Page 93 of The Best Friend Power Play

I turn to her. "What?"

"I was just thinking…all these years we've had to convince everyone we're not together, and now…"

"Now we sort of are?"

"Yeah." She bites her lip. "Are we ready to clarify what sort of are means?"

"What would you like it to be?"

"What would you like it to be?"

Okay. This is it. No more messing about, Culver. You want to be a man worthy of Hannah? Here's your chance. Use your words, be honest, and tell her what you want.

"I want you to be my girlfriend."

She breathes out noisily through her teeth. "Yikes."

"What, yikes?"

She pulls into the driveway, cuts the engine, and turns to face me, one hand on the steering wheel. "I'd love to be your girlfriend, but there's a problem."

My heart starts beating rapidly. "What sort of problem?"

She lifts her left hand. "I'm married."

Even though there's no ring on her ring finger since we don't want anyone to know about our fake marriage, my eyes travel there anyway.

"But you're married to me," I point out, the words coming out a little gruffer than I intended.

"I am," she says. "And I do want something more with you. Believe me, I do. But we're also best friends. And our families go way back. So, it's all so…" She sighs.

"Complicated," we say at the same time.

I reach across the console and take her hand. "I know this is uncharted territory, but it's us, Hannah. You and me."

"I know."

"And I'm going to make sure that whatever happens from here, we'll be okay."

She aims those light-blue eyes at me, and says, "Promise?"

I squeeze her hand tighter. "I do. With everything I have, I swear to you, we'll be okay."

"Good." She begins to slowly nod. "Maybe we don't have to label this us thing right now?"

"That's a very un-Hannah thing to say."

She smiles. "I know. But I'm having a very un-Hannah summer, and I'm really enjoying it."

"So you're saying, if it feels good, do it?"

Her smile grows. "Exactly. And this feels very good, Culver."

"I agree."

She leans over, and we kiss.

But she's wrong, though.

---