Page 110 of 10 Ways to Accidentally Fall in Love

I don’t know what my problem is apart from, you know, realizing this dude right here is who I want my forever to be with. Which…yeah. I guess that’s a pretty big fucking deal.

When Joey breaks from my lips, he doesn’t go far. He kisses my temple, his hand on the back of my head keeping me close. There’s a small sound that leaves his throat, almost like an aborted word, but then he lets me go.

“Okay,” he says softly. “See you in an hour?”

“Yep,” I answer, trying to keep my voice steady considering it feels like my entire world has tilted on its axis in the span of fifteen minutes or so.

I shut my locker. Joey does the same. Then we make our way out of the gym.

When I get home, the first thing I do is pull out my phone. It rings three times before Cas picks up.

“Hey, Brad. What’s up?”

“I have a favor to ask. This charity auction… Do you have, like, an MC? Someone who presents the bachelors or whatever you’re calling us?”

“We do,” he says slowly. “Why do you ask?”

“Do you think… I mean, could I introduce Joey?”

After a brief pause, he says, “I don’t see why not. Why? What are you thinking?”

“Let’s just say this Baby has a plan. And nobody puts Baby in the corner.”

Another pause. “Dirty—”

“Dirty Dancing, my man, heck yeah! Such a good movie.”

“It’s pretty great,” he agrees.

“Okay. I’m gonna let you go. I have a script to write. Another question, though… Are there, like, words I should avoid? Swear words or…other things?”

“Oh boy.”

When I click off the call ten minutes later, I sit down in front of my coffee table, knocking a controller aside and slapping down a familiar pad of paper. I flip past Joey’s interview on likes, dislikes, family planning, and kinks, as well as my own list of life steps I’ve been absolutely smashing, and I smooth down a blank page, my pen at the ready.

My hand can hardly keep up with the words forming inside my head, my scrawl messy and barely legible. I do my best to get everything down, knowing I can polish it later.

It’s not every day a person professes their undying love.

I’m damn well gonna do it in style.

Chapter 28

Joey

I smooth the hem of my suit jacket as I eye myself in the mirror, making sure I haven’t forgotten any part of my outfit. I can’t say I’ve ever been auctioned off in front of a room full of people before, but at least I don’t look half bad.

The knock at my front door is expected, as is Brad barging in, followed by his voice ringing out loud and clear. “Coming up, whether or not you’re dressed!”

His feet stomp up the stairs, and then there he is, hanging in my doorway, his smile shifting into a frown.

“Damn. You’re not naked.”

I snort, something knocking around in my chest as Brad steps fully into the room, donned in his own suit and looking rather dapper. “You look great, bub.”

“So do you,” he says, eyeing me up and down. “Can I see the other side?”

I spin, and Brad steps closer, his hands smoothing over my ass.

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