Page 15 of The Summer We Played Pretend

“Well, she wasn’t…that is…” Brendan’s blush deepens, and I struggle not to laugh.

“Are you ready to go, baby? We’ll miss the movie if we don’t hurry.”

Jackson glances down at me, an unspoken question in his eyes. I look up at him, feeling the weight of the moment between us. In that split second, I make a choice—one fueled by frustration, hurt, and maybe a hint of longing.

“Yes,” I say firmly, surprising even myself. “Yes, I am.”

I have all the answers I need from Brendan. He’s a coward, and I can’t say it doesn’t still hurt to know he cheated on me and threw away years of planning, but I think I can finally see it now—he’s definitely not worth any more of my time.

Chapter Seven

Jackson

The hum of the engine fills my ears as I navigate the familiar streets of Elmwood Glen, the warm sun filtering through the truck windows. Chloe sits beside me, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her sundress. The air between us feels thick with unspoken words, the weight of our encounter with Brendan still lingering.

I shouldn’t have done it. I shouldn’t have said a damned thing. Now I’ve made things super weird.

I glance over at Chloe. She stares out of the window, totally silent. I want to say something, but I don’t know what. I was always better at actions than words.

“Uh, Jackson…?” Chloe's voice breaks the silence, soft and hesitant. “Thanks.” Her throat bobs. “For pretending to be my boyfriend back there, I mean. It made me feel safer, having you by my side.”

Her words catch me off guard.Boyfriend.Not once in all my years of knowing Chloe did I ever think I could be her boyfriend.

I like the sound of it far too much.

“You know I've always got your back.”

A small smile tugs at the corners of her lips, and for a moment, the tension in the car dissipates. “I know. You're a good friend, Jackson. I don't know what I'd do without you.”

Friend.The word echoes in my mind. I think I preferredboyfriend.

I force a grin. “Hey, what are fake boyfriends for, right?”

Chloe laughs. “Right. The best fake boyfriend a girl could ask for.”

The tension eases from the air, but it’s still thick in my chest. I can't help but steal glances at Chloe. I don’t know how she’s kept it together. I’ve never really done long-term relationships, but if I’d discovered a girlfriend of two years was cheating on me, I don’t know that I’d be so composed. She's always been stronger than she gives herself credit for.

As we near her house, disappointment swirls in my gut. I don’t want this to end, I realize. I want to shield her from the pain, to take away the hurt that Brendan caused. But I know Chloe, and I know she'll come out of this even stronger than before. She's a fighter, through and through.

She doesn’t need me. Not really.

Chloe turns to me. “So, Jackson, what about you? Is your love life better than mine? Am I going to ruin your chances with someone if word gets out about what just happened?”

My heart skips a beat, and I grip the steering wheel a little tighter. Images of Chloe flood my mind.

Shit.

I’ve been trying so hard to control my change in feelings for her over the past year or so and now I’m failing completely.

But I can't tell her that, not now, not when she's still reeling from her breakup with Brendan.

I clear my throat, trying to buy myself some time. “Me? Nah, I'm just focusing on the garage right now. You know how it is, always something that needs fixing.”

Chloe tilts her head. “Really? I find that hard to believe. You're a catch, Jackson Whitaker. Any girl would be lucky to have you.”

Damn. I can feel the heat rising in my cheeks. Am I really freakin’ blushing? I risk a glance in her direction, our eyes meeting for a brief, charged moment. There's something there, a flicker of an emotion I can't quite name, but it's gone as quickly as it appeared.

“A catch? I don’t think I’ve ever been called that before.” Trouble, maybe. Rough around the edges definitely. Never a catch. I laugh, a little too loudly, trying to dispel the tension. “I don’t know if I’m going to find my dream girl in this town, Chlo.”

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