Page 64 of Borrow My Heart

I took a bite, chewed, then swallowed. “So…is there any way at all I can get away with not telling Asher about the catfishing thing?”

“Nope.” Kamala gave me her sad look. “But, Wren, you always had good intentions. You were doing it to help him. It might not blow up as bad as you’re imagining. And if he likes you too—”

“If,”I interrupted.

“You don’t think he does?”

I closed my eyes. “I don’t know. I think he liked Gemma. Andhe really does seem to get along with everyone. He’s just so nice. Right? Do you think he’s nice?”

She gave me a half smile and a nod. “He’s very nice.”

“Exactly!” I said through a mouthful of cookie. “Maybe everyone thinks they’re special when he’s around. Day one he gave me the world’s best hug. If he’s going around handing out hugs like that, every person in his life is in love with him.”

“Are we back on Elinor again?”

“Yes! Including her.” That was another thing Kamala and I had talked about when I arrived at the café—what had happened with Elinor after Asher and I left the bay. Apparently, she had wandered over to Dale and begun riddling him with questions. To my surprise, Kamala said he defended me, telling Elinor I was cool and that she should leave Asher alone.This means he’s not suspicious of you anymore, Wren,Kamala had said.This means you can tell Asher about the whole catfish thing and not have to worry Dale will humiliate him.

Maybe it did mean that, but I was still terrified.

“I’m sorry that more than your brain actually likes a boy. It’s not a fun feeling to let your heart out of its cage, is it?”

I took another bite of the cookie. “It sucks. And it’s only out for loan.”

“Your heart?”

“Yes, I’m just letting him borrow it for a while. It’s a trial run.”

Kamala laughed. “If that makes you feel better.”

Rule:Always date a boy who loves animals.

Kamala raised her eyebrows at me as I walked into the rec center with Chad, who had tagged along again when I went to pick up Bean. She was probably thinking this wasn’t a good way to send Asher the message that I liked him. She was right. I was terrified to send him that message.

She was on the far side of the pool talking to Asher. He was showing her angles or lighting or something while pointing his phone at the pool. The rec center was muggy and smelled like chlorine, but right now, it was still relatively empty. We had an hour before the event was supposed to start. Bean was pulling against his leash, ready to jump in the water immediately.

“You have to save your swimming for the audience,” My voice was louder than I intended, echoing off the tiled walls and floors.

Asher looked up, met my eyes, and smiled. My stomach clenched. I wanted to be next to him. I wanted to run over thereand give him a hug. But I also wanted to wrap myself in armor and never let him in.

“What do you need me to do?” Chad asked.

“I think Kamala is going to be filming it. I’ll start Bean on that side of the pool with the contestants.”

“Should I stand on this side of the pool and call to him once it starts?”

“I’m going to have Asher do that. Bean really likes Asher.”

“Most do, it seems,” Chad said. He sounded bitter.

“You don’t?” I asked.

“I don’t know. Someone that nice has got to be hiding something, right?”

I laughed. “You’re almost as skeptical as I am.”

“I can be,” he said.

I looked around the room. Bleachers were set up on one side of the pool. I pointed. “Maybe you can be crowd control? I’m guessing people aside from the contestants are going to show up. Let’s keep them over there, contained on the bleachers. I don’t want Bean to get too distracted.”

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