Page 40 of Fake Crown

“I should,” I say. There’s something in her tone that makes me want to do the opposite. “What did you have in mind?”

“Oh, I was just going to invite you up to meet my roommates and give them the rundown on the fake relationship. Thought it might be easier for us to tell them together so they realize we’re not a big deal.”

“Who are your roommates?”

“Destiny Carter and Nadiya Manji. Destiny is on the women’s basketball team, so you might have seen her around?”

“Yeah,” I say. Everyone who’s worth anything to the university PR department gets paraded around at regular intervals. Star athletes at Northern bear the brunt of the heavy lifting. “She’s likely going to the WNBA, right?”

“The draft is in April, but all signs are pointing to yes right now.” Posey pats my knee. “If you don’t want to meet them, it’s cool.”

“No, no. I’ll come in.” Explaining to her roommates that I’m worried I can’t keep my dick in my pants around my ex-girlfriend isn’t on my list of top ten things to do, but laying out the circumstances will make the next couple of weeks less awkward. I hope. Please let this conversation be the only awkward one. Val doesn’t have roommates, so being vetted by Posey’s close friends will be a new experience. Fake or not, I don’t want to be a letdown.

I’ve got Posey’s bag in my hand when she opens the door to her apartment. A high-pitched squeal greets us.

“Girl,” someone calls. “Was he a trash fire or a total hottie?”

Posey glances at me over her shoulder with a mischievous grin before stepping into the apartment. I hesitate for a second behind her before revealing myself.

Destiny Carter gasps. “Shit. Posey, you need to warn a girl. I’m sorry, I didn’t realize—” she stares at me for a beat and then glares at Posey “—that you were Brent fucking Faulkner.”

“Technically fucking is not my middle name.” I offer her my hand that isn’t holding Posey’s bag, and she accepts it with a grin. She’s the same height as my six-foot frame, and her jet-black hair is in microbraids.

“But he’s very good at it,” Posey chimes in before collapsing into the couch. “It really should be.”

Destiny laughs, and heat creeps into my cheeks. Her boldness should not embarrass me, and yet, here we are.

Posey pats the couch cushion beside her while Destiny slides into the love seat opposite. Netflix is paused on the TV, and Posey glances around. “Where’s Nadiya?”

Down the hallway, a door opens. “You back, Posey? Was that the worst experience ever or—” Nadiya stands dumbfounded at the corner where the hallway intersects the open kitchen and living room. “Or your wet dream come true? Holy shit. Brent Faulkner.”

The nice part, sometimes, about being semi-famous around campus are moments where I get to do cool things or get to cut a line because I swim fast. Days like today, when I don’t need to introduce myself, and her roommates’ comments are embarrassing and slightly baffling, I’d love to be Joe Nobody meeting his fake girlfriend’s friends for the first time. Obviously, they both have preconceived notions about who I am, and I have no idea if I should be combatting those or sinking into them.

Nadiya glances at Posey before zeroing in on me with narrowed eyes. “I thought you were dating Valentina Consuelos.”

“We broke up on Thursday before I went to Bermuda,” I say. “A long time coming.”

“Wouldn’t know it from the girl’s social media,” Nadiya says.

“And,” Posey says, holding up a finger, “Brent and I are now fake dating to throw Val off the reunion scent.”

“Fake dating?” Destiny lets out a cackle. “Yeah, right.”

“Posey doesn’t need to fake date you. Man up and tell Val you’re done.” Nadiya crosses her arms.

“He did,” Posey says. “She’s persistent. And actually, not very nice.”

Nadiya ignores Posey. “Look, if you want to date our friend, just ask her. She’ll tell you no, and then there’s no need for this ruse to win her over.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” I say. “That’s not what’s going on here. Posey and I have a deal.”

“It involves lattes and orgasms in exchange for me giving him some distance from Val. There’s no relationship happening.” Posey slashes the air. “None.”

Her total vehemence is causing a twinge of something I can’t identify in my chest. Even after days of her zero filter, her bluntness still surprises me. “It’s just a couple weeks,” I say.

“Uh-huh.” Nadiya eyes me with distrust.

Apparently Posey isn’t the only one with guy issues. Awesome. Gonna be a pleasant couple of weeks hanging out here with these two.