Page 78 of Fake Dating Adrian Hunter
Darius:Good. I can focus on Zac. He’s here with me.
Zac:Penny showed up last night. I caught her grinding up against a stripper.
Verena:Ouch. Let me guess, she said it was your fault?
After I’ve finished texting the boys, I dress for the day and call the lobby, requesting that cleaners change our bedsheets and make the bed look all neat and perfect again, with the hopes that Adrian forgets about my cruel trick.
It’s almost midday when I arrive at the resort’s day spa, smelling the hypnotic aromas of lavender and jasmine. The roof is thatched, and potted palm trees are scattered around the venue. Unsurprisingly, I’m not the last one to arrive. Everyone is still puffy-eyed and recovering from their night of drinking and strippers. I guess this is why Stacy organized strippers the night before a pampering session.
The spa offers every treatment under the sun, but what’s meant to be a relaxing, rejuvenating day turns out to be the complete opposite for me. During every moment that I lie on the massage table—receiving what should be a heavenly massage with the power to send me to sleep—I can’t stop panicking over Adrian and what it will be like when I see him again. When the beautician gives me a facial, the cucumbers keep falling off my eyes because I can’t stop cringing over Adrian’s blunt text messages. What could he want to talk about? Everything ended great between us last night. Better than great.
After my facial, Tory meets me in the plunge pool. “I know I was the one who encouraged you to drink last night, but I’m being serious, don’t touch a drop of alcohol at the wedding tomorrow, no matter what I say. You shouting at Hannah was out of control.”
“I’m not apologizing for anything. She’s trash, and you told me to drink.”
“True,” she says. “By the way, where did you end up yesterday afternoon during the board game?”
“Oh, sorry about that. Something came up with Darius.”
“Eh. I’m kind of glad you didn’t show up. Without you and Adrian, Phoebe and I won. Speaking of which, what is going on between you and Adrian?”
I exhale loudly. “Can we not talk about him? This is meant to be a day of relaxation.”
She splashes me in the face. “You’re tense. I can feel it. You need to vent to someone. Since I’m the only one here who knows the truth about you and Adrian, you may as well vent to me.”
“Fine. Ithinkwe’re together.”
“Shut up!” Tory’s entire face lights up like I’ve told her she’s won a billion dollars. “Tell me everything. Have you slept with him?”
Steamy memories of Adrian and me enter my mind, and a tiny smile slips past my panic. “Three times.”
She covers her mouth, muffling an excited scream. “How was it? I bet it was hot. The sexual tension between you two is insane.”
“It was hot.Reallyhot. But…” My smile drops. “We were drunk last night and spilled a bunch of our feelings for each other. Today, he seems distant. He left before I woke and texted me saying we need to talk. Those are the four worst words in the English language.”
“That’s not true. There are way worse four-word sentences than that.” She chews on her bottom lip, deep in thought, then starts listing them off on her fingers. “I fucked your mom. Sorry, I have herpes. Do you like anal? I smell your menstruation—”
“Tory, you arenothelping.”
“Okay,we need to talkisn’t great, but I mean, what if he wants to talk about good stuff? You guys have had a complicated relationship. Maybe he wants to make sure you’re on the same page as him.”
With a sigh, I rest the back of my head on the pool ledge and let my body float. “Why wouldn’t he say that then, or leave a heart emoji?”
“Try not to overthink this. I’m sure everything will be fine.”
“It’s impossible not to overthink.”
When Tory doesn’t respond, I glance over at her, finding a knowing look in her eyes. “What?”
“Nothing.”
I splash her. “Tell me.”
“You’re falling in love with Adrian all over again.”
I growl and send her the stink eye before sliding my head under water, desperate to escape this conversation. But hanging out below the surface doesn’t hide my problems. I want Adrian’s and my teasing banter back. I want him flirting with me. I want him to be a stage five clinger and never let me go.
I blow out all the air in my lungs and resurface in defeat. “I’m totally in love with Adrian.”
