Page 99 of Play Fake
His shoulders ease, just barely, and he finally starts the truck. “Thanks,” he murmurs.
The drive back toward campus is quiet for a few minutes. The sky is streaked with gold and rose, light spilling through the trees as the road curves back toward town. Then his phone, propped in the center console, lights up withCarolineflashing across the screen.
He taps the answer button on the wheel. “Hey, Care.”
“Hey, yourself,” Caroline chirps through the speakers. “You coming for dinner tonight?”
Beck glances at me quickly, then back to the road. “Uh, hadn’t really decided yet.”
“Well, decide now,” she says, mock-stern. “Burgers are on the grill. You know your dad’s going to make too many, and you’re the designated human disposal unit.”
He laughs under his breath. “I’ll think about it.”
“You’ll come,” she says with the unshakable confidence of a little sister who knows exactly how to get her way. “Oh, is Logan coming?”
Beck’s throat clears loudly. “No…but, you’re on speaker, and I’m…not alone in the car.”
There’s a beat of silence, followed by a very confused, “Ohhh…”
“Sophie is with me,” Beck fills in.
“Sophie! What a pretty name.” Caroline practically sings. “Want to come to dinner? Seriously, we’ve got way too much food, and you’d be saving me from having to talk to my husband about his fantasy league picks for an hour. Please say yes.”
I glance at Beck. His hand is loose on the steering wheel, but his eyes flick to mine for just a second—open, questioning. It’s clear he’s leaving it entirely up to me.
And honestly? After everything today, the idea of a warm backyard and burgers with people who clearly love him sounds…nice.
“I’d love to,” I say into the speaker.
Caroline cheers like she’s just won a game. “Perfect! Can’t wait. See you soon!”
The call clicks off, and Beck’s grin spreads slowly, warm and unguarded in a way that hits me square in the chest.
He reaches across the console, finds my hand, and laces his fingers through mine like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
“Guess we’re going to dinner,” he says, that grin still tugging at his mouth.
I squeeze his hand back, a smile of my own blooming despite the heaviness of earlier. “Guess we are.”
The road unwinds ahead of us, sunlight spilling across the dashboard, and for the first time that day, the weight in his voice sounding just a little bit lighter.
The moment we turn into a cute neighborhood, I can smell it—charcoal smoke and something savory drifting through the open truck windows. Laughter and high-pitched squeals carry faintly from the backyard as Beck parks in the driveway, headlights catching on the string lights strung across the porch.
He cuts the engine and leans back in his seat for a second, drumming his fingers once on the steering wheel. “Fair warning,” he says, mouth quirking. “They’re…a lot.”
I smile. “I can handle a lot.”
We round the corner to the backyard, and chaos greets us in the best way. Joey is mid-battle with a foam sword, Alyssa shrieks with laughter as she runs circles around a lawn chair, and his dad stands closer to the grill. Caroline looks up from the patio table, a dish towel tossed over her shoulder, her whole face brightening with a smile when she sees us.
“Look who finally decided to show up,” Beck’s dad calls. “I was about to start feeding your burger to the dog.”
“You don’t even have a dog,” Beck fires back.
“Exactly,” he says with a grin.
Caroline swats at her husband with the dish towel as she comes forward, warmth radiating off her in waves. “Come here, you,” she says, pulling Beck into a quick hug before turning to me. “And you must be Sophie.” She doesn’t hesitate, just opens her arms, and I step into the hug before I can overthink it. She smells like fabric softener and grilled onions. “We’re so glad you’re here.”
Joey abandons his sword and latches onto Beck’s leg. “Did you bring ice cream?”
