Page 38 of The Fake Date Agreement

“How about Thai?” Max suggests, lifting her head. “They have those summer rolls with peanut sauce you like, and we can share a couple of curries.”

“Sold. And about the guys…”

She perks up.

“I’m not sleeping with them, but I will try to have fun. Any douchey behavior will be rewarded by a swift, steep, and painful fall.”

She nods. “And if you want to talk about Marc…”

“I don’t want to talk about Marc.”

I gave her the CliffsNotes version of everything that happened, but I’m not sure I’m ready to dig deep into my feelings about a betrayal I never saw coming.

“Well,” she says, watching me closely. “I’m here if you ever need to talk.”

“Thanks.”

“Now.” She relaxes on my bed and pops open the can of Diet Coke I offered her before I spilled all my secrets. “Tell me the part again about you scaring the shit out of the Magic Three in the arena. I’m putting my money on Reid being the screamer.”

Chapter 11

Tobie

When only Javierand Reid show up bright and early at nine the next morning, I assume Caleb decided he couldn’t even pretend to date me.

“He’s having a meeting with Coach about some plays we’re working on,” Reid says when he catches me looking for him as we head to the parking lot for our shopping trip.

They’re both in jeans and tees. So am I. Yet they look like they stepped out of a fashion magazine, while I look like I got dressed in the dark.

When a group of girls glances our way, I slow my steps, veering to the right to open up a space between us. I shouldn’t even know guys that hot. Those girls know it. So do I.

Two seconds later, Reid and Javier are back to walking close by my side like they don’t even notice all the stares we’re attracting.

“No one is blaming him for the missed shot, so he’s determined to do all the blaming himself,” Javier explains.

I’ve never heard of someone so good at what they do being so hard on themselves. Maybe some of that is because he’s the captain.

“The championship means that much to him?” I ask as we approach a matte black BMW.

“Only everything he’s ever wanted,” Reid says.

Javier unlocks the BMW and holds the passenger door for me as I reach to open the back. No one opens doors for me. Javier does it automatically.

“I don’t mind sitting in the back,” I say. “Reid has longer legs than me.”

“Reid gets the back,” Javier says. “Pretty girl gets the front.”

“What he said.” Reid gets into the back.

I slide in, nervous about this shopping trip I’m already dreading. The mall is hell on earth on the weekend.

Always.

“This is going to be fun,” Reid says as Javier pulls out of the parking lot.

“The mall on a Sunday?” I twist around to face him. Is he insane?

He grins at me as he gleefully rubs his hands together. “This revenge mission. Your ex is going to see you around campus happy, laughing, having the best time in the world, and he’s going to start thinking why couldn’tImake her that happy? How comeIcouldn’t put that glow on her cheeks?”

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