Page 39 of Scoreless Nights

“And what if someone takes a picture and there is some headline that reads, ‘Cruz Martin dates his sister!’”

“They’d never believe it, I’m not Catholic!” I argued back, making that laugh finally burst out of her chest. Fuck it felt good to be the one making her so damn happy. It could easily become my newest addiction.

“You know what I mean,” she sighed with a lingering smile.

“You’re not my sister,” I eased closer to her, getting back to being serious for a minute. “How many times have we said that? Plus, no reporters will be there. This is an exclusive dinner, and we will introduce you as my date. No one will question anything. It's perfect.”

“I don't even know what I’d wear to a dinner like that.”

“I will give you my credit card tomorrow and you can buy whatever you want to wear. Shoes. Outfit. Jewelry. Whatever. Please?” I poked my lip out and laced my fingers together in front of my chin as if I was praying, and trying really hard to resist calling her Mother Teresa.

“Fine,” she sighed. “But if we end up on the internet, our parents will kick your ass. Not mine. Because you will make sure of it. Ya got me?”

“Cross my heart,” I assured her, addingThe Sign of the Crossjust for good measure.

“And stop that,” she pointed at me, laughing.

Licking my lips, I winked at her and suppressed my grin so hard it hurt my cheeks. She stood up and eyed me one more time, before turning toward the door. “We’ve overshared enough for one night. I’m going to bed.”

“Night, honey,” I teased.

I expected her to shoot me a look, some warning that I better not make it worse for her now that she’s agreed to be my date Friday. But instead, she kept her back to me and slid the door open with a sigh. “It’s Miss Harris to you.”

“Sí señorita.”

She shook her head but kept walking in and toward her bedroom. I decided to lay back on the lounger and finish my glass of wine–and hers–before turning in. There was no way I was going to sleep, as keyed up as I was.

Spending the night talking to Lil gave me a high, and the blood in my body was pumping. It felt good knowing she was helping me Friday, but I felt equally as good knowing where we stood, and that I could make her laugh so hard.

Never in a million years did I expect her to say she lived in my shadow. Dad was always proud of me, and her mom was always treating her like a delicate flower. Combined, they tried to force a family dynamic between us, but all they did was cause us to resent one another. I didn’t blame them for navigating waters they weren’t sure how to navigate, but I wondered how Lil and I would have been with one another if our parents were different toward us.

Would we have grown up closer? Would I have gone back to Dad’s more often than I did?

Would I consider her my sister?

Probably not.

Getting a hard-on for her wasn’t exactly verybrotherlyof me. Then again, my sixteen-year-old self would beat off to images of Velma Dinkley, and Lunchlady Doris if that was all that was available. My judgment was lacking back then.

Maybe it still was.

Taking Lil with me on Friday was a bigger risk than I would ever admit to her. I didn’t lie to her when I said there wouldn't be reporters, but that didn’t mean someone wouldn’t post us on social media. I should’ve let her off the hook and called her friend, Jackie. That was still a risk, but it seemed to be a much smaller one. That kind of risk was one I knew how to navigate.

Lil wasn’t someone I was willing to hurt. Not ever. Even when we were younger, I never would have hurt her, and I would have killed anyone that tried. Now I was the one at risk of hurting her.

I pulled out my phone and made a quick note to call my lawyer and my agent before taking Lil to the event. They knew that whomever I took on Friday was going to be a fake date, so I needed their help keeping Lil off the social media radar. That was at least something, and I felt better knowing I was taking a few precautions.

Because the only other thing I could do was not take her, and now that she had agreed, I was looking forward to it more than ever. No matter how bad it may have been, I wanted to spend time with her.

I wanted to fake it with her.

ChapterTwenty-One

Lily

After coffee and Facetiming with my mom, I stood in the kitchen contemplating breakfast. Cruz had been up for a while, but kept to himself while I did my morning routines. But once he was sure my mom was no longer on the phone, he tossed his credit card onto the counter and tapped it to make sure I saw.

“They said it was dressy, but not formal. Buy whatever. If you need… I don't know. Just use that, okay? Have fun. Wait, should I go with you? I feel like I should go with you.”

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