Page 25 of Better Than the Movies
Honestly, the thought of it made my heart feel a little pinched.
Therehadto be a way.
I ran my teeth across my bottom lip and pondered. I mean,technically, regardless of the self-inflicted rumor about Wes and me, Michaelhadlooked flirty when he’d looked at my tattoo. It wasn’t much, but it was something, right? It proved that itwaspossible to change his “little weirdo” assumptions.
I just needed a chance to make him seeallthe things about me that had changed.
I felt hope bubbling back up. I mean, it wouldn’t take long to open his eyes if I could just get some time with him, right? Time and perhaps some help.
Hmmm.
“You’re so quiet, Buxbaum. Makes me a little terrified of what you’re thinking.”
“Wesley.” I turned toward him in my seat. With my winningest grin, I said, “Buddy. I have the BEST idea.”
“God help me.” He pulled his car into The Spot, took the keys out of the ignition, and said through a half smile, “What is your terrible idea?”
“Well,” I started, looking down at my hands and not moving to get out of the car. “Hear me out before you say no.”
“Again with this? You’re scaring me.”
“Shh.” I took a deep breath and said, “What if we let people think we’re dating, but only for, like, a week?”
My cheeks were hot as I waited for him to make fun of me. His eyes narrowed and he looked at me for a long second before saying, “What exactly would that solve?”
“I’m still working this out, so bear with me. But if we pretended to kind of be into each other for a week, then that could help Michael see that I’m no longer Little Liz. He already thinks we’re dating. Why not use that to show him I’m a perfectly viable romantic option?”
He drummed his long fingers on the steering wheel. “Why is this so important to you?”
I blinked and rubbed my eyebrow with my index finger. How was I supposed to answer that question? How could I tell him I was sure the universe had sent Michael back to me?
I hated that my voice was thick when I said, “I honestly have no idea, really. I just know that for some reason it really, really is. Does that sound silly?”
He stared out the windshield in front of him with an unusually serious look on his face. After a few seconds, I wondered if maybe he hadn’t heard me, but then he said, “What’s silly is that it doesn’t.”
“Really?”
“Really.” He cleared this throat and turned to look at me, his Wes smirk back in place. “Now what’s in it for me if I do this? Besides the joy of setting you up with the dude you want to bang, of course.”
“Gross.” I cleared my throat and was glad he was back to being the smart-ass I knew. Introspective, understanding Wes was kind of too much to take. I said, “You can have The Spot for another week.”
“That hardly seems like enough. I mean, are you going to expect me to take you out again?”
“Well, that would help, yeah.” I tucked my hair behind my ears and was hyperaware of how quiet it was in his car.
Wes crossed his arms as his mouth slid into a smug smile of satisfaction. “I’ve got it. I’ve got a brilliant plan.”
“Doubtful.”
“Shhh.” He reached over and put his whole palm—which smelled like soap—over my face for a second before relaxing back into the driver’s seat. “I will pretend like I’m trying to get something going with you, even though you’re not that into me.”
“Okay…?”
“In addition to that, I will actively try to help you get Michael. Extol your many virtues to him.”
Even though I knew there had to be a catch, it was fun seeing Wes get into the idea. I asked, “What’s in it for you?”
“Ifyou successfully get him to ask you to prom as a result of my assistance, I get The Spot forever.”
