Page 79 of Fake Dating My Best Friend

I pinch the bridge of my nose, fighting a laugh. “Mrs. Henderson, I promise you, there was no white stallion involved.”

“Oh, don’t be modest, dear! The whole town’s talking about your fairytale romance.”

Before I can protest further, my other line beeps. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Henderson, I have another call. Can we discuss this later?”

“Of course, dear! I’ll be booking a session for my granddaughter soon. Your happiness is infectious!”

I reach for another coffee, trying to make myself more awake. The world feels slightly surreal. I’ve been taking calls since dawn, my phone ringing before I even had a chance to brush my teeth. The dark circles under my eyes are a testament to my sleepless night. Every time I closed my eyes, I’d see Asher’s face, my heart aching with emotions I wasn’t ready to name.

It felt like winning the lottery, realizing my feelings might not be one-sided. But somehow, that only makes it harder. Because I know myself, I’m not built for a lasting relationship. And if we act on this, we could lose our friendship for good. I can already see how it ends, and I don’t need another breakup to teach me a lesson I’ve already learned too many times.

So my plan is simple: Pretend last night never happened. Avoid Asher until I can act like a functioning human being instead of a swooning teenager. Which, let’s be honest, could take approximately forever because every time I think about his hand on mine, my brain short-circuits like I’ve stuck a fork in an electrical socket.

I’m pretty sure Asher’s avoiding me, too, since he bolted from his apartment at the crack of dawn today. Usually, we leave these ridiculously dorky messages on the whiteboard on his door or invite each other for breakfast. But today? Nothing. Whiteboard wasteland. Radio silence.

See? I can already see the damage. This is exactly why friends shouldn’t cross that invisible line. Now our hallway has turned into a potentially awkward encounter central.

I mean, it’s not too bad since we didn’treallykiss . . . right? We just had a moment. A heart-pounding, time-stopping, oh-my-goodness-his-face-was-so-close moment that I’ve replayed approximately 47 times since waking up, but technically speaking, we didn’t cross any lines. Not completely. Totally fine. I can handle this.

But in Frosthaven, rumors travel faster than a wildfire in July, and I’m certain it’s because Betty heard the last bit of our conversation. I bet she posted that anonymous post on the town’s Facebook group. She always has the wildest imagination, and she’s been on this crusade to make me and Asher some kind of destined couple since . . . well, I actually don’t know. If Betty had her way, she’d have us married off with 2 kids and a golden retriever by Christmas.

At least the constant stream of calls provides a convenient excuse to stay hidden in my office. And maybe think a little less about Asher.

I switch lines, bracing myself. “Love By Design, this is Isla.”

“Isla! It’s Sarah from the bookstore. I would like to book a session as soon as possible. If you can find love, there’s hope for all of us!”

My mouth opens and closes. “Sarah, I appreciate the enthusiasm, but Asher and I aren’t—”

“Oh, don’t worry, I won’t pry for details. Though I heard he proposed at the top of the Ferris wheel. So romantic!”

Ohhh, so we’re engaged already?

I bang my head against my desk. “Sarah, I promise you, there was no Ferris wheel proposal.”

“Playing coy, I see. Well, your secret’s safe with me. Now, about that appointment . . .”

As I take a breath to respond, a soft knock on my office door interrupts.

“Isla?” My assistant’s voice floats in, slightly muffled. “Sorry to interrupt, but Walter Pembroke called. He wants your input on the town’s upcoming annual matchmaking event.” She continues, “Also, you have eight more people calling, all waiting to book your service.”

I gulp, rubbing my temples. “Can you please give me a moment?”

“Of course, I just wanted to give you a heads up!” Jen smiles, closing the door behind her.

I sigh, returning to the call. “Sarah, let’s get you scheduled for Tuesday. We can discuss all the romantic possibilities then, but I need to get back to work.”

“Tuesday it is! I can’t wait to hear all about the proposal and that fairytale ending,” Sarah chirps, seemingly oblivious to my embarrassment.

I stifle another laugh. “Definitely not what happened, but I’ll talk to you soon!”

After hanging up, I set my phone down and take a deep breath, bracing myself for the inevitable whirlwind of calls and clients.

Should I be happy about this? My business is booming, thanks to the rumors. Which, after all of Kyle’s sabotage, feels like a miracle. But if everyone thinks it’s because I’ve magically found true love, they’re in for some serious disappointment. Maybe I should make a post in the Facebook group to clear things up.

Remembering Walter’s call, I reach for my phone again. He answers on the second ring.

“Ah, Miss Ennis! Thank you for returning my call so promptly.”

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