Fake Fiancée

He mulled it over. “Not weird, really, but I saw Felix leaving the library with a girl that wasn’t Bianca. I just assumed he was an asshole who cheated on his girlfriend. You think it’s important?”

No, but I pressed him. “Who was it?”

He shrugged. “Some redhead. Beats me what her name is. I’m new in town.”

“The police aren’t really concerned about it and are taking it as more of a joke,” I said. “Maybe they’re right.”

Isabella sent me an expectant look. “Where’s Max? We brought plenty for him too.” I’d texted her earlier that he was coming over but hadn’t mentioned the sushi. “I assumed he’d already be here.”

“Yeah. Me, too.” I helped myself to a slice of pepperoni, thanking them again for stopping by to have dinner and check on me.

A knock came half an hour later while we were watching Dirty Dancing.

Relief mingled with annoyance when I saw it was Max. At the door, I took in his low-waisted jeans and the soft knit of his cobalt blue sweater. “You’re late.”

His hand rested on the doorjamb as his eyes met mine. “And I didn’t pick up dinner. I’m sorry.”

My face stayed impassive. “It’s good. I ate already.”

“Yeah?” His eyes went to the commotion behind me, watching Isabella and Ash in their sock feet, sliding around on the hardwood in my den, attempting to dance like they knew what they were doing. I smiled at their antics. Isabella was convinced Ash looked like Patrick Swayze, hence the movie selection.

“What’s going on?”

“They’re reenacting a scene from Dirty Dancing.” At Max’s questioning eyebrow, I elaborated. “Ash lost a bet, so she’s making him pay.”

“Ah.” He raked a hand through his dark hair. “Anyway, I’m sorry. I should have texted, but my phone died.”

“There’s a charger in your car.”

“I wasn’t paying attention.” He grimaced. “I can explain though.”

Whatever. I crossed my arms.

“You’re beautiful,” he said, his gaze soft, lingering on the bare-shoulder blouse I wore. His eyes landed on my lips. “Even when you’re ornery.”

My body leaned into his as if it had a mind of its own. “Do—do you want to come in?”

He nodded and trailed after me to the kitchen. “I saw Bianca tonight. She and Felix had a blow-up when she met the bus at the field house. I followed her home and found her crying in her car outside her apartment. We talked . . .” his voice stopped. “You okay?”

His words hit me like a sledgehammer. “I’m fine.” I held it together by looking sightlessly into the fridge, forgetting why I’d even opened the door.

“Ryn was with me.”

So? My lips tightened. Just hearing her name, knowing that she suspected we weren’t real, drove me insane. Sometimes, I was even surprised she hadn’t gossiped more about us or at least tried to tell the media. Maybe she did care about Max.

“Nothing happened,” he said.

I flipped back around and let the fridge slam shut behind me. “I don’t care. It’s fine. Come on. You can finish the movie with us, but after that I need to study.” I started to walk away.

“She broke up with Felix.”

I froze, my pounding heart the only thing I could hear for a moment.

I turned back to him. “Are—are you getting back with her?”

He reared back. “Fuck no.”

“If you want to, I’ll understand. We can ‘break up’ early . . .”

“Stop it. I don’t want her . . . haven’t in a long time.” His voice was gruff.

“Yeah?”

He nodded. “I didn’t touch her except to make sure she got in her apartment. We made sure Felix wasn’t there and left. End of story.”

He followed me into the den and sat next to me on the couch. Isabella and Ash sent us curious glances, and I figured it was easy to see things weren’t quite right. Finally the movie ended and they both left. I saw them to the door and made a date to have lunch with them soon.

When I walked back into the den, Max’s words hit me in the face.

“I remember you,” he said quietly, a tumultuous look in his eyes.

My heart jumped. Trembling, I stumbled to the couch and plopped down next to him before my legs could give out. My world shifted, realigning itself and I cupped my cheeks, feeling, checking to see if this moment was real.

For a moment I couldn’t breathe.

This is what it feels like to lose your breath over a guy, I randomly thought.

I just looked at him.

He squeezed my hand. “I think my subconscious has been trying to tell me for a long time, and tonight I had a dream about a girl whose car went into a lake.” His face filled with wonder. “You’re that girl . . . the one who ran away into the woods. You were so beautiful . . .” he stopped, pinching the bridge between his nose, contrition on his face. “You ran away—and I let you. God, I should have gone after you and given you a ride . . . something.”

I bit my lip. “I wouldn’t have let you. It all happened so fast for me to think really, but I couldn’t involve you in my mess.”

“It was the night you left your dad, wasn’t it?” He focused piercing eyes on me. “You must have been terrified. I mean, now—it all makes sense.”