1. Cara

Chapter 1

Cara

“I need you to come to Christmas Eve at my house,” my lab partner Hannah says in a rush as she throws herself into the chair across from me in the Ridge College library.

“First things first,” I mutter, not taking my eyes off my biology worksheet I’m labelling. “We have ninety minutes until this group project is due, and you were late.”

“Because I’m having a legitimate crisis.”

I sigh and put down my pen. If Hannah is having a crisis, legitimate or not, no homework will get done. “What’s wrong?”

“My uncle is bringing his wife and his husband to Christmas Eve dinner. ”

My eyebrows shoot up. “His wife and his husband?”

“Yep.” She pops the p, as if that’s enough said.

I shrug. “Lucky him?”

“It’s going to be so awkward, Care Bear. Please come with me.”

“To your family dinner?”

“It’s just me and my dad and my uncle Wyatt and his two lovers . You’ll balance us out. Six is a better number than five. Plus, then we’ll have something to talk about besides all the sex they’re having.”

“Hannah!” My cheeks are flaming hot. I glance around, but nobody in the library heard her. “Please don’t say things like that here.” I lower my voice. “Do they really talk about…”

“It just sort of slips out because they love each other so much. And my uncle is a bit of an idiot. I mean, I’m happy for him, don’t get me wrong. And his spouses are actually great. But it’s a lot, and also, I just like the number six. Even numbers are important to me.”

“So important you need me to listen to your family accidentally discuss their sex life?”

“Don’t be such a virgin, Cara Michaels.”

I count backwards from five. It’s not enough. I repeat the countdown from ten, and then I smile. “Does your dad know you’re inviting a stray from school?”

“He won’t mind. He’s Mr. Homemaker. We always have way too much food, and our dining room table seats twelve.”

Hannah is rich.

And spoiled.

I’m sure her dad isn’t Mr. Homemaker, and I’m equally sure that he doesn’t want me crashing his Christmas Eve dinner, but right now I’ll say just about anything to get Hannah to focus on our final assignment of the term.

Being lab partners with her has been a trip. A wild, chaotic trip. What I imagine collaborating with a very excitable toddler on their first time baking chocolate chip cookies might be like. And I can’t wait for it to be over in ninety minutes.

“Sure,” I say easily, lying through my teeth. “I’ll come to your house on Christmas Eve. I’d love to meet your dad. And your uncle, and his wife and their husband. That sounds amazing. Now proofread this diagram, okay?”

She rolls her eyes and smiles. “Yes, Mom.”

I shove a page across the table at her and get back to work.

Don’t be such a virgin .

Hannah’s accidental taunt stays with me long after we leave our biology lab together for the last time.

It’s not like I set out to be an almost twenty-year-old virgin. It just…happened. Or rather, it just didn’t happen. And actually, there are a lot of virgins my age, according to the internet. None of the people around me at college seem to share my late bloomer status, though, and it’s getting awkward.

As soon as I’m alone in the safety of my dorm room, I pull up the dating app profile I’ve been working on all term. It’s time to go live, and try to find a date for the holidays. Not even Christmas Eve. I know that’s not likely, but if I have anything booked over the holidays, then I won’t feel like a complete loser for ducking out on the only offer I currently have.

I read it over one last time. I’m not using my real name, of course. I’m not a dummy. And I’m aging myself up because I’ve heard too many horror stories about creeps who only want to perv on college coeds. If anyone asks, I’ll morph my part-time job in the Admissions office into my actual career or something.

Nobody will ask. You’re overthinking this.

Which is how I handle everything in my life. I did extensive research dives on every college I considered. I picked Ridge College because Conception Ridge has a growing tech sector, but it’s an affordable town, so if I meet the right person and want to settle down and have kids, I’ll be able to do that without breaking the bank .

Definitely not putting that in my dating bio, though.

First things first. Cara needs a kiss.

Kira, age 25

I like ice cream, preferably with all the toppings, and waking up early enough to see the sunrise (because dawn is pretty cool, but also because it’s extra quiet then and I’m a bit of an introvert). Looking for someone with experience to make my first kiss really, really good. No creeps need apply.

I tap the submit button. An icon flips on the screen, and then there’s a green button next to my inbox. Time to see if anyone is interested in helping me out.

Twelve hours later, I’m shocked at how many creeps replied.

Eager to become a slut, huh?

I’d make you wait for your first kiss until you’ve taken me bareback to the root, bitch

Horny bio, I like it. Do you like to get on your knees, honey?

Delete, delete, delete. Twenty-seven responses, and none of them are what I was expecting. I edit my profile to be clear that I’m not interested in sex, just a first kiss. That doesn’t slow the creeps down, and by lunch, I’ve turned off notifications.

I still check every few hours, but I don’t need to know when another perv has dropped into my inbox.

It’s late that night when I get my first reasonable reply.

Hunter

Did you get a deluge of weird replies? Because I posted something similar a few months ago, an eager/honest profile, and it was like waving a red flag for perverts. I’m still getting them.

He attaches a photo of his own bio.

Hunter, age 43

Haven’t dated in twenty-two years and I’m not really sure where to start again. We didn’t have apps “back in my day” so I could use a tutor for this space. All interested instructors will be wined and dined like a queen. Or a princess. Whatever you like. Delete this, Hunter. You aren’t ready for the internet.

I giggle and press my hand to my face before replying. My cheeks are burning.

Kira

Is Hunter your real name?

Hunter

Yes? The app said we had to match our government ID

Kira

They don’t check that

Hunter

*groan*

Kira

This isn’t my real name

Hunter

That’s smart

You’re a good girl for protecting your identity

Kira

Thanks

Hunter

Be careful replying to your DMs, okay?

Kira

I’ve deleted all of them without reply (except you)

Hunter

That bad, huh?

Kira

Pretty brutal

Hunter

Nothing wrong with waiting for the right guy…I had a kid way too young and it scared me off dating for two decades

Kira

I’m done waiting

Hunter

Okay… well, good luck

Kira

Wait

Hunter

What?

Kira

Aren’t you… Don’t you…

Hunter

Oh, fuck me

Kira

I thought we could start with a kiss?

Hunter

Fuck

Kira

Is that a no?

Hunter

That’s a… “I’m too old for you, kid”

Kira

Not the dreaded *kid*

Hunter

I didn’t reach out to you to be a creep

Kira

If anything, I’m the creep here!

Hunter

Universally, everyone would agree that the 42-year-old man trying to get a date with a 25-year-old girl is the creep

Kira

But it’s not a date, it’s just a kiss! It’s a two-minute good deed

Hunter

I promise, you don’t want me to kiss you

Kira

Do you have bad breath?

Hunter

No

Kira

Would you call me a bitch or a slut or threaten me with unprotected sex?

Hunter

Jesus

No. Also, I want you to get off this app immediately

Kira

Okay, Daddy

Hunter

I’m not joking, give me names and I’ll make them disappear

Kira

Let’s focus on the mission here: would you make my first kiss good?

Hunter

Kira…

Kira

That’s not even my name

It’ll just be our secret, forever

All I want for Christmas is a good first kiss, and I think you’re the man for the job

Hunter

I’m old

Kira

I promise I don’t care as long as you’re nice