Page 18 of Nothing Like the Movies

DAMMIT.

“What the hell was that?” Clark stepped in front of me so I had to look at him. “Have you lost your mind?”

“Yes,”I groaned, rolling my eyes and shaking my head. “Obviously I’ve completely lost it.”

“Please explain yourself. And here,” he said, holding out his cup. “Drink this. You look like you need it.”

“I do. What is it—who cares,” I mumbled, taking his cup and slamming the contents.

Noooooo not whiskey my throat is on fire.

“Jesus, Liz,” Clark said, half laughing as I handed back the cup and tried not to gag. “That’s fifty-dollar bourbon.”

“It’s awful,” I gasped, my eyes literally watering. “Oh my God.”

He walked over to the other side of the balcony, grabbed a bottle of water out of one of the coolers, then brought it over. “So now. What is the story with you and Wes Bennett—other than the fact that you were ‘childhood buddies,’ and why the hell did you tell him I’m your boyfriend?”

I grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the railing, wanting to make sure no one could overhear us. I uncapped the water and took a long drink before I explained, “It’s complicated, but basically we dated in high school and I haven’t seen him since things ended. And let’s just say it was a little…messy.”

“A little, my ass. It looked like a lottle,” Clark said.

“It’s ancient history and I’m totally over it.” That wasaccurate. Succinct and emotionless, without a tinge of the rage that’d sparked in my center when he’d saidIs that what we were?

Yes, I definitely still hated him.

The lyrics from “Congrats” whispered through my psyche—

You broke my fucking heart

You tore my world apart

“But he wanted to go somewhere and catch up,” I said, shaking my head and gritting my teeth as I spiraled. “And I just couldn’t. I mean, why would he even suggest that? How could he think I’d want to—”

“It’s okay,” he interrupted, giving me a sympathetic smile. “Exes are weird like that, and I totally get it.”

“You do?” I said, surprised because I didn’t even get it myself. I’d spent years in Wes Bennett detox, and I was a healed woman. His presence—holy shit how can he be a student here now?!—should be an annoyance at most.

So why had seeing him felt akin to getting an electric shock?

And not in a good way at all.

Clark took out his ponytail and finger-combed his curly blond hair. “Here’s the thing, though. Fake-boyfriending me is a terrible idea.”

“Why?” My eyes kept roaming behind him, looking to see if Wes had come back out. “If he thinks I have a boyfriend who is seven feet tall and freakishly strong, he’ll know I’m over himandhe’ll probably steer clear.”

But even as I said it, I knew that if Wes wanted to mess with me, nothing would stop him.

But surely he didn’t want that.

“But do you really want everyone to think we’re dating? Think about it. We live togetherandwork together. If this gets out, people are going to think it’s juicy as hell,” he said, and he wasn’t wrong.

But as I sifted through the pros and cons, there wasn’t really anything that seemed awful about this idea. I didn’t date—at all—so people thinking I was Clark’s girlfriend wasn’t going to mess up anything on that front.

In fact, it’d be nice for everyone to think that a massive rugby player was my boyfriend. For once I wouldn’t have to come up with excuses as to why I had zero interest in dating anyone, ever.

Although.

“God, I’m so selfish,” I said, realizing the sacrifice it would be for Clark. “This would totally screw up your love life if people thought you had a girlfriend, wouldn’t it?”

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