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“Here, let’s open them,” I say. “You do the honors.”
12
DREW
I can’t takeit anymore.
It’s been over a week of pretending with Dana. Eleven days. Almost two full weeks.
Too much.
I have blue balls for romance. All this pretending has been like a long tease. Scratching that itch I’ve had for Dana for all this time.
Thankfully, since Christmas, everyday has been planned out almost to a “t” leaving barely any dead space for us to languish around the room, silently both stewing in how awkward this is. Fundamentally, things aren’t awkward. Dana is still Dana. My best friend.
What’s awkward is how much I have to think about what I’m feeling, about how much I feel about thinking about what I’m feeling. Sounds complicated, right?
To complicate matters even further, pretending is starting to feel real. When we’re out with the group, which has dwindled from the original mass of guest to about thirty people, Dana and I just seem to turn on. Like a switch. We light up around each other, stopped asking if it’s fine to touch each other, and come as a package deal in everything we do.
Now it’s New Year’s Eve. And everyone, and I mean everyone, will be expecting a kiss.
Because the Solace sisters are on my case to make this fake relationship a real one.
“If you want something more private, there’s a perfect spot over in the grotto,” Kira explains in my ear as I stare straight ahead through the throng of drunken partygoers. Hunter has commandeered the whole restaurant at the hotel and flown in other friends, so it’s a real banger, not just people milling and seething, bored of each other’s company.
“There’s no way she’d go anywhere alone with me right now,” I say, glancing down at my watch. Quarter to midnight.
“She knows that you have to have the midnight kiss to really clinch the deal. I’m sorry, but Willow is looking for any crack to steal you away,” Kira explains.
“Yeah, which means a little peck under the fireworks where everyone can see. Not taking her somewhere private to–”
Kira makes a sound of a guinea pig being stepped on. “You’re being difficult.”
“You’re trying to make something happen that’s not going to happen, Kira Solace. Let’s be clear about that.”
She stomps her feet petulantly. “Drew!”
I laugh. “What!”
“I’m trying to help you. I’m trying to give you tips so you can make something happen with my sister.”
“Kira! It’s not going to happen.”
“Why?!”
I swallow. I’m not going to dox Dana. She set a boundary and I’m respecting it. As much as I’d like it to change…I’m not going to rope her sisters into some sort of plot to get her to fall in love with me. I think that would just make it worse.
Kira grabs my arm, forcing me to look at her. “Dude. We’re tired.”
“Of…”
“This! You two pretending there isn’t something between you when there very clearly is. You literally light up around each other. You’reperfectfor each other. Even in the way you’re both too stubborn to admit it.”
She might be ripping me to shreds, but hearing that Dana lights up around me makes me smile.
“And now you have that dopey grin on your face.” She grabs me by the shoulders. “Find her. Go give her a kiss at midnight. Alone, huh?”
I simply smile.
