“Thanks.” She opened the door just as Bubba’s army-green pickup came to a stop out front. “See you tomorrow night!” she said. Bubba was already out of the truck, ready to open the passenger-side door for her. She grinned as she climbed inside, and he shut the door. He looked at Kingston and did a little fist pump, then jumped back into his truck and sped off.
As Kingston started for his Audi, his phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen and smiled. “Hey, Olivia,” he said, slowing his steps. “Thanks for calling me back.”
Silence.
“Olivia?” His smile dimmed when she didn’t respond.
“We need to talk.”
“Sure. I can pick you up and we can talk on the way to my parents’ place—”
“No.” Her voice sounded small.
“Somewhere else?” His jaw jerked. “Just let me know, and I’ll be there.”
“The library. The door is unlocked.”
“I’m on my way.” He hung up, not missing the fact that she’d chosen a neutral location. The library wasn’t open on Sundays, so there would at least be some privacy. Dread stirred in his gut, but it was quickly overridden by worry. Olivia was not fine, and he had to find out why.
***
Kingston whipped into the library parking lot and parked across two empty spaces right in front of the building. He jumped out and hurried toward the entrance, stopping short as he saw Olivia through the glass door. She was standing on the other side, waiting for him. But she didn’t open the door right away. He could see her distraught expression, and his heart pinched. Only glass and steel separated them, but it might as well have been a chasm.
He knocked on the door, even though she knew he was there. Finally, she moved and let him in. He went to her. “Olivia, sweetheart—”
“Don’t.” She held up her hand and moved away from him.
The “sweetheart” had been a slip. An unfortunate one,considering her expression and mood. He kept his distance. “What’s wrong?”
“I can’t do this.” She clasped her hands in front of her, her small feet close together.
“Our relationship?”
“It’s not a relationship!” she snapped. “It’s not real. And now I’m lying to my friends, my family, my...” She pressed her hand over her chest. “Myself.”
He couldn’t stop from moving closer to her, and this time she didn’t resist. He cradled her cheek. “Olivia...”
“You don’t have to pretend,” she said, finally looking at him. “No one’s here to watch.”
“I know.”
***
Olivia couldn’t move. He was gently running his thumb over the top of her cheek, sending her tingles into overdrive. They were the only ones here. There was no reason for him to be touching her. Unless he wanted to. What had made her ever think she could fake being attracted to him? It was impossible. And despite her vow to resist, she melted into his touch.
He pulled back, as if her skin burned his. “Sorry,” he mumbled, moving away.
She was jerked back to reality. She never should have called and asked him to meet her here. She wasn’t even sure why she was here and not at home. But when she’d left the dance studio, she couldn’t bear to go home to her empty house. Aunt Bea wasn’t a viable alternative, sinceOlivia was sure all her aunt would want to talk about was her relationship with Kingston. Her fake relationship that, despite everything, she wished was real.
He stood in front of her, his head tilted, eyes filled with concern. She hadn’t bothered to turn on the lights when she arrived, and she couldn’t feel the calm she always experienced when she was around books. All she felt was pain.
“Do you still want to talk?” he asked.
No, she didn’t want to talk. She wanted what she couldn’t have—him. “I can’t do this anymore,” she said, barely able to speak above a whisper. “I can’t keep pretending and lying to everyone.”
Kingston nodded. “I don’t like lying to them either.”
“We never should have gone through with the plan in the first place. It was an impulsive decision, and now everything is a mess.”
