Page 48 of Not Dating Material

I lean into Xander’s touch like a cat, and he kisses my hair.

Seven sighs, letting his shirt fall back into place. “I’m in a world of trouble with the two of you, aren’t I?”

Chapter 13

SEVEN

“We’re going to have to do a family dinner. Think you can get everyone together?” Elle asks.

“Sure. I’ll have to tie Rush to something so we don’t lose him, but it’s doable.”

Her brother, Émile, and my roommate Christian are flying home for one night this week. I swear that guy’s been gone forever, but each time I chat with him, he sounds happy. Which, for Christian, is a big turken deal.

It also happens to be when I’d booked a surprise restaurant date for Molly, but that mess is gonna have to wait. This weekend, Molly is going to be initiated into what it really looks like to be a Big-Boned Bertha boy. He hasn’t met Christian yet, and Émile and Elle are both honorary members. Molly usually only has to deal with one or two of us at a time, so it’ll be a shock for him to see us all together.

“So, there’ll be the six of you and two of us—”

I cut Elle off. “Seven.”

“Yes, I know your name.”

“No, I mean there’ll be seven of us.”

Her forehead wrinkles for a second. “Oh, the new guy. He’s coming?”

“Obviously.”

“Okay, snappy …”

“I’m not snappy. I just don’t understand why that was even a question.”

“Yeah, sure, right, totally believe you.” She widens her pretty blue eyes at me.

“He’s family now, so he’s automatically included, okay?”

“Okay. I get it. Calm down, Rambo.”

“Duck off.”

“It’s super cute how defensive you’re getting over him.”

“I’m not—”

“Do you like like him?”

“You in high school?”

Elle hums prettily. “I could ship it.”

“And I could ship you out to sea.”

“Ohh, quaint joke for the shipping heiress.”

I snort. “Except you’re not the heiress of anything, spare.”

Elle’s family has some messed-up worldviews where the family business—and we’re talking an international shipping company that’s been around basically forever—stays with the males in the family. It’s why she’s such a hard-core feminist … toward everyone but them. So while she’s loaded now, she’s focused on building her own life outside of them because once they kick the bucket, other than her trust, the cash flow will be gone.

From what I can tell, Émile walked away from it all, so it goes to their cousin instead.

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