Page 185 of The Friend Situation

“That cloud is shaped like a heart.” Weston points up at it with one hand while his fingers thread through my hair, loosely twisting strands. “It’s a good omen.”

I smile, listening to the calming water. Am I enjoying our last time together?

I hiccup, realizing I’m headed to Wastedville. The bottle is over half empty.

“Oh no,” I whisper, sitting upright, my head spinning.

“Exactly my thoughts,” Weston says, glancing at it. “This tastes like shit.”

“Does the job,” I say as we drink it like we’re parched.

When my face grows numb, I know it’s time to finish this unavoidable conversation.

“Okay, it’s showtime. You were at the part where Lena wanted revenge and you hid my identity from her,” I tell him, meeting his gaze.

“Oh, right.” He gives me a small smile. “After LuxLeaks was on my radar, I read every article you’d published. Your words became my refuge and made me realize I was being manipulated. So many were too damn afraid to speak the truth. But not you. LadyLux gave no fucks and backed claims with receipts. It started spreading around our social circle, and everyone eventually turned on Lena.”

I let out a ragged breath. “Wow.”

“While I protected your identity, I learned everything I could about you. I had Brody follow you to ensure you weren’t dangerous orindanger. I learned you worked at the W, and that was how you gained access to so much private information. Genius, actually.”

An eternity passes between us.

“Say something,” he urges.

“How long was I followed?” I ask.

“Years,” he admits.

I stare up at the clouds. “Was it all a lie? Did you trick me into falling in love with you?”

Deep blue eyes bore into mine. “Do you feel that way about Easton and Lexi? Is their relationship any less real because we planned when they’d meet?”

The question catches me off guard, but I contemplate it, knowing that neither of us could’vemadethem fall in love. We knew they were compatible. It made our job easy. Their love is the real deal. Undeniably so.

Weston continues combing his fingers through my hair. “We don’t get to choose who we fall in love with. You know that.”

I sigh. “Damn you and your logic.”

“Also, my goal wasneverto date you. And I wasn’t supposed tofall in love with you.” Weston’s fingers trail up my arm until his palm rests on my cheek. He sits up, keeping my head propped in his lap. Sunshine beams behind him, and he looks down at me like he’s the angel of death.

When he smiles, my heart does a pitter-patter, and I know I’m in too deep with him. There is no life jacket, and I’ve been treading water since we met, hoping I’d survive him. I will, won’t I?

The question lingers in my gaze as I stare at his beautiful face. “Why were you at Sluggers?”

Weston swallows hard, the moment growing too intense. “I needed closure. I needed to see the face of the woman who had saved my life. Just once. But when our eyes met, time stood completely still. Once you spoke to me, I imagined an entire lifetime with you. Being strangers was no longer an option.”

“Weston,” I whisper, looking up at how beautiful he is.

“You dared to be honest when you could’ve lost everything. You risked it all for me. I was no one to you. And I didn’t understand why you cared until I got to know you and your heart. I’m here with you right now because of you,” he says.

“I’m glad. I’m glad I could shake you awake. I was worried you wouldn’t survive her. You lost your spark. It was depressing to watch,” I admit.

“I know.” He nods. “There was one article you wrote—‘When Egotistical Narcissists Marry Rich.’ It was the single thing that woke me up and made me realize I was living in a nightmare. I didn’t understand how I’d let it happen. I was a shell of a human, Carlee. You sawmewhen the world didn’t. I wasn’t invisible to you.”

My voice gets caught in my throat because that was the last article I wrote about Weston. I tried to save him. There had been too many red flags, but he’d married her anyway. I stopped mentioning him until he filed for a divorce.

“I’d pushed away everyone in my life who cared about me.Easton. Billie. Brody. Asher. Harper. They’d warned me, but somehow,yourwords reached me. You saved me,” he says.

---