Catch Me (The RLU #5)

Chapter 21

Theo

M arcela asking me to give her sex lessons for research for her book has been the best thing to ever happen to me.

Knowing I’m the one that’s going to make her feel good and get through her writing block is an honor I don’t take lightly. She trusts me wholeheartedly.

Which is exactly why I’m doing this for her, because this will all be worth it to see Marcela happy and thriving.

My mood might change when all of this is over and I’m devastated, but for now, I’ll just enjoy it.

We hadn’t seen each other since that night, but we texted or talked on the phone whenever we got the chance. But today, our friends are in town for Thanksgiving and to celebrate Aurora’s birthday, so I finally get to spend more time with Marcela.

The girls are all currently huddled around Aurora in the kitchen, gushing over the custom engagement ring Cameron had made for her. It’s inspired by Iron Man’s reactor, since they first bonded over their love for superhero comics. Nerds.

My eyes are drawn to Marcela, noting how wide her smile is and the way her eyes light up to match it. She’s genuinely happy, a sight that makes me happy too.

Seeing her for the first time since then hasn’t been weird at all. We’re completely normal around each other, if you disregard that my thoughts are constantly about her. How I want to be with her for real. How I think she’s the most precious thing in my world. How I want to be the one to make her feel good.

“How is the whole fake dating thing going with Marcela?” Ryker asks and I turn my attention to him as he sets his “ On the naughty list ” mug on a table.

Ryker, Cameron, Elio, and I are sitting around a fire pit outside of Jasmine’s and Elio’s new house.

My initial reaction must say it all, because everyone suddenly sits up and leans in closer to me.

“What happened?” Elio sighs, like he already knows what my answer will be.

“A gentleman never kisses and tells,” I whisper, drawing them in closer.

“Fuck,” Ryker groans, running a hand through his long hair.

“This is not going to end well,” Elio adds before taking a sip from his mug.

“She asked me to help her, so I agreed,” I say defensively.

“Hey,” Cameron says softly. “I think we should trust that Theo knows what he can and can’t handle. And if he’s doing it to help her, we should be happy that they’re able to work through whatever it is together.”

“That sounds nice and all, but Theo is in love with that girl. Now you add in them hooking up? She’s going to break his fucking heart when this is all over.” Ryker scoffs.

“Pssh, who says I’m in love?” I chuckle.

They all glare at me. My heart starts to beat wildly in my chest and thoughts begin to swirl. Am I actually in love with her? I knew I was into her, that I like her. Whatever you want to call it. But … love ?

“Is she the first thing you think of when you wake up?” Elio asks.

“Do you constantly think of her? Worry and hope that she’s okay?” Cameron adds.

“Does everything suddenly feel better when she’s around? Like she shines a personal light on you since you’ve been together?” Ryker says, looking at me with an incredulous expression.

“Is there absolutely nothing you wouldn’t do for her?” Elio looks at me pointedly, probably because I’m already showing my answer to this question with our fake dating arrangement.

I internally answer yes to all their questions as my mind begins to settle all at once, at peace with one clear thought.

I love her.

“Fuck,” I mutter, leaning back into my chair. “I am in love with her. What am I going to do?”

Elio is the first to offer advice. “Not tell her, that’s for sure.”

“What if she likes him back? It could work out,” Ryker counters, oddly optimistic.

A throbbing headache blooms at my temples at the potential disaster this could be. My hand reaches into the pocket of my candy cane pajama pants, fiddling with my fidget cube.

“What if you don’t say anything?” Cameron suggests, his voice calm and confident. “Keep things as they are, with the new … benefits. If she somehow manages not to fall for you by the time this is over, then you move on. It wasn’t meant to be. But, if she does fall for you, then you have nothing to worry about.”

“That does not sound like a plan,” Ryker retorts, crossing his arms against his chest.

“No, it’s perfect.” Elio leans his forearms on his knees, speaking quietly. “At this point, you can’t change the fact that you love her, nor the arrangement you’re in. Whether you end it now or in the future, it’ll break your heart.”

“Gee, thanks.”

Elio rolls his eyes at me. “What I’m saying is that Cameron is right. Keep things the way they are, and don’t tell her how you feel. Let this whole thing play out, and hopefully she falls for you along the way.”

I sit with his words for a moment. Marcela could either fall in love with me too, or she could break my heart. It’s not like I hadn’t thought about it when I suggested we fake a relationship.

Yet hearing it out loud makes it seem all the more real.

The mere thought of losing her after all of this sends my mind spinning, because I don’t think my heart would ever heal if she doesn’t end up feeling the same way I do.

“Elio is the oldest, so we should listen to him,” Ryker concedes, making Cameron nearly choke on his hot chocolate.

