Page 49 of (Un)Expected

The photographers hung out for a few more minutes before the owners ushered them away. I couldn’t be more grateful; even though I expected it, experiencing it was very different.

Theideaof being photographed didn’t sound that bad. However, standing there, knowing they were waiting to capture a private moment between Adam and me—it felt invasive, like I was in a fishbowl with someone tapping the walls. I couldn’t imagine this being my everyday life.

How did Adam manage the attention? No wonder he asked me for help. Even with my limited view of his life, I had started to see past the shiny veneer. While from the outside, it looked like his life was perfect, in truth, it seemed lonely. Isolated.

So when Adam reached his hand out toward me, I took it without hesitating. I promised him I’d help him; I was determined to get this right.

No matter what my head was trying to tell me.

As we reachedthe last hole, Cole and I were neck and neck, him two shots behind me. From the glint in his eyes, I could tell he was planning something gnarly for the end of the game, so I glanced around the putting course, trying to figure out his master plan.

“Don’t even think about it,” Cole chuckled from a couple of feet away. “You’re never gonna see me coming.”

My brow quirked in curiosity. “If you’re so confident, then why don’t we make this interesting?”

“Name the stakes.”

“Loser buys a round of drinks at Paddy’s.”

I expected him to agree instantly, but instead, Cole’s jaw tightened, and he glanced at Adam over my shoulder. A secret conversation passed between the two of them; Calla looked at me in question, and I lifted one shoulder in a shrug.

“Better plan,” Cole finally said. “The loser has to do an activity ofthe winner’s choice. Nothing dangerous or unethical, but they have to complete it.”

My heart raced, thinking of all the ways this could go wrong.Or right, if I was being honest. My mind flashed with images of Cole pressing me against the wall, evidence of his desire taking my breath away, the way he’d grasp my wrists and the filthy words he’d whisper in my ear.

“With Adam and Calla, of course,” he quickly added.

Right. Ouractualdates. While mine was pre-arranged, theirs was definitely not. A strange tug happened in my stomach, and I wondered if they were connecting.Would they go home together? What if this turned into a serious relationship?A swirl of nausea almost took me out.

I lifted my eyes to find Cole already looking at me, and his smile dipped. Did he know how my thoughts had turned? He started to step closer to me, but I held my hand up. “You’re on.”

His eyes bore a hole into mine, almost as if he could read the lie on my tongue, but my work persona had taken over, leaving little room for messy things like my emotions. This thing with Cole was a fantasy, nothing more. If he and Calla hit it off, I would be happy for them. In truth, she was a much better person than I could ever be, and if she brought out this softer, gentile side of Cole, maybe it would be in everyone’s best interest.

Besides, I had other things that required my focus.

I had six months with Adam. That was it. Once all of this was over, they would return to their real lives, and I would return to mine. It might not be the most exciting existence, but that could change. Maybe I’d find a new job and finally take those vacations I’d always dreamed of.

Cole Campbell was nothing more than a blip in my world, and I needed to remember that.

TWENTY

Fucking hell, I was in trouble.

I couldn’t believe Adam insisted I come on this bullshit double date. Even after he called in every favor I owed, I still said no. He only got me to agree because Alex was nervous about the date. I pictured her the morning after the photos leaked: she looked so broken, as if she had memorized every vile word those assholes wrote and etched them onto her skin like scars.

So tonight, when a photographer popped out of the bushes behind the mini-golf course, I wanted to smash their damn camera into a million pieces. Back home, it wasn’t as big of a deal when those leeches made their inevitable appearance, especially when Adam brushed them off, not bothering to let them rattle him.

Here, however, they were too out of place, too invasive to ignore.

Luckily, only a few had managed to find us, sticking out like a sore thumb among all the residents. They stayed off the course, but I could see the flashes go off every few minutes. Alex flinched every time they did, even though she tried to look like she wasn’t phased. However, I knew her genuine smile, having borne witnessto it once or twice. The picture of her from our hike was burned into the back of my mind—the photo I sent to her and promptly deleted, feeling like a creep for taking it in the first place.

The one I wished I held onto.

There was no sign of that carefree girl here. Alex was too tense, too anxious, to act like herself. Instead, she’d morphed into a picture-perfect princess, grinning up at Adam and censoring her mouth every time her ball veered off course.

I hated it. She already acted like a damn robot at work, and it wasn't fair that she was playing one here, too. She was perfect just as she was. Alex was the only person who didn’t realize that.

Adam’s thumb traced comforting circles along her shoulder, keeping her tucked against his side. It wasn’t the first time I envied him tonight, and it sure as fuck wouldn’t be the last. When the hell had I become this guy? The one wishing I was the one following her freckles, drawing constellations on her skin? All I wanted in that moment was to be the one she sidled up to, my arm draped over her torso.

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