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“Whatever,” Beckett grumbled. “At least my dates have potential.”
“And when’s the last time you had one of those?” Wes challenged, one dark eyebrow raised.
I tuned them out. When those two started winding each other up, it could go on all night. How they managed to share a place without killing one another, I didn’t know. Add in working together too, and you’d think they’d be sick as hell of one another, but nope. They stuck to each other like glue.
You might think they were blood brothers, born and raised together, for how close they were. But Beckett wasn’t a Potter. The guys’ parents had gotten married when they were sixteen, and against all odds—because word had it Wes and Beckett were not thrilled to be thrown together—they became the best of friends.
I let my gaze wander the pub, noting Percy and his crew were at their usual table. I’d gotten a snarky text about rubbing Hunter in his face after the kiss, but his reaction was the least of my worries. This game of pretend had fucked with my head—and clearly, it had done a number on Hunter too. I still couldn’t believe he’d kissed me again at his house, that his hands had been on my body. It felt surreal, more like a dream than something that had happened to me.
It had been incredible, everything I’d been craving, but I was afraid to believe it could go anywhere. Or should. Hunter wasstraight.He was tempting yes, but he was supposed to be untouchable.
Hadn’t I always sworn to myself I wouldn’t fall for a father the way Alexa had? This fake dating had bent my rule to maintain professional boundaries already. Was I ready to erase it entirely?
“Clark?” Augustus jostled me. “Hey, where are you tonight?”
I blinked, startled to notice everyone at the table had stopped talking to stare at me. “Sorry. Just distracted.”
“Missing someone, huh?” Beckett teased, finally done with his verbal sparring with Wes.
“I know I miss him,” Bobbi said in a suggestive tone.
“Woman, they kissed in front of the whole dang pub last week,” Wes said.
“So? Watching is fun too.”
Tucker shook his head with a snort. “Coulda done without watching my coworker make out, to be honest.”
Bobbi nudged him in the side. “Don’t be a stick-in-the-mud. It was hot. Admit it.”
He sighed. “Hotter than any kisses I’ve been getting lately.”
“Aw, jealous?” Beckett said. “Maybe Clark’s nana can find you a date. Keep trivia exciting.”
The teasing banter continued, interrupted only by trivia questions and debates over answers, and I managed to lose myself in the game. When it wrapped up, Augustus nudged me again.
“Walk with me to the car. You and I need to have a chat.”
Uh-oh. I was pretty sure Joe had shared the truth with him. Guilt nagged at me that I hadn’t come clean with the rest of my friends.
It wouldn’t be a lie if you started dating Hunter for real…
Only Hunter hadn’t mentioned anything about actually dating, had he? Everything happened so fast I could hardly keep straight what was said or not said. He’d wanted to kiss me. Wanted to do more, considering the way his hands had gone under my shirt. But that didn’t mean he would want to have a full relationship with another man. Plus, he had Toby to think about. The whole reason we’d started this fake dating nonsense was to give the kid a break from worrying about his dad moving on.
After saying goodbye to my friends—Wes and Beckett were staying behind, caught up in a bet over who could pick up a hotter woman, though I agreed with Bobbi’s scoffing that they should just date each other and be done with it—Augustus and I headed outside and down the block toward the street parking.
“Is everything okay?” Augustus asked. “If this dating thing with Hunter is getting to you…”
I shot him a look. “How much did Joe tell you?”
Augustus looked sheepish. “Everything, I think.”
I nodded. I had figured as much. It made this conversation easier. “Hunter’s great. I just…that kiss last week was confusing.”
“Yeah, I bet. From where I was sitting, it didn’t look too fake, so I can’t imagine how you felt.”
I blew out a breath. “Yeah, he suggested that maybe it wasn’t so fake to him either. We kissed again.”
Augustus’s eyes widened. “Well, shit.”
