Page 20 of Fake It True

I’d filled Josie and Luna in on the therapy situation, which they both thought was absolutely hysterical. Josie thought we should let our therapist know the whole story. I’d also told them what Leo said on the phone.

“You deserve this,” Josie said after she took a big gulp of her coffee.

“You think?” I prompted.

Luna was checking on a batch of donuts and glanced over her shoulder. “Everybody deserves love.”

“Luna speaks the truth.” Josie nodded solemnly.

“I think calling it love is getting a little ahead of it. Leo said he uses coffee and donuts as an excuse to see me. That doesn’t mean he’s in love with me,” I explained.

“Maybe you’re not ready to admit it could be love, but I have a feeling,” Luna said as she pulled a tray of donuts out of the oven.

“Let’s do a tarot reading,” Josie said.

Luna enjoyed doing tarot readings for us. For reasons I couldn’t quite explain, it always made me a little nervous. I was afraid I would mess up what the universe was casting out for me, or I would miss the signs. Sometimes, life felt like a highway where I often took the wrong exit.

Before I could protest, Luna whipped out her tarot cards. Seeing as the café wasn’t open yet, I couldn’t find much of an excuse to dip out. Next thing I knew, she was explaining to me that the Knight of Cups card I’d drawn represented passion, romance, and emotions.

Leo came into the café later that morning, and Josie did a terrible job of hiding her glee.

“Josie!” I hissed when Leo turned to say something to Tate, her fiancé.

She winked, but blessedly, she toned it down a little. All the while, I found myself tongue-tied around Leo in front of other people. It wasn’t supposed to be happening this way and I didn’t even know what to do with the anticipation and fizzy joy I felt inside when I saw him.

Before I knew it, Friday rolled around. I thought I legit might have a meltdown over how ridiculously excited I was about our dinner date. The days flew by because the café was wildly busy.

“It’s like this every spring,” Janet explained. “There are tourists who think they can beat the rush. Instead, they start the rush.”

I made so many variations of coffee drinks, my brain blurred. When I left that evening to walk to my apartment, a light drizzle started. I could hardly see the mountains through the mist and clouds blanketing the area.

The sarcastic, cynical corner of my brain decided now was the ideal time to make me question everything.

Just wait until Leo really gets to know you. This is just a honeymoon phase. Plus, don’t forget you still have to figure outwhat to do about Nathaniel. Maybe Leo is willing to be your fake fiancé, but at some point, reality will strike.

Thanks, anxiety.

“Shut up,” I said out loud in my bathroom while I was toweling off after a shower. Much as I loved the smell of coffee and fresh baked goods, I didn’t want to smell like themallthe time.

I began to obsess about how I looked. “Maybe I should wear makeup,” I said to my reflection. Followed with, “Oh, my God, get a fucking grip.”

When my cell phone vibrated from where it sat on the bathroom counter, I nearly jumped out of my skin. Leo.

“Hey!” I practically yelped.

The sound of his low chuckle rumbled across my nerve endings and sent heat spinning in a swirl in my belly with tingles scattering throughout my body.

“I was wondering if I should pick you up,” he said.

“Uh, sure,” I finally said. I hadn’t really thought that through. “Where are we going?”

“I thought we could go out to the new Fireweed Winery restaurant.”

“Sounds perfect!”

Slow your roll. My brain rolled its eyes at me.

There was no chill to be had. I sat across from Leo at the restaurant, fiddling nervously with my napkin. My body felt like a pinball machine gone haywire with sparks and tingling nerves.

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