Page 100 of Faking It Right
Fenway laughed. “For real?”
“Oh, yeah.” Harley enjoyed the story far too much for my comfort. “According to her, they’ve been everything from Mongolian yak herders to French Revolution executioners.”
“That’s wild,” Gage said, shaking his head. “Your mom really knows how to pick ’em.”
“The best part was when Maylin got furious and stormed out to her backup date waiting in the car. That guy was as batshit bonkers as her with the reincarnation obsession, but also a cosplaying sex god. Look at this guy.” Harley pulled out his phone, eager toshow off Baxter’s social media photos.
Jagger gave an impressed whistle. “Holy shit, this guy is ridiculously hot. And talented.” He tilted the phone toward Bryce. “Check him out as a Baroque-era nobleman.”
Bryce’s voice dropped to an appreciative murmur. “The brocade jacket is open just enough to show off those perfect abs I’d like to lick. The way the fabric catches the light accentuates every curve and contour. He must be loaded to afford that kind of baroque noble finery. I’d expect to see that level of quality strutting down a Paris couture runway.”
Jagger nodded in agreement. “Damn, I’d climb him like a tree and wouldn’t come down until next Tuesday.” He scrolled to another photo. “And look at this one from some beach in Fiji. All that sun-kissed skin on display. The things I’d do to that manwould make Fenway run out of the room to preserve his straight sanity.”
As everyone laughed, Senna reached across the coffee table. “Let me see,” she insisted, making grabby hands. When Bryce relinquished the phone, she let out a low whistle as she flipped through more photos. “Damn. That medieval alchemist getup is incredible. Talk about dedication to the aesthetic.Wow.”
“This guy was waiting in the car for Maylin during your date?” Fenway asked, peering over Senna’s shoulder. “And he believes you were all reincarnated together?”
“Yep,” Harley confirmed with a cheeky grin. “That’s Baxter. According to Maylin, they’ve been on a centuries-long quest for their third.”
“Their third?” Gage asked, accepting the phone from Senna. “Like a throuple situation?”
“Exactly,” I said, still feeling awkward about the whole thing. “Maylin was convinced I was their missing piece.”
“Damn, he was barking up the wrong tree, then,” Gage said with a laugh.
Jagger pulled out his phone. “I’m following him immediately. What’s his handle?”
“@PastLifePlayboy,” Harley replied. “One word.”
“Ugh, so cringy,” I groaned, rolling my eyes.
“Don’t be jealous,” Harley teased, giving my knee a playful squeeze. “He might be pretty, but you’re cuter.”
“I’m not jealous,” I protested, though I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of something uncomfortable watching our friends fawn over Baxter’s photos.
“I’m sorry, but this is too much,” Senna declared, already typing on her phone. “I need to follow him right now. For research purposes.”
“Research?” I questioned with a skeptical eyebrow arch.
“Yes, research on his historical accuracy. And his abs. Mostly the abs.”
“His latest post is from yesterday,” Bryce said, still scrolling through Baxter’s feed on his own phone. “He just announced he’s launching a travelogue channel where he’ll post long videos of his historical site visits dressed as his past lives, explaining the historical context, and how he makes his cosplay.”
“I’m subscribing immediately,” Jagger declared. “Do you think he does private photo shoots? I’d shell out some serious cash to see him as a Spartan warrior.”
“Please do it for me,” Bryce pleaded, clasping his hands together in exaggerated prayer.
“Down, boy,” Gage said. “Though I must admit, the historical accuracy is impressive. There’s one where he’s a Silk Road merchant with actual antique trading goods.”
“He’s got serious dedication,” Harley agreed. “Look at this one, where he’s a Mongolian horse archer. There’s a video of him showing off traditional archery techniques. That’s real dedication.”
“I’m definitely following him,” Bryce declared. “For the costume inspiration, obviously, and because he’s the hottest thing I’ve seen since looking in the mirror this morning.”
Everyone laughed at that, and I couldn’t help but join in despite my lingering discomfort.
“Wait,” Fenway interjected, glancing up from his phone. “This guy and Maylin actually believe they’ve been together across all these past lives?”
“Absolutely,” I confirmed. “They’ve crafted elaborate backstories for each one, which you can see on his posts.”
