Page 50 of One Billion Reasons

“Don’t thank me. You did the same for me all those years ago.”

“I did?”

She turns to face me, her plush pink lips curved up. “Of course. College was hard for me. I was lost after losing my parents. And I never fit in.”

“That’s not true. You had lots of friends. More than Liam, actually.”

“But you were the first,” she murmurs. “And you never cared that I had sad days. You’d knock on my door and yell at me to get out of bed and go to the beach with you.”

Something pleasant tugs in my chest, and I smile. “Yeah. Or you’d make me get up early to drive you to the nature preserve. Extra early to get those cinnamon rolls you loved from the coffee place at the turn-off.”

“Your fault for having that crazy car,” she shoots back. “It was begging to be driven.” She’s referring to the cherry-red Mustang I drove in college.

“The ladies loved it.” I wag my eyebrows, and she rolls her eyes, just the way she did in college. Little does she know, there was only one woman I ever wanted, and she can’t tell a Mustang from a Nissan.

“Do the women now go crazy for the chauffeured car?”

“There are no women.”

“But you told me a few days ago that you love women. That your talents shouldn’t be wasted.” She looks concerned, and I almost laugh. If it weren’t so damn pathetic that my body only seems to want Lane, I’d laugh too.

“There haven’t been any women for a few years,” I say quietly. Why am I telling her this? Maybe because I hate how she looks at me like I’m some sort of playboy, when that hasn’t been the case since the day I realized how hot Lane was. And I know it’s the reputation I cultivated, but I hate it and everything it represents.

Before she can respond, Amanda asks for everyone’s attention.

“Today, we have a special event. Catherine suggested it. It’s a competition, and we have quite the prize for the winner. Couple’s massages.” The crowd makes a pleased sound, and Lane looks equally excited. Probably by the thought of beating someone at something.

“It’s a competition to see how well you know your partner, or a friend of your choice, if you came without a date.” Amanda smiles excitedly, but I freeze.

“Amanda drew a parallel between the two of us in the spa, and Catherine overheard,” Lane hisses.

“We have to win this. Catherine seems to be buying our relationship, but we can't screw this up.”

Lane looks at me with flinty eyes. “We’re going to win. Count on it.”

Each couple gets a sheet of paper with a list of questions. We have fifteen minutes to fill it out and permanent markers, so no answers can be changed.

Lane looks excited, but her face falls when she sees the questions. “Favorite vacation spot? Name of your first pet? What the hell?”

“No talking,” Catherine calls out. “Sorry, guys. Gotta fill these out in silence.”

Lane grimaces and puts her head down. We work in silence for a bit, and her huffs of annoyance and constant fidgeting make me smile. She glances up at me, and our eyes meet. The connection makes my heart thud and my stomach tighten.

“What? What’s that look?” she asks, and my smile grows.

“You’re bringing me back to life, Laney,” I whisper. “You’re just so you.”

“Don’t make fun of me.” She narrows her eyes. “I’m thinking.”

“No talking,” Catherine shouts, and I smile to myself as Lane rolls her eyes.

24

Lane

Miles looks pleased with himself when we put our markers down. All I can think is he’s going to learn how much I’ve obsessed over him.

“Alright.” Catherine claps her hands. “Time to grade the answers. Start at the top and read them out to your partner. And remember, people, this is supposed to be fun.”

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