Page 22 of Faking the Shot

Sometimes his mouth seemed to operate on its own. “How long for?”

Hope sparkled in the blue depths again. Man, she was beautiful. “For three months, maybe six.”

“Six months?” That was all?

“Until Valentine’s Day at least,” she quickly amended, like she’d thought he meant six months was too long.

He exhaled. “So you’d want us to be ‘together’,” he air-quoted the phrase, “through Christmas and New Year.”

“I know that’s a lot to ask. But it would be really convincing to be seen together for those holidays, don’t you think?”

“I don’t think we’re supposed to lie to people though.”

Her face fell. “You’re right.”

He stretched out his hand. Touched hers. Stifled a smile as she jumped.

“However…”

“What?”

“Well, I could ask you out—”

“Again,” she said.

Again? Oh, Drew’s message. He winced. “I have a confession. That initial message from me wasn’t actually from me.”

She blinked. “I beg your pardon?”

“My teammate, Drew, sent it.”

“Really?”

He nodded.

“So why did you come?”

“Because I did enjoy meeting you the other day, and I was curious, especially when you replied. But all that doesn’t change the fact that here we are on a real date. And I could ask you out on another one, and you say yes, and we go out a few times, so then it is real. That way if family or close friends ask we can tell them it is true.”

“But I don’t know you.”

“Hmm, last I checked, spending time with someone is how you get to know them. Not by reading articles online.”

Her eyes widened. “Are you saying you want to go out with me? Like, for real?”

His words stalled. If he said yes, and she said no, then that was his chance gone. But if he said no, was that a lie?Hey God, some help here, please.

“Because if you are,” she continued, “then I have to say sorry, but I can’t do that.”

What? His stomach twisted. “Why not?”

She shook her head. “Because I don’t want to put you in a position where you feel obliged to ask me out simply because I was dumb enough to ask for your help. I just need some time to get my reputation sorted out. I don’t need a boyfriend for real right now. I’ve dated so many needy insecure men I don’t have the energy or time to be in a relationship for real, especially as my life is so busy. And besides, I’d hate to get in the way of you being with the person you’re supposed to be with too.”

Wow. Clearly the woman didn’t have the hots for him. Which was a disconcerting change. When was the last time he’d been rejected? But then the latter part of what she said dropped into clarity. “But wouldn’t a fake relationship mean I’d be getting in the way of that for you, too?”

Her brow pleated. “Oh. I didn’t think of that.”

His lips pulled out wryly. “Look, I can appreciate your dilemma, but I’m not sure that I’m the right man for the job. Isn’t there anyone else you can ask?”

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