Page 30 of Third Strike Smitten

Worse.

Tara

What? OMG! Did you guys fuck?!?

Me

Worse.

Tara

WORSE? How is that even a bad scenario to begin with?

I groan, flopping back against the pillows. How am I going to tell her about this? She’s going to lose her mind. I hesitate, my thumbs hovering over the keyboard. I could lie. I could tell her I accidentally insulted his manager and now I’m going to be fired. That would be believable. Tara would buy that, but she’s my best friend and I’ve never been able to lie to her. She’d find out eventually. And knowing her, she’d be more upset about me keeping it from her than about the actual news.

So, I take a deep breath and type.

Me

Okay don’t freak out…

Tara

Just tell me!

Me

I agreed to fake date Killian Haynes.

The three dots appear, then disappear, then appear again. This happens three more times before her response finally comes through.

Tara

I’m sorry. I think my phone is glitching because it just showed me that you agreed to FAKE DATE KILLIAN HAYNES.

Me

Your phone isn’t glitching.

Tara

You agreed to FAKE DATE KILLIAN HAYNES?!

Me

Yes.

Tara

FAKE. DATE. KILLIAN. HAYNES.

Me

I know what I said. Why are you shouting?

Tara

Like, pretend to be his girlfriend? Killian Haynes? The guy you’ve been heckling at games for weeks. THAT Killian Haynes?