Page 16 of Acting Merry
“Yup.”
I turn toward him and clasp my hands in my lap. “By all means, then…tell me all about me, Cole.”
He glances at me with a lopsided smile. He’s a total charmer—a detail I’ve already made note of but underline twice in my head. It makes him perfect for the role he’s playing tonight, but it’s probably a good thing it’sjustfor tonight.
“You’re a nurse,” he says.
“Dental hygienist.”
He shrugs. “A nurse for teeth.”
“Sure, Cole. I’m a tooth nurse. What else?”
“You live in a three-bed, two-bath house on Fircrest Drive.”
“Okay, now you’re just cheating.”
“Your sink leaks—orleaked, I should say, until your super sexy boyfriend fixed it for you—andyour bedroom doesn’t heat as well as the rest of the house.”
There’s no preventing the laugh that comes out of my mouth. “You’re basically an expert on me. And yes, the bedroom is freezing. I feel like that should’ve been included in the seller disclosures.”
“Are you gonna sue me? Your own boyfriend?”
“That depends what type of boyfriend you are tonight.”
He flashes me a big grin. “I’m about to knock your socks off, Reese’s Pieces.”
“That’d be pretty impressive.” I lift my leg to show the socks that peek above the top of my boots. “These socks are wool, and they’reverytight.”
“They’re coming off! Your turn now. What do you know about me?”
I think for a second. WhatdoI know about Cole Bradley?
He’s too attractive for his own good. He also has excellent taste in cologne.
“You’re handy,” I say.
He waits for me to go on.
I think of Bree’s visit to my house and what I learned about him from her. “You don’t do relationships.”
He nods.
“But youdodo fake relationships?”
He smiles. “Can I tell you a secret?”
My heart skips, but I nod calmly.
He leans toward me, his eyes still on the road, and whispers, “You’re my first fake girlfriend.”
I put a hand over my heart. “I’m truly honored.”
“Youshouldbe. I normally have a strict two-date policy.”
I’m secretly intrigued. I’d been assuming Cole was just someone who naturally got bored of women quickly, but apparently, this is an actual policy he has. That feels different. Loaded, maybe.
“You just couldn’t help yourself when you met me, though,” I say with a dramatic sigh. “Anyone would understand. Except Bree.”
