Page 71 of You Float My Boat

Yeah, I definitely wished Brooks had never mentioned Violet.

‘Wait, you know her?’

I rolled my eyes and looked up at Bitters. I knew I’d never get away with not telling them. It was a miracle I’d made it a few weeks without it being brought up.

‘Yeah, Violet. You met her … remember?’

His brows dropped deeply a split second before his entire face widened with … surprise? Shock? I dunno.

‘That insanely hot chick was Brooks’ sister?’

I tried to keep my face as passive as possible, and nodded. ‘Yes.’

‘What the fuck? You’re dating Brooks’ sister? She’s so hot.’

Brooks got there before I did.

‘Stop fucking calling my sister hot. And they’re only fake dating.’

This time it wasn’t just Bitters who looked confused. Everyone did, and I couldn’t blame them.

‘Violet is helping me with a problem I’m having with my ex-girlfriend. And she’s helping me by pretending to be my current girlfriend.’

‘Wait …’ said Bitters, his tone, not to mention thebroad grin spreading across his face, reminding me exactly why we called him the shit-stirrer of the group. ‘Charlie, are you telling me that the girl on your lap in the pub was just for show? You guys aren’t really banging?’

‘No, they’re absolutely fucking not,’ snapped Brooks before I could reply, and I was certain his glare was still laser-trained on me. It was likely if I looked down, I’d see a red dot dead centre in my chest.

‘No,’ I reiterated.

‘Sure about that? You guys looked pretty cosy.’

I swear I heard Brooks growl.

‘I’m sure. It’s not real, she’s helping me out. We have rules,’ I forced out.

‘Great. So I can ask her out then?’

‘Don’t be a dick,’ I snapped. ‘You’re not asking her out. To the outside world, she’s my girlfriend.’

There, that should buy some time and save me from this conversation I didn’t mean to enter or want to be in. But unfortunately it wasn’t enough to deter Bitters.

‘So I can ask her out when you’re done with this thing you need her for?’

‘No!’ Brooks and I snapped in unison.

‘No,’ he reiterated. ‘No one is asking out my sister.’

‘Charming,’ grumbled Bitters, still through a grin he was sporting. ‘I’ll have you know I’d make a great real boyfriend.’

Brooks rolled his eyes and dropped down into the seat of his rower, hopefully ending the conversation.Please let it be the end of the conversation.It should have been, there was really nothing else to say on the subject,but the deep breath I’d been holding onto stuck in my throat when he added, ‘No one is dating my sister for real.’

My chest squeezed tighter. I could already predict the next question given the look on Bitters’ face. Predict it, but unfortunately not stop it.

‘Even Charlie?’

I didn’t glance at Brooks. I was too busy trying to act as nonchalant as possible while ignoring the spiral of jealousy I was spinning down into at the thought of Violet in any kind of anything with another guy – especially Bitters. I clipped into the rower and adjusted my headphones, but the tilt of Brooks’ chin told me he was once more looking straight at me. ‘Even Charlie.’

Fuck fuckFUCK. Why did I have to open my mouth? Why did I have to bring Violet into it?

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