Page 4 of Faking with Three

“You do?” I say drily.

“Yep,” he says.

The migraine, which had started to fade, begins pounding again, and I try to find a polite way to wrap things up. “I think I’ll stick to my usual routine for now,” I say, flashing a tight-lipped smile. “But thanks for the offer.”

Chris glances at his watch for what must be the third time in ten minutes. “Is something up?” I ask.

It’s like he was waiting for an out. He nods. “Actually, I, uh, just remembered I’ve got a late client at the gym,” he says, already half-standing. “Didn’t mean to double-book myself, but you know how it is.”

I blink, trying to mask my surprise.Unbelievable.He’s practically darting toward the door. “Sure,” I say, keeping my tone even. “No problem.”

“Right,” he says, smiling like this is the most natural end to a date ever. “Well, take care, Olivia. It was… interesting to meet you.”

I don’t even manage to respond before he’s out the door. And just like that, he’s gone. I sit there for a second, feeling the throb of disappointment mix with a dull ache building at my temples. Seven dates, all of them dead ends. I feel foolish for letting myself get my hopes up, even a little.

A few deep breaths later, I reach into my bag and pull out my phone. I don’t even hesitate as I dial Heather’s number, lifting the phone to my ear.

“Liv?” she answers, sounding surprised. “What’s up?”

“About what you said earlier,” I say. “I think I might bring forward my plans, after all. Listen, you were right. I need to get out of here. I need a break from… all of this.”

There’s a beat of silence on the other end, and then she practically squeals. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

I smile, feeling a little of my tension release. “Yep. I’m coming home.”

“Oh my god, yes! Liv, this is the best news! I’ll get the spare key ready, and I’m calling my neighbor to set it all up. And don’t worry, my fish will love the company.”

Despite everything, I laugh. “Thanks, Heather. I just need a few days… away from everything here. I’ll text you my flight details.”

“Perfect! This is going to be amazing. Trust me, you won’t regret it.”

As I hang up, a strange calm settles over me. I’m leaving the chaos, the pressure, the empty dating scene, even if it’s just for a little while.

I call my managing director, Ian. He sounds confused when he picks up. “What’s up?”

“I have an idea.”

“Are we selling?”

“No, we’re going to have to put a pause on that. I’m going back to my hometown tomorrow.”

CHAPTER 2

ETHAN

I’m halfwaythrough a riff when my phone starts vibrating on the amp beside me. The screen lights up with three names stacked in a group chat:Cam, Jesse, Marco.Which means it’s either band practice rescheduling or someone sending memes at 2 p.m.

I hit pause on my guitar and pick up the phone, reading the message thread:

Cam:Yo, Ethan. We gotta talk.

Three ominous words.We gotta talk.Never a good sign, and definitely not a band reschedule.

I sigh, hitting the call button. Cam picks up on the first ring.

“Hey, man,” he says, a little too chipper.

“Cam,” I say slowly. “If this is about that thing with the speaker wires last week, I swear it wasn’t my fault.”

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