Page 6 of The Fake Boyfriend Excursion

God, I wish it was.

Then I think about waking up cuddled against Trick's strong chest, and I realize I don'tactuallywant that, not if it means I can get a few more stolen moments like that with a man ten times better than Chad could ever be.

And that’s something Chad’s insecure about and has been since I met him. As much as his parents have spoiled him, I'veheard the comments of, "Look at how well Trick's doing.” And “Maybe you should ask Trick for some advice."

Things that let their younger son know how proud they are of their eldest, even as they doted on him. And he'd have to be blind not to see how attractive his brother is. It isn't that Chad was plain or anything, his features were just more… generic. Whereas Trick is like a sculpted god, his facial features perfectly in proportion, his intellect striking, and a smoking body to go along with it.

He’s every woman's fantasy.

"No, but I found Chad cheating on me yesterday." I feel my cheeks start to heat, even though this is just Beth, and I know she won't judge me. I just still feel so dumb.

She gasps, covering her mouth with her hand. "No! Yesterday? What the hell?"

I shake my head, blinking fast to prevent tears from spilling. I refuse to shed tears over that asshole. "Yeah, I went to get a massage with his mom at the spa and came back a couple of hours later and found him."

Her mouth drops open. "You found them together?"

I nod, groaning. "The image isburnedinto my brain. I don't think I'll ever be able to unsee it."

She presses her lips together, but the corners still twitch.

"It isn't funny." I fake scowl at her.

She quickly shakes her head. "No, it's not funny. Just the way you said that, so seriously, I couldn't help but imagine some really kinky stuff they must've been up to."

I roll my eyes. "Nothing like that. It was just regular girl on top."

She makes a face. "Of course, he'd make her do all the work."

It's my turn to smile. "I mean, to be fair, she looked like she was enjoying it right up until I interrupted."

"Honestly, you dodged a bullet," Beth says, turning Eleanor and lifting her shirt to help her find a nipple and start breastfeeding. "I know he could be charming, but it always just seemed so fake to me."

"You're right," I say, flopping back on the couch. "I’d just been single for so long, I wanted to convince myself he was just trying too hard and that once he became more comfortable, he'd…”

“Turn into the man you want."

God, that makes me sound terrible, but it’s true.

It isn't like at twenty-four I’m a spinster, but it just seems like the harder I try for a serious, long-term relationship, the faster they end. In college, I’d dated a couple of different guys, but all but one had dumped me when I refused to have sex with them. The one who didn't, well, it turned out he had been more interested inappearingto have a steady girlfriend than actually having one.

I couldn't even be mad. He'd been the sweetest guy, and his parents had been horrible to him, making him feel like he couldn't be himself, like being gay was the worst possible thing that he could do to them.

But now I’m settling into my job, saving up for a house, and no closer to finding a partner to build a life with.

"Why do I keep choosing such losers?" I moan, covering my face with my hands.

"You always try and see the best in people," Beth says.

I'm not sure that's the truth. "I guess, but now I feel like I have to hide out the whole trip."

Beth jolts and sits forward. "Wait, where are you right now? Are you still in his room? Are you sleeping in the bathtub or something? Tell me you're not still sharing a bed with that man."

I shake my head quickly. "Oh, no. I thought I was going to have to, but then Trick offered to share his suite with me, so I took him up on it."

She nods, relaxing back into her chair and adjusting her hold on Eleanor. "I forgot that you all have suites. So are the couches comfortable or are you going to be miserable by the end of the week?"

I almost don't tell her. I'm not sure why, except a tiny part of me feels like I'd done something wrong, staying in Trick's bed last night, like I jumped from one man to the next without pausing to take a breath in between.

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