Page 16 of Rule Breakers Fall Hardest

Daire: Rosie?

Me: Yup?

Daire: Shut up and just accept it.

Me: Okay.

It doesn’t feel right that he’s paying for the house, yet I’ll officially be part owner. But arguing with Daire Hendricks isexhausting. I would know. I’m a pro at it.

As I scan my room, it hits me that I have a ton of crap to pack up. I’ll have to notify the school that I’ll be living off campus too and?—

Let the anxiety spiral begin.

Deep breaths, Rosie. It’ll be fine. Everything always works out.

I’m moving in with a man for the first time. Yet it isn’t because we’re madly in love and want to be together all the time. It breaks my heart a little, which is probably absolutely pathetic of me. It’s like no matter how shitty I’ve been treated by the guys in my life, the small part of me that wants the fairy tale never gives up hope.

There’s a soft knock on my door, and a second later, it creaks open a couple of inches.

“Hey, do you want to watch a movie?” Bertie asks. Her eyes are sunken and ringed in dark circles. She hasn’t been sleeping much since the breakup, which seems to actually be permanent this time. Color me shocked.

“Sure? What did you have in mind?”

She grins, the gleeful expression at odds with her previous sullen demeanor. “Barbie Princess and the Pauper.”

I lower my head. “I should’ve known.”

Bertie is a sucker for the animated Barbie movies. I am too, not that I’ll willingly admit that to her. I leave my phone in my room, not wanting to deal with Daire if he texts again.

“You seem like you have a lot on your mind.” She stands on her tiptoes in the kitchenette, pulling out the big bowl we use for popcorn.

I open the pantry cabinet and shuffle our snack food around until I find the box of kettle corn stuffed in the back. There’s nothing wrong with good ole butter popcorn, but I go feral for kettle corn.

Once I’ve got the plastic wrapping off, I put the popcorn in the microwave.

“I’m fine.” I turn to her and pull my hair up into a bun.

She arches a brow, her face the picture of doubt. “Trouble in paradise?”

“No, we’re great.” I paste on a smile. “He just texted me to let me know our offer was accepted.”

“Oh.” Her face falls. “Really?”

I bite back a grimace. It hurts to know I’m disappointing her by leaving. But since it’s so late in the semester, there’s a good chance she won’t be saddled with a new roommate. That knowledge goes a long way in easing my guilt.

“Yeah. Closing is in a month.”

“Well,” she says, pulling two cans of Sprite from the fridge, “congratulations.”

I frown. Dammit. I’m such a fraud. I want to tell my best friend the truth. That none of this is real. That it’s just a game of pretend to help Daire out. But Ican’t. I trust Bertie more than just about anyone, but even though Daire drives me absolutely insane, I would never do anything to compromise his chances of getting his son.

“Thanks.” Just as I pop the top on the can, the microwave beeps, and Bertie yanks the door open and grabs the popcorn.

Once we’ve each got a bowl, we settle on the couch and cover ourselves with our favorite blankets, hers a pale blue color and mine red.

“I can’t believe we’re watching Barbie movies like we’re eight,” I say, adjusting the pillow behind me.

She laughs and pops a piece of popcorn into her mouth. “You never get too old for Barbie.”

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