The Holly Dates

by Brittainy C. Cherry

traveled with novels the same way people traveled with their vape pens—glued in my hands.

Novels saved millions of people from uncomfortable situations.

“You look a bit bigger than you do in your photographs.”

Oh wow!

“You know…” He gestured toward me, holding his hands out as if trying to hug Santa’s gut. “Wider.”

“Let’s just say sometimes books are better than reality.” “I gotta say, I almost don’t recognize you without a book in your hands.” “At this point, it’s my uniform.”

Love this! Books are always better than reality

“What if he doesn’t have enough to cover the cost?” “Then he shouldn’t be on a date. He should be filling out job applications.”

I smiled a lot that night, but Kai’s words made me smile the most.

It’s his job to impress you. You’re already good enough. You have nothing to prove.”

“Don’t do what?” “Read the parts of my book that I don’t share with people.”

They said hurt people hurt people; if that were true, I was the most damaged person out there.

All I ever wanted was for someone to stick around with me forever because the idea of being alone again terrified every inch of my being.

I let her rage against me because another man broke her heart.

Just looking for Holly.

call me your fairy godfather because I just got you invited to Cinderella’s winter ball.”

“That’s the problem with trauma. Those who inflict it aren’t the ones who have to do the unpacking to heal from it.”

Just because someone loved you to their highest ability didn’t mean they deserved to have you or knew how to treat you right. They couldn’t even treat themselves correctly.

If I had to go on another million terrible first dates to end up with Kai, I’d do it again in a heartbeat. I’d take on every single heartbreak if it led me to him.