Page 55 of Fake It for Christmas

“Didn’t want to ruin the fun night at the party,” I said.

“You never ruin anything,” he said softly. “I like knowing about your life, and I’m not sure when you’ll understand that.”

Another tear broke off from my eye. “But I—I don’t think this is just about the email, Shane,” I said, my voice shaking a little.

Shit.

I was really going to do it. I felt the gears turning inside me, unstoppable at this point.

I was going to tell him the entire truth, and probably make a fool of myself. But when my whole life was already unrecognizable… what else did I have to lose?

“I’m here,” he said.

My heart wrenched. He was sweeter than I knew a person could be.

“I don’t want this to end,” I said, gesturing to the space between us. “This is pathetic, but pretending to be your boyfriend has been the best thing I’ve felt in a really long time.”

At first I couldn’t bear to look up at him. I felt tension blooming, like a bubble ready to pop. My heart beat like a drum inside me, knowing this was too much. KnowingIwas too much.

But when I finally looked up at him, I saw a tear rolling down his cheek too.

“I thought I was the only one,” he said in a low voice.

Something turned over inside me, a seismic shift.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that I’ve been dreading the end of this party for a while, now,” he said, his gaze fixed on mine. “I don’t want this to end, either.”

I puffed out a breath like I was exhaling, coming up for air after being trapped underwater.

“Why didn’t you tellmethat?”

He laughed suddenly, like he couldn’t believe it, either. “I didn’t want to ruin the magic, either.”

My throat was tight again, but for a whole different reason, now.

Holy God.

I reached out, grabbing his hand in mine, almost like I needed to touch him to make sure this was real.

“I feel so good with you. I can’t explain it.”

“I can’t either,” he told me. “I thought I was just going nuts because I’d been in a dry spell, and… and I kept thinking you’d wake up one day and realize you’d made a huge mistake. I’m a guy. And not just a guy, a random nobody in Tennessee. And you’re… smart, and accomplished, and so cool.”

I puffed out a laugh even as another tear ran down my cheek. “I am not exactly cool, but I think that’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me.”

He squeezed my hand. “You actually want this? More of this?”

I bit my lower lip.

Swing for the fucking fences.

“Shane, I want to be your boyfriend,” I said. “Your real one. If you’d have me, I’d be happier than I’ve been in a long, long while.”

I saw a smile spread over his face like I hadn’t seen before. “Oh my God. I am the luckiest motherfucker in Tennessee. The luckiest on the planet, I think. What the hell?Youwantme?”

“Hey, why is that so hard to believe?” I asked. “You’re hot as fuck, sweet and kind, and you just… you make me feel like I’m at home, or something. Shit. Sorry if that sounds cheesy.”

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