Page 33 of Strip Bare

How anyone was supposed to know what was going on was beyond me—they didn't even have the subtitles on. I was half-way to regretting keeping my promise to myself and going out on the date with Harley after what had happened with Kit, and not just because I couldn’t get him out of my head.

"You okay? You’re frowning," Harley said and I immediately smoothed out my expression.

"Oh, yeah. Just wondering how I've never been to one of these before," I lied and he grinned.

"It's definitely a unique experience."

I hummed my agreement but honestly, I was bored. I tried to focus on the movie, or at the very least the way the sunset was dripping behind the trees. It was gorgeous. Romantic even. It was warm out and Harley had brought us a blanket to sit on and some popcorn to share. With the breeze gently caressing my skin, sitting under the fading sunlight, romance was still the furthest thing from what I was feeling.

"You know, I really appreciate you helping me out with the exam prep."

"Of course," I said easily and then blinked as I realized how close he was sitting to me.

"I was wondering if you wanted to do one more session on Friday morning? Get our heads in the game for the exam in the afternoon?"

"Yeah that sounds good. We can meet at mine and walk over to the exam hall together if you like."

"It's a date," he said with a wide grin that showed off his straight, white teeth glowing faintly against the warmth of his summer tan.

It's an exam, I thought but didn't say. I wasn’t interested in him in a romantic way. He was nice enough, but my head was somewhere else. With someone else. Even if I wished that wasn’t the case.

My phone buzzed in my pocket and my eyebrows rose when I retrieved it to find Kat, of all people, calling me.

"Why are you calling me?" I said, mimicking her reaction from earlier that day.

"Leo, can you come and meet me? It's important." She didn't sound distressed, exactly, but she wasn't her normally chirpy self either.

"Of course, The Box?" I asked and Harley looked up at me, brows furrowed.

"Yeah, see you soon. And Leo? Thank you."

I hung up, feeling more than a little worried about what was going on with her. "I'm really sorry but I have to go. One of my friends needs me."

Harley smiled. "It's alright, I get it. I'll see you Friday, then?"

I nodded and stood, brushing off my jeans for any stray bugs or grass that had snuck onto the blanket. Luckily I wasn't that far from The Box so it would only take me a few minutes to get from the center of the park to the strip of bars around the corner from Jamie and Liv's place.

The sun had almost fully gone down by the time I got to The Box and slid into the booth opposite Kat. She looked a little frazzled, her curly hair more frizz than the sleek curls she normally wore, and her mascara was slightly smudged under her eyes like she'd fallen asleep with it on.

"What's wrong? Is everything okay?"

The smile she gave me lacked its usual punch and that had a pit forming in my stomach.

"Yes. No. I don't know, honestly."

"Tell me," I demanded and she took a long pull on whatever drink was in her glass before opening her mouth again.

"I got the contract."

"For what?"

Her eyes bugged out. "The marriage, Leo. You know, the one we're semi-faking."

"Semi?"

"Well, it'll be a real, legal marriage. But we're not like, in love or anything." She looked away from me as she spoke the words and I frowned.

"So you want me to look over the contract?"

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