“Lame. Flowers are cliché.”

“Every guy thinks that, and every guy is wrong.”

“And prom – yours wasn’t romantic?”

“I didn’t go. That part was true.”

“How come?”

I pause and consider how to phrase my answer. “They don’t make prom dresses in maternity size.”

“Ah.”

We’re quiet and I cradle the phone between my shoulder and ear as I pick at a piece of lint on my leggings. Images of Joel in a tux, some beautiful girl on his arm, pulling up to his prom in some ridiculous car, probably a Hummer limo, makes me feel resentful and jaded.

“Practice in the morning?” I ask, checking the time and realizing it’s later than I thought.

“Yeah, guess I should let you get to bed and do the same.”

“I had fun tonight. Thank you for this.”

“It was my pleasure, Kitty. Just one big disadvantage to a virtual date.”

My heart hammers in my chest and I feel like I’m back at my parents’ house talking to a boy and not wanting to be the first one to hang up. “What’s that?”

“I can’t kiss you before I say goodnight.”

“Kissing on the first date.” I make a tsk sound. “I thought the rule was no kissing until the third date.”

“Think we already broke that rule.”

“Didn’t count. It was a non-date.”

He laughs, and I enjoy the warm, rich sound.

“Night, Joel.”

“Night, Kitty.”

14

JOEL

“Where were you last night?” Nathan lights a cigarette as we walk from the gym back to the house.

“Home.”

“You were?” He cocks a brow and then his face shifts in understanding. “Oooh, I see. Nice. Shelly?”

“Hell no.” I shake my head as if it’ll rid me of the memory.

“Tara?”

Another shake of my head.

“Who was it? If you holed up in your room with her all night, she must be a doozy.”

“Actually, I was alone. Well, sort of.” I clear my throat. “I had a virtual date.”

He blows out a long puff of smoke. “That some sort of online hookup thing?”

Nervous as shit, an anxious laugh rumbles in my chest. “Nah, man. Old school style, talking on the phone.”

“I don’t understand. You just talked to some girl on the phone? Seems like taking her out on an actual date would be a whole lot easier.”

“It’s complicated,” I admit.

“Since when do you do complicated?” He side eyes me as he takes another drag.

“I…” I consider my words. “I don’t. I’m not. I made a deal with a girl, she owed me a date, but couldn’t leave her house. I improvised.”

“That sounds like the opposite of uncomplicated. Tell me, what does one do on a ‘virtual date’?” He air quotes.

“Fuck off.” I shove his shoulder. “What’s going on tonight?”

We make plans to have people over and as we get back to the house, Nathan and I split to shower and make calls.

I haven’t heard from Katrina today, not that I expected to, but I’m wondering what she’s up to and if she’s thought of me. I can’t seem to get enough of her and I’m about to drop all pretenses of even trying.