Page 24 of My Rock Star Neighbor
“Nick asked me to be his fake girlfriend for three months to squash the media reports of his dating that scammer woman,” I say.
Bella’s eyes widen, and both she and Iris look surprised, their mouths slightly agape.I take a bite of my fish and chips, smirking.It’s not often my friends are stunned into silence.
“You didn’t agree, did you?”Iris asks, as expected.
“She should totally agree,” Bella says.“You agreed, right?You’re like his knight in shining armor coming to rescue him.And fake dating will be perfect—all that time spent together…”
“She might get hurt,” Iris says.“What if she falls for him, with all the close proximity?”
“What if Nick falls for her with all that close proximity?”Bella asks.
“Guys,” I say.“What if nobody falls for anyone and it’s purely a business relationship?That’s the goal.What do you recommend putting in the contract?”
“The skinship terms.What do you feel comfortable with physically?”Bella asks.
“Holding hands,” I say.
“No.I mean, maybe you need a code word before you kiss and a code word you say back so that you give your approval to proceed,” Bella says.
“I can’t kiss him,” I say.That would be so embarrassing.
“Why?”Iris asks.“Because you like him and you’re afraid you’ll reveal it?See?”Iris gestures towards Bella and folds her arms.I’ve tried to reassure Iris so many times that I know I can’t date Nick and I’m not going to let myself get hurt.
“She shouldn’t date a rock star,” Iris says.
I feel the blush rising up my cheeks.“No.I mean, you guys know…what Matt said.”
“You can’t believe him.He was mad that you had to cover a story instead of going to his work event.”
I shake my head.“It seems too oddly specific to be just anger.Kissing me was like ‘kissing a dead fish.’And that I was so stiff.I don’t want Nick to know I’m a terrible kisser.That’s mortifying.What if he writes a song about having to kiss frogs?”
“There’s no way a rock star will write a song about kissing frogs,” Iris says.“His fans might get insulted.”
“Stop referring to Nick as a ‘rock star.’He’snotlike your cheating ex,” Bella says to Iris.“And they’ve been friends for two years, and he’s done lots of nice things for Maddie, like playing at the Oasis Garden for community events and getting her food when she sprained her ankle.”
“That’s two nice things versus playing until midnight,” Iris says.
“Okay, guys.Seriously, Iris, don’t worry.I know not to fall in love with Nick,” I say.“If we were going to date, it would have happened already.We’re friends.And for that reason, I don’t want to kiss.”
“First of all, I’m sure you’re not a terrible kisser,” Bella says.“And obviously, if you’re clear that this is all business and you don’t feel anything for him, he can’t expect the kiss to be good.”
Does Bella think I’m an awful kisser?
“I’m also sure you’re not a terrible kisser,” Iris says.“You froze that one time because Nick came home and you were worried he could hear you guys through the wall.I mean, that’s going to put a damper on anyone—if you suddenly think your pain-in-the-butt next-door neighbor is going to tease you about making out.”
“But what if you have to kiss?”Bella asks.
“Why would theyhaveto kiss?”Iris asks.
“Believe me, when I’m writing a rock star hero with a fake-dating storyline, I can come up with a million reasons why suddenly theymustkiss,” Bella says.
“Maybe I shouldn’t agree to this,” I say.
Bella quickly shakes her head.“But that’s fiction.And this is the real world.I still think you should date him.Maybe you will want to kiss him, eventually.”
Iris puts down her utensils and turns to Bella.“You want them to get together?”
“You could start with the no-kissing rule,” Bella says, “and let him suggest that kissing might be required, and then you can make clear that you find that a burden, so he already knows that you’re not thinking he’s doing you any favors by kissing you.”
