Page 28 of The Midseason Fakeout

“I guess I don’t make a bad fake girlfriend, then.”

“Not too shabby,” he says, winking.

On instinct, I move to my dresser and spray my perfume, rubbing it in at my wrists and below my ears.

“Mmm, I’ve missed you wearing that.”

I still. “Yeah?”

“It’s soyou,” he says quietly as I glance over my shoulder to find him looking slightly uncomfortable. “I just like it, I guess. I don’t miss the old clothes you used to wear or anything like that. Only the perfume.”

Noted, I think. Keep the perfume. One day, I want someone to look at me like Aidan is right now, but not be faking it at all.

“Why’d you change what you wear, anyway? Not that it’s a bad idea. It was a great one, actually.”

“Those other clothes weren’t me,” I explain. “They were my mom. I’m trying to figure out whatmystyle is. I like the comfortable chic look.”

“Leggings look amazing on you,” he says, dropping his gaze to my ass.

I give it a little shake. “Someone is pouring it on thick tonight. Thankfully, I’ll be your built-in cockblock because you might be too feisty.”

“Nah, just calling it like I see it.”

A bang sounds on the door. “If you guys are screwing in there, I’m moving out. I thought we were going to a party?”

I grumble and race to the door. After flinging it open, I glower at my brother with hands on hips, but he has his goofy grin on his face. “Kidding, but are we going to the party? I need the top man on campus to be my wingman.”

“You never had any problems getting girls.”

“Yeah, but I won’t have to work as hard if I can use your notoriety.”

“You guys are sick,” I state.

“Sick, yet efficient.” Darrin shrugs. He moves out of my way as I walk down the hall. “I was going to take a picture of us all to send to Mom and Dad, but you probably don’t want them to see what you’re wearing.”

My stomach churns, and for a moment, I think about changing. I have to really fight against the urge to make her happy. “Don’t worry,” I call back. “I’ll make sure to get a picture of whatever trash you end up with, and then I’ll always look like the better option of the two.”

“She’s got you there, bro,” Aidan says in my defense.

I turn, grinning at him. “See?”

Darrin points between the two of us. “I don’t like this partnering situation we got going on. It’s supposed to be me and Aidan against you.”

Aidan claps him on the back. “Sorry, dude, you don’t have the pussy.”

Darrin pales, and I have to hold back a laugh. “Neither does my sister. I swear to God I will shut your hand in a car door. Let’s see you play football with some broken bones.”

“You wouldn’t do that to me. I’m your best friend.”

Aidan walks past Darrin and throws his arm across my shoulders. Leaning close, I notice he breathes in my perfume. The euphoric look on his face spurs my brother on even more.

“I might have to revoke your title.”

For a moment, Aidan appears stricken. In the next moment, though, he laughs it off. “I thought you needed my quarterback notoriety to get laid?”

Darrin follows us outside. “You’re right. I take it all back.”

Aidan grins at me, and all of this seems so real. The banter. The experience. Like in another universe, I could actually be dating my brother’s best friend and this is exactly how it would be—my brother weirded out, Aidan using any chance he gets to make sure he’s weirded out, and me just laughing along with them.

---