Page 94 of You Float My Boat

(Charlie doesn’t share)

I was undecided as to whether this was a good idea or not, but the longer I waited, the longer it would be too late to run away.

Due to my rehearsal schedule, I hadn’t had the opportunity to wait for Charlie after training yet, but as luck would have it, tonight’s was cancelled.

Worst comes to worst I’d blag it, and say I was waiting for Hugo.

I mean, I could be waiting for him. Even though I’ve never waited for my brother a day in my life, but there’s always a first time for everything, right?

It wasn’t that Charlie wouldn’t be happy to see me, or that he didn’t know I’d be waiting. Neither of those – this would be the first time we were around his friends. The two of us, together, with friends including my brother, none of whom knew the fake part of our relationship had been removed.

The second thoughts didn’t have a chance to take hold, or give me the opportunity to make a swift getaway because the doors to the gym opened and out walked my brother. It could have been any number of people, still providing me with enough head start not to get caught, but no.

His head was down, doing his usual texting andwalking, and not paying the slightest bit of attention to where he was going. It must be a family trait.

A slow grin spread across his face, one I wish I didn’t know the meaning of, before he slipped his phone into his pocket and jogged down the steps. The grin died, however, the second he lifted his head and spotted me.

‘Violet? What’re you doing? What’s wrong? Is Buddy okay?’

‘Buddy?’ I replied, wondering what our family Labrador had to do with anything. Or why I’d be standing outside his training facility if something had happened to him. No way. I’d be on the first train home. Or I’d steal a car.

‘Why are you here, Violet?’

‘I came to meet Charlie.’

‘Charlie?’ Hugo’s thick brows, the ones he inherited from my dad, the ones I get waxed on the regular, dropped low. ‘Why are you waiting for … oh, is this part of the whole fake dating thing?’

‘Yes, exactly.’

‘Ugh, look, I’m trying to pretend this doesn’t exist, and you doing it in front of me doesn’t help with that.’

I wasn’t exactly sure what theithe was referring to was, especially as all I was doing was standing against the railings. I also wasn’t entirely sure I wanted to ask either. I still couldn’t figure out why my brother cared so much, or if he was more annoyed about me dating Charlie or Charlie dating me, because up to this point in my life my brother had shown exactly zero interest in anyone I dated. Even when I brought Miles Garland home to meet my family, Hugo couldn’t have cared less.But seeing as he was still scowling at the thought of afakerelationship, it was clear we needed to devise a suitable plan to broach telling my brother the truth.

‘Huey, I’m just standing here.’

‘So, nothing’s wrong with Buddy?’

‘No, there’s not. At least, not that I know of,’ I shrugged, which only made his eyes narrow.

‘See,Iwould know if there was something wrong with him. This is why he loves me more than you.’

‘He does not –’

‘Does too,’ he shot back, and honestly if the loud throat clearing to our left hadn’t interrupted us we’d have continued this all night. It wouldn’t have been the first time either.

The pair of us turned in sync to the interruption, though not before Hugo shot another glare my way. The interruption turned out to be Bitters, and if I could only use one word to describe him it would be trouble. The lopsided smile, the glint in the eye, the insolent way his arms were crossed over his chest. All trouble.

‘Well, well, well. We meet again, fake girlfriend. And how I never realized you are Brooks’ little sister is beyond me. You mustn’t have come to any races, there’s no way I’d forget you.’

I rolled my eyes, letting out a scoff, though not as loud as Hugo’s.

Bitters’ grin spread across his face, making it very clear exactly why my brother had scoffed. It didn’t help when Bitters lifted my hand and kissed it.

I wasn’t sure whose eyes widened more. Mine or Hugo’s. And as much as I didn’t want this guy kissingmy hand, it was almost worth it to see the annoyance on my brother’s face. I snatched it back.

‘Knock it off, will you? For fuck’s sake.’ Hugo shoved him in the shoulder.

Bitters’ grin became distinctly more devilish as he turned to me. ‘Did you know your brother’s put a moratorium out on any of us dating you? I mean, for real dating. Not whatever it is you’re helping Charlie with. When’s that over by the way?’

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