Page 67 of Puck Block

Ford’s pinky clamps down over mine before he pulls his hand away. “You do? When?”

Shit.“Thursday.”

I now have three days to find some guy on Bex Hex and coerce him into taking me out on a date so I can embarrassingly cover up my big fat lie to Ford.

He makes me stupid.

“With who?” He’s suspicious. I can tell by the way the question draws from his mouth.

I play my part well and take it to an entirely new level when I turn and send him a flirty smile full of confidence. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”

Ford sizes me up, and my heart races. “I think, since I agreed to hide your dates from Emory, it means I have the final call. Remember? It’s part of the rules.”

I turn away because I feel the way my nose wants to scrunch with another lie.He was right!“You don’t know him.”

He scoffs. “All the more reason for you to give me the details.”

I would, but there are none.

The faintest growl leaves him. “You probably don’t even have a date. You just like to irritate me.”

True and also true.

“I do have a date,” I argue with full conviction.

He sits up abruptly and bends his knees. His arms rest over them as he stares at me. “Prove it.”

FML.

I sit up just as quickly. “Fine. I will.”

His eyes light up with the challenge, so naturally, I take it a step further.

“I’ll make sure to send you a full bio and pair it with a photo on Thursday. Will that make you happy?”

Ford exhales slowly and repeats my question. “Will you going on a date make me happy?”

The question lingers between us for what feels like an entirety before he turns and starts to climb back through my window. I watch his steady movements and the way he swings his long legs through the opening with ease before he bends down and places his hands on the windowsill. He looks me dead in the face and says, “I’d lovenothingmore than for you to go on a date, Taytum. I’ll be waiting for the photo to come through on Thursday.”

He leaves me with a wink on the roof, all alone with my brown paper bag full of insulin.

When I hear his car take off from down below, I crawl back into my room, open up Bex Hex, and message every single guy that’s swiped right on my photo.

Most of them respond within minutes, and I can’t help but pick the one that I think will piss Ford off the most.

Professor Sterling.

Perfect.

[ 30 ]

FORD

I throwmy cards down onto the table, and Aasher does the same.

“I’m folding,” I announce.

“Me too.” He jumps up from the table before anyone else has a chance to lay their cards down.

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