Page 11 of Faking with Three

"Yeah," I say, smirking. "I’ll definitely remember you as the guy who almost burned his apartment down over a pre-run snack. Very smooth."

He laughs, running a hand through his messy hair. There’s something disarming about him—this mix of charm and chaos that makes it hard to look away. And that old, familiar flutter of attraction stirs in my chest. It’s ridiculous, isn’t it? Here I am, a grown woman with a successful business, getting weak in the knees because of my college crush who can’t even cook without causing a minor disaster.

Ethan tosses the burnt skillet into the sink and turns back to me, wiping his hands on a dish towel. “You know, Liv, I’ve got an idea that might not involve setting anything else on fire.”

“Doubtful,” I tease, leaning against the kitchen counter.

He gives me a playful glare. “Alright, hear me out. I think you should meet the guys.”

“The guys?” I raise an eyebrow, not sure where he’s going with this.

“Well, you know Jax, and there’s this other guy Marcus. They’re my partners on the WeTube channel,” he explains, leaning back against the counter across from me. “You’d like them. Jax is an ex-hockey player with a tendency to act beforethinking—kind of like me, but with more muscles and a lot more ego. And Marcus… well, he’s our voice of reason.”

“Wait a second—Jax Thompson? Heather’s brother?"

“Oh that’s right, you know Heather!” Ethan says, looking rather sheepish. “I completely blanked on that.”

“It’s fine,” I say. “Who’s the other guy.”

“Used to be a practicing psychiatrist, now he’s in it for the social experiments and the psychology behind our content.”

“So let me see—a guitarist, a psychiatrist and an ex professional player. Sounds like a joke in the writing.”

He chuckles. “You’re funny.”

I feel myself almost preening like a peacock.

I tilt my head, considering. “So, why exactly do you want me to meet them?

Ethan grins. “No pranks, I promise. I just think there’s potential here. You’re in town for a while, you’re working on this dating game, and you clearly know a thing or two about what makes a good story. Plus,” he pauses, giving me an almost disarming half-smile, “you might have some fun with it. And I think you could help us out, too, creatively. We’ve been stuck, Liv. I could use your perspective.”

I study him for a moment, trying to gauge how serious he is. There’s something hopeful in his eyes like he really believes this could work. Or maybe he just wants me to say yes because it means spending more time together.

And if I’m being honest, that part doesn’t sound so bad to me, either.

“I still haven’t said yes to the show, you know? You should know that it’s definitely not my scene.”

“Yes, yes, no pressure,” he says. “Worst-case scenario, you get some great material for your game. And best-case? We save the channel, and I get to hang out with you for a bit longer.”

There it is—that easy grin, the one that probably got him out of trouble a thousand times before. And the way he’s looking at me now, it’s like he’s daring me to say no.

I bite my lip, mulling it over. On one hand, this is a terrible idea. I have a business to run, a game to launch, and a million other things to worry about. But on the other hand… this is Ethan. The guy I used to daydream about during boring lectures. The one who made me laugh when everything felt heavy and complicated.

“What the hell,” I say, shrugging. “I’ll meet them. But I’m not making any promises.”

Ethan’s face lights up with a grin, and for a second, I feel like I’m back in college, agreeing to one of his wild ideas without thinking it through.

“You won’t regret it, Liv,” he says, his voice filled with that unshakable confidence.

“I already do,” I joke, but there’s a smile on my face.

CHAPTER 4

MARCUS

The phone restsbetween my ear and shoulder, and I’m smiling, an honest-to-God smile I haven’t felt in days. Jill’s voice crackles through the speaker, animated and full of life as she tells me about her week.

“So you really scored a hat trick?” I say, smiling at the thought of my twelve-year-old sprinting across the soccer field. “That’s amazing, kiddo. I bet the other team didn’t know what hit them.”

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