Page 17 of The Bartender Special

Just as much as it would jeopardize it.

Rizzie had been enamored by the blog as a whole but, like most, had focused on the entry laying out how he had been too afraid to tell Guy he had feelings for him. However, she'd been the first to address Benny about it with a slightly different perspective.

“It needs an ending. It needs closure,” Rizzie had said. “Whether that's a happily ever after with Guy or a happy for now with yourself, readers want an end as much as they want to ride along. At least, when it comes to love. It's an uncomfortable itch they can’t scratch if you decide to stay in limbo.”

And with a book deal on the table?

Benny had to let the people scratch.

But lying and telling Rizzie that he'd not only admitted his feelings for Guy to Guy but was now also dating him?

It was a daring move that could easily backfire if it went south.

Public humiliation.

Online humiliation.

Lying awake at night, alone in bed humiliation.

Who would trust Benny after that?

He couldn't imagine the buttoned-up, professional Ms. Caplan would.

No. Benny's image of being honest and almost appealingly awkward would turn into being a liar who just so happened to be awkward.

Never mind the fact a book deal could help him finally reach his career goal of starting his own event planning business without taking out a giant loan or two that he’d keep paying on until he was old and gray.

If his lie was found out and he ruined his chances of that book and his dream?

Was saving face with Carol Robertson really worth the risk?

Benny looked up at the ceiling of his childhood bedroom and decided, right then and there, that it wasn't. He'd rather tell Carol the whole thing with Jack was a joke and suffer the consequences.

But then you don't get to kiss Jack anymore.

The thought popped into Benny’s head so fast, he sat up in bed like someone had yelled for him to stand at attention.

Kissing Jack.

That was another detail they hadn’t pinned down during their clandestine meeting the day before.

What exactly did it mean to fake date each other?

Coffee dates in the morning?

Holding hands while strolling Main Street?

A deep kiss across the bar top at Cassidy’s like the end of some Hallmark movie?

Spending the night together to keep the charade going for the neighbors?

Heat that started from somewhere south of his waist started to rise. It traveled up his neck, laughing at his attempt to stay cool.

Kissing Jack again wouldn't be the worst thing ever. Admitting that to himself was the adult thing to do, Benny decided.

Yes. Very adult of him.

Now he needed to keep that adult-honesty going and call the whole thing off.