Page 120 of 10 Ways to Accidentally Fall in Love

He snorts. “No. We wouldn’t have needed to leave your house to do that.”

“Gym?”

“Dude. You definitely could’ve displayed your fanny at the gym. It’s not that. Just…trust me?”

“Always,” I tell him.

His answering smile is like a sucker punch.

Brad’s fidgeting intensifies as we leave the parking garage and walk down the sidewalk past the many businesses on this stretch, both of us weaving around the typical evening crowd. He seems…nervous. Which, in turn, makes me nervous.

Finally, Brad slows, and I look over at a building I recognize. It’s the steakhouse I brought him to for our first date. Or, well, what Ithoughtwas our first date.

Brad stops in front of the restaurant, not yet going in. My heart beats a little unsteadily as his gaze flicks up to me, to the side, and back to me again.

“So, uh,” he says, twisting one hand in the other. “I’m not sure if you remember, but it’s been a month since we started this whole…bennies thing.”

My breath catches, pressure coalescing beneath my ribcage. I exhale slowly.

“And, uh, well… I’ve been thinking a lot about that,” Brad goes on. “About what we’ve been doing and how we met. And…the future.”

“Yeah?” I ask, my voice hoarse.

He lets out a breath and squares his shoulders, meeting my gaze head-on. “I planned a date for you, Joey. The reservation is under your name.”

My gut does a slow,slowdive. “What?”

“I think you’ll really like this guy,” Brad says, unaware of how his words are gutting me. “He meets all your criteria, even the green eyes. I promised I’d find you the one, remember? I think this guy could be it.”

“I…What?”

“What what?” he says, his tentative smile turning into a frown.

“Brad, I… No.”

“Huh?”

“No,” I reiterate.

“But you haven’t even seen who it is,” he says, his tone turning almost frantic.

“I don’t care who it is,” I shoot back. “I don’t… I don’twantit.”

This time, it’s Brad sounding almost wounded as he asks, “What?”

“I don’t…”

I let out a frustrated noise, my pulse so heavy it feels like a drum beneath my skin. I spin away before spinning right back, Brad’s wide, green eyes making my stomach clench. My fear, far outweighing my anger, has my voice coming out as a rasp.

“We said we’d talk about it. About…us. That we’d reevaluate things once the month was up. I mean…what the actual fuck, bub?”

“Joey,” he whispers.

“No, you don’t get to just…pass me off to the next guy without a word. It’s you and me. I thought we were on the same page about that.”

“Weare.”

“Then why are you asking me to walk in that door and go on a date with some man that isn’t you? I don’t want them.Anyof them. The only person I want, the only person I’ve wanted formonthsnow, is you.”

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