Page 24 of Forget Me Not

“Yeah, you will, kiddo,” Kade answers for me before I have the chance. I look up, expecting to see his attention on Willow, but again it’s on me. It feels like it’s always on me and my heart inflates a little at the thought.

After saying goodbye, I let Kade guide me out of the backyard. His hand lying gently but firmly on my lower back, so low that if he moved it even an inch lower, it would be on my ass. Heat courses through my veins at the thought and goose bumps rise on my skin.

The car ride home is silent. Neither one of us wanting to acknowledge what happened, almost happened, is happening. He pulls up to my apartment building, finds a spot and puts the car in park. It’s already dark out. The barbecue didn’t start until five, but Demi and I didn’t get there until almost seven. The hours went by quicker than I thought, making it already nine p.m. by the time we pull up to the building.

“So, what do my fake girlfriend duties consist of now?” I try to lighten the mood before I leave the car. He chuckles under his breath, and I breathe a sigh of relief at the sound.

“Well, as your fake boyfriend, I should probably at least walk you to your door.” He turns off the car and gets out. He comes around my side and opens the door.

“Such a gentleman,” I tease.

“Sometimes,” he mumbles, closing the door behind me and following me into the building.

His hand finds my lower back again as he ushers me up the stairs to the second floor. A part of me, inside, screams at the small gesture, knowing that there aren’t any eyes on us at the moment. That it’s specifically for me.

“You know, if your ex really is a crazy stalker, we should probably be seen together in public if she’s ever going to leaveyou alone,” I say as we reach the door to my apartment. I’m not sure why I say it. I should be doing everything I can to get farther away from him, yet all I want to do is get closer. I turn around to face him, leaning my back against it instead of opening it.

“You’re probably right,” he says. “Give me your phone.” I pull the small device out of my purse and unlock it before handing it to him. I watch as he saves his number before dialing himself to make sure he has mine.

“So now what? You just text me?” I ask as he hands me back my phone.

“Yeah, Lo. I’ll text you.” He chuckles and the sound is like liquid gold running through my veins. He moves to walk away, heading toward the stairs. But just before he reaches the door, he turns around to look at me one more time.

“Oh, and just for the record, when I do text you, it’ll have absolutely nothing to do with Kayla. Only you.” He smirks at the blush now running up my chest and cheeks. “Go inside, Lo.”

I turn around without another word, closing and locking the door behind me.

I move like I’m in a trance. Checking on Demi, showering, and getting ready for bed. “Only you” is what he left me with. I don’t know whether to be elated or terrified. I crawl into bed, grabbing my phone to plug it into the charger, when I see a text lit up on the screen.

Kade: Sweet dreams, baby girl.

I smile at the text, plugging my phone in without responding. For the first time in as long as I can remember, I feel a happiness that I may want to try and keep. Now I’m definitely terrified.

CHAPTER

TWELVE

Logan

“I’m confused,” Demi says from where she sits on the couch, a bowl of popcorn bigger than her head in her lap. “You’re going on a date.” She pauses for effect. “With my brother?”

“A fake date,” I explain. “He’s just trying to convince his ex-girlfriend that he’s moved on so that she leaves him alone.”

“And the role of fake girlfriend is being portrayed by you, his little sister’s roommate, and best friend, because?” she asks. “I don’t really care what you guys are doing. It just seems strange that you went from me having to beg you to go to the barbecue last week because his ‘presence irritated you,’ and now you’re going on a date with him.”

“Fake date,” I clarify again.

“Oh, fuck off. You get my point.” She looks at me, waiting for an explanation that I honestly don’t have for her.

I’m just as shocked as she is that I agreed to this. The day after the barbecue, it was radio silence from Kade following his good-night text. I had never texted him back, not knowing what I would even say if I wanted to respond. When a second day went by without communication on either of our ends, I figured that maybe he was over the idea and was dealing with it on his own.Then on day three, he finally texted me. Just a simple “what are you doing Wednesday night?”

Wednesday being my day off work, I barely thought about it before replying that I wasn’t busy. He replied, saying he’d pick me up at six and to dress casually. I immediately started freaking out, completely forgetting why I even agreed to this in the first place. Now here I am, still freaking out, about to go on a date with my best friend’s brother.Fake date, Logan.

I’m dressed casually like he told me to be. I have on a pair of light-wash, straight-leg boyfriend jeans that are cute but also comfortable, a white crop top with flounce sleeves and a sweetheart neck, and white high-top Converse. My hair is in its natural waves and my makeup is a light, natural look as well. I look decent enough without looking like I tried too hard.

“Wrong place, wrong time.” I shrug, answering Demi’s question the only way I know how to.

“When was the last time you’ve even been on a date, Lo?” I think back to the last date I went on, knowing it was an embarrassingly long time ago. Dating has always seemed like a waste of time to me. There’s either awkward small talk while you try to get to know someone or an asshole man taking you out to drinks hoping you get wasted enough to consider sleeping with him.

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