“I’m not sure big is the right word.” I’ve been trying to decide how to fill them in on the new arrangement between me and Jasper since I texted him back last night. But now, with Elsie’s and Daisy’s full attention on me, I don’t know what to say. “So as I’ve told you both, the date was a bloody disaster.”

“A bloody disaster?” Elsie repeats after me, amusement thick in her voice. “What the fuck?”

“I’ve been watching a lot of Love Island UK, okay? Now, focus,” I scold her. She raises her hands in surrender but doesn’t even attempt to stop laughing. “I didn’t think I would hear from Jasper again, but I did.”

Elsie’s laughter dies on her lips as both she and Daisy lean in closer.

“He called you?” Daisy asks. “What did he say?”

“Did he ask you out again? Are you still thinking he’s only doing this because of the Dirty Birds? What did—”

“Elsie!” I cut her off when I realize this line of questioning isn’t going to come to an end otherwise. “Do you want me to tell you or do you want to keep guessing until you get it right?”

“Oh wow.” Daisy raises her eyebrows and looks at Elsie. “She’s a little testy when she’s stressed, yeah?”

“Oh yeah.” Elsie looks straight through me. “This one time, in middle school, we had a pop quiz in a class and she—”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” I cut her off. “That feels like a very unnecessary story to tell in the middle of me explaining to you that Jasper has proposed I play tour guide for him while he’s here.”

That gets their attention.

“Wait. I’m sorry.” Elsie turns back to me, blinking more times than I’ve ever seen a person blink. “What did you just say?”

“You know how I gave that list to Jasper with different places for him to use for his book?” I ask, even though I know they both know what I’m talking about. “He came by the store last night to tell me he appreciates the list, but he thinks it will be better for his story if he were to visit the places instead of just googling them. And since he knows I used to be a travel photographer, he asked me to be his travel guide, if you will.”

“Ho. Lee. Shit,” Daisy breathes out. “You said yes, right?”