Page 17 of Acting Merry
“You laugh now,” he says, “but what happens when you fall in love with me for real?”
I tweak the heater vent so it’s directed toward me. “What, tonight?”
“Judging by the way you checked me out when I got to your house, I’d say you’re already halfway there. And then there’s the way youbeggedfor me back.”
“Right…the begging,” I say in a flat voice.
“But I don’t break my two-date policy for anyone. Not even fake girlfriends.”
“Consider me warned,” I say. “Frankly, though, I’m more worried aboutyoufalling in love withme.”
One of his brows lifts. “Yeah?”
“I mean, you’re basically dragging me on this date. I tried to break up with you, but you wouldn’t let me. Obsessed much?”
“Very much,” he says, smiling.
My heart somersaults at the way he looks at me, like he’s enjoying this just as much as I am. Which is a lot. Maybe too much.
Laney would say that’s impossible.
But that’s the point, right? Make sure tonight’s fun instead of miserable and awkward.
I pull my eyes away from Cole. “We should probably discuss what tonight looks like.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean,” I say like I’m explaining something to a child, “that we’re pretending to be dating when wearen’tactually dating.”
He shrugs. “I’ll be acting like your boyfriend.”
I stare at him, amused. “I have no idea what that means.”
“Youhavehad a boyfriend before, right? This Brody guy, for example.”
“Brady. And yes, I’ve had boyfriends. But you may recall that you and I just met. I have no idea whatactinglike my boyfriendmeans to you. I’ve dated men that hate PDA, and I’ve dated men whose hands may as well have been glued to my body.”
“Let’s not overcomplicate this. We don’t have to plan out every touch and kiss. I’m not going to smother you or be a creep about it, but I plan to make it clear that I’m very, very into you. That’s what you want, right? It’s why I’m here?”
His words squeeze the breath from my lungs—and the part aboutevery touch and kisswrings whatever’s left. I nod to buy time while my lungs reinflate.
“Good,” he says. “And you’re not gonna be weird about it? I can’t sell this on my own.”
I scoff. “I’ll play my part every bit as well as you’ll play yours, okay? You don’t need to worry about me.”
He shoots me a knowing glance. “Because I’ve given you permission to be all over me, huh?”
“Yes, Cole,” I say. “My lifelong fantasies about you are finally coming to pass.”
He grins. “Sicko.” Gripping the steering wheel, he faces forward. “You wanna tell me about your friends now?”
I give him a rundown of the group, but I’m not confident he’ll remember much about the six of them given that he’s had such a hard time remembering Brady’s name.
The traffic has thinned, as have the buildings, which have mostly been replaced by pine trees, low-hangingclouds, and open space. We’re fifteen minutes from the cabin, and my nerves have started to kick in—something I don’t plan to admit to Cole.
He’s so chill about it, but this isn’t his group of friends. He’ll never see them again, so the stakes are low.
“Look,” I say, “I know you’ve got me all figured out already, and I get that you don’t want to choreograph everything, but we should at least know some basics about each other.”
