Page 66 of Dream Girl Drama

“Yes or no.”

“No.”

“I don’t believe you.”

Chloe melted down to the floor, ending in a cross-legged position, one arm strapped tightly over her middle to keep the contents from spilling out. “I-I... I’m sorry, I don’t understand where this is coming from.”

“Someone sent me aGlobearticle titled ‘Stepsister Goes Above and Beyond?’” Wind started to rush in Chloe’s ears, her mind flashing back to the most recent home game. The reporter. The way he’d questioned her about her relationship with Sig. How had she forgotten about him? “There isa lotof snark in that question mark, by the way. Not to mention meaning. And these two pictures of you giving him googly eyes? Goddamn it, Chloe. I can’t be attached to this kind of thing.”

The floor had dropped out from beneath her. She was free-falling. “It’s not what it seems. We’re not...” What? In love? Planning to spend the night in bed, finally giving in to the plague of constant lust? How could she deny something that was very clearly true? Outwardlyandinwardly. Her attention locked on the door, begging Sig to walk through it. Help me.“Our parents are getting married in two months. We’re realistic about what that means... for us.”

“And in the meantime?” Grace sputtered.

“He’s my best friend. He’s...” Chloe dragged her knees up toward her chest. “I don’t have a word to describe him.”

“How about ‘The most perfect human on earth.’ That’s howyou described him to me the day we met.” Grace let out a long exhale. “You’re in love with him?”

A call came in on the other line.

Sig.

Oh God, he must have seen the article.

What was he thinking? Had she been quoted? What pictures had been included?

Did she end the call with Grace and answer? So she and Sig could get their story straight? Did theyneeda story when they hadn’t technically done anything wrong?

“That about answers my question,” Grace said dryly.

Hot pinpricks speared the backs of Chloe’s eyelids. “I haven’t seen the article yet. I just need some time to figure out what’s being said—”

“So you can figure out how to lie to me? Chloe, I’m sorry. You’re megatalented and I like you, despite your manic pixie dream girl energy. But this is my career on the line, too. I have to dip before this gets worse.”

“You’re dropping me,” Chloe breathed.

The line going dead was her answer.

Chloe covered her mouth with her hand, the silence in the apartment somehow ear-piercingly loud. She was still staring at the door, waiting for Sig, but the frame blurred now, her heart hammering in her chest.

The phone rang again in her hand.

She answered. “Sig.”

“Chloe,” he said thickly.

That was it. Enough to know they’d both been made aware of the article.

Made aware they’d been caught being in love.

“Are you coming over?”

“I don’t think that would be wise.” Her whole body sort ofheaved forward at the news she wouldn’t see him imminently. She’d been dropped by Grace. Now Sig was going to abandon her too. “I think we should meet somewhere else,” he finished, his truck door slamming in the background.

Relief bloomed in her chest like a wildflower and she cradled the phone more securely to her face, as if it was Sig’s hand. How could she have doubted him for a second? “Oh. I thought you were going to say you couldn’t see me anymore.”

“That’s not funny, Chloe.”

“I wasn’t making a joke.”

---