Page 107 of Relationship Goals

I’m sitting in Michelle’s office in the perfect dress, a bundle of completely evil nerves. After spending most of the day doing makeup and costume tests at the studio, I ended up here both to ask for some clarification and get Michelle’s take on a few IFF-related points in the script that have been throwing me…

And to enact part one of Operation Wolfe Shock.

I begged off seeing him yesterday, knowing I was too furious and hurt to be able to pretend with him.

A pang goes through me, but I shrug it off, schooling my expression into…nothingness.

I’m fine.

“So, we’re on for the session with the whole team?” I ask as soon as Michelle hangs up the phone, returning her attention to me.

“Yep,” she says. “And you’re sure it won’t make me look like an idiot?”

“No, she’s the real deal. Just be sure to do what we talked about.”

Michelle moves her mouse around, clicking here and there. “I can do that.”

I hold up a finger. “Tonight is step one: dinner out.”

“If he breaks up with you, you still want to go ahead with the whole team session?”

“Yes,” I say glibly. “I’m sure they could all use the mobility training.”

“Right.”

“Come on, Michelle, I thought you were all in on this.”

“I want to support you,” she says slowly, still focused on whatever she’s working on at her computer. “I just think it might be better if you broke it off with him.”

“Kind of like how it might be better if you told Tristan to stop drunk-dialing you?” I regret the question as soon as it’s left my mouth.

To my relief, she simply makes a low humming sound, as if considering my suggestion at face value, instead of in the mean-spirited way I’d said it.

A knock sounds at her office door, and she shoots me a meaningful look.

I nod once. Smoothing my dress with my hands, I school my expression into innocence with a dollop of delight.

Good thing I’m a trained actress, because as soon as Luke Wolfe appears in the doorway, the only thing I can think of is how much I want to throw up or start crying.

Instead, I smile.

“Michelle, you said you wanted to see me?” He falters when he finds me sitting there, and I throw both hands up.

“Surprise!” I exclaim, the corners of my mouth stretching uncomfortably with the wide grin I’m forcing it into. “I’m taking you to dinner.”

His blue eyes light up, as if he’s genuinely excited by the prospect, and a wave of anger and hurt goes through me.

How dare he act like he’s not doing anything wrong!

“I thought you might be in the mood for seafood, since that’sourfavorite.” I bat my eyelashes after the special emphasis onour.

Michelle and I brainstormed a million and one ways to make him run for the hills—using the royal relationshipwewas one of them.

“I do like seafood,” he says, scratching his jaw and looking at me oddly.

“Of course you do, silly. It’s our favorite.”

Michelle presses her hand against her mouth as her eyes dance with laughter.

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