Page 111 of Once Upon a Fake Date

She chuckled, returning the hug. “I love you too.”

“I gotta go.” I winked at her, grabbing my bag and heaving it over my shoulder. “Talk to you soon!”

“Tell him how you feel!” Ella shouted after me.

I waved my hand at her, already planning the perfect way to tell the man I loved how much he meant to me.

“We did it!”I cheered, throwing my arms up as we all piled out of our final for our musical theater class.

“Another year down,” Mary said, pumping her fist up in the air.

Everyone laughed, and a bittersweet feeling settled in my bones. My finals were done, which meant the semester was officially over. I couldn’t believe that I only had one year left at Castleton. After that, we’d be out in the real world. Getting jobs. Even if that meant waitressing or working some other small job until I could land a role on Broadway.

This year had been good to me. So good.

Tonight, I was heading to a party with Ella, Sutton, and a bunch of our other friends to celebrate the end of the semester.

Parker wasn’t sure if he’d make it on account of a lacrosse meeting. I didn’t really understand why they needed to have one today, but he’d just kissed my forehead this morning at breakfast, reassuring me that everything was going to be great.

He’d finished his last final yesterday, and I was jealous. Of course, I had a class that had the last possible final exam time slot. Luckily, part of finals in musical theater class were awards, and it had mostly felt like one giant party.

Heading outside, I stared at the academic quad. April was almost over, and it was warm enough outside that I was comfortable enough in just a dress and flats. My favorite attire. I could layer like no one’s business—I had to if I wanted to wear dresses year round—but I loved the simplicity of late spring and summer even more.

Tilting my head up to the sky, I soaked in the sun’s rays.

I had an appointment later today to get the keys to my very first apartment.

Hopefully,ourfirst apartment. It was probably crazy to do this as a surprise—one that also required me being extrasleuthyto get Parker’s information and the paperwork necessary—but I wanted to show him I was all in.

This was probably the wrong order, but when had we done anything right? Our relationship had started out fake, anyway.

This proved it wasreal. That we weren’t just a temporary fling. He was good to me—so good to me, taking care of me like it was his job—and it was my turn to take care of him.

The lease started immediately, and that it had even been available was kismet. Sure, it was only a one-bedroom apartment, but there was enough room for both of us. We’d have a kitchen, a washer and dryer, and, most importantly, no sorority sisters or lacrosse teammates on either side of the wall.

And the shower wasbeautiful.

I’d leaped at the chance to sign the lease when I’d found out the price—within my budget, considering it was less than living in the sorority house—and saw the unit in person the other day.

So who was I to say no?

I was taking the future into my own hands.

Now all I had to do was ask my best friend, my boyfriend—the love of my life—to move in with me.

CHAPTER 34

Parker

Audrey was at a party with Ella and Cam’s friends, but I couldn’t wait. Not when I knew exactly what she needed to hear. Plus, I’d just found out that we had officially made the playoffs. We made the fuckingplayoffs! My fist pumped into the air, but the person I wanted to share this with the most wasn’t here.

My fingers fidgeted with the small jewelry box in my pocket. I’d bought her this before the musical, but I hadn’t found the right time to give it to her yet. It wasn’t much—one day, I’d buy her an engagement ring and ask her to be mine, the way I’d wanted since I was little—but it representedher.

Hopping in my car, I drove to the house, ignoring how fast my heart was beating in my chest.

I didn’t even bother to knock. Opening the door to the house, I scanned the living room. The guys were all there—but no Audrey. Hearing a laugh coming from the kitchen—her laugh—I nodded to them before heading that way.

Like she was the sun, and I needed to orbit around her, drawn to her very presence.

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