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Light floods into the room, and some students rush from the patio and out the front door.
When the stampede stops, Matthew’s arms are still draped over me.
“What’s going on here? Is everyone alright?” Lolita appears beside us.
“There was a small fire,” I manage around my dry throat.
A round of applause comes from the room.
“She saved the day!” a woman cheers.
I begin laughing. Cackling. Louder and louder. My side prickles with a stitch, stabbing below my rib, and I keel over. I can barely get myself to stop when I hear the rest of the class join me.
Nothing like a little disaster to shock me back into reality.
But my thoughts linger. I want to kiss Matthew Hudson again. And I don’t want it to be pretend.
Chapter10
Molly
“I’m soglad Lolita was able to get the outlet at the pottery studio fixed,” I call out, making quick work of bobby-pinning a loose curl to the base of my low bun.
“Yeah, I still can’t believe that happened.”
After class today, I spoke to Lolita about extending resort vouchers to all of our classmates and making sure everyone is accommodated. Even though the fire was two days ago, the memory is fresh. I’m glad I was there to help everyone. My fire warden training finally paid off. Nobody got hurt, and the building was saved.Because of me.
“I checked my mother’s agenda for today; it looks like we’ll be making baskets.” I enter the bedroom. “Do you think we’ll learn different weaving techniques?”
“Actually, I was thinking we could do something else,” Matthew says.
The cool hue of the morning sun sprinkles over Matthew’s body sprawled out on the bed. He’s handsome, as always. If he didn’t sprint out of bed right when he woke up, would he look like that?
“What did you have in mind?” I whisper, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. A pit forms in my stomach.
He props himself up on the pillow. “Well, I booked us a poolside couples massage.”
“Oh. Um, I—I think we should stick to the agenda.” My throat dries. What if Lolita tells my mother we’re skipping activities? Vivian made it very clear we’re being watched.
“Honestly, I’m getting a bit tired of beingon. Maybe some time away from all the pretending can help us both decompress?”
A shroud of disappointment covers me.Right. How didn’t I anticipate this? Pretending to like me must be taxing.
“Okay.” My face falls into a frown. “But, uh, I’m worried if you don’t come with me, then my mother will find out and hold our absence against us.” The words are uncomfortable. They make me sound like a child. Is that how Matthew sees me?
I wince, wishing I could vanish.
“Let’s try to be realistic. Basket weaving will not prove the love we have for each other.”Our fake love?“Lolita can’t be upset if we rearrange our schedule to be, well, together.” There’s no emotion in his voice.
Our relationship guide isn’t who I’m worried about. He doesn’t know my mother.
But I can’t force Matthew to go. He clearly doesn’t want to.
“You’re right,” I lie.
He sits up beside me. “I’m happy to be here, but when I’m back home, I have a day to relax. We’ve been operating at over a hundred percent for Lolita and the eyes in the sky. Why don’t we take it easy today?”
All I hear is that I’m exhausting.
