Page 16 of Faking with Three

Another pause. “Hold up,” Heather says slowly. “That’s my brother’s channel.”

“Yeah, I know,” I say.

“I know what they do there. Are you telling me you’re going to be dating someone on camera?”

“Man,” I correct quickly. “Just one guy, for one episode. It’s not like I’m signing up for The Bachelor here.”

“But why?” Heather’s voice is somewhere between confusion and disbelief. “You hate those kinds of things! And I’ve seen some of the videos. It’s cringe, to say the least.”

I don’t admit it but I found it quirky.

Ugh. I sigh and lean back, staring up at the ceiling fan that’s spinning lazily. “Yeah, but the channel needs a boost, and they think this will help. Plus, if it doesn’t get views, I’m out. No second date, no problem.”

“And what happens if itdoesget views?” Heather asks pointedly. “Will you still be working with them?”

“Kind of?” I admit, rubbing the back of my neck. “I’m helping them figure out how to boost revenue, so… maybe.”

“Liv, tell me this isn’t about Ethan,” Heather says, her voice dropping to a serious tone.

I cover my eyes with my hand, letting out a small groan. “How come you never mentioned that my college crush lives inyour apartment complex? Was that a deliberate omission, or did you just forget?”

“Must have slipped my mind,” Heather says lightly, but I can hear the mischief in her voice. “Pure coincidence.”

“Yeah, right.” I scoff, stroking Clawdia as she nudges against my hand. “You didn’t set this up, did you?”

“Me? Setting you up with a guy you’ve had a crush on since college? Liv, I would never,” she says, and I can practically see her grin through the phone.

“Uh-huh.” I arch an eyebrow, even though she can’t see it. “You’re a terrible liar.”

“Okay, fine,” Heather admits, laughing. “I knew there was a chance you might run into each other. I just… didn’t think it would be this soon. Or that you’d end up agreeing to date on camera.”

“Neither did I,” I say, exasperated. “But it’s not like I have anything better to do, and they could really use the help. Besides, it’s just one date.”

“And if you end up spending more time around Ethan?” Heather prompts gently.

I hesitate, looking out the window at the familiar skyline of our hometown. “I don’t know. Maybe it’ll be good to catch up with him. He’s different now, but he’s still the same in some ways.”

“You mean he’s still cute,” Heather teases.

I roll my eyes. “Shut up.”

“You’ve got enough going on with your company as it is. You hate dating, and you hate anything that’s not private. This is, like, the exact opposite of what you usually go for,” she says.

“I know,” I say quietly. “But maybe that’s why I need it. It’s something different, something… unexpected. And honestly? I kind of like the idea of shaking things up a bit.”

“You’re hopeless,” Heather says, but there’s a smile in her voice. “Just promise me you won’t get too caught up in it. Ethan’s great, but he’s still… you know,Ethan.”

“Trust me, I haven’t forgotten,” I say, laughing a little. “But maybe this is what I need right now. Something crazy.”

“Well,” Heather says, sighing, “if anyone can handle a little crazy, it’s you, Liv. And hey, my brother will be there, so that’s a relief. Do you want me to talk to him?”

“No, no, I can handle it,” I say hastily.

Clawdia decides she’s had enough of my presence and jumps off the couch, heading toward her food bowl. I watch her go, feeling oddly in sync with the cat—reluctantly curious about what might happen next.

“Besides,” I add, smiling, “if this goes horribly wrong, at least I’ll have Clawdia to console me.”

“Oh yeah, she’s a real comfort,” Heather laughs. “As long as you don’t mind getting swatted in the face when she’s done with you.”

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