Page 43 of Fake It Till You Break It
“Don’t thank me. Thank him.” She jabbed her thumb over her shoulder at Ben, who was beaming at both of us. “He wouldn’t stop gushing every day about how great you are. I guess I’ll see you at rehearsal tomorrow.”
“Of course! I’ll be here early.” My voice was muffled as Ben grabbed me tightly for a hug.
“Congratulations! Guess you’ll be onstage with me sooner than we thought. At least for the rehearsals. Should I get your autograph now while I still can?” He pretended to fumble as he searched his pockets for a pen.
I laughed. “I think we still have some time before that happens. But it’s all thanks to you.”
“You don’t need to thank me.” He cleared his throat. “Maybe you could go out with me this Friday night instead.”
I blinked at him for a moment until his words sank in. “This Friday?”
“Yeah, I mean, unless you’re busy…”
This was it. My dream guy was asking me out on the same day that I got a part in a musical. Two impossible things in one day. I should be jumping up and down for joy right now.
Just two weeks ago, I would have leaped at the chance to date Ben. It didn’t matter that Mom would never allow me to. I would have found a way no matter what. But why couldn’t I bring myself to say yes? And why did Jake’s face keep popping into my head? And his kiss. At. This. Exact. Moment.
That kiss with Jake was throwing me off. Haunting me. And for no good reason. Sure, it was a good kiss. An amazingly damn good kiss. But it didn’t actuallymeananything. After all, we were doing all of this to get out of each other’s lives. That’s it. Nothing else.
And now I had a chance to go on a date with Ben. He was handsome and kind, and he helped me get a part in themusical. Even if he weren’t my dream guy, I could still take him out to thank him. I’d be an idiot if I didn’t. And I was definitelynotan idiot.
I shoved all thoughts of Jake, that kiss, and everything else that was bothering me out of my head and smiled up at Ben. “I’d be glad to.”
JAKE
MY PHONE BEEPEDwith a text while I was slicing the tomatoes at work. I glanced over to check it and couldn’t help grinning at the goofy picture of Mia holding a bound book over her head like a heavyweight champ.
MIA:Get ready to see me onstage in a couple of weeks. I expect a bouquet of roses and a Twinkie to congratulate me.
MIA:Kidding. Make it a box.
I laughed at that, but I was glad for her. Maybe I should treat her to ice cream or something to celebrate later. At that parlor on Third Street. We hadn’t gone there in a while, but they always had those weird flavors Mia loved to try, like goat cheese and mint with olive oil drizzle topping. Blah. Those things belonged on a salad. Not ice cream. Why eatthat when you could get something that was actually good, like chocolate chip?
My phone buzzed again with a video from Mia. I clicked on it, and my smile faded when I saw Finn’s face. Singing and grinning right into the camera. At me.
It was a recording that someone shot on one of the cruise ships. I don’t know which one, and I have no clue how Mia even found this video. Finn was covering one of Adam Levine’s songs. He’d been a Maroon Five fan since we were kids. He even loved the old songs that no one ever heard of.
He looked… happy. A part of me still resented the fact that he could be happy while he ditched Mom and me and made our lives hell for a while. But there was no denying that he looked happy. Content as he sang to the audience. He even did a little solo on the piano beside him. And the longer I watched him, the less I could stay angry. Especially at all the memories of him that came rushing back to me.
As I replayed the video, Mom’s comments from the night before drifted through my head. And my promise to Mia. She looked so excited in that picture that it almost made me jealous. I couldn’t even remember the last time I was that excited about anything. Maybe I should try to give music another shot. I mean, I didn’t have to pack up and leave like Finn, but I could still do something. Anything.
I could even start off with that festival.
My thumb scrolled back and forth between the video of Finn singing and Mia’s happy face before I made my decision.
ME:Hey, Rose, do you mind sending me the festival coordinator’s number?
ROSE:Nope, too late. I’ve badgered you for weeks. Now the window has closed.
ME:Seriously?
ROSE:Nah. I’ll send you her contact right now. What made you change your mind?
ME:I don’t know. Just did.
ROSE:Sure. Well, be sure to thank Mia when you make it big.
Snorting, I started to type out a bunch of denials, but Rose’s next words made me stop.
