Page 63 of Bitter Beats

“Oh,” I say.

Kimberly is beet red. “It ended poorly.”

“Fucking train wreck,” Mav divulges.

I pinch his side again.

He yelps. Swears. And then, “Sorry, Kimmy.”

Kimberly nods and averts her gaze. “Since you seem ready for the trip, I’ll arrange your accommodations. Do you want to leave the day before?”

Mav glances down at me, a playful gleam in his eyes. “How about two days before? Get some extra downtime to enjoy the city at Christmastime.”

“Sure,” I agree. “I have my last final on the sixteenth.”

Mav nods and glances up at Kimberly. “We’ll leave as soon as Mckenna’s done with exams.”

“Okay,” Kimberly agrees. “I’ll email you the itinerary.”

“Sounds good. Thanks, Kimberly,” I say.

“Sure.” She waves another hand as she slides into her boots. Pausing, she looks at us for a long moment. “You know, if I didn’t know you guys, you would have fooled me too. You seem…happy together.”

Mav smirks, and I laugh, but neither of us drops our arms. Neither of us denies the truth behind her words.

Because they’re true. The realization magnifies the significance of Kimberly’s assessment.

I am happy posing as Mav’s girlfriend.

Right now, Maverick Tate makes me happier than I’ve been in a long time.

We’re going to New York City together to put on a show. To perform what relationship goals look like. It’s supposed to be fake. It shouldn’t matter, and I shouldn’t care.

But inside, my heart pounds, my nerves zing, and the exhilarating thrill of anticipation dances.

I like being Maverick’s girl.

TWENTY-TWO

MAV

December isa whirlwind with Mckenna posing as my fake girlfriend. Mainly because my significant other—while not a complete grinch—doesn’t indulge in holiday festivities with the same gusto I possess. To be fair, most don’t.

While the holiday season generally includes activities like tree hunting and stringing lights, Mckenna wrinkles her nose and rolls her eyes. She scoffs at sugar cookies and comments on how many calories are in hot chocolate!

The worst part? She gives zero input on the most crucial decisions of the month.

Balsam Fir or Norway Spruce?

Colorful lights or a warm white glow?

Themed ornaments or random?

A star or angel or bow on top of the tree?

Mckenna doesn’t care. Any option works!

Luckily, the other women in my life—namely Kimberly and Jess—have well-formed opinions on these essential topics. And they insist on Mckenna’s involvement as much as possible.

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