Page 81 of Adorkable

I checked the time again. 6:07a.m.

Fantastic. Ash was blowing me off. He’d probably decided it wasn’t worth it to drag his butt out of bed, even though he’s the one who set the time. Serves me right for putting my faith in a guy whose name was one letter away from ass.

At that moment, a hand reached out and grabbed my shirt, jerking me backward.

The space was dark, cramped. I couldn’t see three inches in front of me but knew I wasn’t alone. I was about to start screaming to high heaven, had drawn in a breath, when the light clicked on.

“Morning, Spitz,” Ash said with a grin. “Sleep well last night?”

I frowned, taking in my surroundings. My sleep-deprived mind took a second to recognize where I was, but once I did, I nearly let lose a string of hysterical laughter. It was the same storeroom I’d pulled Becks into, where I’d asked and he’d agreed to be my F.B.F. Now Ash was looking at my face with the power to expose me, his eyes far too assessing. It didn’t get much more ironical than that.

“So,” I said, leaning back, playing it cool, “you speak German.”

“Ja,” he said, taking up the same position on the opposite wall. “My grandma and grandpa are from the old country, spent every summer there since I was two. ‘Stryker’ is German, you know.”

Mentally, I cursed. We’d gone over German surnames back in sophomore year. Why hadn’t I paid better attention? It might’ve saved me from this whole sticky situation.

I met his gaze straight on, switching easily to the other language. “Du hast also...”

“...alles verstanden,” he replied. “Jedes einzelne Wort.Honestly, I speak German better than I do English.”

My heart sank. I was good, but Ash didn’t even have to pause. He articulated both with spot-on diction and pronunciation, barely taking a second to change from one to the other. I’d known he understood, but having him say so was like getting blindsided a second time.

“I know that you and Becks were never really going out,” he continued airily. “I know that you guys had some kind of messed-up relationship that was supposed to be fake—but it wasn’t for you. How could it have been? You’re in love with the guy.”

I slowly crossed my arms, using the time to get my voice back. The truth was a bitter pill to swallow.

“And what do you plan to do with the information?” I said.

“That depends.” Ash had a gleam in his eyes.

“On what?”

“On you.” He raised an eyebrow. “Listen, Spitz. Even if Becks didn’t have the balls to ask you out for real, I do. I know you’re not over him yet, but I’m not afraid of a challenge.”

I was totally thrown. What was he talking about? “I don’t understand.”

“Don’t you?” Ash was shaking his head at me, like it was obvious. “I telling you I’m interested. Have been for a while.”

“What?”

“Were you always this dense, or is this a new development?” Ash pushed off the wall, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

I glared at that.

“I’m saying I want to be your boyfriend.” His eyes widened comically.

The words hung there suspended as my jaw hit the floor. I wasn’t sure who looked more surprised, me or Ash.

He cleared his throat. “You’re a little out there, but I like that.”

I shot him a questioning look. He couldn’t possibly mean what I thought he meant.

Ash sighed, shoving a hand though his hair once again. “I like you,” he said baldly. “I know you’re still into Becks, but I’m willing to give it a go if you are. Even if it doesn’t work out, at least we could show Becks what he’s missing. Right?”

“It won’t work,” I said automatically.

“Why not?”

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