Page 51 of Breaking the Rules

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Well, I'm not letting him realize it.

"You should ask her out." I bite my tongue so I won't addif you want to date someone with absolutely no standards. I mean, reallycarpe diem? Could she be more cliché?

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Really. She's pretty."

"Yeah." His eyes flit to the door for a quick second. Then they're back on me. "You don't fool me."

"Oh?" I force a smile. It's awkward and stilted, but it's there.

"You won't get me out of your hair that easily."

My laugh is impossibly fake.

Hunter stares at me. He sees through me like I'm made of glass. "How late are you here?"

"Until six."

"Me too."

"Great." My head fills with images of the two of us walking home together. Fixing dinner in the kitchen. Sliding our empty plates off the table then climbing on top of it. "You making dinner tonight?"

"You don't want the dinner I make."

"Oh."

"I'll pick something up on my way home from the gym."

"Great."

He heads back to his suite. Devotes all his attention to his sketchbook.

Maybe…

Maybe this will work.

I pull out my cell. Text my brother.

Emma: How's Jersey?

Brendon: Humid. What are you up to?

Emma: I can't ask my brother how he's doing?

Brendon: Question stands.

Emma: How long is Hunter staying at our place?

Brendon: We haven't discussed a timeline.

Emma: Oh.

Brendon: He giving you trouble?

Emma: He's around a lot.

Brendon: Is it really that bad?

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