Page 28 of Fake Dating Adrian Hunter
“You’re not leeching. I want to help.”
“Well, thank you,” Phoebe says. “Anyway, we’re dying to hear how you and Adrian got together.”
I shrug the question off. “Ah… you know, FaceTime chats and texts.”
“Details, girl!” Phoebe demands.
“There really aren’t any.”
Tory swats my arm. “I know you’re cautious because you live in the public eye, but if you can’t tell your own sisters about your life, then who can you tell?”
I glare at her, but she only laughs in return.
“I’ll tell the story,” Adrian says. “Let me order another drink first. Vee, what do you want?”
My chest tingles as that name leaves his lips. The name only he ever called me back when we were best friends. Coming out of his mouth now, he speaks it with such tenderness. It reminds me too much of why I once fell in love with him.
Adrian notices the delay in my response and the pink tinge on my cheeks. The slightest smile touches his face, making me wonder if he’s remembering too, or if he’s laughing on the inside at how pathetic I am.
“Can you order me something nonalcoholic?” I ask. “I’ve embarrassed myself enough for one week.”
“So, how long has this been going on for?” Phoebe asks as Adrian orders drinks from the same bartender as last night, Samaya. The young girl behind the bar winks at me and nods in Adrian’s direction while mouthing,he’s hot.
I shrug in response to Phoebe’s question. “Two months.”
“And how serious are you guys? Are we going to be planning another wedding anytime soon?”
I choke on my saliva. All three of them watch me as I gasp for air. Even Samaya.
When I clear my throat, I say, “We’re just having fun.”
“Yeah, okay,” Adrian snorts, wrapping me tighter in his arms before whispering into my ear. “Jake is watching and you look like a rigid horse. Do a better job of convincing everyone we’re together. If we’rejust having fun, then have some fun.”
My eyes search the cocktail lounge for Jake, but Adrian is quick to plant a kiss on my cheek and I lose all concentration.
“My God, I feel like I’m the only one working at this fake relationship,” he whispers again. “Didn’t you learn anything from this morning? Don’t look in their direction when I say someone is watching us.”
“You obviously didn’t learn anything either, because I said no kissing.”
“Verena, I would hardly call that a kiss. If I kissed you properly you’d be weak all over and begging me to fuck you.” His voice is husky against my ear, the promise in his words making heat pool in my groin.
“Is Jannah with him too?” I ask to distract myself from thoughts of Adrian taking me to bed.
“Yes. My Isabelle is here as well.”
MyIsabelle?
“What?” he asks, as if hearing how my thoughts dwell over his claim of her.
“Nothing.”
Adrian’s got his agenda. I’ve got mine. I can’t deny that I love Jake seeing me with this handsome creature. Right this very moment, I’m imagining that Jake wants me back and Jannah sees it all over his face. I don’t want the cheater back in my life, I just really want him to want me. I want him to suffer. Does that make me a bad person? By the disastrous way things have been going this week, I’m past caring. If I loosen up, Adrian is right—this could be a whole lot of fun.
I lean into Adrian’s chest and twine my fingers with his, smiling at the brides. “Okay, girls, you want to know the real story of how we got together? Adrian messaged me a few months ago, saying he was desperate to talk. I only responded because I thought he might have done some soul searching and was ready to apologize for our past. Well, he did, and during our first FaceTime, he told me he’s been in love with me since we were kids, and that fate was drawing us back together.”
Both girls squirm with excitement once I finish telling the story. I glance at Adrian and whisper, “How’s that for having fun? Am I playing along to your standards?”
“Yes, you’re doing perfect,” he murmurs before raising his voice for the others to hear. “You forgot to add in the part where you drunk dialed me a month earlier, confessing your love. That’s what truly got me thinking about you again.”
