Page 67 of The Quit List
Holly sighs. “Well, to be honest, I think he made the excuse because we ran out of things to talk about by the time our main courses arrived. He was probably just trying to wrap things up easily and smoothly, for both our sakes.” With this, she shrugs. “I’m not too sure where to go from here. Maybe I need to come up with more interesting conversation topics?”
“I doubt that’s the problem. What did you talk about before the conversation ran dry?”
“I dunno, a variety of things. My work. His work. Our families. Math.”
“Two orders of cheesecake?” Kara suddenly appears by the bar holding two plates with huge slices of peanut butter chocolate cheesecake.
“Thanks, Kara,” I say, right as Holly exclaims, “You got me cheesecake? That’s so thoughtful!”
Kara’s smile fixes in place. “He’s a thoughtful guy,” she mutters as she sets a plate in front of Holly.
I indicate the vacated stool with a purse still slung over the back of it. “The other one’s for Maddie. Thanks again.”
“Sure.” Kara shoots a slightly sour look at Holly before stalking away.
“That girl really doesn’t like me,” Holly observes as she digs her fork into her slice. She shoves a huge bite in her mouth. “Mmm, so good.”
“She likes you just fine,” I tell her. “So you and Foot Guy talked about math?!”
“Ian likes math-based riddles and games.”
“Sounds riveting.”
“Hey, no hating on math nerds.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.”
“Hating on them or stopping?”
“You’ll never know.”
“You’re insufferable.” Holly rolls her eyes at me. “It’s nice that he has a hobby. And he’s… nice. Checks all those boxes from my original hit list.”
“But?” I prompt.
She sighs, drawing patterns in her cake with her fork. “You were right. Those things only take you so far. And I think…” She takes a deep breath, then lets it out slowly. “I think I like Ian as a person, but I don't feel anything when I’m with him. Or anything close to something.”
“Shooting for fireworks, right?” I hold up my hand, and she rolls her eyes again before high-fiving it. But I see the little smile threatening to break free from her lips. “Hey, in all seriousness, I’m proud of you. You’re focusing on what you actually want.”
“Trying to, at least.” She ducks her head, but not before I see on her face that she’s warring with herself.
“Your sister seems so happy.” Holly peeks up from behind a curtain of dark hair. “Head over heels for her man. I want to feel like that.”
“Well, you’ll be pleased to know that those two started out getting drunkenly hitched in Vegas as a revenge plot to get back at Maddie’s cheating ex.”
“What?!” Holly’s eyes go huge.
“It’s true,” Maddie says, popping up out of nowhere. She claps her hands as she hops back onto her stool. “Oh, yay! Cheesecake.”
“How on earth did that end up happening?” Holly asks her.
“It’s a long story involving a very diabolical scheme. But we just… fell in love somewhere along the way.”
Holly laughs incredulously. “Wild.”
“How about you?” Maddie grins wickedly. “You have a cheating ex and want revenge? Because I’m sure Jax would marry you.”
“I do not, but thanks for the thought,” Holly replies with a laugh. “And from what I gather, Jax would never marry anyone, for any reason. He’s anti-marriage.”