Page 23 of Faking Romance

“You won’t need it. That dress you found ishot,” she says.

“Fake girlfriend,” I remind her.

“Whatever you say,” she says and then hangs up.

I sigh, check myself in the mirror one more time, and pull out my phone, posting a selfie and asking my followers if they knew the blind date and weren’t sure if they liked the person, would they bail on the date or stay. I put my phone away and unlock the door. When I open it, I find Grayson standing against the wall. His eyes meet mine.

“Everything OK?” he asks.

I nod, hoping like hell he didn’t just hear my entire conversation.

He runs a hand through his messy dark hair, and somehow, it makes him look even hotter. So unfair.

“I’m sorry. I’m guessing Al didn’t tell you anything either?” he asks.

I shake my head and he blows out a long breath.

“I may have told Pierce I had a girlfriend. And I sort of felt like an idiot because, spoiler alert, I do not have one. I couldn’t bring myself to tell him. And saying I just broke up with one seems…weird. I thought Al would explain it to whoever he invited…” He trails off and I’m getting lost-boy vibes. Shit. I’m a total sucker for that. I feel myself caving further.

I hold up a hand.

“OK, here’s how this is going to go. I will be your fake girlfriend. No touching beyond like a hug or something or a quick peck on the cheek. The store is opening soon, so I don’t have a ton of time to just go out randomly to events, but if you give me a little notice, I will do my best to be there. We can fake date for like…a month or two and then, we fake break up, comprendé?” I state.

He tilts his head a little and I’m wondering what he’s thinking. But I don’t have to wait long.

“Comprendé,” he says. “But what’s in it for you?” he asks.

“Not sure yet, but you can’t be too mad at your fake girlfriend if her store is noisy, can you?” I ask with a pointed look.

He chuckles. “I guess not.”

“Well, then.” I hold out my hand and he takes it in his. “We have a deal, Mr. Porter.”

He steps away from the wall and offers me his arm. I loop mine through his and we make our way back to the bar where a kir royale sits waiting for me.

He pulls back a barstool and I take a seat in it. Leaning against me, he whispers in my ear, “Thank you, Roxy.”

The feel of his warm breath on my earlobe gives me a shiver as I pick up the champagne flute and take a long sip of the drink. This should be interesting.

* * *

I bend over laughing as we approach the apartment building.

“You did not,” I manage to say after I compose myself.

He smiles at me, his aqua-blue eyes twinkling. “I did so.”

“And no one noticed that you put googly eyes on all the instruments?” I ask incredulously.

Shaking his head, he gives me another boyish grin.

“Wow. That’s hilarious,” I state. We walk a few paces in silence. I did not think my evening would be this fun. Gray, as he insisted I call him, is actually really nice. I admit, I had a little whiplash when I realized he wasn’t a monster, but I’m getting used to this side of him. We left the party around eleven and grabbed a drink at another bar before heading back here.

“Watch out,” Gray says as he takes my hand to help me over a puddle.

He doesn’t let go right away and I don’t pull my hand away either until we reach the apartment door.

“I…had fun tonight,” he says.

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