Page 28 of Drum Me Away
“You’ve been touring together and playing together and even living together, and you aren’t even friends? And yet, the entire world believes you are lovers.”
I nodded. “Guess we’re really good actors, huh?”
“Given how incredibly awesome of a fake boyfriend he is, do you really think he’s been acting this whole time?”
That comment took a really long time to sink in. I’d never thought of it that way before. Even that fateful day when he suggested we should try on this charade for real and I’d shot him down so succinctly, I hadn’t put any thought into the reasons behind his ask.
I’d only had headspace for my own fear of relationships.
And I’d not allowed myself to even consider it since.
“Holy shit,” I practically breathed, lifting my gaze to collide with Maria’s.
She smirked.
Riley called out, “Choo choo!”
The sliding glass door opened, a gust of wind swirling through the space as Lucas stepped into the room, shirt and shorts soaked through with sweat, his damp hair pulled back into a man bun, his face and all those muscles glistening.
“Damn,” Maria said.
“Hey,” Lucas said between gasping breaths.
Riley waved at him, and his face split into a grin that momentarily stole my breath away.
“Hi,” he said, waving back at the toddler à la Forrest Gump.
“Riley,” Maria said, “that’s your uncle Lucas. He’s a famous rock star.”
“Hi,” Riley said, and then resumed playing with her train.
“Uncle Lucas?” he asked.
Maria made a pitiful attempt at feigning innocence. “The band is obviously Faith’srealfamily, so it seems appropriate.”
“Okay,” he said, sounding uncertain. He jabbed his thumb over his shoulder. “I’m going to shower. When I’m done, I’ll make us an early lunch.”
“That sounds lovely,” Maria said, but as soon as the bathroom door closed, she stood and began loading all the toys back into her monstrous purse.
“What are you doing?” I asked, a slight edge of panic to my voice. I was not ready to be alone with Lucas. Not after that conversation Maria and I just had.
“Leaving. And may I suggest you strip down to nothing and slip into that shower with him? I doubt he locked the door.”
My cheeks burned. “It’s not like that.”
“I know. But it could be.”
I shook my head. “No. He wants out.”
“Of the fake relationship.”
“If he were interested in a real one, why get out of the fake one?” I argued.
“Because it’s fake. And I’m assuming, based on how tightly strung you are, that you aren’t taking advantage of the benefits a real relationship offers. He probably wants to get laid. And he probably wants to know what it feels like to fall in love. For real.”
“That’s exactly what he wants. With someone else.”
Except he’d told me he didn’t have a girlfriend. So what was this sudden rush to end things with me?
