Page 86 of Once Upon a Fake Date

We sat in silence for a while after that, just holding each other on his bed. Words weren’t needed, not when we had each other.

Runningmy fingers through my curls, I separated out the ringlets, making them look like pretty waves. I’d finished Ella’s hair and makeup already, sending her back to the event—though I suspected she’d end up making a pit stop at Cam’s first, with the amount of texts they’d been sending back and forth.

It was officially the date of the spring formal, and with the way everything had been developing between Parker and me over the last week, it felt so much more real.

Like this reallywasa date.

We were still pretending to be in a relationship, and yet it was so muchmore.

Parker was picking me up at the sorority house, and then we were driving over together.

A lot of the girls had already left the house, leaving it much quieter than it had been an hour ago. I slipped my heels on, looking at my outfit in the mirror.

My floor-length gown was a dusty rose color, adorned with sparkles, and the neckline of the dress had roses that went all the way around. I’d fallen in love with it when I saw it, and it had been an obvious choice.

I got little butterflies as Parker’s text came in, letting me know he had arrived.

Heading downstairs, I opened the front door, seeing him standing on the stoop in a suit and tie. Damn, he lookedgood.

And his tie… It was the color of my dress. He had matchedme.

“Hi.” He stepped in, pressing a soft kiss against my cheek.

I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “Hey.”

“Wow.” Parker’s jaw dropped open. “You look…”

“Good, right?” I did a little spin for him, loving the way my pink formal dress rippled around me. “Does it get the fake boyfriend stamp of approval?”

He made a show of looking me up and down, and then nodded. “It’s beautiful, Rosie.”

My cheeks warmed. I like that he called me that. Not Aud. I always hated when people shortened Audrey. Ella called me Ro, short for my middle name, Rose. And Parker… Parker had always called me Rosie. His childhood nickname for me somehow held more meaning now.

“Thank you. You look very handsome yourself.”

He adjusted his lapel. “Have to look good as your boyfriend, don’t I?”

I giggled as he held out a hand, placing mine in his. Parker kissed the top of my hand. “Shall we?”

Nodding, he interlaced our fingers together, the two of us walking hand in hand to his car.

There was a giddy excitement I felt holding his hand like this, one that I tried to ignore before. But I couldn’t ignore how much I liked it when he called himself my boyfriend, how much I liked him being the one by my side in everything I did.

Instead of Parker moving to open the car door for me, the way he always did, we stood facing each other, his eyes sweeping over my face like he was taking all of me in.

I couldn’t help but do the same, studying his face. Those beautiful amber eyes, the streaks of gold in them even more apparent this close up. His long eyelashes, those cheekbones that anyone would be jealous of. His strong jaw. Those soft, kissable lips.

He was gorgeous.

And he was mine. My best friend. My everything.

“Audrey.”

“Hmm?” I tried to ignore the butterflies as he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

He smiled. “I’m going to kiss you now.”

“O-okay,” I whispered, tilting up my face as he cupped my cheeks, bringing his down to meet me.

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