Page 108 of Fire and Icing

We sway to the music, the world around us fading. Emberleigh’s looking up at me, a soft smile on her lips. What passes between us is undeniably real.

I tug her closer, bending slightly so we’re cheek to cheek.

"This doesn't feel like pretending," she whispers.

I tighten my hold slightly. "It’s getting harder to pretend, that’s all."

She doesn’t say anything else, but I feel it—in the way her fingers hold on to my hand. The way she rests her face next to mine, the soft sigh she exhales just before the song comes to a close. We hold one another, lingering just a second longer than we have to.

Whatever this is … it’s not make-believe anymore.

Certainly not for me.

And I’m starting to think—not for her either.

Chapter 24

Emberleigh

Overthinking is the art of creating problems

that weren't even there.

~ Dr. Nina Ansary

“I’m just wonderingwhat he meant by,It’s getting harder to pretend,” I ask Syd the following evening after closing.

I’m curled up on one end of her couch and she’s tucked into this dangling chair she insisted on bolting to the ceiling when she moved in. I always tease her that she looks like she’s inside an egg when she sits in it. I tried getting into it once and it spun and tipped and wobbled.

“Did Dustin mean he has feelings for me so he’s not pretending anymore? Or did he mean pretending is getting too complicated?” I glance at Syd.

Syd looks a little more bedraggled than usual. Not worn out, just … pleasantly exhausted, if that’s such a thing.

“Don’t take this wrong, but you look tired,” I tell her.

“Gee thanks,” she says with a smile. “I didn’t sleep great.”

“Are you okay?” I ask. “I’ve been so wound up over Dustin and the contest, I haven’t even checked in on you.”

“I’m fine.”

I kneel on the cushions to grab a throw pillow from the other end of the couch. When I glance down, I see a hoodie in a lump on the ground behind the sofa. I stretch out across the top of the cushions, reach down and grab the hoodie.

Syd rushes over and whisks it away, saying, “Oh, what’s that doing here? I was just cleaning out my closet. Sorry it was in the way.”

“It wasn’t in the way, Syd. It was literally on the floor behind the sofa. Is that even yours? It looks about three sizes too big for you.”

“Yep. It’s mine. You haven’t seen it because it’s old. Anyway, back to thedoes he, doesn’t hequestion about Dustin …”

I know when I’m being corralled, but Syd obviously doesn’t want to talk about Mr. Mysterious … or whatever’s been going on lately. I believe it’s a man, not a meme or whatever mumbo-jumbo she was trying to sell me over our phone call during the contest. And now there’s a sweatshirt. Also, the giggling. I can definitely make Syd laugh, but not that particular giggle. She had a smitten giggle if I ever heard one.

“Are you seeing someone?” I ask her directly.

“What? Why would you ask that? You’re the one seeing someone. Now, do you want my opinion on your fake boyfriend or not?”

Again with the redirect.

I sigh. “Yes. I do.”

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