Page 69 of Stupid Matchmaking Love

“Was he there when you found the bunnicorn? Oh, what have you named it?”

“We haven’t yet, and yes, he was there when I found it.”

No point in telling them we were in the midst of an argument, or that he barely said two words to me this morning. His eyes were shuttered, even when I brought back a bowl of strawberries, which I had to individually pick out from a dish filled with cantaloupe and honeydew melon.

Yuck.

What had I said last night to get such a reaction? He’s giving me whiplash—one moment he’s worried about my asthma, the next he’s standing three feet away.

Is it because I told him about being in the hospital? Did it remind him of his sister?

“So have you two . . . you know . . . ?” Clarice says, pumping her eyebrows.

“No. Of course not. I barely know him.”

But that’s not true, is it? I know he sleepwalks. I know his sister passed. I know the way he looks at me—like he wants to pull me close and push me away at the same time.

She points to Callie and Holly, whose heads are together, whispering. “That doesn’t seem to have stopped those two.”

During the baking challenge, Callie and Jeff did look pretty close, and Holly already insinuated that she and Jace had gotten together physically.

“It seems a little early,” I say. “We only just got paired.”

Maya shrugs. “But if it’s your true love, then it’s your true love.”

“Yeah, but it didn’t help Callie and Jeff during the challenge. They came in last, and you would’ve thought they were the ones most in sync.”

“That’s because doing it too early always screws things up,” Clarice snaps. “Don’t you girls know that?”

“I mean, I guess,” Maya replies, dropping her head shamefully.

“There’s no ‘I guess’ about it. Why do you girls think my generation’s marriages lasted?”

“Because you couldn’t get divorced since it was illegal?” I ask.

She shoots me a dark look. “I wasn’t born in the 1800s. We got married because we didn’t put out.”

“Oh, that’s . . . I’m not sure that’s politically correct,” I murmur as the technician begins cutting my toenails.

“Stop being such snowflakes. If you don’t sleep with the guy, he’ll hang around long enough to propose.”

“Damn,” Maya whispers. “But that’s some real talk.”

“You won’t get real talk like this from someone your age. Ask me anything, girls. I’ve got the answers. Want to know how to get rid of toe fungus?”

Clarice leans in, waiting for an answer. Hate to hurt her feelings, but toe fungus is the last subject I want to entertain.

“I think I’m okay,” I reply slowly. “But I’ll let you know if I need any help with it.”

She presses her thumb to her chest. “I got you covered.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Hey, Mina,” Maya calls out.

Mina looks up from her nails, which are currently being painted. “Yes?”