Page 54 of Faking with Three

A grin spreads across my face. “I knew you’d come around.”

Ethan points a finger at me. “But no games, Jax. This isn’t about stroking your ego or mine. We call it off if Olivia figures out what we’re doing and feels weird about it. Agreed?”

“Agreed,” I say, holding out a hand.

Ethan shakes it, but the competitive glint in his eyes tells me he’s already planning his next move. Good. Because so am I.

CHAPTER 16

OLIVIA

I’m standingin front of the winery, squinting up at its elegant façade, all rustic stone and ivy-covered charm. Beyond it, endless rows of grapevines stretch into the horizon.

It's the kind of place that makes you feel underdressed no matter what you wear—even though, thanks to a flowy sundress and sandals, I'm technically not.

“So… a double date,” I say, folding my arms. “Whose brilliant idea was this again?”

Ethan, standing closest, raises his hand with a self-satisfied grin. “That would be me.”

“Shocking,” I deadpan.

“Oh, come on, Chase,” Jax cuts in, his voice smooth and teasing. “You’re not seriously complaining, are you? Two dates in one day. You should be flattered.”

“I’m one lucky lady,” I deadpan.

“Really, Chase?” Marcus mutters from behind me, his voice carrying a thread of exasperation. “You signed up forthis?” He looks and sounds annoyed which is surprising because he was the most reluctant to be on this side of the screen.

“First of all,” I reply, turning to him, “I didn’t sign up for anything. Ethan ambushed me with this plan.”

“Ambushed is a bit harsh,” Ethan cuts in, his grin widening. “I prefer… inspired.”

“More like desperate,” Jax quips, his eyes flicking to Ethan like a challenge. “You’re sweating, man. Afraid I’m gonna outshine you?”

“Outshine me?” Ethan scoffs, leaning casually against the stone archway. “This isn’t high school hockey, Jax.”

“Yeah,” Jax says, his smirk growing as he takes a slow step closer. “Because I’ve already won.”

I roll my eyes so hard I’m surprised they don’t fall out of my head. “Okay, can we dial it down a notch? This is supposed to be fun, remember? You know, like wine and good vibes? Not… whatever this is.”

Neither of them answers, but their smug expressions remain firmly in place. I sigh and glance at Marcus, who’s looking at me. His frown fades when our gazes meet. I look away, feeling my stomach flip impossibly as my mind flashes back to the night where he had me, my legs perched on his shoulders as he drove into me again and again.

Fuck. We haven’t talked since that night. He’s definitely taking the encounter better than either Jax or Ethan, probably because my walking out of his apartment without an explanation probably hurt his ego, or he isn’t that interested in me. The latter thought leaves me with a bitter taste in my mouth. What am I even doing here?

“I picked this place,” Ethan says. “Look how gorgeous it is. No wrong decisions here.”

“Only because they gave us a sponsorship,” Marcus says. I look at him. Okay, since when did he give into pettiness.

“A pretty sweet one at that,” Ethan says. “We’re set even if we don’t make another episode for a few months.”

“Listen, Liv. This is going to be great. You’ve got two completely different dates planned today. Jax and I have both gone all out for this.”

“You mean you’ve gone all out to one-up each other,” I mutter.

“Same thing,” Jax says with a wink.

I sigh again, glancing between the two of them. Their energy is competitive but not hostile—more like two boys trying to outdo each other on the playground. It’s almost… endearing? I push that thought aside and focus on the task at hand.

“So,” I say, folding my arms. “What exactly is the plan?”

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