Page 6 of The Fake Out Flex

"Because I didn't notice it. It was in the back." He grins. "How did you get a stick in your hair, anyway?"

"I went for a jog in the park after work."

"That doesn't actually answer my question. But whatever. Why are you freaking out? It's just Fraser. The guy you don't have a crush on, remember?"

I ignore that last comment as I start tying my hair into a ponytail. "I'm not freaking out. I'm making myself presentable…because I'm considerate like that."

"For Fraser?"

"For a fellow human being who will be forced to look at me for the next several hours."

"Okay, let me see if I've got this right. You're perfectly happy walking around with part of a tree lodged in your hair when it's just you and me, but you make yourself presentable for others?"

"Correct."

The doorbell rings again.

"I'm going to answer that," Levi says, grinning. "Unless you need more time? I only ask because I'm considerate like that."

I need more time.

Some makeup.

A new wardrobe.

But Fraser is here right now.

"It's fine. Go answer the door. Just don't walk too fast."

"Got it."

Levi makes a show of taking a giant stride in slow motion toward the door as I focus on the task at hand.

Hair is…passable. And stick-free, so that's a bonus.

Now onto my face.

This will need a minor miracle.

Maybe she's born with it, maybe she's a girl standing in front of her brother's mirrored refrigerator frantically pinching her cheeks to bring some color into them while her former high school crush is standing outside after agreeing to her brother's crazy idea of taking her to her ex's wedding.

I straighten.

There. Done. Ish.

My cheeks do have a bit more color in them, so I'm taking the win.

I glance down at what I'm wearing and release a long, resigned sigh. There's nothing I can do about my outfit other than smooth out the jersey a little.

My sigh turns into a groan when I take in my Ugg Boots. Why did I wear them tonight? From this moment on, I'm renaming them to ugh boots and vow to never wear them outside of my apartment ever again.

I shuffle my ugh-boot enclosed feet toward the dining room and duck behind the wall so I have a clear line of sight to the front door.

Levi's almost there, about to open it.

My heart starts to race.

And no, it's not because I still harbor feelings for Fraser. Those days are well and truly behind me…I'm, like, ninety-nine percent sure.

---