Page 57 of Living Hell

Terrance nodded and rubbed his chin, mulling over the ludicrous idea.

“Reality viewers would eat that up. Not just your typical vet show. Something with a little more drama.” Terrance clapped his hands and rubbed them together. “I know Jammie at Planet Life would eat that up.”

This was a joke. It had to be. Tyler was doing this to fuck with me. He was getting me back for forcing him to be my fake fiancé. Little did he know I’d call him out on it.

“That does sound like a great idea. Why don’t you demonstrate it for us?” I waved my hand toward a table filled with women. “Go get your flirt on, Tyler.” I leaned back, folding my arms.

Terrance had taken out his cell phone and was typing away, nodding in a way that demonstrated he wasn’t really listening but was pretending to go along with what was said.

Tyler, on the other hand, was intensely focused on me. His eyes narrowed but he was silent. I got him—he didn’t want to go around chatting up women no more than he wanted this show.

“Fine. Sounds good. I have to go give something to Carter anyway.” He pointed across the room to another booth where Carter and Olivia were sitting.

I slashed my arm in the air. “Sounds good. Have at it, dirty vet.”

He sighed and as he stood, I distinctly heard him mumble a curse word under his breath. Tyler took his time walking up to the women but when he did, it was like magic. His winning smile appeared and within a minute, half the table was laughing and batting their lashes at him.

He had always been a flirt but as a teenager, he was terrible at it. We used to play a game of who could flirt worse, and he usually won. When a woman slapped him—which happened a lot—it was game over. He would be crowned champion.

But with age came talent, I suppose. Those women were eating every word up like he was their dessert. Something twisted in my chest. I wanted him to stop, come back to me, and admit he only wanted me.

But I shouldn’t want that.

My stupid heart was spending too much time with Tyler. I had grown soft living under the same roof as him. I missed his touch even though we were sleeping in the same bed.

When it was bedtime, I would wait until he fell asleep, binging on Netflix, and then sneak into bed. Each night it was harder and harder to stop myself from rolling over and cuddling up next to him.

“He’s good at that.” Terrance pointed to Tyler, still flaunting his flirt-whoreness.

“Yup.” I lifted the menu, refusing to let the scene destroy any more of my heart than it already did. It was my own fault coming back to this town. I was never happy here, and the one person who could bring a smile to my face was working hard to make everyone else grin but me.

“I thought you two were engaged?”

“I thought we were, too?” I mumbled as I held the menu higher.

“What?”

“Oh, nothing. He’s still working on the idea.”

I slid my eyes to Terrance, lowering the menu slightly. He nodded and rubbed his chin again.

“I’d been toying with an idea for a while. Now, stop me if I’m overstepping the line, but what if I do a documentary on you two? The ins and outs of a celebrity with their non-famous fiancé leading up to their wedding.”

Oh, Tyler really wouldn’t like that. That would be going too far. Yes, I’m angry that he’s using my heart, knowing that I’m leaving at the end of next month, but I wouldn’t do that to him.

I put the menu on the table and was about to snuff out Terrance’s idea when I saw Tyler wink at me. And I knew what that meant. He was still flirting with those women but letting me know he was having one over on me.

That jerk was doing this on purpose.

“Actually, that’s a great idea, Terrance. I can’t wait to tell Tyler. He’ll love it.” I winked back at Tyler.

Two could play at that game.

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