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How deep does it go?
I’ve told him the horrid truth about me. He knows I fabricate everything to suit each person I meet. I win people over with lies. I’m as fake as they come.
So much so, I’m not even sure I exist.
I shouldn’t have opted to make this so elaborate—yet again. From the start, Rowan’s been simpler than all my schemes. He would have appreciated a direct conversation without any fanfare. And I should have given it to him. Except…except I was scared.
I was terrified that if I tried to end anything just the two of us…I wouldn’t have been able to do it.
Because…maybe…I don’t really want to.
Before I get a chance to sort through what that thought means, Rowan stands, grabbing my hand.
A spark of heat shoots up my arm.
Turning on his heel, he drags me after him.
“What are you—”
“Our date’s not over. I still have two and a half hours, so I’m going to feed you now.”
My heart thunders in time with each harsh click of my heels. “Rowan, slow down. Please. We need to talk. I don’t know about all this. I’m in over my head and…”
“Okay.” He reaches the exit doors. When he shoves them open, the blistering sun sears my eyes.
“Okay?” I stammer as his pace doesn’t slow. “Okay, what?”
He stops abruptly, and I ram into his back.
Squinting, I locate the sculpted angles of his handsome, handsome face as he twists toward me. Burning light bathes his form, turning everything beyond him into sheets of paper white. “You’re in over your head.” He cups my chin roughly in his hand. “That’s okay… So drown.”
Chapter 31
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Good at breaking bones. Bad at breaking up.
Rowan
I pop a french fry in my mouth and watch Briar’s mouth open, close, open again to take a bite of her burger. It’s been thirty minutes of this—ten in the car, twenty waiting for our food. She’s speechless.
All at once, she swallows and gathers herself. “It’s not me. It’s you.” She swears. “Wait. No.” She swears again. “I said that backwards. It’s not you. It’s me.”
Snorting as I get a drink of soda, I choke on the burning liquid. Pleasant chatter in the steak house around us covers up my coughing fit as I regain my ability to speak. “It took you half an hour to come up with that? And you messed it up?”
She drops her burger on her plate. “Breaking up with someone is new for me!”
“You don’t say?”
“I mean it. This—” She flicks a finger between us. “—is over.”
“This—” I mimic her action. “—never began. As I recall, we were faking our relationship, so there’s nothing to end.”
Her lips part as her gaze drops. “Right.” The tension in her shoulders eases. “I’m glad you understand. I think it would be best if I manage the black-and-white ball on my own. It’s been…fun, but we’ve found what we’re looking for, so we can start dissolving our involvement with each other by the end of next week. Like you wanted before I got under your skin.”
“What happened?” I ask.
Her brows furrow. “Pardon?”
