Page 23 of Butterfly Effect

Like a lost puppy.

Are you there, God? This is not the kinda puppy I asked for.

“I’m yourboyfriend, remember?”

I harrumph while pushing past him. Where’s that Advil?

“Fakeboyfriend.”

“Uh-huh. Anyway, we have a situation on our hands.”

“No shit, Captain Obvious. My friends are losing it. And my dad?—”

“The team, too.” Wade waves his phone at me. “Jaeg called an emergency meeting.” The sugar coating of the twin pills melts on my tongue, dissolving down my throat as I down the rest of the bottled water. “I said we’d be there soon.”

Second spit-take of the morning. “We?”

“Yes.” The cool, calm finality of his reply sends a shiver down my spine. “And you’re not the only one getting confused phone calls from family.” He taps on his screen.

A woman chatters in French without pausing for breath. I should have paid more attention in school because I can’t tell if she’s angry as hell or super excited.

It fades out, and so do I. The combination of a hangover and shaken nerves draws a fog over my mind, but when I close my eyes and take a long breath to calm down, I’ve somehow navigated through the haze. There’s no racing pulse, no panic.

There’s only Wade Boehner and me facing an unfamiliar door.

My glance shoots over to him. He’s as serious as I’ve ever seen him, but the line of his mouth softens. Something strokes my palm.

It’s the pad of his thumb. I gasp softly at our hands, woven inexplicably between us.

How did we even get here?

“Ready?” The browns of Wade’s eyes melt as his hand squeezes mine. A roguish smile pops a dimple in his cheek, and my heartrate plops to the pit of my stomach. “It’sshowtime.”

Chapter 5

The Undeniable Attraction Between Us

Wade

Someone prep my Oscar.

My years of theatrical training are being tested. The dumb jock routine is a piece of cake, but pretending I wasn’t excited to have Gabe Finch all to myself took everything I had. Though faking a relationship will require more finesse.

Indi’s frustrated whisper toward her husband isn’t much of a whisper. “They’re holding hands, Landon!”

A significant portion of the Regents roster ends their conversations to stare. Jaeg, Skylar, Landon, Indi, and Fletch await us in the suite’s seating area.

Gabe focuses straight ahead, but a swallow travels down her throat. Her slow, defeated blinks set off a pinching pain in my chest. I recognize that look. It’s the same one she wore last night when Kurt Vaughn got too close.

Won’t be me. I never want her to feel uncomfortable in my presence, no matter how awkward the situation.

My thumb draws a hidden circle in her palm, a repeat of how I got her attention before we entered. She sucks in a quick breath.

“Heyyyyy, guys,” I start. “What’s up?”

Skylar’s eyebrows shoot to the middle of her forehead. “What’s.Up?”

They stand in various states of confusion. Hands on hips, arms akimbo. A couple of them sneer and narrow their eyes. I extend a hand to the empty couch in silent offering. Gabe accepts.

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