Page 26 of Perfect Score

“It’s fascinating how easily that kind of passion can be redirected,” I tell him with a grin.

“You mean deep-seated loathing?” He chuckles.

I ignore it, and Zoey squirms in my arms. Lying to David is making her uncomfortable, but this is what she asked me for so she’s going to have to get used to it.

“For how long?” he asks, staring at Phoebe now as if she was an accessory in keeping this from him.

I guess she kind of is.

Zoey tenses against me even further, but Phoebe looks cool and calm. She doesn’t mind this at all.

I’m not stoked about lying to David. He’s one of my best and longest friends, but he can’t keep a secret. It’s just too big of a risk. It’s not as if David isn’t aware that he’s a terrible secret keeper, either. By the time this blows over, if the truth comes out for some reason, David will understand… even if he will a little pissed about being left out.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Liam lean back a little away from the woman he’s sitting with at the bar to hear us better out here in the lobby. It turns out he’d like the answer to this question, too.

Zoey looks up at me. We never discussed our backstory, which now seems careless on our part.

Our eyes lock as we try in vain to attempt telepathy, but it’s useless.

“Three months,” I blurt out and Zoey nods profusely… overselling it a bit if I’m honest, but I think it’ll work.

It’s a long enough relationship that we’re out in the open with it, but short enough that guys don’t usually start telling their buddies that they’re seeing someone exclusively.

“Three months?” David repeats, glancing over at Phoebe.

She nods too, backing up my lie.

“We’ve been keeping our relationship a secret because the media has been relentless lately, and I wanted to protect Zoey from the paparazzi as long as I could. And we have a reporter, Rowan, traveling with us now. Zoey wasn't ready for Rowan to report on our relationship yet, but she is now."

“Awww, you two are so cute,” Phoebe says.

She remembers this is fake, right? It was sort of her idea.

“You’re really dating Zoey?” David asks, one eyebrow furrowing in question—he’s not convinced.

I understand why, too. Zoey has never hidden her hate for me, and everyone in our graduating class could probably tell you that Zoey isn’t my biggest fan.

“Yeah. I am,” I say, giving Zoey a little side squeeze. She looks up at me quickly, a spark of shyness in her eyes.

“Stop with the inquest,” Phoebe chimes in, nudging David with her hip playfully. “They get hounded enough by the media. They don’t need it here.”

David throws up a hand in surrender. “Fine. It’s weird, but… as long as you’re happy. Are you guys going to drop your stuff and come back down?” he asks, pulling his glass up to his mouth and taking a sip.

Before I can say anything, Phoebe jumps in. "They had a long flight. Let's leave them to get settled," she says, winking at Zoey.

"What about cocktail hour?" Zoey asks, confusion on her face.

Phoebe smirks. "I'm sure you two could use a little time together. And besides, Brent got you the honeymoon suite. You've got to test out everything and tell me how it is. Come down later after you get settled. We'll be here all night."

Zoey looks up at me quickly and then I answer for us. We’ve planted the seed that Zoey and I are dating. Now we can take a minute and let it sink in.

Or in Liam’s case… fester.

“Yeah, we’ll be down in a little while. I’d like to take a shower and change out of these clothes."

Zoey nods in agreement.

I bet since seeing Liam, she’s ready to regroup. She has a dress she wants to wear tonight, and I can’t wait to see her in it.

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