Page 20 of The Love Trick

“Of course, Penny mentioned it,” he grumbles. “She always gives the worst advice.”

I jump to my friend’s defense. “I actually thought it was solid advice.”

“How?” he asks incredulously.

“I don’t know. I mean, I could probably find some random guy to go by offering a free trip to Hawaii, but then I’d have to spend nearly a week with a total stranger—and what if they’re a creep? Or what if they’re mean? Or what if—”

“I could go with you and keep an eye on whoever you find.”

“It’s a plusone,nottwo,” I say dryly. “But thanks for that, Mr. Bodyguard.”

He sighs. “Couldn’t we just go as friends? Look, I’m more than happy to ditch the trip to Florida to hang out with you. You know you’re my favorite person, but this … I don’t know. I don’t want to ruin anything between us.”

I narrow my eyes. “How would we possibly ruin anything? We wouldn’t beactuallydating. We’d just be pretending to date.”

“Okay, but in order tofake date”—he uses his fingers for air quotes—“we’re going to have to put on a show.”

My heart takes an extra beat. “And do what? Hold hands?”

He chuckles. “Uh, yeah. And whatever else couples do.”

“Well, my family is super reserved, so it’s not like you’re going to be kissing me or something. At the most, you can hold my hand. No kissing.”

His lips flatline. “Fine.”

“And we probably won’t be staying in the same room,” I reason. “I can’t see that happening. I mean, we’ll just get to hang out, and then you can hold my hand sometimes or something. It’ll be just like we’re normal us.”

Blaze eyes me and then takes one of his long, deep breaths. “And you really think they’d buy that one day, we woke up and … just decided that we’re inlovelove?”

“Inlovelove?” I burst into a fit of giggles. “I can’t with you.”

“Well, I do love you, Addy,” he says. “We say that to each other all the time, but we don’t mean it likethat.”

I don’t know why, but something about the way he just said that nearly offends me. “Look, I get that you don’t see me as anything other than abro,but I’m notgrossor something.”

His brow furrows. “Of course I don’t think you’re gross.”

“I know,” I say quickly, feeling stupid. “I’m sorry.”

“See,” Blaze chimes. “This is exactly the kind of misunderstanding that could come up between us. I don’t want to ruin our friendship. I’dneverrisk our friendship to pursue something romantic. It’s not worth losing you. You’re my family. You’re myonlyfamily.”

“You have your team, but yeah, okay. I get it.” I start to grow frustrated and make a U-turn, heading back toward Blaze’s house. “I think this conversation is over. I’ll figure something else out. You should go to Florida, and I’ll lie in the bed I made for myself.”

I pick up my pace, my eyes focused on my maroon SUV in his driveway. I’m choosing to ignore whatever he’s grumbling under his breath behind me. Honestly, I really don’t see what the big deal is. We’re already like an old married couple these days. Why not add a fake relationship into the mix?

“Addy, wait,” Blaze calls after me, jogging to catch up. He grabs my wrist lightly, and I turn around.

“I know it’s dumb, Iknow.I’m just so tired of taking this crap from my family— and I’m going to have to take it for the entire time I’m in Hawaii. I just want to go and have fun and, for once,notbe the girl everyone whispers about.”

His gaze softens. “I’m sorry.”

I pull my hand away from his warm grip and make the rest of the walk to my car. “It’s okay, Blaze. I’m not going to be mad at you for saying no.”

“Good, because I’m saying yes.”

I turn around, my eyebrows shooting skyward. “What?”

He sighs, rubbing the back of his neck. “You heard me. I’m saying yes,Adeline Harper Williams.I’ll be your fake boyfriend.”

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