“You mean my idea?” Cameron says with a raised brow.

“Yeah, yeah. Let’s do that,” Ryker says, making us chuckle.

“I guess Ryker is accepting decisions for my life on my behalf,” I joke, trying to ease the seriousness of the conversation. Talking about my feelings with anyone is something I try to avoid.

“When you can’t be trusted to make good life choices, then yes,” Ryker retorts.

“Hey!” I say defensively. “When have I ever made a bad life choice?”

“How about when you opened your big mouth to Isaiah about Jasmine and me? Outed us to her father?” Elio asks pointedly.

“Blame Cameron for outing it to me in the first place!” I nearly shout.

“My future brother-in-law can do no wrong. Leave him out of this,” Ryker says.

“Boys, boys, boys,” Aurora yells over our voices as she and the girls decide to join us, each exiting the kitchen through the sliding doors. “What is going on out here?”

All four of us eye each other, obviously not wanting to share what we were just talking about.

I speak up quickly. “We were deciding who should give Cameron the ‘ hurt her and we’ll kill you ’ talk. Now naturally, Ryker wants to do it because that’s his future brother-in-law, and he’s the scariest out of us all. But Elio being the oldest gives him a competitive edge—”

“Does he have an off button?” Elio groans, running a hand over his face.

Jasmine slides onto his lap, and they look adorable in their matching flannel pajamas. “Be nice,” she says, kissing him on the cheek.

Camille cuddles next to Ryker, draping her legs over his lap. They’re wearing matching gingerbread pajamas and seeing Ryker in them makes me laugh, because I never thought I’d see the day.

Aurora loves the holidays and wanted to celebrate by having us all dress up in holiday pajamas while we drink hot chocolate, and play various board games. She nestles herself between Cam’s thighs, and he wraps his arms around her. Their pajamas have holiday lights on them.

Marcela and I are the only two who aren’t matching, a subtle reminder that our relationship isn’t real.

But instead of the usual dread that follows that thought, I find myself fueling up on optimism. If I need to give it my all, in the hopes that she’ll fall for me too, then I’m ready to take on the challenge. It’s the first thing I’ve felt passionate about in a long time, honestly.

Marcela sits next to me, with a pink mug in her hand, leaving a small amount of space between us.

“You okay?” I ask, nudging her shoulder with mine.

“Honestly,” she starts, and then a breathtaking smile takes over her face. “I’ve never been this happy before.”

My face matches hers as my own smile pulls at my lips. “Good. I like seeing you happy.”

“Me too,” she says softly, and then to my surprise, she closes the distance between us, putting her thigh next to mine as she rests her head on my shoulder.

On the inside I’m doing my happy dance, but I play it cool as I shift my attention back to the group.

“When are you guys thinking of getting married?” Camille asks.

Aurora looks to Cam who gives her a small nod, “We want to get married next December, because, duh, I love the holidays.”

“That’s going to be so beautiful, I can see it in my mind already,” Jasmine says excitedly.

“What about you two?” I ask Jasmine. She and Elio got engaged this summer, but haven’t told us about any wedding plans yet.

“Next summer,” Elio says. “We want to go back and have the wedding in Bora Bora. Of course, you all are invited.”

Elio and Jasmine went to Bora Bora for a friend’s destination wedding last year, and it’s where they said they loved each other for the first time, making it a special place.

“Can you believe we’re getting married next year, Minnie?” Aurora shrieks, making Jasmine smile as they bask in their pre-wedding bliss.

While I’m excited for them, all I can think about is how much I hope Marcela is by my side at those weddings.

“I’d better start saving money now,” I joke, sipping my white hot chocolate.

“No one is paying to come to ours.” Jasmine shakes her head. “Elio is taking care of it.”

“Next year is going to be so much fun,” Camille says with a grin.

“And don’t forget the Olympics are next year too,” Aurora chimes in.

“We’ll all be watching and cheering you on,” Jasmine says.

“Hell yeah, we will,” I add, excited to see Aurora fulfill her dream. Her mom died a few months before she was supposed to represent Team USA for volleyball, and Aurora will get the chance to live out that dream for her.

I love seeing that my friends are doing what they love and are passionate about. I just wish I knew what that looked like for me—something that drives me as much as it does them.

“We’ve got it pretty damn good, don’t we?” Aurora sighs contentedly, pulling me out of my thoughts as she looks around the group.

“We do,” I say as my eyes meet Marcela’s.

Her gaze drifts to my lips for the quickest second, before she looks away. Not wanting to overthink what it means, I wrap my hand in hers on my thigh and kiss her forehead.

Because for right now, I’ve got all I need. And it is pretty damn good.