Page 75 of Faking Forever 1
“What is this, Survivor?” she snickers.
174
EXES MARK THE SPOT
“I’m not fishing for your respect, bigot. I’m trying to be nice—do you want some or not?” I gulp down the rest of the insults I had ready to let roll off of my tongue.
Her sparkly, glossed lips purse into a smirk as she takes the sunscreen into her hand. Feeling the breeze of his body rush past us, we both look at Rich, who is carrying a large cast iron skillet and a bag of food.
“Paisley, I wanna see you’re fiercest cooking skills tonight!”
he waves the pan, belly-laughing his way to our fire pit.
Darcy snaps her head back at me, sizing down my outfit,
“I’m sure you are with thosefarmerpants on. Why don’t you pick us a few crops when you’re done helping fish-boy save the day?”
Oh bitch it ison.
“Please, at least I know how. You wouldn’t even last an hour here without your Daddy.” beefing up my volume, I give her a quick rebuttal.
“I’m not embarrassed to be pretty in the woods, Paisley. You don’t get brownie points for being a pick-me girl, yknow?”
she pops out a hip, putting her hand on it.
I am so sorry, Josh, but she totally started it.
“And you don’t get brownie points for being a boyfriend-stealing serial cheater. Yet here we are.”
Boom, baby. Five points for me.
“Paisley.” Josh bellows above my shoulder, clearing his throat.
Five points down.
“Huh?”
“Why don’t you join me over here, yeah?”
His palm hits the nape of my neck, scooping me under his shoulder to steal me away. This is much more like it. Rid me 175
FAKING FOREVER
of that fire-breathing wench.
“Seriously, you can’t get along with her for like five minutes?” his large hand is now right on my ass, pushing me along with him.
“Wha—I can’t give her a taste of her own medicine?” I press my forearm against him, thinking that would be enough to push him away.
He grabs my shoulders, backing me against a tree until his face is centimeters above mine, much like the trees themselves.
“So pretend she’s not here,” he nods, “Problem solved.”
Wow, why didn’tIthink of that?
“She made fun of my farmer pants.” I pop my chin out, waving my hands along my attire, “These are good overalls, Josh. Thriftedandvintage.”
His chest bounces as he chuckles at me, “You’re right.
