Page 46 of Play Pretend

“I fell off a stool, Ronan.” She laughed breathlessly, finally her eyes lifting to meet mine. “I’m not dying.”

My throat constricted at the words. Her brows pinched together as she searched my face, before she reached up, wrapping her hand around mine. It was so much smaller, so much colder than mine. How had I never noticed our height difference before? How fragile she was before? She was a curvy, fragile, pretty little thing, and I had to do better. I had to be better at protecting her. Even from just falling off a stool.

“Areyouokay?” Her words were said softly, almost a whisper, but I heard them clearly.

“I’m sorry—I just?—”

I swallowed hard, dragging a shaky hand through my hair. How did I even explain this? That sometimes my brain latchedonto a single thought like a tick burrowing under the skin, and no matter how much I knew it wasn’t logical, itfeltreal.

“I get it.” She sighed, oblivious to my inner turmoil. “I acted weird, and you’re the sheriff. It’s your job to make sure people are alright.”

Another laugh from her.

Another deep breath from me.

The reminder that I was nothing to her but the sheriff was like a bucket of ice water, but it was needed. It was a slippery slope, letting myself believe we were something more than just a fake couple.

This was my out, and I had to take it.

“You’re right,” I said, tugging my hand free from her grasp. “I can’t let anyone in my town get hurt.”

It was my turn to let out a tight, forced laugh. Her shoulders fell, her face with them, but I couldn’t say anything else. I couldn’t let her know the truth of how my mind worked.

This was for the best. Keeping a wall between us was for the best.

I didn’t know what I’d been thinking earlier, flirting with her, touching her. Pretending to date her was one thing, trying to force feelings where there was none was something else entirely.

And shewasright—I would’ve reacted like this with anyone. I’d done it a million times at work when Trinity hurt herself rollerblading around the halls. It wasn’t Willow making me overreact, it was my mind.

The door creaked open, and I took another step away from her. “Round two is about to start,” Trin said, flicking her eyes between us. They narrowed when they landed on Willow, then slowly turned back toward me. “All good?”

“Yep.” Willow’s shoulders rolled back, and a bright smile filled her face. It was like she shut off everything she’d just been feeling, everything she’d been thinking, and plastered a smileover her pain like an emotional band aid. How often did she do that? “Let’s go win.”

“Give me your keys,”I demanded, holding my hand out. “Trinity. You’re drunk. Give them to me.” She rolled her eyes, her head flopping to one side as she looked up at me.

“I’m not drunk.You’redrunk.” She jammed her finger into the center of my chest, her words slurring together in one long, incoherent sentence. Brynne and Willow were hanging on each other as they stumbled forward, trying to keep upright. Giggles erupted from them with every step toward my truck, and I took a deep breath.

It was like wrangling toddlers.

“I’m going to throw you over my shoulder if you don’t?—”

“I’m going to throw you over my shoulder—do you hear yourself? Caveman.” Trinity huffed out a laugh, falling into me. I rolled my eyes, dragging her across the parking lot.

My headlights flooded the dark lot as I unlocked the truck. Brynne didn’t wait for me, she just threw the back door open and jumped inside. Willow stared at her, then turned her gaze toward me.

“Wait for me to help you, shortcake. You might fall and—” She ignored me as she reached up, gripping a handle overhead, and bracing her foot on the side of the truck.

I held my breath, anticipating her falling and breaking a bone. But she managed to get inside without injury, and relief flooded my chest. Her door slammed shut as I opened the passenger one, then easily lifted Trinity into the seat. I’d never seen her so drunk before.

“Thanks, big bro.” She tapped my cheek with her palm, her eyes drifting shut. My heart squeezed as I stared at her.

She was safe—they all were.

My gaze lifted to Willow’s in the backseat, finding her already staring at me. There was something there, something I couldn’t figure out. Not longing, but…was she sad?

Then she sniffed hard and roughly wiped at her cheek. Yep, she was sad. But why?

“Onward, peasant!” Trinity cried, throwing her arm out. The back of her hand whacked my face, and I groaned. Grumbling under my breath, I hurried around the truck, started it up, and headed toward my mom’s place.

---