I freeze. “Shut. The. Front. Door.”
“She did,” he confirms. “Well, she actually saidwiener, but the message was pretty clear.”
“She’s insane. I love her.”
“Right?” he says. “And the best part is, the guy didn’t even argue. He just quietly started putting the weights back like she’d completely humbled him.”
I lean against the window, still grinning. “Are you sure she’s your sister? Or is she secretly sharing DNA with Kiara?”
Ryan laughs softly. “Honestly? Wouldn’t surprise me.”
We both laugh softly, and it feels surprisingly good after the kind of day I’ve had. I lie back on my bed, staring up at the ceiling while the phone rests against my ear.
“You’re weirdly good at this, you know,” I murmur after a moment.
“At what?”
“Showing up when people need you.”
The words slip out before I can stop them and for a second there’s only quiet on the other end of the line.
“Good to know,” he says finally, his voice light. Then he clears his throat. “You know my mom and Bailey were looking at wedding magazines earlier.”
I blink. “I’m sorry—what?”
“Yeah,” he says, and I can practically hear the dry expression on his face. “I walked past the kitchen and they were standing there giggling like they’d already planned the whole thing.”
“Oh my god.”
“Mm,” he hums. “Pretty sure we’re getting married next week. Thought you should know.”
I grin into the quiet. “Wow. And here I was thinking this was a very low-commitment situation.”
“Yeah,” he says easily. “Guess you’re stuck with me now.”
There’s a small pause and then his voice lowers slightly. “Can I tell you something?”
My stomach flips. “Sure.”
“This whole fake dating thing,” he says slowly, like he’s thinking through the words as he says them, “you’ve made it pretty easy.”
For a second I go completely still.
“Yeah,” I manage after a moment. “You too.”
He chuckles softly. “Good.”
I stare up at the ceiling, a smile slowly spreading across my face while my heart starts beating a little faster.
Then he speaks again. “Do you wanna take a walk? Clear your head?”
“A walk?”
“Well,” he says, like he’s thinking it through, “the birds need to be convinced we’re a couple too. They spread rumours fast.”
I blink. “Birds?”
“Yeah,” he says easily. “Who do you think delivered gossip mail before phones?”
