In addition to the leggings, I had on thick socks under my boots and a Colorado Avalanche shirt I stole from Matt with a black jacket on top. It was possible I wore the shirt to impress Finn, though I would never admit that to him. In my head the outfit gave girl next door meets hot chick you met on a plane vibes. But now, standing in front of the mirror in the full outfit, I felt ridiculous.

“Alright. That’s it.” Taylor paused the podcast and got up from the bed.

“What are you doing?”

“Performing my duty as your sister-in-law.”

She pushed me to the full-length mirror and turned me so I was facing my reflection.

“Repeat after me,” she said. “My name is Olive.”

I looked at her tall figure in the reflection. “This is stupid.”

Louder, she repeated, “My. Name. Is. Olive!”

I rolled my eyes but played along. “My name is Olive.” My voice was monotone and dry.

“And I am sexy.” I glared at her in the mirror, but she tapped my shoulder telling me to continue.

“And I am sexy.”

“I am fun.”

“I am fun.”

“And my boyfriend is going to think I look amazing.”

I struggled with that one the most. “And my…boyfriend is going to think I look amazing.”

Taylor smiled sweetly at me. “There. Now, don’t you feel better?”

I turned away from my reflection and faced her. “I feel like I just attended an insecurity intervention.”

She frowned at my joking because she knew my issues rooted far beneath a simple confidence exercise.

“Don’t let her do this to you.”

I started to ask who she meant, but I knew better. Taylor straightened my jacket. “Maybe you should give her a chance.”

I flinched away from her touch, and she held her hands up in surrender. “I’m just saying, it may be time to hear her out.”

I didn’t respond. I simply nodded along, because I knew I wasn’t ready for that conversation. Taylor leaned over my bed and pressed play on the podcast again. I finished my hair and makeup as the mystery retelling filled the silence.

I pulled out my phone to text Finn that I was ready. My nerves were strung high. I hadn’t been on a date since I’d moved to Florida. Not that this was a date. It was an experiment, a practice, a three-hour trial to the subscription of Finn. A way for us to get to know each other better and to keep my nosy family at bay. Despite knowing that, I still experienced all of those first date emotions: butterflies in my stomach, a constant urge to pee. It was like my body realized something new was happening and was rebelling.