Page 58 of False God

Another car is driving up the long, tree-lined driveway. I have a sinking suspicion it means Bridget will get her wish after all. My friends are making the short walk from the stairs to the bus last as long as possible, their attention fixed on the same place mine is.

Butterflies wreak havoc in my stomach as I suddenly become extremely self-conscious. I swap my bag between hands. Tugat the hem of my dress to ensure it’s falling straight. Clear my throat. Tuck my hair behind one ear and second-guess my decision to wear it down when I realize he’s driving a convertible.

Charlie navigates around the bus easily, then stops right in front of me.

My nerves continue to duplicate as he climbs out of the driver’s side, tossing the keys in the air and catching them easily. His attention is all mine. Charlie ignores my gawking friends fifteen feet away, giving me a once-over that makes my thighs clench tight.

He’s wearing a suit. I’ve seen him in a suit before. The first, second,andthird time we met. At the Red, White, and Blue party.

But none of those times were when he was picking me up on a date.

That makes a difference, if you ask my sweaty palms.

My heart trips over itself as Charlie approaches me, a confident smirk pulling up one corner of his mouth. I have no idea why he changed his end of the bet to a date. One he was certain he’d win.

Charles Marlborough is a heartbreaker. A gorgeous, charming player who’s apparently considered a god in this country.

But that’s fine. I only want him for one night.

He stops a couple of feet away. “You look good, Lili.”

His intense stare makes me feel like a fly stuck in honey. I know I can—will—work my way out of it. But for now, I’m stuck. And I’m okay with that because it tastes sweet.

“I always look good, Charlie.”

His smirk transforms into a full grin. “Glad you recovered from your case of amnesia.”

I glare at him. “I did. And I remembered I already had plans tonight, so …” My voice trails off as he leans over and procures a bouquet of flowers from the passenger seat.

I think I hear a distant sigh. Probably Bridget, the eternal romantic.

“Couldn’t ruin tradition,” Charlie tells my surprised expression, holding the bouquet out to me.

I take it reluctantly. They’re beautiful, each blossom in full bloom. “You bringing me flowersoncedoes not make it a tradition.”

“Twice,” he corrects, opening the passenger door. “Let’s go.”

The warning bells Chloe was trying to ring earlier finally chime to life. Not because Charlie’s being bossy or demanding—which he’s already managed in less than a minute—but because the butterflies are still flapping around. I’m giddy in a way I’ve never experienced before. On other dates, I always felt comfortable and in control. And it was nice, but not very exciting.

“You don’t have a driver?” I ask. Aside from at the track earlier, I can’t remember the last time I was in a vehicle that didn’t have a professional driver.

Charlie shakes his head. “I like to drive. Promise to keep it under two hundred miles per hour this time.”

“How reassuring,” I mumble as I climb into the seat.

It’s surprisingly soft, the leather supple yet supportive. I don’t know enough about cars to tell anything about this one, but Theo—who does know a lot about cars, I learned today—has clear envy on his face as he stares at the green convertible.

I avoid looking at anyone else as Charlie hands me the flowers and then closes the car door.

I finger one of the delicate petals as he rounds the front of the car, lifting one hand in a quick wave, which is the onlyacknowledgment of our audience. The black bus passes us by a few seconds later, taking my friends to their dinner.

“Where are we going?” I ask once he’s settled in the driver’s seat.

“You’ll see.”

His vague response prompts an equal amount of exasperation and excitement.

I’ve never been on a date where I didn’t know where we were going. Cal would always run plans by me ahead of time, knowing I liked to think out my outfits. Lawrence, the lawyer I briefly dated in Chicago, sent me multiple options for me to choose from.

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