Page 35 of The True Love Experiment

sixteenCONNOR

I’m sure I’m imagining it when I see her across the field. But here she is, ten on a Saturday morning: Felicity Chen, ranting about my shirt being too tight and my thighs being too… there. I’ll ignore the Kendall Roy jab, but I’m taking the muscular thighs comment to my grave.

Before today, I would have thought she was impossible to ruffle. Fizzy says what she thinks, takes what she deserves, and makes no apologies for either. But when she finally turns to face me, she’s visibly flustered.

“Batman is a bit too toxic masculinity for me,” she says, and brushes the hair from her face. I think it’s supposed to be one of those casual and carefree gestures, but I remember her doing it at the bar that first night and wonder if it’s something she does when she’s anxious.

“But Lifeguard Lego could work,” she continues, eyes moving over my entire torso. “You’re both hard workers and clearly have great upper-body strength.”

“Thank you… I think. And for the record, this shirt is not too small.”

The corners of Fizzy’s mouth turn up, all traces of embarrassmentgone and replaced with the spark of challenge. “It wasn’t a complaint.”

“There’s technically nothing inappropriate about any of this,” someone says, “but it still feels like we should cover all the kids’ eyes.” I follow the woman’s voice, and it’s only then that I notice the couple watching from the side: Juno’s parents, Jess and River. I read the words on Fizzy’s shirt, and it suddenly makes sense.

“Wait, you know Juno?”

“I do.” She throws an accusing look at Jess before turning back to me. “What I didn’t know was thatyouknow her.”

“She and Stevie just started on the same football team.” I pick up the whistle hanging around my neck. “I’m the coach.”

“Hi, Connor,” Jess says, abandoning all pretense of not listening and coming right over.

“Hi, Jess.” Awareness lands. “Ah. River must be the friend Fizzy mentioned is involved in the DNADuo technology. I get it now.”

“And you must be the hot TV guy Felicity hasn’t shut up about.” Jess turns to Fizzy with an exaggerated grin. “I get it now.”

I bite back a smile, sensing backstory here and that Jess is getting some long-awaited revenge.

“Okay, Jessica,” Fizzy says. “Take your gorgeous husband and just sit down over there.”

Still grinning, Jess waves and ducks back into the sunshade.

River extends a hand and I meet him with a quick shake. “Connor,” he says.

“River.”

He opens his mouth, but with a quick glance in Fizzy’s direction, he seems to recalibrate. “Good luck on the game,” he says insteadbefore joining his wife. I don’t know either of them well; Jess has always been friendly and is the first to volunteer rides for the other kids and snacks. I’ve seen River once or twice, but we’ve never spoken at length.

When it’s just the two of us again, the silence feels loaded.

“You called her Stefania,” Fizzy says accusingly.

“Stevie is her nickname,” I explain. “Yelling ‘Stefania Elena Garcia Prince’ around the house would be rather a mouthful, don’t you think?”

The silence stretches. It’s not awkward exactly, butaware.I might have said no on Fizzy’s doorstep, but I suspect we both know I wanted to go inside. How do we move on from this?

A breeze darts across the field, ruffling the trees and sending umbrellas and blankets tumbling along the grass. When I reach up to push my hair off my forehead, Fizzy’s eyes follow the movement. I’m reminded that she said I should wear it like this more often, that she likes it.

I clear my throat, ready to steer us in a less dangerous direction. “I forgot to tell you: callbacks were great. I think we’ve found our Heroes.”

Her entire face brightens. “Oh my God, tell me everything. Wait, first tell me they’re all insanely hot.”

I mentally stumble at the shift in her enthusiasm, and just how much I dislike it.

“Ratings-through-the-roof hot,” I say. “I don’t want to say too much because nothing’s finalized, but we narrowed it down to eight men. All approved archetypes.”

She’s about to reply when there’s a blur of movement and two small tornados collide into our bodies. Stevie looks up from where her arms are wrapped around my waist. Juno is hugging Fizzy.

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