Page 10 of The Tip-Off
“For all that is holy, don’t take Joel’s advice on anything. Especially that.” That remark earns Wes the finger from Joel, but I don’t cross it off my list.
“I bet we can accomplish almost every one of these,” Katrina says as she looks over my shoulder. “On the beach in Mexico.”
“Online dating?” Nathan crowds behind me and asks. “You’re too hot for online dating. That’s for chicks that use Snapchat filters and haven’t updated their profile pic since they gained the freshman fifteen.”
Katrina turns her nose up. “He’s mostly right. I tried it a couple times and never once did I show up and think ‘wow, he’s even hotter in person.’ I think it might be better for the post-college demographic.”
“The point isn’t that every item on the list will be amazing, just to do them so I can express an opinion. I don’t want to be sitting around at parties while everyone talks about the crazy things they’ve done and all I can offer is the time I binge-watched all six seasons ofJersey Shorein one weekend.”
“Cabs are here!” Nathan calls out with a fist pump as bad as his fake Jersey accent.
The tension in my shoulders lifts as the room erupts with laughter and the guys take turns fist pumping. My phone vibrates on the counter and Blair and I read it together, our laughter dying at the same time.
“Sorry,” she says and pushes her bottom lip out.
I let out a breath as I close out the message from my boss confirming there’s no one to cover a spontaneous trip to Mexico. “It’s fine. Maybe I’ll tackle online dating first. It’ll probably take me the entire time you’re gone to set up my profile.”
“Oooh, let’s do that now.” Blair claps her hands, eyes glittering with excitement.
“Yeah!” echoes Katrina.
Soon I’m flanked on either side by Blair and Katrine while the guys dig for food in the pantry and refrigerator.
“What’s your type?” Katrina asks as Blair takes over my phone and downloads the dating app.
“I’m not really sure.”
“Hmm. Let’s start with basics. What does he look like?”
“I don’t really care.” I shrug.
Blair rolls her eyes. “Let me think, who’s the last guy you dated?” A crease forms between her eyes. “Have you dated anyone since JT?”
I shake my head. Four very long, very single years.
“Who’s JT?” Katrina asks.
“Gabby’s high school boyfriend.” She looks back to me. “Is that still your type?”
“I don’t have a type.” Which is mostly true. I haven’t dated enough to compare my preferences.
“Okay then describe your perfect guy.”
“I’m looking for fun and casual, not Mister Perfect.”
Blair gives me her most determined glare. She’s not letting me out of this, so I think for a moment, picturing all the reality TV and book boyfriends I’ve collected over the past few years. “Tall and muscular, for sure. I’m curvy and I don’t want to feel like I’m going to crush some poor guy if I straddle him while doing the reverse cowgirl.”
A choking noise across the kitchen makes us look up and Wes is wiping coffee off his chest. Oops, that was an overshare, but it’s still true.
Katrina keeps going. “What about hair?”
“I don’t really care.”
She points to the guys. “Buzzed, short, medium, long. Take your pick. We’ve got prime examples of varying lengths here.”
I look them over carefully, each one standing a little taller under my scrutiny. Nathan’s long hair totally suits him, but I shake him off first. “Not long.”
“What?” He scoffs and tucks a blonde strand behind his ears.
