Page 46 of (Un)Expected

Holy fuck.What the hell did I say to that? No, I didn’t want to set your best friend up with mine because it was impossible for me to stay away from him? That if Cole started his shit with me again, I’d probably lose my mind and ruin our first fake date?

Adam continued, ignorant of my moral dilemma. “When he got home the other day, he talked about Calla a lot. I think they might hit it off.”

I had to breathe slowly to keep my temper at bay. It wasn’t logical or deserved, but I wanted to smash the phone and pretend the conversation never happened.

Instead, I gritted my teeth, forcing out my fakest voice. “Sounds like a great idea.”

EIGHTEEN

“Does this look okay?” I glanced at myself in my floor-length mirror, checking all angles of my outfit.

The days had flown by since Adam returned from his trip. Even still, when it was time for our date, I felt utterly unprepared. I’d rehearsed with Theo until my eyes bled, primarily practicing how to handle the cameras, ways that showed I noticed the photographers but also wasn’t trying to garner their attention. I learned how to exit the car without flashing my underwear, how to pose so no unflattering images showed up on the internet, even how to stand next to Adam naturally without blocking the photographer’s shot.

I was fucking exhausted.

The only saving grace was that Calla agreed to come with us, all too willing to tag-along on our date. She refused to call it a double date, and for some reason, that calmed the anxiety that had been wrecking me for days.

As I twirled in front of the mirror again, Calla peeked out of the bathroom, only one of her eyelids covered in shadow. “I guess it works…” Her face scrunched as she took in my pre-planned outfit. “If you’re going for the whole casual,I-don’t-care-how-I-lookkind of vibe.”

Nope. Not the one I’m going for at all.Maybe I should have taken Theo up on his offer for a new wardrobe. He tried to ship over an entire stack of outfits with his stamp of approval, but I told him it wasn’t necessary. So damn stupid.

I’d been standing in the middle of my bedroom for over an hour, hating every single piece of clothing in my closet. Everything felt like too much or not enough. Even worse—none of it felt like me.

But then again, I was playing a role tonight. I wasn’t Alex Green, a self-imposed hermit and maker of terrible decisions. I was Adam’s love-struck girlfriend, and that part had to be played to perfection.

Calla came to my side, making me feel like even more of a hot mess. Even without trying, she looked like she belonged on the runway. She bumped my hip with hers. “Still no luck?”

“Nothing,” I answered, snapping my gaze away from the mirror. “Did Adam tell you anything about his plans?”

“Nope,” she said, a little too peppy to be truthful. “He said he wanted a couple of suggestions and that he would take it from there. You know I hate you a little? You’ve got the perfect man, and all he wants to do is spoil you. I’d kill to be in your shoes.”

I bit my lip, trying to keep the words on my tongue. In truth, Adam had nothing to do with the date. I tried to make plans to surprise him, but Theo dashed all of those. He was the one who arranged everything. He’d scoured the whole town, looking for the ideal backdrop for the photoshoot. All we had to do was show up and look like a couple in love.

As if it was that easy.

My palms started to sweat as I tried to remember all the tips he gave me. When he said he’d be hosting Adam Rice boot camp, Theo wasn’t kidding. All my free time was spent learning as much as I could about my new “boyfriend.” If he were a topic on Jeopardy, I’d ace it.

Not all of it was painful, however. When he tasked me withwatching all of Adam’s movies, I thought it would be unbearable. I’d never enjoyed superhero movies before, especially the big ensemble ones. The constant threat of the world ending was not good for my overactive imagination.

But surprisingly, I ended up enjoying them, having a marathon all by myself. The action sequences kept my attention, and there was no shortage of people to ogle.

The definite highlights were when Adam came on screen.

He was charismatic in person, but on screen, he was even more enthralling. He managed to make his character effortlessly charming, swaying even the most reluctant enemy. No wonder audiences fell in love with him.

A knock came on my front door, and I instantly jumped. Glancing down at my mismatched outfit, I cursed; I hated losing track of time. You would think that as someone who was perpetually late, I would be used to it by now. I always had the best intentions of being on time, but it never seemed to work out in my favor.

Calla must have noticed the panic on my face, because she headed to the door. “I’ll go get the guys. You pick something and stick to it. Maybe try one of your sundresses?”

As the door shut behind her, I headed back to my closet, rummaging to the back. Hidden by dozens of sweaters and faded tees were dresses Calla convinced me to splurge on a few months ago. Despite not having a place ever to wear them, I still bought a couple, loving the way they fit my frame.

Glancing at the three dresses, I instinctively pulled out the last one. I tugged it over my head, stopping to adjust the top to make it fit me properly. Turning around to face the mirror, I smiled as I took in the small details I’d forgotten about. Along the white linen fabric, small, embroidered flowers covered the bodice and skirt. It was short enough to hit right above my knees, making me look taller than usual. Even the thin straps seemed to suit me, showing off the deep golden tan I’d developed by some kind of miracle.

With one last glance, I stepped out of my bedroom, stopping atthe top of the stairs. Calla and Adam were talking, laughing about something I couldn’t hear, but that wasn’t what stole my attention.

Cole stood by their sides, his attention focused on the top of the stairs. His eyes darkened as they met mine, and a chill coasted down my spine, but I was unable to look away. When his eyes finally trailed away from me, I took in his outfit. His usual flannel had been traded for a white Henley, with the top couple of buttons undone. His jeans were dark and fitted, sculpting his muscular thighs into a work of art. Even his messy stubble was gone, his face freshly shaved.

Fuck, he looked good.

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