Page 83 of Ten Rules for Faking It
“Reason two is because—and I hate to break it to you—Chris is definitely not your type if his lover’s name is Noah and if he is, in fact, his brother? Sweetie, turn the car around no matter what kind of heaven he promised you.”
“I hate you. Tell me you’re coming.”
“Already in the car. I never miss out on the booby shake.”
“Please stop,” Everly said, taking a right at the next light.
“Oh no. That’s just not going to happen. Is the brother hot? I thought, for sure, you’d be home by now.”
She gave a quick recap of her evening and then describedNoah without using the wordhot—though, clearly, her friend was a master decoder.
“Sexy and hot. I think I’m going to like Chris’s lover.”
“You have to stop.” The Burger Shack parking lot was crowded, and suddenly Everly’s chest felt that way, too.
“Nope. Rules of friendship state that I must mock you when you give me such straightforward reasons to do so.”
“There is no rule that says that,” Everly said, breathing through her nose.
“You haven’t seen my book.”
“You’ll be here soon?”
“Yup. Order me a chocolate-vanilla shake with Oreos and whipped cream. You’re buying.”
“Obviously.”
Chris and his brother were waiting by the door when Everly approached, feeling very overdressed for the beach-themed restaurant.
Her radar wasn’t the best, but she was pretty sure Chris’s gaze traveled up and down her body with appreciation. Either way, the thought that they might have warmed her skin more than the evening humidity. She’d chosen a pair of pale blue capris, wedge sandals, and a pale pink top that looked sheer but had a darker pink camisole underneath. She’d watched a tutorial on how to do her eyes, and after almost blinding herself with an eyeshadow brush, she was pretty pleased with the result.
“Chris was worried you were going to head home,” Noah said.
Chris shoved him, making Noah laugh. Everly’s face felt warmer than the rest of her body. “Of course not. I said I’d come.”
She held the strap of her purse with one hand and her keys in the other. They dug into her palm, but she ignored the sting. Noah opened the door and held it for them. Chris moved closer and put a hand to her back, leaning down so his breath tickled her ear.
“You don’t have to stay,” he said as they walked forward.
She turned her face when they stopped by the hostess station. “Do you want me to go?” she whispered, very aware of Noah directly behind them. Her skin felt alive and tingly. Why was she so aware of her skin when Chris was near?
“Not even a little bit, but I’m worried you’re going to snap your keys in half.”
Everly bit her bottom lip, loosened her fingers, not sure if it was sweet or just embarrassing that he noticed those little things.
“Where’s your cat?” His eyes danced with humor, and her ribs loosened by half.
“Pepper is in my purse,” she whispered back.
“Pepper?” His voice was low.
She closed her eyes, breathed through the accidental slip. When she opened them again, Chris’s gaze had heated. “I named her Pepper Potts.”
His grin blinded her. “She’s kick-ass.”
Everly smiled. “Yes, she is.”
She might not be great at the dating game, but she could feel as well as see the happiness and warmth in the way he looked at her now.
