Page 79 of The Fake Date Agreement

“No need,” he interrupts in the same gruff tone as he reaches for the door handle. “You’re prettier without it.”

He opens the door and steps out before I can respond.

Still not looking at me, he adds, “I’ll wait downstairs for you, so no one ties me down Gulliver style.”

And he closes the door behind him.

I stand there, holding the dress, smiling faintly.

For a grumpy guy who would have preferred to be on the ice or at the gym than taking me out for a walk, he sure does know how to say the right things.

Then I shake my head and focus on getting ready.

Since I’m not about to go out in sweats, I grab a pair of the high-waist, wide-leg jeans that Clarissa said were more flattering for my body shape. I team it with a thick gray sweater, a pair of brown ankle boots, and my coat.

Then I brush out my hair and braid it.

Caleb is waiting for me downstairs, hands stuffed in his pockets, staring out through a large window beside the lobby entrance.

I don’t say a word, but he turns and looks right at me.

Again, he runs his eyes over me and nods once. “You ready?”

I smile. “Yeah.”

Max blows in through the front door, all fresh-faced, clad in black leggings and a matching top with hot pink sneakers, radiating perfect health vibes.

She freezes for a split second, and her mouth parts in a silent oh. “Hey.” Her eyes flick from me to Caleb and back again.

He nods at her. “Max.”

She nods back. “Caleb.”

Wait. Theyknoweach other?

I’m about to ask how when Max says in a much louder voice than necessary, “Oh, I heard you guys were dating.”

Everyone who wasn’t already eyeing us from their seats in the downstairs common room snaps their heads toward us.

“Yes,” Caleb says with a firmness I wasn’t expecting. “We are.”

I wait for Max to leave.

She doesn’t leave.

She stands there with a strange smile curling her lips and eyes as innocent as a newborn baby. I start sweating when I remember what she was like with her YOLO and sleep with them if you have an opportunity. Why does it feel like she’s getting ready to carve out an opportunity and drag me through it?

“She deserves to be treated right,” she says, surprising me.

Caleb, too, from his slow blink. “Excuse me?”

“Her ex was a jackass.” Max points a finger at his face, which is kind of rude. “Hurt her, and I will castrate you.”

Oh. The pointing was rude, but having my back is sweet.

Thanks, Max.

Then she spins on her heel, and saunters away.

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