“I don’t know if she was mad per se, but I think she thought she could convince me otherwise. As you heard, that was not going to happen. I won’t jeopardize your peace of mind.” His hand comes to my face, his thumb trailing over my bottom lip before lightly pullingto free it from my teeth. “If you’re going to see her, you’re doing it in a way you can control.”
My heart melts at his words. He never fails to make me feel seen and safe. It’s like he knows the deepest parts of me, the broken parts, even better than I do.
“Thank you.” It’s all I can say, and it doesn’t feel like nearly enough.
“Sweetheart, you never have to thank me for making sure you’re taken care of. I do it because I want to. I do it because you deserve to have someone who will.”
He curls a finger around a piece of hair at my temple and slides it behind my ear. I feel that small touch all over and I think that if I would just let myself, I could fall in love with this man. Maybe I already have.
The next few hours are a blur of activity while I work on moving things next door, helping it to look more like a home we could both live in. I keep having to remind myself, especially after that kiss, that this fake relationship is fleeting and that my very real friendship with Wes could be too. He’s here on a work visa. He has family at home. There’s no telling when he’ll decide it’s time to leave Australia. I may need to lax my boundaries over the next couple days, but they’ll go right back up after we’re done with this little charade.
While I wait for Wes to get back from picking up pizza, I settle into the couch and take in the space. My throw pillows and a blanketon the couch add pops of mint and coral. My blown-glass vase filled with peonies sits on the table runner. I brought over a couple of framed pictures of Jaz and I on vacation to put on his bookshelves, along with a bunch of my books. The kitchen has a few of my favorite knickknacks scattered around the counters, and I added some magnets on the fridge. I buy one in each new place I go, and it’s become quite the collection. One that brings me joy whenever I look at it, and it seems to bring me even more joy now that it’s on Wes’s fridge.
No,ourfridge.
The door swings open and in strides Wes with two large pizza boxes, a six-pack of cold ones, and another small bag, contents unknown. I jump up from where I’m sitting to help him get everything onto the counter.
“How much pizza did you order? We’re only two people, you know.” I playfully smack his arm and look at all the food. Not like I’ll complain about leftover pizza for breakfast before dawn patrol tomorrow, but still.
“Actually, we’re going to be four. Breck called to ask how the surf camp was, wondering if it was somewhere he could partner with for tours. I had to tell him we didn’t end up going, and then I kind of invited them over. I hope that’s okay? Willow’s at a sleepover, so it’s just Breck and Talia.”
His uncertain gaze meets mine, and I’m once again grateful for his thoughtful nature. I’d completely forgotten that we should be surfing right now, without a care in the world. How can twenty-four hours changeso much?
“Of course. Wes, this is your house.” I laugh lightly and look around it. “Though it looks a little more like mine now. How are we going to explain that to them?”
“They probably won’t even notice.” He shrugs, like having my stuff all over his apartment won’t send a message I’m not sure we can come back from. At least not with his best friend, and definitely not with Talia.
“But it looks like I live here.”
“Yeah, that was kind of the point, Grey.” We both laugh, his smile reaching his eyes as he bounds over to me. “It’ll be fine, okay?”
His arms engulf me in a way that drives every worry from my mind. Well, almost all of them. We still need to talk about this, figure out what to say to his friends when they get here. The words are on the tip of my tongue when the door opens, and Breck and Talia’s voices cut short at the sight of us embracing by the couch. Then Talia squeals in delight.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Wes
Well, shit. I’m facing away from Breck and Talia when they walk in, but the excited squeak only confirms that Joss was right, and I’m an idiot. Here I am holding her in the middle of an apartment showcasing Joss’s feminine touch. What did I think would happen? We have only a moment to set the record straight, because I’m guessing Talia is already planning our wedding.
I look to Joss and find her eyes filled with panic. Crap, how do I fix this? The first step is probably letting her go, so I slide my arms from around her, missing her warmth immediately.
When I turn around, it’s Breck’s look of shock that draws my attention first. His mouth is agape, eyes wide, one hand halfway through his hair. God, I wish I could snap a picture of him like this. Talia is the complete opposite. She’s bouncing on her toes, handsclasped in front of her heart. She reminds me of Anna fromFrozenwith how excited she is. Yes, I’ve watchedFrozen—Willow is very persuasive.
“Hey guys, glad you could make it,” I say, mustering as much chill as I can, like this is normal. Everything is totally cool, nothing to see here.
Breck finally snaps out of it, pulling his hand from his hair and scratching his neck while he levels us with a look. Before he can speak though, Talia breaks in.
“I knew it! I freaking knew it! Didn’t I tell you Breck? I knew it!”
Wow, she is really emphatic about her so-called predictions.
“When did this happen?” Breck’s calm voice fills the air, and I look my best friend in the eye. He looks confused, almost hurt.
“It’s not what you think.”
Really, Wes? That’s the best you can come up with?That’s definitely just going to make them believe it’sexactlywhat they think.
Joss giggles behind me. Obviously she’s moved past her panic and is enjoying the way I’m floundering. Her unsaid words come across loud and clear in the way she looks up at me as she steps from where I’m blocking her with my body.
