Page 23 of How to Marry the Boss

He chuckles. “Not if he gets your attention.”

Did Vance not hear me? “You don’t understand. I’m a kid to Jake. He’s never liked me in the way you think and he never will. He’ll never see me sexually.”

Vance sends me another incredulous stare. “He’slivingwith you. And given the tension between you two tonight…I think you’re wrong.”

Maybe. But what if Vance is the one who’s wrong? In fact, there’s every chance he is.

Even so, I reflect back on my recent interactions with Jake. His teasing, our bantering, his aggravating ability to get on my nerves. Is it possible I’ve been misreading him?

That would mean he’s living with me for his own reasons. I’m not sure how to feel about that. Should I be flattered or horrified?

Neither. This is all just a bigwhat if. But it’s consuming my thoughts. My questions multiply. And they have me craving answers.

Since Vance is staying temporarily with his parents, I pull up the curb in front their place, put the car in Park, and swivel to face him. “Sure, he likes to get on my nerves, but he doesn’t mean anything by it. Again, I’m a kid.”

“He wants you just as much as you want him.”

“I don’t want him.” My lingering feelings are just a schoolgirl crush, right?

“Sure you don’t.” He rolls his eyes.

“And he doesn’t want me.”

“You’re wrong. Let me prove it.”

“How?”

“Pretend you’re my girlfriend. Tell Jake we’re an item, and I can guarantee you, he’ll lose his absolute shit.”

Is Vance insane? “Why would I fake a relationship with you to prove a point?”

“Because, Mia, I think you’ve been lying to yourself. You aren’t acknowledging your feelings for him. Or the possibility that he has feelings for you.”

Ouch!“And if he doesn’t? Say I agree with your plan, and I tell Jake we’re dating. What if he doesn’t care?”

“Then nothing happens between you two, and you can bask in the knowledge that you were right. Then you can confront your brother and Jake until they respect your boundaries.” He shrugs. “You have nothing to lose.”

He’s right; I wouldn’t. If he’s wrong, I can go about life like normal, and no one will get hurt. But if his theory about Jake’s feelings are right… No. I refuse to get ahead of myself.

I’ll cross that bridge if I ever get there.

But why should I agree to this idea of his? I’ve managed to make a life for myself without Jake at the center. Why should I get my younger self’s hopes up again when I most likely already know the outcome?

At the same time, I can’t stop myself from feeling a cautious optimism.

“Say I agree to do this. What do you want in return?” No one in their right mind would do this merely out of the kindness of their heart.

“Other than to help you, could you put in a good word about me to Jocelyn?”

I knew there was a vibe between them.

That won’t be a problem, but I see a snag in his plan. “If you intend on pursuing Josie, how are you going to be fake dating me at the same time? How will you explain our…agreement to her?”

“Leave that to me,” he assures.

I hesitate. “How can you be so confident?”

“If there’s one thing you should know about men, Mia, it’s that they’ll do crazy things when they want something badly.”

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