Page 55 of Just Friends

She stretches her leg out to kick me. “You’re such a liar.”

“About the shots, yes. About us having breakfast, no. He wanted to have coffee with his daughter’s new boyfriend to tell him not to break your heart.” I leave out the questions about future marriage and why she left school.

Her eyes widen, the doughnut falling onto the bag in her lap, and her hand cups her mouth. “Oh my God! I forgot about our boyfriend-girlfriend game. What happens when we get home? How are we going to break up?”

I poke her foot. “Let’s say you cheated on me.”

“What? No! You’re not blaming the breakup onme.”

“Oh, and I’m supposed to take the blame?” I point at myself and shake my head. “I’m not being the bad guy.” I scratch my cheek. “There are reasons other than cheating. We can say you joined a nunnery. You join, no one suspects anything, and all will be right in the world.”

“You need to stop suggesting I join a nunnery. Not happening.” She shoves a bite of the doughnut into her mouth.

“Why? Your father probably has some great connections.”

She rolls her eyes, chewing. “You just want me to stay single and non-sexually active for the rest of my life.”

“Fine, no cheating or nunnery. We’ll say we’re better off as friends.”

She throws her head back. “It’s way too early to discuss our fake breakup for our fake relationship.”

I nod in agreement. “Your head hurt?”

I’m acting as normal as I can.

Does she remember what happened last night?

She wasn’t drunk. I definitely won’t be bringing that shit up, though.

“Nope.” She finishes off her doughnut.

“Liar.”

“Ibuprofen, please.” She points at her bag. “Left pocket.”

I snatch her bag, grab the ibuprofen, snag a bottle of water from the mini fridge, and hand them to her.

“Thank you,” she says, swallowing the pills down.

She hands me the water, and I set it on the nightstand next to her coffee.

“Our flight leaves in a few hours,” I inform her, sitting back down on the side of the bed. “I’m shocked you’re not packed and ready to go yet.”

“Last night drained all the life out of me. I can’t wait to go home.”

* * *

“Back to reality,”Carolina says after we land and stroll through the airport. “I never thought I’d be so excited to be home from a vacation.” She holds up her hand to correct herself. “Technically, it was ahell-cation.”

We took an Uber to the airport with her parents this morning, and Carolina tried her hardest not to appear hungover. The disapproving glances her father shot her way proved her convincing skills sucked ass.

I bump my shoulder against hers. “Rude to say that to the person who accompanied you on the trip.”

“Fine.” She bumps my shoulder back. “It would’ve been ahell-cationhad you not been there. Seriously, thank you for coming, Rex.”

“I’ll always have your back … until you break up with me later.” I press my hand to my heart. “I’m already putting together a broken-heart playlist.”

She rolls her eyes. “You’re breaking up with me. I’ve been brainstorming for the perfect story.”

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