You never know.The words are on the tip of my tongue, but I shove them back down. He’s had other fake dates. And there will be more after me.
“Do you?” he asks, snapping me out of whatever the hell those thoughts were. “Believe in soulmates and all that stuff?”
My face falls into a frown. “I don’t know,” I admit. “I’d like to think there are some people who find their true match, that give their other half everything they want, like love letters and a room full of flowers, but… I don’t think I’ll ever find that.”
“Is that what you want?” he asks, with a tilt of his head. “Love letters and a room full of flowers.”
I let out a sigh. “It wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, but if I have to get into a relationship for that to happen, then I’ll pass.”
He lets out a laugh. “Guess we have more in common than we thought,” he muses.
Yeah. I guess so.
Although this is the closest I’ve gotten to an actual boyfriend since I was sixteen, and if I’m being completely honest with myself… it’s not so bad. Sure, we have to pretend while we’re in public and do photoshoots and interviews, but—
“Shit.” My head snaps to Lucas. “The interview.”
“Don’t worry about it,” he says. “I told you I’d handle it.”
I narrow my eyes. “You said it got canceled.”
“Oh, well.” His cheeks start to turn pink, and… is he blushing? “I might have…lied.”
I frown. “Why would you do that?”
He sighs, running a hand through his hair. “You were sick, Madeline.” I open my mouth to protest, but he stops me. “Don’t even try to deny it. We both know it. You were holding onto me, you know that? You hate when I touch you, and you weregrabbing onto me, for fucks sake.” He shakes his head. “I couldn’t let you go out like that. No way in hell.”
My cheeks start to warm, and I want to tell him I don’t hate when he touches me. Not at all. Instead, I look up at him sheepishly and flash him a smile. “Thank you.”
“It was no big deal,” he says with a shrug. “We can do the interview another time.”
“Was Ana mad?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “It’s fine, Madeline. You’re allowed to be sick, and you’re allowed to admit it. As opposed to what you think, you don’t have to be perfect. No one’s expecting that of you. We just want you to be…you.”
A smile spreads across my face, and I’m surprised to find it’s because of Lucas. “Thank you,” I repeat. “For everything. I know I was a pain, but—”
“You’re welcome.” He smiles, and our eyes lock. I don’t think I realized how close we were to each other, but his shoulders are pressed against mine, and I can see his chest rising as he breathes, and his lips… they’re right there.
I wonder, only just for a second, what it would feel like. Would he like it?Would I like it?Would he push me away or let me explore? But I don’t get another second to think about it because the door bursts open, and Gabi walks in.
Lucas and I break apart just as she tumbles onto my bed, and I squeeze my eyes closed, letting out a harsh breath. What the hell was I thinking? It’s this stupid sickness. It has to be.
“Oh hey,” Gabi mumbles, her eyes widening when she spots Lucas in the corner of my room. “You again.” Her slurred speech makes my brows pinch together. Is she drunk?
“Yeah,” he says, giving her a tight-lipped smile.
“Hi,” I brush back her hair from her face, and she grins up at me. “Were you at a party?”
She nods with a grin. “It was fun.” She mumbles the words, but then her eyes drop, and a heavy sigh escapes her. “I miss him.”
My brows furrow as she kicks off her shoes. Oh god, not the shoes in my bedroom. “Who?” I ask her.
She falls back onto my bed, her eyes drifting closed. “My best friend,” she mumbles.
“I thought I was your best friend,” I joke, trying to make sure she doesn’t fall asleep.
“You are,” she drifts off, her voice turning into a whisper. “But he’s…”
