“Me and your brother…we’re fake dating.”
Livie laughs.She laughs.Like folded over on herself laughs. When I don’t respond in the same manner, she freezes and raises her eyebrows.
“Oh, you’re not lying.” I shake my head.
“Daisy!” Her eyes open wide.
“I know, I know.” I let out a breath. “But you know how your mom is, how Mateo is, and, well, it seemed like a good idea at the time. Now, I’m not too sure.” I bite my lip and watch her ponder something.
“Okay, I’m about to tell you something I haven’t told anyone. I need us to sit down first, though. Come.” She continues walking, this time towards the beach. After we checked in and went to the room, we went straight to the pool, so I hadn’t touched the sand yet. This sand, though? It’s white, almost like powder, and soft. It’s not sticky and one hundred percent makes the contrast with the clear water seem even more drastic. It’s so different from the beaches in Florida, even in the panhandle area. It’s stunning. Livie sits on an empty lounge chair, and as soon as I do the same, she lifts her glasses to rest on her hair with a smile.
“Alex and I fake dated last year.” There’s zero hesitation in her words. It’s a fact, one she’s sharing it with me. Plain and simple, but it’s hard to believe her—Alex and her are completely made for each other.
“What do you mean?”
“It’s a long story, but for similar reasons as you and Mateo. I was tired of Mom asking me to bring a date or toget married or whatever. We hooked up, and after that, we agreed to help each other.”
I’m sure if my eyes get any wider, they’d pop out of my face. “There’s no way. You two are perfect for each other.”
She chuckles. “We are. We truly are, but in reality, everything started with us pretending. Looking back, we should’ve just dated from day one. We had this insane chemistry and connection, you know? But hindsight is a privilege, and I see it clearly now. Which is why I wanted to ask you this… Are you in love with my brother?”
“Livie!” I shout.
“I’m not beating around the bush here, Daisy. We have no time, we need to get back to the wedding celebrations, and we both know my mother is gonna call for us soon. So, are you or are you not in love with my brother?”
What am I supposed to do here? Am I supposed to tell her the truth? A truth I’ve never told anyone, not even my sister? A truth I surely can’t tell my best friends, considering all of them are also best friends with Mateo? Hell, Mateoismy best friend.
“Okaaay, so the silence is telling. Before you say something let me just add, I know you are in love with him. I’ve known practically all our lives. It’s why I keep pushing you both to get together. For a second there, I thought maybe it was all in my head, but the timing of you both being single was a little too coincidental.”
Busted.
“It wasn’t like that,” I add, and she lifts her brows in question. I shake my head. “Is it that obvious?”
This time, Livie is the one shaking her head. “No, it’s not. I also grew up around you, remember? I know you so well. Daisy and I see the way you look at him.”
“Oh please, do tell.”
“Like he invented hot water.”
“Livie!”
“It’s true! What I don’t understand is why don’t you just tell him?” she asks as she holds my hand and smiles softly, offering me her sympathy.
“What Mateo and I have is rare. We have such a beautiful friendship, one we’ve had for years. I don’t want to mess that up over feelings he doesn’t reciprocate.”
“What if he feels the same way?” she asks.
I shake my head and scoff. “He doesn’t. He’s dated so many girls, and none of them look like me. They’re all short, blonde, and obnoxious. Well, except for Violeta.”
“She’s plenty obnoxious,” Livie laughs.
“I meant blonde. She’s not blonde.” Mateo has a type. Pretty, short blondes with a light and bubbly personality. He doesn’t date tall women with dark hair and curves for days. He doesn’t date women who played sports for years and work in an unglamorous field. It has never made sense to me, though. He’s so down to Earth. He’d rather spend a day couch surfing and in pajamas than going out to lavish parties. However, most of the women he dates are the complete opposite. Maybe that's why they don’t last. Too incompatible.
“She’s not, but she was also not right for him. I’m so happy he saw right through that.”
He didn’t, though. She did. She called it off. He proposed, and she said no. He was miserable for weeks. “What do you mean?”
Livie waits, pondering what to say, clearly holding something back. Well, that’s new. Livie never holds anything back.
