Page 122 of Once Upon a Fake Date

I gave her a dopey smile. “Hey, Rosie Girl.” I opened my arms, and she flung herself into them.

Just like she’d done after every home game this year. Just like she had after the school musical last year, when things had gone from fake to real. Though they’d always been real to me.

I’d loved her since I was just a kid, and that would never change. She was my sunshine, a golden glow that brightened every day. She was every star in the sky.

Wrapping her up, I buried my nose in her hair, inhaling her sweet strawberry scent. God, she always smelled so good. She made everything better.

When we pulled apart, her eyes shining with unshed tears as she looked up at me, I kissed the tip of her nose.

“Don’t cry, baby.” I wiped away the tears with my thumb, cupping her cheeks with my hands. Holding my entire world between them. “We made it.”

She laughed. “I’m just so happy. I can’t help it.”

“I love you, Rosie Girl,” I said, pressing a soft kiss to her lips.

Leaning down, I rested my forehead against hers.

Audrey smiled. “I love you too, Dream Boy.”

Every time she called me that, I couldn’t help but chuckle. That we’d both liked each other all along, that neither one of us had wanted to make a move because we didn’t want to ruin the friendship, was just sous.But we’d found our way together.

She was my first, and if I had my way, my last.

Ella and her boyfriend, Cam, were standing off to the side, the latter holding a gigantic bouquet of white flowers in his arms.

I had flowers for Audrey too, though I’d left them for later, wanting to have our own special moment. I wasn’t asking her to marry me—not yet. We were still young, and we had plenty of time. But I wanted to celebrate graduating, being together, and the future we would share just the two of us.

I saw Audrey eyeing her twin, and I knew what she wanted.

“Go see your sister, baby,” I whispered in her ear. “I’m not going anywhere.”

She hummed in response, pressing a kiss to my cheek. “I know. You’re stuck with me, Parker Phillip Maxwell.”

“Like there’s anything in the world I’d rather be, Audrey Rose Ashford.”

She pressed another soft kiss to my lips before running towards her sister, shouting, “Ella!”

“Ro!” Ella grinned, moving her flowers out of the way so my girl didn’t crush them as they hugged tightly. Even though they’d been sitting together at graduation, walking one after the other, I wanted them to have this moment.

I stood back, letting them hug it out.

“Congrats, man,” Cam said, coming to stand behind me as the two shared their own conversation. Like they were in their own world.

“You too,” I nodded. “Ready for the real world?”

His eyes didn’t leave Ella’s as he said, “Yeah. I can’t wait.”

“New York’s going to be great,” I answered, meaning every word. I’d never imagined myself living in the city, but I’d landed an incredible opportunity working with one of the architecture firms there, and Audrey was going to pursue her own dream: Broadway.

The two of them were moving to the city as well. Ella had gotten an internship working with a costume designer, while Cam was working for a prestigious law firm in the city.

For the twins, I knew this was like a dream come true. They were close—even closer now, after this last year.

Maybe it was the fact that they were both in a serious relationship, and neither one of them had to hide their feelings anymore. We’d gone on more double dates than I could count, and now I considered Cam to be one of my best friends, too. Audrey would always be number one, however.

“Hi, Audrey,” Cam said, sticking out his hand toward my girlfriend.

She just rolled her eyes, pulling him into a hug instead. “We’re practically family now, Cameron. And in our family, we hug.”

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