Page 32 of Second Chance Ex
He scoffs, shakes his head, glances off into the distance for a moment, rubbing his clean-shaven chin. “I mean, yeah, but you really want me to pretend to be your boyfriend for the weekend?”
I nod without missing a beat. I actually really, really don’t want him to pretend to be my boyfriend. Frankly, I couldn’t think of a worse way to spend an entire weekend. I’d rather tweeze out every one of my pubic hairs. But here we are.
Adam drags a hand down his face, groaning as if he’s just realized something. “Joey Tanner’s gonna kick my ass,” he mutters.
“He has a girlfriend, Adam,” I stress. “He doesn’t give a shit. I just need you to, I don’t know,” I shrug, “make me look like less of a single, lonely loser.”
“Prue, you’re not a loser.”
I deadpan. “I know that, Adam. I’m saying I don’t want tolooklike one.”
He puffs air from his cheeks. “Okay, well I think if we’re really going to do this, then we need to set some terms and conditions because if I’m gonna be anyone’s boyfriend, real or fake, I ain’t doing shit half-assed.”
Oh, God, what have I got myself in for?
Adam holds a finger up. “Kissing.”
I interject. “I swear if you try to stick your tongue in my mouth, I’ll shave your eyebrows off in your sleep!”
Adam scoffs, rolling his eyes at me. He holds a second finger in the air. “Touching.” He must notice the look of disgust on my face, because he quickly adds, “It has to be believable Prue. Trust me, I’m a guy, and if I saw some girl professing to be in a relationship with a dude who didn’t even touch her, I’d question it.”
This time it’s me who rolls my eyes. “Fine,” I mutter.
He holds up a third finger. “Pet names. You can call me Daddy.”
I almost choke. “So, help me God, Adam if you even think I’m going?—”
His chuckle cuts me off. “I’m joking. But we need names to call each other.”
“Fuck face is sounding real good right about now,” I murmur.
“Aw, so adorable,” he teases.
I narrow my eyes at him.
“Pet names, and we need a safe word.”
“A safe word?” I balk. “We’re fake dating, Adam, not fake...BDSMing,” I lower my voice at that last part, suddenly remembering we’re in the staff room at an elementary school.
He sniggers. “Trust me, you’ll thank me for it.”
I stare at him for a long moment, unsure I’ve made the right decision. Maybe it would just be easier if I came clean and told the truth, that Iama lonely, single loser, and risk having to spend the weekend on my own surrounded by couples including that of my ex and hisnew girlfriend with fantastic tits. But, then, I guess if worse comes to worse, at least having Adam around might help to make things a little more tolerable. Either way, there is no way in the world I am calling him Daddy, fake or not.
“I have to get to my class,” I mutter, taking my mug of tea and turning on my heel.
“See you later, Pumpkin,” Adam calls after me.
I throw him a glare over my shoulder.
He scrunches up his face. “Yeah, nah, I don’t like that either. I’ll keep working on it.” He winks, laughs and finishes the rest of his gross protein shake in one go.
If we weren’t at work, I’d flip him off. Instead, with my head down, I hurry out of the staff room to the tune of Maria’s obnoxious flirty laugh following me all the way out into the hallway.
“Joe, can I get two scoops? Please?”
I glance down to find Jack looking up at me.
He knows with just one look he’s got me wrapped around his little finger. Big blue eyes staring up at me like I’m his biggest hero. Hands clasped together beneath his chin. Big old grin, dimples popping. Sure, he’s cute. But it’s the missing tooth that does it. How anyone could say no to Jack is one of the great unsolved mysteries of this world. My little brother was a grifter in a past life, I’m sure of it.
