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Claire laughed and took another sip. “You are not wrong.”

She was standing barefoot in Noah’s kitchen, wrapped in his blanket, eating the breakfast he had brought her. There was no reasonable explanation for how normal it felt. Noah’s gaze dropped to the blanket still wrapped around her. His smile changed, just slightly.

Claire immediately pulled it tighter. “Don’t.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“You were going to.”

He didn’t deny it.

An hour later, after Claire had changed and returned his blanket, they were on their way to the grocery store.

Claire was sitting in Noah’s passenger seat when she got the email. She had been invited to a work gala. One of those events where everyone was expected to bring a guest. Another evening of everyone asking her why she was still single.

She was dreading it.

Noah immediately looked over at her, as if he somehow knew something was wrong. “You okay?” he asked.

“Yeah. I just have to go to a work event, and it’s one of those things where you’re expected to bring a date. Everyone is going to be commenting on me being alone.”

“I’ll go with you.” He said it so casually, like it wasn’t a big deal.

“No.”

“Why not? You need a date, you said it yourself.”

“Noah,” Claire sighed, “you cannot go with me.”

“I don’t understand why it’s a big deal.”

“Because! Everyone will think we’re together.”

“Yes, wouldn’t that be the point?” He looked genuinely confused.

“I just don’t want it to be weird,” she said.

The problem wasn’t that people would think they were dating. The problem was that, for one evening, she’d get to pretend they were.

And she wasn’t entirely convinced she’d want to stop pretending afterward. She wasn’t ready to consider that possibility.

He nodded. “If you change your mind, the offer stands.”

The rest of the day, Claire contemplated Noah’s offer. Would it really be the worst thing in the world to let him go with her?

It would only be one night. Surely, they could handle fake dating for one night.

By the time they returned from the grocery store, Claire had considered every possible outcome. She imagined spending the whole evening answering awkward questions.

She lasted another ten minutes before knocking on Noah’s door.

He opened the door, amusement written on his face. As if he already knew what she was going to say.

“Hypothetically. . .” She paused.

Noah smiled. “Hypothetically?”

Claire took a deep breath, admitting defeat. “If somebody needed a fake date. . .” she trailed off.