Page 42 of The Undercover Billionaire's Baby

“Yeah?” Alice leaned forward.

I couldn’t stop myself smiling. “It was perfect. A movie kiss. And not any movie, but, like, a magic one, where the prince kisses the princess and the whole sky lights up, and there’s twinkles and fireworks and— and?—”

“Violins?”

I sighed. “A whole orchestra. I heard music, I swear.”

“Buuuut… you don’t know if he felt the same way?”

I bit my lip, thinking. Remembering Brad’s face. He’d pulled back, lips parted, eyes dreamy and soft. “He did in the moment. He felt it too. But he has a whole life out there. We had one kiss. And he hasn’t said anything about staying past summer. He’d have said something, right, about extending his lease?”

Alice laughed. “First of all, you don’t have a lease. He’s month-to-month. And second, what if he’s waiting for you to speak up?”

A shiver ran through me — excitement, then dread. I saw the path fork ahead of me, two futures calling, one where Brad stayed with me, one where he didn’t. As long as I didn’t ask, both could be real. Both were still waiting, still equally mine.

“Don’t you think it’s too soon?” I said. “It was only one kiss. I can’t ask him to upend his life for one kiss.”

Alice huffed laughter. “You’re so all or nothing.”

I scowled at her. “What does that mean?”

“It means, you don’t have to decide your whole future, or even discuss it. At least, not now. Why don’t you just ask him out on a date?”

I goggled. “A date?”

“Yeah, you know, at a restaurant? Or, hey, the fair’s coming. You could go to that.”

I’d almost forgotten about the fair. It came once a year and lit up the beach, rides, cotton candy, carnival booths. The summer folks loved it, but I’d missed the last few. I’d been in college, then Mom had got sick, and I’d halfway forgotten it was still a thing.

“When is it, do you know?”

Alice winked. “It starts Friday.”

“So, yeah, I could ask him, just casual, just?—”

“No!” Alice sat up so sharply she spilled half her drink. I stared at her.

“No?”

“Don’t send mixed signals. Let him know it’s a date. That’s the whole point of this, to see where it goes. Go on a date or two, see how it feels, and if you still feel the magic, that’s when you talk.”

“But, what if…” I trailed off. Alice was right. The pressure was off now, with our fun run success. What better time to go on a real date?

My phone chirped, as if on cue: a text from Gareth. The plumber was done, just the walls left to patch. He’d be out of my hair Friday night at the latest.

Alice leaned over. “Good news?”

I ignored her. I called Brad instead, my heart beating fast. He picked up and I smiled, and I gathered my courage, and before I could think too hard, I was asking him out. The words tumbled out of me, and I held my breath. At first, Brad said nothing, and I squirmed in the silence. Then, he was laughing.

“I’m sorry, what?”

Alice covered her giggles with a sip of her drink. I rolled my eyes at her and tried again slower.

“They’re finishing Friday with the renovations. Want to go out and celebrate? To the fair?”

“Definitely,” said Brad. “Wait, is this a date?”

My face went hot, but I’d come this far. “Definitely. You in?”

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