Page 102 of Even Exchange

“Yep.” She nods.

We check out, get in Andi’s car, and head back to camp.

“So how are you feeling, all things Noah considered?” she asks.

I rest my head against the seat, memories of our sex lessons fresh. My body is light. Weightless. Pleasantly sore.

“Good,” I say with a satisfied smile.

“Are you two still pretending it’s all fake?”

“Andi!” I snap my gaze to her. “We are not pretending.”

“So you’re not faking that you’re faking it?”

“We’re not…” My brows pull together. “Huh?”

She rolls her eyes with a laugh. “And this, my friend, is what they call idiots to lovers.”

“Idiots to what?”

She waves me off. “You’ll realize what I mean soon enough.”

We roll under the wooden sign for Camp Dickson and quickly find a spot. I glance at my phone.

Noah

I’ve gotta leave in twenty, you back yet?

Me

Yes, where are you?

Noah

Heading to my cabin

“Would you mind taking my stuff?” I ask Andi as we get out of the car. “I want to catch Noah before he leaves for a meeting in Tampa.”

“No problem,” she says, and I hand her the small bag.

The sun shines on my face, and I can’t help but smile.

Sure, my boyfriend’s fake and the sex is just lessons.

But if this is an illusion, I hope we stay in it forever.

19

NOAH

“You should take me as your date instead,” Theo says, scrolling through pages of gowns on an iPad as we walk towards my cabin.

“What about me?” Elijah asks, batting his eyelashes and throwing an arm around my shoulder. “Come on, darlin’, you know you want some arm candy.”

“I’m the one who grew up going to these fancy things,” Theo scoffs. “Why do you think I’ve been appointed to find Char the perfect dress?”

“Because you vetoed all Noah’s choices till he threw the iPad in your face?”

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