Page 117 of Nothing Like the Movies

Now he pulled outhisphone and held it out to me, and I was pretty sure I didn’t look chill at all anymore.

Because Wes took a selfie on my balcony. It was my balcony inthe picture, but it had been absolutely transformed with flowers and candles.

By Wes.

Into something the old me would’ve loved.

“Wow,” I managed, blinking fast, feeling unsettled. “That’s, uh… wow.”

“So?” Wade waggled his eyebrows and grinned. “Are you gonna go out with him?”

“Like I’m going to discuss my personal life with you,” I said, rolling my eyes as my insides rolled with turmoil. He’d climbed a building to set up flowers and candles for me.Gaaaah, what the hell, Bennett?I sounded very detached and turmoil-free when I quipped, “You can’t even remember to ask me about Campbell when you’re sober.”

That made Eli laugh, but Mick wasn’t going to be distracted. “Bennett’s a good guy, though. You should give him a chance.”

“Yeah, Buxxie,” Wade agreed. “He risked his life to sweep you off your feet.”

Wes chose that moment to appear, casually dribbling a basketball, which did nothing to help my insides.

Because he was wearing those glasses again, the prick.

Then he looked over, as if sensing our conversation, but instead of even registering the way his friends were grinning, his gaze landed on me, and he smiled. It was big and wildly intimate, the kind of smile that stole the breath from my body, and my face instantly burned.

“You should go ask him out,” Mick said, sounding excited. “And totally blow his mind.”

“I have work to do,” I said, grabbing my camera and raising it to my eyes.

Partly because I had work to do, and partly because I was desperate to cover my face so no one could see how confused—and utterly lost—I felt all of a sudden.

“Hey, Buxxie,” Wade yelled, “can I get Campbell’s number before you leave?”

“What?” I lowered the camera and loved that Wade Brooks looked sincere for once in his life. “You seriously want it?”

“I’m suddenly inspired by romantic idiots,” he said, grinning sheepishly. “What can I say?”

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

“You can’t live a fairy tale.”

—Kate & Leopold

Wes

“Let me see what the group chat thinks.”

“What?” I rubbed my forehead and needed to ditch my sister. Normally, I looked forward to talking to her on the phone, but I had a paper to write. “What group chat?”

She usually only talked about her roommate, so it was nice to hear that she had other friends at college.

“The one I have with Noah, Adam, and Michael,” she said casually.

“What?”I couldn’t believe it, but at the same time it made perfect sense. “You guys have a group chat? Add me to the chat. Now.”

“As if,” she said, sounding amused by my discomfort. Which was totally on-brand for her. “The last thing I want is you on there, no offense.”

“What do you guys talk about? Is it just about me?” I asked, irritated and amused at the same time.

“God, the ego,” she said cheekily. “We rarely talk about you, actually. I just like your dumb friends.”

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