Page 60 of Official

XANDER

“Those pictures don’t look fake to me,” Teddy chides, a thick warning lying in wait between his words like a shark after its prey.

He’s going to lose his shit if he ever finds out about the things I’ve done to his little sister, and it’ll be even worse now that we’re lying to him about this fake relationship plan.

“Here’s the thing—”

“I know. It’s my overprotective brother brain.” His sigh comes through the speaker loudly. “I do appreciate you doing her a solid. You’re a good friend.”

Guilt gnaws at my chest as I stare at my sullen reflection in the bathroom mirror. My shirt is unbuttoned down the front and past my boxers, and my pants are still hanging in the closet. I’m a mess in more ways than one.

“You have your tickets to fly back, right? I haven’t heard from Sam, but I told her that Dad is expecting her at his party. You too, I guess.” He says the last part with much less enthusiasm.

“Thanks,” I deadpan, rubbing a hand down my face. “We haven’t gotten any tickets yet. We’ve been busy—” I clamp my mouth shut so fast that I almost bite my tongue.

I was so close to letting it slip that Sam and I have been busier exploring each other’s bodies than any of the scenery the last few days.

Fuck.

I’m so used to telling Teddy everything, even the embarrassing shit that happens to me, including the time an A-list actress mistook me for her new assistant. Instead of correcting her, I went along with it because she was unfathomably famous, and I thought it would be good to make connections.

Except all I came out of there with was food poisoning from the sushi she’d ordered me as a reward. She just left out the part that it’d been sitting in her car since the night before.

I never thought I’d say this, but I’d rather be back to puking my guts out than having to tell Teddy the truth.

“I’ll buy the tickets to leave tomorrow,” I blurt, and my face quickly reddens. Did I seriously just tell him we’d leave in less than a fucking day?

“Perfect! See you then, dude.”

He clicks off before I can even check in with him and see how he’s doing with the fallout of the cougars.

But I can’t deny that I’m relieved to have thwarted his suspicions for the time being. I wouldn’t offer to leave right away if there was anything going on, right? So, there. Teddy and I are fine.

Except thereissomething going on between his sister and me, and now I have to tell her that I’m cutting our trip short.

Which means we have to get on the same page regardingus.

And that also means we’ll have to talk sooner rather than later, and I already dread it. I’m not good at this—at telling women how I feel, unless I’m breaking up with them.

It’s telling them how much I like and care about them that’s the hard part. Harder than picking the first line in a damn script.

Because I do like Sam—more than like her, if I’m honest with myself—but how do I tell her?

There’s so much at stake if this relationship flies back to LA with us.

Heart racing, I fish my pants out of the closet, tuck my shirt into the waistband, and smooth my hair back, the strands overdue for a trim. Then I spray cologne on one side of my neck and slide my watch onto my wrist, covering the tattoo there.

I went shopping at an actual mall today while Sam worked out at the gym. I wanted to look presentable next to her at the food and wine festival tonight.

This is the nicest I’ve looked since we got here.

And something tells me I’m not prepared for what Sam is about to walk out in.

In the living room, I pace in front of the couch, watching my phone, guilt eating at me over what I’ve done. After a short pause, it vibrates with a new email confirmation that our flight is booked to return home.

No sound has come from Sam’s room other than a blow dryer, and I have no idea how long I’ve been stewing in silence.

Taking a seat, I pull up Instagram and click on her profile to see if anything’s changed—and it has.

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