Page 15 of Not My Finest Hour

“Can’t you just switch doctors?” Lorelei asks around a mouthful of California roll.

Oh, my God. Why didn’t I think of that? Seriously…why didn’t I? It’s the perfect solution to our problem.

I should text Justin. I should text him and tell him that I found a loophole, a way for us to be together. If I switch doctors, then we don’t have to date in secret. He won’t have to worry about his career.

The thought of switching doctors makes me feel a bit panicky though. My mind flashes back to Dr. Johnson and the hell she put me through, and I really don’t want to go through that again. I searched a long time for Dr. Tarlton, and I’d hate to have to start the search over. But I would—for love.

No.

I need to stop thinking like this. That’s how Old Dahlia would think. Old Dahlia would rearrange her life for a guy, just like she spent the last four years doing. Old Dahlia would spend her time chasing after a guy because she felt a “connection” with him, even though he so very clearly stated he doesn’t want to be with her.

But New Dahlia is different. New Dahlia is smarter, more confident, and more selective when it comes to men. New Dahlia isn’t going to continue to pursue the only other guy who’s paid her attention since Alain. New Dahlia has more self-respect. New Dahlia is going to play the field and forget what Lorelei said. She’s not going to switch doctors. And she’s most certainly not going to text Justin. She’s going to move on.

“Hello? Earth to Dahlia?” Chelsea says, waving her hand in front of my face.

I glance around at my two friends and they’re both looking at me with concern etched on their faces. “Sorry, I was just thinking about something. But to answer your question, no, I’m not going to switch doctors. It was just a one-night stand, and doesn’t need to be anything more than that. So I’m going to let this one go. There are plenty of others out there.”

“Wow,” Lorelei says, her mouth agape. “This is definitely a new side of you…and I like it.”

“Well, since you’re ready to move on, are you up for going out on a date tomorrow?” Chelsea asks.

I hadn’t thought of going on another date so soon after being dumped (if we can even call it that), but maybe this is exactly what I need. Another date will help take my mind off things, and this way I won’t be able to ruminate too long on what could’ve been with Justin. “Yeah, I think another date would be perfect.”

Chelsea squeals and claps her hands together. “Yay! There’s a guy I met on a dating app, and he wants to go out for drinks tomorrow. He said his roommate just broke up with his girlfriend and could use some cheering up, so he wondered if it would be okay if he tagged along too. I said it wouldn’t be a problem, that I’d find someone to double date with.”

“You’re saying you signed me up for a date before you even asked? What if I had said no?” I shouldn’t be surprised by this. It wouldn’t be the first time Chelsea has signed me up for something without my knowledge, like the time she signed me up for a free-style poetry reading when we were back in college. She’d found out that a classmate of hers was going to be participating in the reading, and thought it would be the perfect way to tell this guy that she was interested in him. She created a poem that hinted at the two of them getting together, and he was astute enough to pick up on it and asked her out. I thought I was just there for moral support in case it went horribly wrong for her. But what she didn’t tell me was that every audience member was required to speak, so I came up with the worst poem ever on the fly. I’m sure people are still giggling about “the day I bought a ball from the mall.”

Chelsea shrugs it off like saying no was never an option. “Then I would’ve told Ryder that a double date wasn’t possible, and we would’ve just gone out alone.”

“So what are you guys going to do on your date tomorrow?” Lorelei asks, polishing off the last bite from her plate.

“Yeah, Chelsea. Whatarewe going to do?” I probably should’ve asked that question before agreeing to go on this double date. There better not be any poetry reading involved.

“We’re going bowling tomorrow,” Chelsea says, her face lighting up. “I haven’t been bowling in forever.”

Lorelei pouts. “Aww…bowling? I wish I didn’t have plans tomorrow. I love bowling.”

I can’t remember the last time I went bowling, and I’m sure I’ll be terrible, but even bad bowling should be fun. “Sounds like it’ll be a good time. I can’t wait.”

Chelsea looks at me skeptically. “You mean it? I’m not going to get a call from you telling me you’ve got some virus that’s going around?”

She’s referring to the time in high school when all three of us were supposed to go out with these guys from a neighboring high school that we met online. But the day we were supposed to meet up, I came down with the flu and had to cancel. Turns out, the three guys never showed and Chelsea has always blamed me for it. “Hey, now. I did have the stomach flu, and maybe those guys were never planning on showing up, regardless of whether or not I was there.”

“Promise me you’re not going to bail on me at the last minute?” Chelsea asks.

I give Chelsea a definitive nod. “I promise.”

ChapterSeven

“Where are you headed?” Fern is leaning partly in my bathroom doorway, watching as I brush my mascara wand across my eyelashes. She’s dressed like she’s in for the night, but I imagine that as soon as I leave here, Brett will probably be over.

“I’m going out on a double date tonight with Chelsea. We’re going bowling.”

Fern nods approvingly. “That sounds fun. Which bowling alley are you going to?”

“I honestly have no idea,” I say with a shrug. “Chelsea is the one who planned everything, and she’s picking me up tonight, so I didn’t bother to ask. We’re meeting the guys at the bowling alley, and then we’re going to have drinks and food there.”

“Are you going anywhere after the bowling alley?”

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