Page 61 of Not Dating Material

“I’ll have to get back to you on that one.”

Darcy chuckles. He’s a traditionally handsome man with kind eyes, but there’s no spark there. No jolt of awareness like when I look at Seven.

“I have exactly one close friend, and my family is …” He sighs. “Well, my father isn’t well. So everything feels a little disjointed right now.”

“Wow, I bet.” The pain in his voice makes me hurt too. If something happened to my dad … fuck no. I wouldn’t be okay. We only had each other for a very long time, and trying to imagine life without him is painful. “I’m really sorry. Think he’ll get better?”

“Unfortunately, no. But that doesn’t mean I’m not still hoping.”

I reach over and squeeze his arm, and he covers my hand with his to squeeze back. “Is that why you came out tonight?”

“That and I believe Elle’s words were you have five minutes to get dressed, otherwise, I’m dragging you out in whatever you’re wearing, and considering it was a pair of pajama pants and I knew she was serious, it was easier to play along.”

I glance over at Elle, who’s changed out of the old-lady dress she was wearing earlier and looks jaw-dropping—and terrifying—in a skintight jumpsuit with her boobs spilling out.

“She scares me,” I admit.

“Oh, me too. I learned early on that once she gets an idea in her head, it’s easier to go along.”

I laugh. “What’s the wildest thing she’s ever—”

“This looks fun,” Seven says, stepping between Darcy’s and my legs and wriggling his body down between us. “What are we talking about?”

Darcy audibly swallows, eyes going wide, and I’d recognize that reaction anywhere—he’s attracted to Seven. And suddenly, like history repeating itself, I see Darcy and Seven starting a conversation, getting closer, maybe making plans to meet up after tonight, again and again and again, until it happens.

Darcy gets Seven.

And I get no one.

Sheer panic grips me, and I’m ashamed to say that I know, without a doubt, that I can’t let that happen. I’m not strong enough to see another man, someone who actually knows me, throw me away like that.

“Wanna show me to the bathroom?” I ask Darcy in one long rush. Maybe if I can get him alone, I can beg him to take his hot, rich ass to literally anyone else in this club. Sad and pathetic? Me? Guilty!

“Oh, but it’s just—” Darcy goes to point toward where the bathrooms are very obviously indicated when Seven jumps up instead.

“I got you, Tiny.”

Well, I can’t exactly beg him not to hook up with Darcy, but at least I’ve succeeded in separating them.

“Lead the way!”

Seven wraps his arm around my shoulders, directing me toward the short hallway that has signs for the bathroom and emergency exit. Only when we step inside, I realize I’m going to have to actually go now, and I’ve got nothing waiting.

“So. Darcy,” he says.

“He seems nice.”

“Yeah, rich too.”

“Good to know.”

“He’s basically a bazillionaire.” Seven crosses his arms and leans against the sinks.

“You’re just, umm, gonna listen to me pee, huh?”

“He’s not old, you know?”

I stare at Seven for a second, wondering what’s happening here. “I do have eyes.”

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