Page 4 of The Midseason Fakeout

Her tone implies more than just talking. My brain is screamingno, no, no. That’s not what we do with our best friend’s sister.But my body says something completely different.

Where the hell did all that resolve about swearing off of girls just go?

“As long as you don’t ever say it like that again.” Darrin gives us both a disgusted look, then peers down at our joined hands, shaking himself like he got a chill.

He walks off in the opposite direction, and my mouth nearly comes unhinged when he disappears from view. I turn to Bailey. “What the fuck was that?”

“I have a teeny, tiny favor to ask you.”

She grins at me, hopeful, and I already know I can’t say no.

Lucky me, the universe drops the perfect representation of my spank bank right in front of me.

I shake my head.Good thing she’s off-limits because staying away from her might be a problem.

2

BAILEY

SeeingAidan again sends goose bumps through my whole body.

He leads me up the stairs to his dorm room. I have no idea how I’m going to explain to him that us dating just kind of popped out in front of everyone, and now I need him to agree. For my own sanity. For my own happiness. My whole future is at risk.

…Maybe. I’ve been known to be dramatic.

While I walk next to him, I have the perfect opportunity to take him in after not seeing him for years.

Damn.

His forearms got bigger. More muscular, like a man’s arm, not the boy’s arms I’m used to seeing on him. Nerves pulse through me, and I’m suddenly super intimidated. He’s taller than I remembered, towering over me now. I’m like a little girl running to catch up to him—but maybe that’s because I’m too busy ogling him to worry about keeping pace.

Finally, my toes in these stupid boots get a reprieve when we reach his room. He pushes the door open, and I blink at my surroundings. His dorm is smaller than I imagined it would be. Two beds are on opposite sides of the room, pushed against the walls. The bed on the right has a desk next to it, while the bed on the left has a desk at the foot of it. Comparatively, this room is so much worse than the alternative place that I refuse to go to, but somehow, it’s better. It feels cozy. Real.

So, this is where normal kids go to school?

I’m impressed. Like super-duper impressed, and I can’t get the gooey smile off my face. I itch to touch all the things. From the pint-size refrigerator to the sports posters hanging on the walls. This is so…college.

Aidan clears his throat, and I turn to find him staring at me. I suck in a breath. His blue eyes are like topaz fire. His brown hair shines with a golden hue. Unfortunately, his voice isn’t laced in awe, mimicking the current feelings zipping through me. “Please tell me why I just lied to my best friend out there.” He points in the direction of what I’m guessing is the entrance to the dorm, but really, I’m lost. I was so preoccupied checking out his new muscular build that I couldn’t get out of this dorm if I tried.

“Don’t be mad.”

His eyes widen, clouding over in a thunderous haze.

“I said don’t be mad.”

He laughs incredulously. “Bailey, give me something to go on here. I don’t understand why your brother thinks we’re together. Like, together, together.”

I rub up and down my arms, trying to smooth down the goose bumps that’d sprung up when he saidtogether. “That’s because I told him we were.” I look away so I don’t have to see his face when I tell him the next part. “And Mom and Dad, too.”

“You told— Youwhat?”

My eyes shudder for a moment, but then I walk forward. “Okay, please, please hear me out. You know how my mom and dad are. They were talking about sending me to this fancy private college and suddenly, I could see my whole life laid out before me. Marry some guy I meet at college. He’ll probably work for my dad. He’ll probably be shit in the bedroom. I’ll pop out kids to make my parents happy. We’ll go on one vacation a year that lasts two weeks, and the other fifty weeks, I’ll be wishing we were on vacation because at least I get a change of scenery and a chance to look at pool boys.” I take a deep breath, my heart hammering while I wait for his response.

The look he gives me would be funny if I wasn’t pouring my heart out to him here. His eyebrows scrunch adorably, mouth hanging open.God, he’s got kissable lips.I’ve always thought so, but I was just Bails, the younger sister always around like an unwanted toy.

And now I’m asking him to pretend to date me.

This is so not going well.

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