Page 43 of So Wrong It's Right

Perry rolls her eyes. “The Year of Stella is stupid, and so are you if you let him go. You guys have been boffing for days. And he told you he thinks you’re good with kids. And he likes you the way you are. Stella, he’s your boyfriend now. Why do you want to push him away?”

“Fake. Boyfriend.”

“Nobody looks at fake girlfriends the way your fake boyfriend looks at you. He’s got it bad. Just go with it. Stop trying to mess it up.”

I rub my rose quartz worry stone, but don’t feel the usual effects. “He’s leaving soon.”

“Seattle is not that far way. It’s hardly even a commute.” She pulls my coffee away. “I changed my mind. Don’t drink this. You need to relax.”

“I need to get ready for the rehearsal dinner. Did I tell you he’s coming to that? Because he is. And after, he’s going to Ironwing with the guys.”

“That’s weird.”

“Yes, I know. Can we get back to my problem now?”

“So, what happens after the wedding? Have you and Dr. Doolittle talked about it?”

I pull my coffee back across the table. “Not since before Tuesday night. We haven’t talked at all about the fake part of our relationship. We just...”

“Boff.”

“A lot,” I add. “It’s been amazing. I mean, yeah, the sex, but just all of it. I like him too much, Perry.”

“I fail to see how this is a bad thing. Why won’t you let yourself enjoy it?”

I make eye contact, the real kind where we really talk, with her for the first time since I sat down. One has to be careful with looking into her eyes—she ferrets out secrets too easily. She knows me too well. She’s smart, beautiful, big-hearted, and big-haired. If she had a penis, I would have married her when we were still in high school so no other guy could have gotten her.

She sizes me up. “Oh, Stella,” she says. “You’re in love with him.”

“I don’t want to be.” I set my jaw, but determination doesn’t win when it comes to my stupid heart. “I think I am. I know I am. Oh, shit. This is awful.”

“Baby, no. It’s really not.”

“Christopher could rip my heart to shreds. He’ll hurt me worse than Devon did.”

“Or...”

“Or what?”

“Or he could love you back. And make you happy and take good care of your heart.”

“That’s asking a lot.”

“It really isn’t.” She reaches for my hand. “You’re a wonderful woman. You deserve love. You deserve to have everything you want in this life. And think about how happy you can make him. You take care of people. You’re funny and smart and pretty. Why don’t you just try? With Christopher? Just...love him. See what happens.”

I sit back in my chair. “Sure. What could go wrong?”

I could fill an encyclopedia with all the things that could go wrong.

Perry steals my coffee and finishes it. “Do you want me to come over tonight?”

“I thought you had a date?”

“I’d cancel for you.”

She’s looking sweet and innocent, but I know her too well. “Speaking of being scared of relationships...”

“It’s a first date, not a relationship.”

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