Page 78 of The Fake Date Agreement

Caleb is standing right outside, carrying his gym bag, wearing black jeans, a gray Henley, and sneakers. And my hallway is more crowded than it usually is at this time.

He gives me a quick once-over, though his eyes linger on my face. “You look tired.”

I take a step back and let him in. “I had a nap.”

“A Hashimoto’s thing?” he asks as I close the door.

I blink at him, surprised he remembered. “Yeah, actually.”

Fatigue, when it hits, can be a bitch.

“Do you need more sleep? I can leave.”

“I’m fine now. What was going on out there?”

He shrugs. “Not sure. I’d like to think no one was getting ready to jump me, but…”

He says it straight-faced, but I detect a hint of amusement in his dry tone.

His eyes settle on the book Max filled with hot pink tabs of sexual things she thought Javier might want to do to me.

Dammit. I cannot believe I forgot to hide that thing.

Just as I’m ready with an invented reason to walk over there and block his vision, or even better, fling the thing out of my window, he looks at me.

“They were definitely getting ready to do something to you. It might have even been a Gulliver’s situation,” I say on my way to my closet to dress for this trip to the park.

“What does that involve?”

“Tying you down. You know the bookGulliver’s Travelswith the guy on a big adventure and all the little people who trip him, tie him down, and walk all over him?”

When he doesn’t respond, I close my eyes and massage my forehead.

What the hell are you rambling on about, Tobie?

I almost don’t want to pull my head out of my closet. But when I do, Caleb is standing beside my door, hands stuffed in his pocket, and a hint of a smile lifting his lips. “You like to read?”

“Yeah.”

“I vaguely remember it from high school. I forgot most of what I learned as soon as I knew I didn’t need it for exams, but you still remember?”

Never in a million years did I think I’d be talking books with Caleb. “I do. It’s one of my favorites.”

I grab a dress at random—one of the new ones. It’s not a dress I would have picked out for myself, but Clarissa hasintroduced me to color in a way I never thought I’d be comfortable.

Caleb glances at the blue floral midi dress in my hand and shakes his head. “No need to dress up.”

“But isn’t the whole point of this?—”

“Not this.” He looks away, raking his hand through his dirty blond hair. “Coach thinks I need a day off. Actually, they all do. Coach, Doc, the trainer… everyone. So it’s just a walk in the park. No need to wear anything special.”

Ah. Coach kicked him out of the arena the other day, so he must be bored.

“But if anyone sees me…”

He shrugs, gesturing into my closet and saying gruffly, “Wear whatever, Myers. And a coat. It’s cold out there.”

“Okay,” I agree. “I’ll just put on some of the makeup that?—”

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