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She gasps. “Meredith!”

I laugh out loud. “We’re grown women, you know? We can talk about sex.”

She flushes but smiles. “I guess we can, can’t we?”

“Did you grow up in one of those families where sex was taboo?”

“Oh, yeah. My mother is second generation Puerto Rican Catholic. Catholics don’t really talk about sex.”

“Well, you’re not a kid anymore. You can tell me.”

I’m honestly hoping to live vicariously through Dina. I haven’t had a real boyfriend since... well, since Logan. Yes, I did go on a date with the captain of the lacrosse team–one date. And I cried about Logan the entire time.

He was really nice about it, but it’s an embarrassing memory for me.

“He’s sogood, Meredith. Like, every time.”

“Multiple?” I raise an eyebrow, and she gasps again but nods quickly. I can’t help but laugh. “He’s a real keeper, then. I’ve only had one guy do that for me.”

She raises an eyebrow. “Was it Logan?”

“I plead the fifth,” I say flatly, and she bursts out laughing.

“I think it's you who needs to spill.”

I shake my head. “I don’t like to talk about it. It’s not a happy ending, or even a good story.”

She looks at me for a moment longer but doesn’t push. “All right, fair enough.”

“Tell me more about Nate.”

“He’s so sweet. This morning, he left a rose on my pillow because he had to leave for work early. He didn’t wake me, which is why I was a little late.”

“That’s so romantic.” My voice almost sounds like a whine. I’m terribly jealous, even though I’m happy for her. Dina deserves a good guy. “Is he good with Ethan?”

Ethan is her five-year-old son.

“I don’t know.” She looks down at her burger and picks at her fries. “I haven’t let them meet yet.”

“Haven’t you been dating a couple of months?”

“Yeah, but what if it doesn’t work out? I don’t want Ethan to get attached to someone who’s not going to be in our lives long term.”

“That’s really responsible. I understand why you’d want it to be serious before you allow them to meet.”

She smiles. “I try to be a good mom.”

As she keeps talking about Ethan, telling me about how he’s doing in pre-school, an ache grows in my heart.

I’ve always wanted kids, at least two. But the older I get, the less I think I’ll actually end up having a family.

The only person I’ve ever considered a family with is Logan, and see how that worked out.

Dina and I finish up lunch and as we’re walking back to our office building, a car pulls up outside.

It looks awfully familiar, but of course, a lot of people drive sports cars...

Then my brother gets out, heading into the office.