Page 34 of Revved up & Ready

“And you think getting involved with you—her roommate—is helping with that?”

Now is my opportunity to sell this to Luke, so Sadie’s dominoes can work in our favor. If Luke believes it, Allie will believe it, and then everyone else will follow. I spin the screw on the wrench up and down, up and down. Truth is, I don’t know if it’s helping her to be attached to me.But I saw an opportunity to make her mine—in a way—and I had to take it.

“Sadie deserves a man who knows how special she is. Have you heard Allie describe her as ‘sunshine personified’?” Luke tilts his head in acknowledgment. “She’s right. Sadie gives warmth and brightness toeveryone. She spent years giving it to thatfuckingguyin Portland, and she got nothing back. ButIcan give it back to her.”

Luke is stone-faced, giving me the harsh end of the protective big brother treatment I’ve seen him hit everyone else with over the years. Whether it’s his actual little sister or anyone else who seems like they need someone to look out for them, Luke is a protector.Not sure when he decided to adopt Sadie as his own, but it’s not surprising.

“I want to listen to her,” I continue, “make her life better. I don’t want to take anything from her. I want to be the man she deserves.” Convincing Luke shouldn’t be difficult because every word of my confession is true.And he knows it. “We’re good together,” I add when he continues staring at me without replying.

“And she likes you?” he finally asks.

The question stings for a second. The idea that someone like Sadie would be interested in slutty, wild Cam Hacker was hard for me to wrap my mind around at first. The thing is,she’s not.She’s just pretending to be. But I need Luke to believe it’s real. Leaning over so I can look through the window at the woman in question, I answer. “Hard for me to believe, too.”

Luke has never judged me for my past. He stood beside me while it was all happening, and he doesn’t judge me now, either. “Allie was right.” He shakes his head. “I’ll never hear the end of this.”

“Allie was right about what?” I ask, trying to find a way to shift my position without disturbing Betty.My foot is falling asleep.

“Yeah,” he grunts. “She’s been telling me for months that you two are meant for each other.”

Months?“Maybe next time you should believe your girlfriend.”

“Yeah, maybe,” he says, returning to the disassembled motor on his workbench.

I lower down and lift Betty’s head off my foot as carefully as possible. “Sorry, babe. I’ve got to be able to walk out of here.” She huffs and returns to sleeping on the concrete floor.

When I stand back up, Luke claps me on the shoulder. “Good for you, man. I can tell you’re happy.”

Happy as long as this lasts, anyway.I’m setting myself up for a thorough heartbreak, but every time I look at her—every time I get to claim her as mine—I can’t bring myself to be cautious.

Chapter 8

Sadie

Watch a scary movie all the way through– from Sadie’s list of things she’s never done

Jared: What’s going on with you and Cam Hacker? He’s not actually dating you, is he?

It’s not the first time Jared’s texted me since Cam and I started this, but he’s gotten more insistent since the race. He’s jealous—which is exactly what I wanted—but it doesn’t feel as satisfying as I thought it would. Since I showed Cam that one text and he suggested I stop responding, I’ve been better about it. I’m engaging with my ex less and less, but his constant texts are interfering with my ability to forget he ever existed.

“Still working?” Cam asks, setting a can of watermelon sparkling water—my favorite—on a coaster next to my mouse.

“Just finishing up,” I answer.

He plops into the mustard-yellow vintage armchair in the corner of my office and cracks open his own can. “We should probably get on the same page before your friends get here.”

After deleting three exclamation points from the email I just finished, I sign off for the day and spin my chair around to face him. “Are we not already?” I ask.

“It’s the first night you’re telling them—” He pauses, running tattooed fingers through his deep copper hair. “That we’retogether. Right?”

My heart races, and I try—and fail—to swallow the anxiety that immediately tightens my throat.It’s time.I’ve skirted around the dating thing with my friends so far, able to handle Devon, Allie, and Bea individually,but all three together?

Allie will probably ask me directly if we’re dating. And I’ll hesitate because it’s hard to lie to my friends. Devon will see me hesitate and call me on it. Then I’ll choke further. Bea will try to defend me, but I’ll feel bad that she’s defending me for—

Cam leans into my eyeline, a playful smile on his wide mouth. He taps me lightly on the temple. “Could I participate in this conversation?”

My responding laugh comes out on a heavy sigh, releasing some of the tension in my body. “I’m afraid I can’t do this,” I admit. “What if Ican’tlie to them?”

His oversized smile returns. “Just don’t lie. That’s what I did with Luke.”

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