Page 33 of Adorkable

“Exactly what I said.” He crossed his arms. “What’s with you? And don’t try to say it’s nothing. Since yesterday, you look like you’re about to have a heart attack every time I lay a hand on you.”

“I do not.”

“Yes, Sal. You do.”

My heart, so alive before, seemed to freeze in my chest.

“Sal, I’m not…” He flushed. Becks, unflappable, always self-assured Becks, actually flushed, while I stared in awe. “I wouldn’t ever try anything on you. You know that, right?”

That’s too bad, I thought, and even my mental voice sounded disappointed. “That’s not it.”

“Then, what is it?”

I stayed silent. If this conversation was going where I thought it was going, I was in big trouble.

“I know something’s up,” he said, locking eyes with me, “and I think I know what that something is.”

I gulped. “You do?”

He couldn’t know—could he?

“Yeah,” he said, “But I really just wish you’d tell me. I won’t be mad, you know.”

I was glad to hear it, but Becks being mad at me for loving him wasn’t necessarily my biggest fear. I was more afraid he’d laugh or hate me for ruining our friendship. I wasn’t sure I could survive losing Becks as a friend. In fact, I was pretty sure I couldn’t.

“We’ll still be friends and everything.” It was like he’d read my mind. Oh God, he didn’t really know, did he? “Come on, Sal. Just tell me the truth about this whole fake boyfriend thing.”

“The truth,” I choked.

His next words confirmed, unquestionably, that we werenottalking about the same thing.

“Just tell me who he is,” Becks insisted.

“Who who is?” I asked, perplexed.

Becks was starting to look annoyed. “The guy.”

“What guy?”

“Jeez, Sal.” He ran a hand roughly through his hair. “The guy who you’re crushing on so bad you had to hire a fake boyfriend to make him jealous.”

I was shocked to say the least. Here I was thinking Becks had finally figured it out, figuredmeout, when he was really just as clueless as he’d ever been. That was a close one. After all that worry, my secret, my heart, was safe for now. Thank heaven for small favors.

Playing along, I said, “Well, why do you want to know?”

“I knew it,” he exclaimed, pointing a finger at me. “I knew it. This was never just about the Lillian’s setups. You’re doing this for some guy you’ve got the hots for.”

“You got me.” I shrugged. Having him believe this lie was far better than telling him the life-altering, possibly friendship-wrecking truth. “How’d you figure it out?”

“Netflix,” Becks replied. “So who is he?”

“Why should I tell you?”

The look he gave me was half-scathing, half-impressed. “I think I deserve to know, seeing as how you’re using me. Is that all I am to you, Sal, arm candy?”

“Oh no.” I was the one to cross my arms this time. I knew him too well to believe he was actually offended. “Don’t pretend, Becks. Don’t act like you’re not totally loving this.”

A slow grin started to form. “Well, I’m definitely not hating it.”

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