Page 15 of Whiskey Promises
"Politicians are dicks."
He nods seriously and holds his fist out for me to bump…which I do. And then he settles back, his head cocked to the side.
"So…we're officially dating for this wedding. How is this going to work?"
"Um…" I honestly have no idea. I didn't think that far ahead. Panic set in, and I just reacted. "I guess we just pretend we're in love?"
His lips curve into an amused grin. "You know they aren't going to buy this shit, right? You don't do love, and I don't do women. It's going to be a fucking disaster."
"Did I mention that there's a winery?"
"Are you trying to bribe me with free booze?"
"I don't know. Is it working?"
He takes a bite of his burger, chewing thoughtfully, and then he chuckles. "Yeah, cupcake. It's working."
"Oh, thank God." My shoulders sag with relief. "Had you turned me down, I was going to have to engineer an entire messy breakup and fake my own death."
"You really like this guy, huh?"
"What? No." I scowl across the table at him. "Absolutely not."
"Right," he says with a soft chuckle. "You're just panicking and plotting to fake your own death for the hell of it."
"Yes! Exactly."
He shakes his head. "Lie to yourself if you want, but I'm not buying your bullshit, Zoya Mikhail. You like him."
"Do not." I shove a fry in my mouth, hoping that ends the conversation. Sadly, it doesn't. Connor knows me too damn well.
"When are we leaving?"
"After finals. Teo hired a private plane to get us all there."
Connor's brow quirks. "Your family is not like my family."
I reach across the table, squeezing his arm. His parents basically disowned him when he came out to them. The only reason he managed to make it to college was his scholarship.
Things have thawed a little back home…but not much. There are places in the world where you're allowed to be gay and happy. A small town in the Bible belt isn't really one of them. His parents treat him like he's going through some phase and just needs to find a good woman. It breaks my heart for him, especially since being an openly gay sports star isn't exactly welcome, either. He spends every day pretending he's something he isn't just to keep from sinking his chances of going pro.
"It's not fair for me to ask you to do this for me," I whisper, guilt flowing through me. "You have to pretend enough already."
"Pretending to be in love with you for a free vacation at a winery in California with your pop star sister, her linebacker fiancé, and agents who can get me to the next level?" he asks, one brow arched. "Yeah, that's totally asking too much, cupcake." He rolls his eyes at me. "We're going. It'll be a disaster, but we're fucking going."
"Well, when you put it that way…"
He lobs a fry at me, chuckling. "Get out of your head. If you were asking too much, I'd tell you."
"You promise?"
"Promise."
I exhale a breath, relieved I don't have to come up with another plan to avoid Jareth.
Crap.I'm going to be seeing Jareth again.
That isnotexcitement I feel fluttering in my stomach. Nope. No way. The fries were probably just bad.
