Page 65 of Joey

“I’m done talking.”

“You’re being weird.”

She ignores me.

“And unreasonable. I never promised you a relationship.”

“No. You promised me friendship.”

“We’re friends. I never said I wasn’t gonna be your friend.”

“I don’t want your stupid ring.”

I sigh, so over this pointless conversation. “Whatever. I’ll make sure we don’t do this again.”

“Do what? Talk?”

“Sex,” I say. “No more sex. OK? Happy now? Did I fulfill my boyfriend requirements?”

“Yes. Good. Fine. Whatever.”

I fluff my pillow and turn my back to her. She’s overreacting. Badly. I knew this fucking bullshit was a mistake. It’s all Wald and Huck’s fault. They’re falling for her. And now she wants me to fall for her too.

And if I don’t, then she’s not gonna play nice.

I’m gonna set down new rules tomorrow. That’s for damn sure.

No more sex. No more flirting, no more touching, or kissing, or hugging, or secret sexy smiles from across the room. No more propositions.

We’re all professionals here.

And starting first thing in the morning, we’re all gonna act like it.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN - BROOKE

It’s a long night. At least for me. Because sleep doesn’t come easy after the best of days and this one ended badly.

Maybe I should sneak out? Just leave and pretend this never happened?

I would—if I thought that would work. If I thought I could forget about meeting Joey, Huck, and Wald.

Something tells me I’ll be thinking about them for the rest of my life. Whether this all works out or not.

That’s the part that scares me.

Because I’ve already been left behind twice in my life. Third time for that is not the charm.

What I told them about who I am and where I came from isn’t exactly a lie. It’s just not exactly the truth, either.

My truth is so much weirder than this crazy plot to get Joey’s daughter back.

I think I must sleep. Eventually. But I wake early. Just as the sun is starting to brighten the sky outside.

I turn over and look at my new pretend boyfriend. He’s on his stomach, hugging his pillow, not facing me.

If this goes bad it will be his doing. Huck and Wald are the easy ones. Which, now that I’ve known them one day, seems surprising. Yesterday morning I’d have tagged Wald as the resistant one.

But no.