Page 99 of Ten Rules for Faking It
Stacey gripped her hand. “Then you’re selling yourself short.”
Again, she shrugged, tired of the conversation, of thinking so much. Offeelingso much. “Maybe. But it’s safer.”
[33]
Everly pictured putting her phone down, walking away, coming back in, say, twenty minutes.
“I’m telling you, Evie, that woman staring at another man’s junk is more than I can handle,” her dad ranted, pausing only to take a breath. At least he had survival skills. She wouldn’t want him to pass out from talking too much.
“Sort of like my hard limit isyousaying the wordjunk,Dad. I have to go.” She didn’t really, but she was so tired, she couldn’t even feel guilt. Setting the phone to speaker, she set her dad on the counter, grabbed a bagel, popping it in the toaster.
“How did you get to be such an uptight prude, sweetie?” Laughter tinted his tone.
“Steady diet of parents who overshare, provide condoms, paint nudes, and discuss said nudes.”
Her dad’s chuckle made her smile. “You’re a good girl. How’s the dating going?”
“Almost done. Actually, the listener voting results should be in.” She grabbed her phone, pulling up the station’s website.
Yup. The votes were in. Owen won by a landslide. Everly smiled. He was her choice, too. The fact that thousands of Californians agreed with her boosted her confidence. Shecouldpick a good guy with long-term potential.
“It’s Owen,” she said out loud, forgetting about her dad for a minute.
“Owen. He was the first one, right?”
Everly nodded, remembering he couldn’t see her. “Yes.”
“Who’s your choice?”
Chris.“Owen,” she said somewhat forcefully.
“That’s my girl. Sounds like you’re smitten.”
Her bagel popped just as her doorbell buzzed. “I have to go.”
“Love you, Evie.”
“Love you, too, Dad. Forgive Mom. Move on.”
“Give me marital advice when you make it six months in a relationship, baby girl.”
“Touché.”
Everly disconnected and left her bagel, going to the door. She pressed the button for the intercom. “Hello?”
“It’s Chris.”
Her heart grew wings and freaking fluttered. Everly looked down at her chest.Stupid heart. What is wrong with you?
“Jansen,” he added. She heard the smile in his voice. If she were making a list of reasons why itshouldbe him, his smile would go at the top.
She pressed the release button and unlocked her door so he could let himself in. Going back to her bagel, she spread cream cheese like it was the most important and engaging task on earth, her breath hitching when he knocked once and let himself in.
“Everly?” The door closed.
“In the kitchen. Want a bagel?”Smooth line. Dating queen, indeed.
“I’m good, thanks.”
