Page 205 of The Fake Date Agreement

“Thanks. Can I get you something? Like…” Her eyes dart from me to the bedside table and my desk. “A plaster or a bandage or something. Maybe soup?”

I stop swallowing my smile.

“What is it?” she asks.

I point to the case of chicken soup on the floor beside my door. Twenty-four cans, and I am not prepared to eat a single one of them.

Her eyes sparkle with amusement. “I bet I can guess who’s responsible for that.”

“If Reid isn’t doing something to help someone, he starts to go crazy.”

“Like nearly knocking old ladies over in a sprint to get me ice cream?”

“Like that.”

“Why a case?”

I point to the three cans of soup on my desk. “He started bringing one can a day, pissing me off by making me get up and hobble to the door. After the third day, I snapped at him to just bring a case and be done with it.” A smile transforms her face,and I feel an answering one on mine. “I should have known better than to say something like that.”

“But you haven’t been eating it.”

“And I won’t.” I shake my head, eyes caught on her beautiful smile. “Hate soup.”

“But why didn’t?—”

“He needed to do something to feel useful. Usually, I offload the cans onto someone else when I get sick, so he never needs to know. With everyone away for spring break…”

“Means no one to offload it to.” Her smile widens. “You’re softer and squishier than Reid.”

I grumble, curling my fingers in her hair and tugging. “No, I’m not. Come here. I need to hold you.”

Her smile stretches across my neck as I wrap my arms around her.

“Reid said Javier paid for his brother’s hospital treatment before. Javier hasn’t been trying to buy you a hospital, has he?”

I stroke my hand up and down her back. “Funny you should say that.”

Her head lifts.

She gives me a searching look and smiles. “You’re joking.”

I pull her back down. “Only a little. He’s been as generous with his money as he is with his time. Trying to get him to leave me alone has been impossible.”

“Is that what you really want? To be left alone?”

No.

I didn’t want anyone to fuss over me, which is how I made my mom cry when I told her Chris could go back to his girlfriend, and I wanted to stay on campus instead of going home with her. I hadn’t meant to make her cry, but I needed to be here in case Tobie turned up, and Mom would be checking on me every hour if I went home.

But that isn’t the only reason I stayed.

“They need me as much as I need them.” I kiss the top of her head. “As much as we need you.”

For several seconds, I simply enjoy having her in my arms. “Jay said Marc proposed.”

“Yeah.” She sighs. “Wasn’t expecting that.”

“I take it from the lack of a ring on your hand that you said no.”

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