Melissa’s Reviews > Seven Year Itch > Status Update

The look of disappointment in his eyes is unmistakable, and the confidence that surges through me over that reaction is better than sex . . . and makes me think perhaps sex is a need. A need that I should be thinking about with the man I’ve been seeing for weeks now, not this bearded new guy.
I better stay far away from this Fletcher brother if I know what’s good for me.

Dakota’s flashback
Attraction

…even though all I want to do is sit on his lap and debate whether sex is a need or a want, and maybe go through some exercises to draw our own conclusion. It’s the beard and ink combo that’s doing me in . . . which is a bit surprising because he’s not my typical type. I’m usually drawn to dressier hipsters who can pick out a good bottle of red at a restaurant.

Flashback

My throat tightens as Calder stares back at me in that intense way he has about him, and I feel a flashback to the first night we met.

Dakota remembers meeting Calder
Does he remember that night?

Dakota- “You have to quit acting like you know me so well, Calder,” I argue because I’m done letting men think they know what I can and can’t do with my own damn life.

Was Randal controlling?
Sounds like it

I nibble on one of the crackers from his tray as the beginning credits of The Call of the Wild begin. It’s an interesting choice by Calder. It’s been a while since I saw the film, but if I recall, the dog is sort of too big for his own life and seeks adventure outside of it. Not unlike the boisterous man sitting next to me seemingly fumbling through his own life a bit.

Dakota about Calder
Looking for something?

“From the moment I met you, I could see that. You had the world by the fucking balls . . . and you did whatever you wanted. Only a guy with zero fucking common sense would somehow miss the fact that you are limitless.”

Calder to Dakota at the palapa

Dakota- You know . . . I used to think you were hot, before I hated you.
Calder- I still think you’re hot, even though I hate you.
D- You think I’m hot?
C- You know you’re hot.
D- I used to be hot.
C- Used to be?
D- Yeah . . . I’ve changed. I’m not the hot little thing I used to be. It’s fine. I know I’m not a dog. But I’m not what I once was.

Calder- Will you just take my arm before you break your ankle?
Dakota- Calder Fletcher being chivalrous. Hell hath frozen over.
Calder- You would know since you live there.

Banter

Calder- I shake my head. “You must be drunk if you’re offering to do something nice for me.”
Dakota- “I am a nice person, Calder,” she snaps defensively, her blue eyes stunning against her sun-kissed cheeks. “Outside of you . . . I am a nice person. Sometimes.”

Dakota offers to switch beds
Alternate nights on the sofa bed

Dakota- I looked bad. Randal looked bad. It was just altogether bad. To say that my wedding day wasn’t all that I hoped for would be a huge understatement.
“Maybe it was a sign,” Everly murmurs, and all eyes turn to the young girl who just said the quiet part out loud. “I only met Randal a few times because you never brought him around that much. Maybe the universe did that for a reason.”