Page 74 of Stupid Matchmaking Love

“You do make a cute couple.”

All this talk is not only making my cheeks burn, but my neck is hotter than a flaming coal. “Well, I’m not interested in love. It’s never worked out for me, so it can take a hike.”

“But you got matched,” Coco says in a tone like, I don’t understand.

“And you’re adorable together.”

“Trust me, Rhett is not my soulmate.” Both of my friends gasp. “Stop it. You know my luck with men. It’s bad. I’m too much for them. It doesn’t work out.”

The words fall out quieter than I mean, scraping against my insides.

“‘Too much’?” Rowe sits on the bed. “You don’t really believe that, do you?”

I give them a look like, Well, yeah.

Coco picks up Flame from the bed and hugs her. “You’re not too much, Cristina. If you were, we would tell you because we’re your friends. And this little bunnicorn would tell you, too, because magic doesn’t lie.”

I roll my eyes. “First off, the bunny can’t speak. Secondly, can we drop this subject? I’ve only got twenty minutes before I have to be downstairs. Mina’s coming, too. The whole date will be live streamed.”

My stomach performs a somersault at the thought of being live on a date. What’s that even going to be like? I might hurl.

“Here, put this on.” Rowe hands me a pair of jeans and the plaid shirt.

“This shirt is horrible.”

“When I’m done with it, it won’t be.”

“If you say so.”

I change in the bathroom and when I come out, Rowe ties the shirttails, and then Coco parts my hair and braids it on both sides, giving me an all-American country-girl look, which I have to admit is rather charming.

“Will y’all kiss?” Rowe asks with a smile.

“What? No! Why would we kiss?”

“Because it’s a date.” Coco shakes her head. “And in case you’ve forgotten, people kiss on dates.”

“Not on live streams.”

“Yeah, they probably do.”

“No, they don’t,” I argue.

My friends look at one another like, Why’s she fighting this so hard?

I have a better question: Why are they pushing so hard?

An image of Rhett’s plump lips surfaces in my mind. The shot pulls out, and I’m graced with his strong jaw, his playful eyes that are always twinkling, his handsome face.

My goodness, but he is so handsome.

I bet he’s a great kisser.

No, no, no! Must stop thinking about kissing Rhett. It’s never gonna happen, because if it does, I think I might be lost.

“I bet he’s the kind of kisser that takes your face really gently, then tips your chin to one side,” Coco says absently.

“And those lips,” Rowe adds. “I bet he takes his time, doesn’t rush it.”