Page 34 of Fall Fake-Out

A smile melts over his lips when he sees me. “There she is!” He pushes off the van, smiling bigger as he glances at the pile in my arms. “Sheesh, woman. It’s not the dead of winter out here.”

“Hot-girl summer is out. I’m having an old-lady fall now. Plus, I don’t like to be cold.”

“You’d never be cold with me around.” There’s a suggestiveness to his expression I need to nip in the bud immediately.

“Wade,” I warn, adding a lift to my chin. “I’m here as a friend. I’m not like the other girls. You can cut the over-the-top flirting. It isn’t necessary and doesn’t work on me.”

Or maybe it works on me too well.

Instead of laughing, like I think he’ll do, he steps forward, gaze holding mine as he tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ear. The tip of his finger lightly brushes my cheek and neck—lingering—but there’s nothing light about the chills rippling down my spine. His voice goes deeper as he lowers the volume to just above a whisper. “Trust me, I’ve known for years that you’re not like the other girls.”

What is with the pounding in my chest?

And the ragged breathing I can’t get a grip on.

His arm drops, and his eyes dart to something behind me. “Ladies, are you ready for the big game?”

My chest collapses as a slew of cheerleaders with glittered makeup come into my peripheral vision.

What a complete phony.

Ashtyn glares at me for a brief second before sinking her gaze into Wade. “Coach Sloan says the captains have to ride in her car with her, so it looks like we won’t be able to go to the game together, but I’ll see you there.”

Wade shuffles closer to me, anchoring his arm around my shoulders. “Miss Langford will keep me company.”

I smile innocently back at her, but she just flicks her eyes up and down my body then sniffs out a superior laugh before walking away.

My head whips to Wade. “Did you see that?”

“Yeah, she’s not impressed with you. It might be the fact that you’re dressed like Old Man Winter.”

I use my pile of warmth to push his body away as if I’m mad. “When the sun goes down, I’m not sharing my blanket with you. I don’t care how cold you are.”

“Probably for the best that we don’t share a blanket. You’re not turning out to be an effective fake girlfriend anyway.” There’s a teasing smile, but I still playfully punch him.

“Should we get going?” Sloan Avery, the cheer coach, asks.

“Yeah, let’s load up!” Wade opens the van doors, letting half the squad pile in.

I lean in, speaking low so the girls don’t hear. “You’re lucky Sloan wants the captains to ride in her car so you’re not stuck with Ashtyn.”

“Luck doesn’t have anything to do with it.” He closes the doors, shooting me a silly grin. “I asked her to take the captains. I can’t have anything coming between us on our first date.” Walking around me, he opens the passenger door and holds it for me.

I eye him as I move to climb in. “This isn’t a real date, let alone our first date.”

“It absolutely is the first.”

“I’m sure we went out once or twice in high school. Just as friends.” Even as the words drift out, I can’t recall us together on an actual date—further proof that he was never interested in me.

“Nope, never did. But I like to save the best for last. So it’s all working out.”

The door slams in my face before I can respond.

I don’t know what I’m more hung up on: the fact that Wade never asked me on a date or the fact that he said last as if he doesn’t plan on having any more first dates after me.

But there’s not a shred of truth in that statement.

So I move on, forcing myself to forget he ever said that.