believable one on the fly. I was weighing my responses when another text came through.

Jason:You totally talked about me.

My thumbs jumped into action.

Sloan:I did not.

Jason:Liar. If you didn’t talk about me, what did you talk about?

Sloan:I may have mentioned you in a casual, very platonic way. Briefly.

Jason:Did you tell her about our date?

Sloan:It’s not a date.

It wasn’t. Right?

Jason:What would you call it?

I put my palm up in exasperation.

Sloan:An appointment.

Jason:Huh. How do I get it switched to a date?

Sloan:You don’t.

I chewed on my thumbnail. The dots jumped, and I waited to see what he had to say in response to my rebuff.

Jason:When I tell my friends about it, I’m calling it a date. You can’t stop me. There’s literally nothing you can do about it.

I laughed. This guy. He did not lack confidence, that was for sure.

I decided, in the spirit of keeping my promise to Kristen, to give him something small.

Sloan:I’m 26.

Jason:Another freebie! I’m 29. What high school did you graduate from?

I smirked. He was sneaky.

Sloan:Nice try. Then you’ll Google my yearbook and figure out my last name.

Jason:I’ll tell you my last name if you tell me yours.

Sloan:Nope.

Jason:It’s a really great last name.

Sloan:I’m sure it is. Not gonna happen, though.

Jason:Truth or dare?

Sloan:No.

Jason:Spin the bottle?

Sloan:No!

I was giggling now.

Jason:Monopoly???

Sloan:Yes, I will play Monopoly with you someday.

Jason:Now things are getting exciting.

He wasn’t wrong.