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“Was he the one whose sweats you were wearing?” he questioned.
“Cole—”
“I’m not intimidated by him, Yar. If you’re just doing it to get back at me—”
“I’m not,” I told him, taking Cocoa’s leash from his grip. “And anything going on between Alex and me is our private business. You don’t get an invite to our life.”
“‘Our life?’ So what? The two of you are an our now? Since when?”
“Long enough for it to matter.”
“How so? The other day, you were going on a date with Josh. How is this real with Alex?”
I knew there wasn’t a good way to explain it, so I did the only thing I could think to do. I lied, lied, lied. “Things with Alex and me started off as friends with benefits, and then we transitioned into something more, okay, Cole? Is that what you wanted to hear? Feelings developed, and neither of us realized it until after the Josh situation happened.” I smiled sweetly at him. “I guess I can thank you for that. If you hadn’t tell Josh not to date me, then I would’ve never realized my feelings for Alex.”
Cole’s face was deep red as the anger built within him. His nostrils flared as his hands formed fists. “Out of all people, you’d pick someone like him? He’s a cocky ass who thinks he can get away with whatever he wants.”
“You have no clue who he is. And I’ve only dated one jerk in my life. I left that chapter behind me. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a date tonight.”
“A date? You’re just going to leave Cocoa alone at your place? Some mother you are.”
His voice felt like pins and needles against my skin. “Says the man who drops her off at his mother’s house every single time we exchange.”
The shock in his eyes showed his guilt. “Listen—”
“I don’t care. I don’t want to hear your lies and excuses. Goodbye, Cole.”
I walked off before he could reply, but I could feel his aggression with every step I took. As I walked home, I felt as if a slight weight had been lifted from my shoulders.
CHAPTER 27
Yara
From my point of view, Alex’s and my fake relationship was off to a great start. During my walks with him and Feliz, we’d be stopped time and time again by townspeople. They’d engage in conversations with the two of us, and I gladly chatted away. It was often just small talk. Nothing massive. Just simple mindless chatter.
I slowly started noticing the shift in Alex, though, every time a conversation took place. His scowls deepened whenever someone would ask him how he’d been, or mention the weather, or bring up sports. The wrinkles in his forehead intensified as his eyes narrowed in irritation.
When Tim from the local bank asked Alex if he was going to open an account soon and offered some deals, Alex stared him straight in his eyes and said, “I can’t do this shit.” He proceeded to walk away, stomping his feet the whole time as he turned the corner, leaving Tim and I dazed and confused.
“He’s kind of cranky, huh?” Tim asked, stunned by my fake boyfriend’s abrupt exit.
I pushed out a smile. “Sorry, Tim. We’ll catch up later, okay?”
I hurried around the corner with Feliz to find an ill-tempered Alex, raking his hands through his hair.
“What the heck was that?” I asked.
He turned toward me with a look of defeat. “I can’t do this.”
“Can’t do what?”
“This whole fake dating thing. I’m not built for this, Yara.”
I lowered my brows, bewildered. “I’m sorry…did I miss something? Is there a problem?”
“Yes!” he exclaimed, throwing his hands up in frustration. “There’s a huge fucking problem.”
“With?”
“You!” he blurted out.
My chest tightened. I stood straighter. “There’s a problem with me?”
“No.” he shook his head and sighed. He gestured toward me. “There’s nothing wrong with you.”
“Oh. Okay. Cool.” I let out a sigh, somewhat relieved. That was until he continued speaking.
“There’s a problem with dating you,” he said.
“Uh, I don’t know if I should be offended by this or—”
“No, don’t be. I’m explaining it wrong.” He grumbled a little and pinched the bridge of his nose as he tried to gather his thoughts. “The problem with dating is you.”
“Okay. Definitely offended now.”
“No.” He stepped closer and crossed his arms. “The problem with dating you is that you’re dating me.”
“If you’re trying to confuse me, Alex, it’s working.”
“You don’t get it. You’re a good person, Yara.”
That soothed my wounds a little. “Okay?” I questioned, still utterly confused.
“You’re so good that you can do this thing with people that I can’t fucking do.”
“And what’s that?”
“Small talk,” he groaned. “I hate small talk, and people in this town love to small talk with you. Now that we are together in this fake relationship, people expect me to small talk back to them like you would! Even when I’m not with you!”
