Page 86 of The Roommate Lie

“Pretty close to perfect, Carrots.” I murmur back. “Pretty close to perfect.”

I do my best impression of a well-behaved gentleman after that. A friend with no benefits. I’m anangel.

We can stay at Four Pines Peak as long as we want, and I go full tour guide again, eager to make sure she experiences everything she can before we leave. There are a few trailheads scattered around the gondola station, and we go exploring for a while. Together, we spot more chipmunks than we can count, and I take her to our infamous waterfall—Ponderosa Falls—the namesake of my hometown. I even buy her dinner in the cafe by the gift shop like a good fake boyfriend, hoping to settle my stomach and my nerves before we head back down the mountain.

It doesn’t work.

By the time we board our gondola, I have too much energy, and all of it is dangerous. My skin buzzes from Alice’s touchearlier, her body against mine, and I can still remember what her lips felt like, what that kiss tasted like. If there’s a right way to behave in this tramway car, a good way, I’m not interested. I’m here to make every bad choice I can, cause whatever trouble she’ll let me.

Two other people are already in our gondola as we step inside, Pondies from the hedgerow, and that’s all the excuse I need.

“I guess it’s still showtime,” I whisper to Alice, and she gives me the sweetest, coyest smile I’ve ever seen. It’s a real knee melter.

I reach for her hand—ready to take this new public flirt session nice and slow—but she wants more from the start. As soon as we find our spot in the tram, she nestles into my arms, facing me as her body rests lightly against mine like we’re back on that observation deck. Looping my arms around her waist, I lean back against the gondola window and pull her all the way in, holding her against me fully, properly. She doesn’t fight me on it; she settles against me with a sigh, and there’s no better sound on earth.

Alice doesn’t glance out at our view; she keeps her face buried against me. Even when I whisper how beautiful it is up here, she doesn’t look. That seems a little odd, but I don’t question it. I’ve got my dream girl in my arms. What’s to question?

Before our conductor slides the doors shut, two more passengers hurry to join us in the gondola. And as soon as they spot Alice and me, they regret that decision almost as much as I do.

Alice’s dreaded ex looks gutted to see her in my arms. (Don’t think I didn’t notice, Jason.) Meanwhile, Tiffany just seems annoyed. She was nice to Alice during the breakup at the wilderness resort—surprisingly nice—but her mood has shiftedsince, and I think I know why. I’ve had a theory about Alice’s ex since the day I met him, and I think Tiffany’s coming to the same conclusion herself.

They get as far away from us as they can. Which would be great, if this gondola was bigger and Tiffany was the kind of girl who could let things go. But it isn’t, and she can’t.

Our tram lurches into motion, and we barely go two feet before she pipes up. “Did you have a nice time?”

I pretend to hesitate. As if I’m surprised she’s talking to me—because I am. We’re the opposite of friends.

“Yep.”

That’s all she gets out of me, one word, and Alice doesn’t even acknowledge her. She still can’t let it go, though. Tiffany pauses before giving us a saccharine smile, but Alice is too cozied up to notice.

“I was surprised to see you out here,” she tries again. “Since Alice is so scared of heights. Jason says she’s a real baby about it.”

Scared of heights?

That insult makes Alice flinch. When I glance down at her, she smile-winces up at me, and it’s the most adorableI’m sobustedlook I’ve ever seen. I kiss the top of her head, and she holds on to me a little tighter.

Tiffany clears her throat, as if I’ve forgotten she’s there. Because I have.

Beside her, Jason looks more remorseful than ever. Even more penitent than he did after he said all that stuff about Alice on the ride up here. When he was mean just to make Tiffany happy and instantly regretted it.

For what it’s worth, he doesn’t look like he thinks Alice is a big baby about anything. That man is stealing glances at her like he’d snatch Alice out of my arms in a heartbeat. Like she’sthe one who got away, and he’s going to be feeling that loss for a long time.

Except she didn’t get away. He let go.

I’ve never seen an ex more full of regret, and there’s no way Tiffany hasn’t noticed. She doesn’t glance over at him, but her jaw clenches, and I cut her off before she can say anything else. Before she can go after Alice again just because her new boyfriend situation isn’t turning out how she planned.

Instead of being nice, I go for the quiet jugular. Planting a seed of doubt as I shrug at them both. “I made her a deal. We’d go to her favorite place in town if she went to mine.”

I pause to kiss the top of Alice’s head again, taking full advantage of having that girl captive in my arms. “Besides, I actually think she did pretty great with heights today. I made sure I kept her nice and distracted.”

I nuzzle her with my chin, and I can feel Alice chuckle against me. It takes everything I’ve got not to chuckle too. Her good moods are contagious, and I think she likes me sticking up for her.

Maybe I’m pushing my luck by being this affectionate in public. Maybe it makes me look like the rake everyone thinks I am, but what does it matter? Ponderosa Elementary has already found their perfect kindergarten teacher—I met her myself. I don’t have anything left to lose.

Tiffany’s eyes narrow as she watches us, that seed of doubt taking root. “What’s her favorite place?”

She knows she shouldn’t ask that question, not with all those suspicions swimming around in her head. But Tiffany can’t help herself.

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