Page 47 of Once Upon a Fake Date

“Parker, where are we going? You have a game tomorrow. You should get some sleep.” Audrey crossed her arms as she stopped in the middle of the parking lot.

“I’m going to feed you, Rosie, and then I’ll take you back to the sorority house and watch you go inside to make sure you’re safe, okay? And once I see your light turn on in the window, then I’ll go.” I tugged at the end of the pink bow she had in her hair. “Okay?”

Her eyes met mine, and I expected more of a fight, but then her arms dropped to her side, and she just nodded.

“The dining hall is mostly closed, though.” She scrunched up her nose. Audrey was right—after a certain point, the only thing that was left open was the grill. And while I never minded a good burger, I knew the only thing she really liked from there was grilled cheese or chicken nuggets when she was in the mood. “So where will we go?”

Guess I was getting my date after all. I grinned. “Tacos.”

If there was one thing I knew, it was that Mexican food would always make things better. Plus, I liked that it was where we’d shared our first dinner together after the Halloween party where we’d run into each other. It felt likeourplace.

I liked the idea of us having places. Anything that would tie us together. When this was all over, would she still go to those places and think of us? Or would it be places we never stepped foot in again?

Slipping my hand onto her lower back as we got to my car, I opened the door for her and let her get inside. She’d already buckled up before I came around and slid into the driver’s side.

Audrey blew out a breath, messing up her bangs. “I have to admit, I was really worried about tonight.”

“Why?” I frowned.

She shrugged, looking anywhere but at me as I pulled out of the parking lot. “Last year wasn’t great. I know you weren’t here, but…” Nibbling on her bottom lip, she hesitated.

“Your ex?” I guessed. I’d told her once that I’d be her knight in shining armor, but I’d never realized how true it was until now. How easily I’d made the decision tonight to prevent her ex from winning time with her. “What would you have done if he’d won?”

“It’s not like we’re forced to go on the dates, but I would have had to talk to Ilene, my sorority advisor.”

“Does she know?”

A nod. “Yeah. I told her everything that happened last semester. She told me, well… Do you know what love bombing is?”

I shook my head, though I had an idea from the name. Still, I wanted her to keep talking. “No. Tell me.”

“It’s when you overwhelm someone with declarations of love, gifts, and excessive attention to make them fall for you.”

“He did that to you?”

Her voice was quiet. “Ilene pointed it out. I thought he was sincere at first. Fall semester was great. And then… things changed.”

I clenched my teeth together. “How?”

“He got more controlling, I guess. He’d be mad when I was hanging out with people other than him. If I wore certain things, he’d berate me for my outfit choice. If I was talking to other guys after class, he’d accuse me of cheating. Call me a slut.”

I pulled into the parking lot of the taco place, putting the car in park but not getting out of the car.

“He’s a narcissist,” I stated. Not a question. Just an observation.

Audrey fiddled with her hands on her lap. “Yeah. And for whatever reason, he won’t let me go. Like he sees me as his property.” She shut her eyes. “I never should have gone out with him. Or slept with him. I was such an idiot.”

“Hey.” I rested my hand on her thigh, squeezing lightly. “That’s my best friend you’re talking about.”

She gave me a small smile.

“You’re not an idiot,” I reassured her. “And we’ll get him to leave you alone.”

“How?” Audrey seemed so small. I fucking hated that.

I gave her a peck on the cheek. “By showing him that we’re together.”

“What are we doing here?”Audrey whispered into my ear the next Monday as we stood in the busiest coffee shop on campus, her hand laced tightly around mine. She was holding onto it like I was a lifeline—her lifeline—and for some strange reason, I liked that.

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