Page 114 of Fake Dating My Best Friend

“Nah,” I put the car in drive. “I think they’ve got it under control.”

“You’re terrible!” Isla wipes at her tear-streaked cheeks. “You’re going to tell me why youreallydid this and who helped you, right?”

“I’ll explaineverything.”

Everything. Even the parts she doesn’t know yet.

“So you mean he did it on purpose?”

“Yes.” I tap the folder of evidence Xander compiled and set it aside on my desk. Once we arrive at my office at the gym, I tell her everything Conner and Xander discovered about Kyle’s efforts to sabotage her business.

She sighs, rolling her shoulders like she’s trying to shake off the weight of it all. I step behind her chair, placing my hands on her shoulders and pressing my thumbs gently into the tense muscles.

“Well, that explains a lot.” She exhales, sinking slightly into my touch. “At least now I know what I’m up against.”

“Xander will take care of it. And he promised he’d do it legally.”

My fingers move in slow circles, working through the tension. It seems to be doing its job because she melts just a little more with every press of my fingers.

“My shoulder is actually getting better, thanks to your training.”

I dip my head closer. “Then you should train with me more often.”

“I will think about it.” She tilts her head, her cheeks brushing my arm. “Thank you, though. And thank you for the epic prank.”

“Glad you enjoyed it.”

She looks up at me with a soft smile that undoes me every time. The one that makes the corner of her mouth quirk up, and her eyes light up with gold flecks. It’s like watching the sun break through clouds after a long storm—sudden, breathtaking, worth the wait.

I want to trace it with my thumb, memorize the way it curves, the way it fits her face like it was made to be there. The way it appears because of something I said, something I did.

It’s my favorite accomplishment.

I could watch her smile all day and never get bored.

Actually, scratch that—my whole life wouldn’t be enough.

“How’s the matchmaking gala going?” I ask because if I keep staring at her, I might do something reckless.

“It’s coming together. I convinced Diane and the committee to lower the ticket prices, and we’re each hosting different small activities.”

“It’s soon, right? Maybe you should focus on that. I can handle the launch event myself.”

“No way. I’m not missing your big event!”

“But yours is the one week after that.”

“Right. And after that . . .” She pauses. “Do we stop the fake dating thing? It went by fast, though.”

My chest tightens. I’ve been purposely avoiding the breakup part of the plan. Because all it does is remind me that this—her, us—is temporary. Borrowed time.

I want her to get used to it. To forget we were ever just friends.

I could just tell her my real plan. Lay it all out. Or maybe I should just kiss her breathlessly and let her taste every unspoken word. Because somehow, words feel too small for everything I feel.

But what if she runs away again? What if she’s still afraid I’ll leave, like everyone else? How can I convince her I’m already hers?

I don’t want to watch her walk out of my life. Not when she’s been in my life for as long as I can remember. Not when that smile of hers is the first thing I want to see every morning and the last thing I want to remember before sleep.

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