Luckily, the buzzer interrupted her food criticism, and she wandered out to the door. “Hey,” she called from the hallway. “Is it okay if Lola comes up?” If she was nervous for the two of us to meet again, she didn’t sound like it. I tried not to either.

“Of course,” I said, playing it cool. I grabbed a paper towel and can of sparkling water and headed to the living room, sitting on the couch with my plate balanced on my knees.

I listened as Perrine and Lola greeted each other in the hall, voices hushed but tender. Footsteps, and then they were in the living room. “Lola,” I said, my mouth full. I stood, putting my plate on the coffee table. “It’s nice to see you.”

I extended my hand toward her, and she took it in her own. “Hi,” she said, looking me straight in the eye. “Fancy seeing you again.”

I snuck a look at Perrine, who was gazing at Lola with such wide-eyed infatuation it was impossible to miss. I’d lived through Perrine’s dating life for almost fifteen years, and I’d never seen her give away her emotions so clearly before.

“Hayes and I were just discussing his awkward date tonight,” Perrine said, sitting back in the armchair in the corner. “Seems only fair to include you, since he got to witness our first date in action.”

“Oh, I already saw it on Instagram. I’ve followed Serena and her crew for years.” Lola perched on the edge of the chair, her hand casually draped on the back of Perrine’s neck. “You looked good,” she said, giving me a once-over.

“Um…” This caught me off guard, and I could feel the heat rising in my face. “Thank you.”

I wondered, for a moment, if she’d relay this info to her best friend. Then there was that memory again: of Franny, and the Italian ice, and her carefree laugh as if nothing mattered.

“As I was saying,” I continued, trying to focus, “it wasn’t awkward.” I narrowed my eyes at my cousin. “If it was awkward, would she have offered to make me dinner?”

“Ooooh,” Lola said supportively, just as Perrine replied, “Here? You don’t have a dining room table.”

“We can eat in the living room,” I said defensively. “Or do it at her place.”

“Have you even brought a date back here yet?”

“Perrine,” I said, my voice a little sharper now. I didn’t feel like discussing my sex life with my cousin, much less with her new girlfriend, whose only impression of me was as a weird date-stalker who said things like “You’re not my type” to people on live TV.

“Don’t worry, Hayes, nothing can shock me,” Lola said with a smile. “I read about celebrities doing bizarre shit all day long.”