Page 68 of The Dating Pact

Wyatt had mentioned that the movie wasn’t happening, but I’d had no idea Lukas had anything to do with that.

“When Wyatt changed his mind about talking to you, I told him I’d get his book optioned if he convinced you to fake-date me. But he still refused.”

That didn’t make sense. “Wyatt gave that up for me?”

“He did. It’s been his dream for years to have his stories turned into movies. At first, I didn’t get why he’d changed his mind, but after thinking things through, I realized how good the two of you are for each other. I never loved you like he does. I took everything for granted… you, and especially my brother.”

Lukas’s confession stunned me into silence. Somebody once told me that when you forgive another person, you free yourself in the process. My relationship with Lukas would never be the same, but I wasn’t vindictive enough to ruin his relationship with his brother. I stood and pushed in my chair, the iron legs scraping across the concrete.

“I’ll talk to him for you.”

Lukas’s head bobbed up. “You’d do that? Thanks, Everly. I don’t deserve any of this, but I’ll be better. I promise.”

For Wyatt’s sake, I hoped so. “What will you do about that lead role you want?”

Lukas shrugged and followed me onto the sidewalk. “No idea. Guess I’ll just have to win the part on my own talents.”

I laughed at his sheepish expression. “Now, wouldn’t that be a novel approach?” I stepped off the sidewalk and turned back to wave goodbye. “I’ll see you—

“Everly!” Lukas shouted.

But before I could react, he dove forward, wrapped his arms around me, and pushed me to the ground.

There was a screeching of tires followed by a sharp pain in my head, then everything went black.

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