Page 59 of The Boyfriend Swap

He grinned. “I didn’t. Until now.”

“Sorry.”

“No worries. I’m hoping I created enough material to keep you Lanes in stiches for the foreseeable future.” He cleared his throat. “You ready to get back to the city?”

“Not really,” I mumbled. My stomach churned at the thought of what lay ahead of me. I wasn’t looking forward to my talk with Perry. He’d been a good boyfriend to me for almost a year, and it wasn’t his fault my feelings for him weren’t where I thought they should be at this point. And in another week, I’d have to face Principal Hogan and the possibility that the job I loved so much was in jeopardy as well as the music education I considered vital to every child. And let’s not forget my pathetic depression over saying goodbye to Will for what might be the final time.

I was only comfortable discussing one of those items with Will. “I couldn’t sleep last night, so I did some more research on budget cuts.” I grimaced, hoping Will wasn’t insightful enough to make the connection between our argument and my bout of insomnia. “I found a few foundations focused on helping endangered music programs at schools. Maybe a grant from one of them would be a solution.”

“Your school is lucky to have you. So are your students.”

I shrugged helplessly. “I won’t go down without a fight. I can’t.” I knew Lance would help me, and even though I wouldn’t wish the same panic I was experiencing on someone else, it was comforting to know we were in it together.

“If anyone could make it happen, it’s you.” Will reached across the front seat and tapped my thigh with his fingers before returning his hands to his own lap.

“You say that like you know me.” My chuckle came out like a strangled cry.

“Idoknow you,” he said, his stare on me. “Maybe more than I know my own girlfriend.”

He’d looked away too fast to catch me flinch. Maybe if he’d uttered those words a few days earlier—even yesterday—they’d have filled my naïve heart with hope. But today, I felt my face flush in anger that he’d be so heartless to toy with my emotions and play with my head once again. I was beginning to think he enjoyed it. I wanted to scream myself into laryngitis or weep until I needed a prescription for Restasis for dry eyes. Instead, I focused on the open space of road ahead of me and floored the gas. It was time to go home.

Because I wanted to avoid extended conversation, I didn’t argue when Will refused my offer to drop him off at his apartment in Union Square and drove straight to the car rental place. After we got out of the car and emptied the trunk, I told him I could take it from there.

Will placed his small wheeled suitcase on the concrete and tucked his hands in his jacket pockets. “Can I give you some money?”

I shook my head and removed my wallet from my purse. “It’s paid for already, and besides, this was my gig, not yours. I can handle it,” I said, adding the required, “But thank you” at the end.

“If you insist.”

I felt his gaze on me and forced myself to face him head on. Planting on a smile, I said, “I guess I’ll see you around.” My heart was racing, and I made an instant decision to pick up a bottle of wine on my way home. It would go nicely with a marathon of theHigh School Musicalmovies. Maybe James and I could watch separately but together.

“I had a really good time with you, Snow,” he said, taking a step closer to me.

Please don’t hug me. Please don’t hug me.As my throat closed up, I fidgeted with my purse and said, “Me too,” until I found myself wrapped in his arms in the dreaded embrace and breathing in the scent of him bathed in my vanilla body wash. When we separated, Will planted a soft kiss on my forehead. I bit my lips to keep them from trembling and blinked to hold back tears. Then it was over. With a sad smile, Will grabbed the handle of his suitcase and walked out of the rental garage and out of my life.

Chapter 15

Sidney

From my small kitchen nook, I peered through the open wall at Will, who was sitting on my couch. “Can I pour you a glass of wine? I stole a few good vintages from my dad’s cellar.” When my voice came out an octave higher than normal, I turned my back on him and cursed at myself. Getting flustered around men was never my MO before, and it wouldn’t be now either if I wasn’t about to confess to cheating on the man in question.

“Sounds good. Thanks,” Will said.

I poured us both a generous glass of Rioja from the bottle I’d been airing out for the last hour and joined Will in my living room. After I’d dropped Perry off earlier, I’d come home and devised a game plan for owning up to making out with Perry. That was all it was—kissing. Granted, it was a hot, sweaty, hate-inspired makeout session, but at least we hadn’t slept together. I shuddered to imagine what might have gone down if we hadn’t been caught. I liked to think I would have pushed Perry away before it went too far, but I wasn’t so sure. I took a deep breath and handed Will a glass. “Cheers.”

He clinked his glass against mine and smiled oddly. Normally when Will grinned, the green and gold flecks in his pupils actually twinkled, but not now. “Cheers,” he echoed before taking a sip and darting his less-than-playful eyes around the room.

Placing my glass on the coffee table, I sat next to him and leaned my head on his shoulder. “I missed you,” I said, reaching for his hand to initiate my plan. Ihadmissed him, but I couldn’t change the fact that I’d betrayed his trust. All I could do was use my lawyerly skills to admit my wrongdoing in a manner that downplayed the heinousness of my act. Strategic touching and a little alcohol were major players in my performance.

Will stood up abruptly and since my head was on his shoulder, it lost its landing place and dropped awkwardly to the side. Ordinarily I would give him hell about it—in a sexy, teasing way, of course—but under the circumstances, I let it slide. After straightening my head, I gazed up at him. “Everything all right?”

“Mind if I use the bathroom?”

I was taken aback by the question since he’d never asked my permission to use the facilities before, but joked, “You know where it is.”

I skimmed through the latest issue ofBloomberg Businessweekand nursed my wine until he returned.

“Hey.”

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