Page 22 of Friends Like This

Trevor laughs and looks at Nick. “Good luck, man.”

“Easy,” Nick says. “Hear me out. You’re hot, Rae. You’ve got senior guys into you, you hang out with the hottest girls and guys, you flirt with Miles, and now it looks like you’re dating Cooper. Girls see you squeeze my bicep, and they’ll be dropping their—”

I hold my hand up.

“Enough. Besides, I know there’s only one girl youreallywant to go with and she is my friend, so I won’t be trying to help make her go with you.”

Nick looks down.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, please,” I say, poking his shoulder, “we all know how you feel about Leigh.”

He clears his throat and looks down slightly. “Yeah, well, she’s going with someone else.”

“So you want me to help you make her jealous?” I ask, cocking an eyebrow, making it clear I’m giving him shit.

He gives me a half smile, then lets it grow bigger.

“Maybe. Besides, you have no room to talk. You and Aaron are—”

“Best friends,” I say in a hushed tone. “Who are dating now, anyway,” I say with a much louder voice. Then I smile innocently at him. “Another twenty and I’ll do it.”

“Hardball. I like it,” he says, pulling another twenty from his wallet.

I laugh and shake my head. “Text me when and where.” Then I turn toward the front of the room where the teacher is starting class.

But Nick leans forward and whispers in my ear, “Better work, or I want my money back.”

“Sorry, no refunds.”

“You betterreallysell it then,” he says, poking my shoulder.

I smack his hand away, then slightly lean back and say, “Pay attention in class.”

Miles stifles a laugh and I tuck my forty bucks into my purse.

So far, Aaron is nailing the fake boyfriend thing. He’s met me after every class, given me sweet little kisses on the cheek or forehead, and purposely leaned in and whispered random things to me—usually dirty jokes—to make me giggle. I think we’re selling it pretty well.

After lunch, we head up to the lockers, stopping at his first. He tells me he needs to get to his next class early, so he gives me a quick kiss and then a smile and says, “See ya later, Beautiful.”

I can’t help but smile as I watch him walk away. Realizing I’m standing in the hallway staring at nothing, I walk over to my locker.

When I pull it open, a piece of paper falls to the bottom of it. I pull it out and look at it.

Love note #1

Beautiful,

There is nothing more intoxicating than the combination of your smile, sass, and gracious heart.

XX Ace

My mouth drops as I read it. Because he totally planned it. And it’s totally sweet. And it’s definitely something he’d say to me on an average day. Well, maybe not exactly. Because,intoxicating? There’s something sexy about that word.

I have to hand it to him, he’s the best fake boyfriend ever. And more importantly, he’s the best best friend ever.

I grab my phone out of my bag and text him.

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