“No.” He scrubbed a hand down his face. “God, I don’t knowhow to say this without sounding like a total asshole, but — my team thinks we should lean in. Just for a little while.”
“Lean in towhat?” I asked, though part of me already knew. I could feel it curling behind my ribs.
“To… us. Or like the idea of us. Together.” He winced as though the words physically hurt him. “Just in public. Just for a few weeks. Let the storm pass. Make it look intentional.”
I stared.
Then laughed. “That’s — wow. That’s hilarious. You want me tofake dateyou?”
He had the decency to look sheepish. “I know it sounds insane.”
“Do you?”
“Yes,” he said immediately. “But it would just be for a little while. Appearances. Couple posts. A few events. My publicist spins the narrative. You… maybe get more followers. Or book sales. Or hate mail. I don’t know how the internet works anymore.”
“I work in abookstore,” I said flatly.
He gave me a small, helpless smile. “Exactly. That’s kind of perfect. You’re wholesome. Grounded. You’re not a celebrity ex or an influencer or a walking headline. You’re just… you. And the world already seems to love that.”
My pulse fluttered.
He was still looking at me like it wasn’t just business. Like he didn’twantit to be just business. “Nota footnote or a punchline or an addendum to my story, Juniper. You can say no.”
I crossed my arms. “You think this’ll help your image?”
He shrugged. “I’m more excited about this giving me more excuses to see you.”
“Oh my God,” I groaned, covering my face. “You’re so annoying.”
He grinned. “Is that a yes?”
I peeked through my fingers. “No. That was me having a stroke.”
“Okay,” he said, way too hopeful for someone being toldno. “But if itwasa yes…”
“I will throw this coffee at you.”
“I brought you that coffee.”
“I know. That’s why I’m not already throwing it.”
CHAPTER 24
She didn’t say yes.
Not really.
She laughed. She groaned. She threatened to throw coffee at me. And I let her. Because… I think it’s easier for her to joke than to feel, and I think I’m already falling for every part of her that’s still trying to armor up.
But she didn’t say yes.
And it’s driving me a little insane.
Because I hadn’t pitched fake dating like a man trying to fix his image. I pitched it like a man trying to stay close to something holy. Because the moment I saw that photo — her head tipped back, my mouth on her neck, like we were made for each other — I felt two things:
Oh, shit.
