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“As much as I love where your head is at, I have a feeling you’re stalling. We were going to toast to the fairy tale that’s coming your way.”
I groaned. “Fine.”
I hoped to clink glasses and move on without another word, but Harrison was in a playful mood and moved his glass out of the way. “We have to do the full toast.”
I gestured with my hand. “On with it, then.”
“Everly, I intend—”
“I feel like you’re about to get down on one knee.” Everything in my body perked up at that. I loved the idea of Harrison loving me, pledging his life to me.
“Stop interrupting,” he chided. “Now, where was I? Oh, yes, I intend to show you that fairy tales really do exist. Starting with the lights.”
“This was part of your grand scheme?” I enjoyed the back-and-forth. He was different tonight. There was an edge to him, one I’d never seen before. Was it the sexual tension?
It made sense that we’d never given in to it before because it was overwhelming. I wanted to do more than just sleep with him. I wanted to act out that masturbation fantasy. And in my head, he only read so long before he lost control completely. Dream Harrison wanted to show me the fairy-tale happy ending of me orgasming on his tongue.
“You’re thinking about it again, aren’t you?”
“I think we’re going to have to do it. I can’t get the image out of my head.”
“I kind of want to be in your head right now, but first things first.”
“Fine, I’ll toast to you showing me that fairy tales do exist, and I intend to enjoy every minute of this scheme of yours.”
“It’s going to be great. Just wait and see,” he said as we clinked glasses, and a tingle ran down my spine.
It felt like an invisible barrier between us had fallen tonight. We’d opened the possibility of exploring whatever this was between us. The craziest thing was, I wanted him to show me that fairy tales were real. There was a time in my life when I believed anything was possible, and maybe I needed to know that was still true.
I’d been stuck in a rut with my office job that didn’t satisfy my passion for art. Maybe this was the catalyst I needed to take some risks, both personally and professionally.
Nine
HARRISON
After I dropped off Wren at school on Monday morning, Everly and I were alone. We’d slipped into a routine, but I wouldn’t say it was easy.
I’d said I wanted to show her that fairy tales existed, but I was worried about doing anything to ruin our friendship. I needed her in a way I’d never relied on anyone else. My parents and my sister, Sage, were quick to help if I needed it, but my friendship with Everly had always been different.
She’d been my partner since Wren was a baby. I wasn’t sure I could survive without her if something went wrong. I didn’t want to mess up anything with her, but I’d accepted the challenge, and I’d never backed down from one before.
I just needed to come up with a plan. On Wednesday, I picked up Wren from school and took her to dinner. I only had a few hours with her on Wednesday nights, and Everly insisted that we take this time to ourselves.
I didn’t necessarily agree, but I needed to talk to Wren. We ate at Wren’s favorite restaurant that served good burgers.
“How was school?” I asked after our waiter took our order.
“I have to do a presentation next week.” Wren wrinkled her nose.
“You’re worried about speaking in front of the class?” I remembered excelling at engaging my classmates and the teachers. It saved me because I wasn’t good at academics. The teachers always described me as charming at the parent-teacher conferences, and my mother would say I could convince anyone of anything. I guess that’s how I got Everly to pose as my pretend girlfriend and move in with me.
“Uh-huh.”
I figured it wouldn’t help to mention that speaking with others didn’t make me nervous. Wren was different from me. She was social and outgoing but more sensitive about what people thought of her. “It can be a scary thing. What’s your presentation on?”
Wren straightened, eager to talk about the assignment. “Patricia Bath. She’s a scientist who invented this laser to fix cataracts.”
“Neat.”
