Page 7 of Not Fooling Anyone

“So how do you want to play this?”

“For being your fake boyfriend during the study?”

She nods, gaze darting about.

“Do you not trust me to keep my mouth shut around others?” I ask.

She releases a sigh. “I’m just double-checking.”

“Why’d you pick me?”

She blinks up at me, caught off guard. “You were right there.”

Fair enough. “So you don’t have anyone else you’d rather do this with?”

Her gaze narrows slightly. “If you’re trying to ask if I’m seeing anyone, the answer is no.”

Guess that was kind of obvious. “And you need the money because you’re not making enough tips at the bar?”

“How do you—” She cuts herself off. “Oh, my Dad.” She drums her fingers against her arm. “Yeah. Listen, I get that I put you in a tough spot. I’m…” She looks down at her crossed arms. “I’m sorry. If you don’t want to go through with it, I understand.”

My fingers twitch to reach out to her, but she’d probably karate chop my hands away. “I said I’d be the love of your life, didn’t I?”

The small smile she gives in response is worth continuing with… whatever this is we’re doing.

“So, what’s this game plan of yours?” I ask, shoving my fists in my pockets.

She blows out a breath, uncrossing her arms to run a hand through her hair. “Maybe a list of facts about each other? Making up a story about how we met?”

“Well, we met at the boxing gym. You took one look at me and fell madly in love, obviously.”

“Obviously,” she replies drily. “I’m sure Dr. Clark will completely buy that. Especially considering I didn’t even know your last name when we signed up just now.”

I wave my hand. “Details. Who needs last names when you’re soul mates?”

“I do. I don’t want to get tripped up if they ask me something about you that I should know. How about we meet up tonight to go over stuff? We only have until tomorrow afternoon to get our stories straight.”

Dr. Clark signed us up to go into the lab at three on Wednesdays since we’re both available then. “How about now? I’m done with classes for the day.”

“I’ve got one more after this. Will you be at the gym tonight? We can meet up then.”

I wasn’t planning on going, but I can train an extra night this week for her. “Yeah, I’ll be there.”

“Good. Let me get your number in case I need to text you before then.”

“Desperate for my number, huh?”

The look she gives me is so unimpressed, I can’t help but grin. She’s so easy to rile.

“For the study,” she clarifies, rolling her eyes.

She texts me after I recite it to her, and I add her to my contacts.

“What’d you label me as?” she asks, glimpsing my screen.

I angle it toward her, relishing her second eye roll.

“Girlfriend?” she deadpans. “Really?”

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