Page 70 of Even Exchange

His eyes dance with amusement. “Then we’ll make it believable.”

What the hell have I gotten us into?

“You make it seem so easy,” I say, exasperated.

“Itiseasy,” he says, running a hand down my arm in reassurance. “Char, we’re best friends. We talk every day. We spend plenty of time together. What’s the difference?”

“The difference?” I scoff, pacing again. “You’re going to have to doboyfriend stuff. Like, I don’t know.” I throw my arms in the air. “Hold my hand and shit.”

“And shit?”

My muscles freeze. “Or just the hand-holding?” I wave him off, stomach tight. “I don’t know.”

“Please, relax.” He takes a step forward, tugging me into his arms. “It’s going to be fine. As far as everyone knows, I’m your boyfriend and you’re my girlfriend.”

“Oh my god.” My heart rate skyrockets. “You have, like, a hundred thousand followers. People are gonna start talking about it, andfuck!”

“I don’t care about that. Posting you as my girlfriend will hopefully keep the thirsty girls out of my DMs.”

My gaze snaps to his. “Is that really a problem you have?”

“I get an unsolicited tit pic a week. At least.” He shakes his head in disbelief, and an uncomfortable feeling settles in my stomach. “Yes, it’s a problem. So as I said, I get the fangirls out of my DMs, and you get to piss off your ex. It’s an even exchange.”

“An even exchange?”

“Yes,” he says, tucking a hair behind my ear, and I shiver. “Anevenexchange.”

“Have you really thought this through?”

“I think everything through.” He grins, and it’s the truth. Noah Caruso doesn’t so much as pick what he’s eating for dinner without thinking it through. “It’s going to be fine.”

Accepting his thought-out reply, I concede, my muscles relaxing for the first time in an hour. “Thank you.”

“How many times do I have to tell you not to thank me for doing things I enjoy?”

“You’llenjoyfake dating me?” I ask, unable to stop the smile now spreading acrossmyface.

“I might,” he says, cheeks blushing pink.

“Fine,” I say, trying not to read too much into his response. “Thenyou’rewelcome for evicting the punt bunnies in your DMs.”

“Punt bunnies?”

“Yeah, like puck bunnies but for football.”

“Well, thanks for rescuing me from the punt bunnies,” he says, pulling me in for a hug.

“Any time.” I lean into his chest, breathing him in.

Basil. Cedarwood. Home.

14

NOAH

“Wait a second,” Charlotte says, pulling away to look up at me. “Why are you even here?”

The corners of my lips quirk upward as I fight a smile. “I’m coaching this summer.”

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