Page 30 of Play Pretend

“They’ll think I’m even more pathetic than I already am.” She huffed out another humorless, sad laugh. “Maybe they’re right. I mean, who lies about this?” She shucked the blanket off, dropping it in a heap on the couch. “Sorry to bother you.”

Before I could say another word, she was gone, disappearing from my house like a ghost. The door quietly clicked shut, and I was left staring at where she’d been just a few moments ago.

It was a mistake, I knew that. Something like this would definitely blow up in our faces, but I hated to see how sad she looked. How lost and alone.

I knew how that felt. I knew it better than I wanted to admit.

But I couldn’t do this. One of us would wind up hurt; that always happened. It was a bad idea, through and through.

Yet I couldn’t stop myself from inching toward the door. When I got to it, my hand wrapped around the doorknob.

It’s a mistake.

A massive mistake.

Just because she lied didn’t mean I had to fix it. It didn’t mean I had to do anything other than watch it all blow up around her.

That felt wrong, though. So, so damn wrong.

I’d wanted to ask her out just a few nights ago, but hadn’t managed to work up the courage, and now she was practically askingmeout. But it wasn’t right. I wanted whatever we had, whatever we did, to be real. I didn’t want to play pretend for a few days. I didn’t want to put on a show for her family.

My fingers moved to the lock.

Lock.

Unlock.

Lock.

Unlock.

Seven times.

I turned back toward my living room, my gaze catching on the basket first, then moving to the blanket. With anyone else, I’d have to wash it right away. But with her…I wanted to keep it as it was. I knew her scent lingered on the fabric, and a part of me wanted to smell it?—

Mistake.

Big, big mistake.

So, no. I wouldn’t do it.

I couldn’t.

She had to figure this out herself.

ronan

Today was hot, the coffee was oddly bitter, the light over my desk kept flickering just enough to make my eye twitch, and my briefs had somehow shrunk in the wash and they were pinching places that shouldnotbe pinched. Ever.

I shifted in my seat, the leather creaking with my movements. My head pounded as I rubbed circles on my temples, trying to relieve some of the pressure building. Unsurprisingly, I hadn’t slept. At this point, I didn’t think I’d ever have the chance to do it again. The ceiling was far more interesting than the back of my eyelids, apparently.

I took another sip of my coffee and groaned. It was so bad. Our coffee was cheap, usually burnt, but it was caffeine and did its job. But this was on another level of gross.

“Trin!” Somehow, I knew she had something to do with this.

A few minutes passed, and I opened my mouth to shout for her again when she came skidding to a stop in my doorway. Sweat coated her face, and her hair was a wild, blonde mane. Her chest heaved as she panted, and my suspicions rose.

“What did you do?” I asked as I pushed to my feet, placing my hands on the desk. My fingertips rested against a stack of papers—everything was so chaotic and messy, it was driving me crazy.

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