NORA
“So, this is your go-to pizza place when you’re in the city?” I asked Theo a few minutes later, glancing around the small, family-owned shop as we waited in line.
The space was cozy, with worn tile floors, a big brick oven behind the counter, and a chalkboard menu hanging above it. The smell of melted cheese and baked crust filled the air, and there was a steady hum of conversation from the people packed into the narrow space.
“It is,” Theo said with a smile as he glanced around the place appreciatively. “Though, it’s hard to go wrong with pizza in New York.”
“Very true.”
It didn’t take long before we were seated by the window with two slices each, the late morning sun streaming in as people passed by on the sidewalk outside.
I took a bite and let out a quiet moan. “Okay… yeah. This is so good.”
“Told you.” Theo grinned. And I loved how the little gold flecks in his eyes lit up when he did that.
“So,” I said, after another bite, “did Ky tell you who you’re rooming with this weekend?”
“Not officially.” Theo dabbed at his mouth with a napkin. “Sounds like it’s between Miles or a guy from Ky’s band.”
“We’ll see if Miles actually shows up to this.” I winked.
“For real.” He chuckled. “Because I’d definitely prefer to bunk with him over someone I don’t know.”
“I don’t really like sharing rooms with strangers, either.” I laughed softly.
He nodded. “I’ve gotten too used to having a bed to myself. But what about you? Are you sharing with anyone?”
“I usually share with Lucy,” I said, blotting some grease off my second piece of pizza with a napkin. “But since she’s staying at the Hastings’s beach house a couple of doors down with Owen, I might actually get a room to myself.”
“Lucky.”
“Perks of being Ky’s little sister, I guess.” I shrugged.
We finished our lunch and headed back to the Vanderbilts’ building to wait for the valet to bring Theo’s car around.
The drive out to the Hamptons went by quickly, and by late afternoon, we were pulling up to my brother’s coastal two-story summer house that sat on a quiet stretch of beach, just steps from the sand.
There was a gorgeous pool in the backyard, a big hot tub on the deck, and enough space inside to fit the ten or so people Ky had invited to stay for the weekend.
“I’ll find Ky and see which room you’re in,” I told Theo as we stepped inside the entryway.
“Sounds good,” he replied, following just behind me with his duffle bag.
I headed toward the living room where I could hear voices, but I barely made it to the threshold before I completely froze.
Because sitting right there on Ky’s cream-colored couch, looking way too comfortable with his arm around a beautiful brunette, was Ky’s backup dancer, Diego.
Also known as the guy I’d secretly dated during Ky’s European tour last summer.
What is he doing here?
A sharp wave of panic hit me, and before I could even think, I was turning on my heel and bolting down the hall.
I made it to the kitchen in record time, and needing somewhere to hide, slipped into the butler’s pantry just off to the side, sliding the pocket door closed behind me.
What am I supposed to do? I wondered, my heart pounding hard against my ribs as I pressed my back to the wall.
I couldn’t stay here. Not when Diego was here.
Not when his girlfriend was sitting on the couch like they’d never been happier.
I pulled my phone out, my mind racing as I tried to figure out if I could catch a ferry back across the Sound to Connecticut and then take the train to New Haven.
It wouldn’t be ideal. But it would definitely be better than spending the weekend with the guy who’d only been using me to get his girlfriend back.
Yep, sadly, Miles wasn’t the only guy who’d ever used me to make someone jealous.
Though, at least with Miles, I’d been in on the scam.
Unlike last summer when I’d thought everything had been real, only to find out too late that Diego had never actually wanted me. I’d just been a pawn in his game to get Selena back.
Ugh.
I pulled up the Maps app, my fingers hovering over the screen as I tried to figure out the fastest way out of here.
Then I heard footsteps.
Right outside the pantry.
They slowed.
Then stopped.
My heart jumped into my throat.
And then the pocket door started to slide open.
Please don’t be who I think it is, I prayed, sure it must be Diego—sure that he must have seen me bolt and had followed me in here.
But then, a pair of familiar green eyes met mine and relief rushed down my spine.
“What’s going on?” Theo asked in a hushed voice, his eyes panning over me from head to toe as if searching to see if I was hurt.
“I just saw someone I was really hoping to never see again,” I whispered, grabbing his arm and pulling him the rest of the way in.
“Who did you see?” His brows knitted together as I pulled the door closed behind him. “Was it Miles?”
“No.” I shook my head, my palms damp. “It’s one of Ky’s backup dancers. We dated for a few weeks last summer while I was on tour.”
“Why would Ky invite your ex-boyfriend over when he knew you’d be here?” Theo frowned. “Wouldn’t he know it would be awkward?”
“He would,” I said. “You know… if he knew we dated.”
“Huh?”
“Our relationship wasn’t exactly public,” I said, trying to explain. “We kept it quiet around most people. Ky definitely didn’t know.” I hesitated, then added, “At least, I thought we were keeping it quiet from everyone.”
“What does that mean?”
“Well…” I let out a breath. “I found out later that Diego had been posting pictures of us to his stories on social media. Just… only visible to his ex.”
Theo’s brows pulled together. “You can do that?”
“Yeah. Apparently, she was the only one on his ‘close friends’ list, so I didn’t even know he was doing it.”
“So he was just trying to make her jealous?”
“Yep.” I nodded, my stomach twisting. “And it clearly worked, since she’s now sitting on the couch with him.”
“Oof.” Theo winced.
“Yeah.” I leaned back against the counter. “Just another example of why my love life has always been a complete disaster.”
“That sucks.”
“It does.” I sighed, glancing toward the door.
Then, remembering what I’d been about to do before Theo stepped in here, I sighed again and said, “Which is why I’m gonna tell Ky that I can’t stay here after all.”
“Wait? You’re leaving already?” Theo asked, his eyes widening.
I nodded. “Last year was just really humiliating.” I let out a breath. “And spending the whole weekend watching them together will just remind me of what an idiot I was.”
“You’re not an idiot, Nora,” he said, his hand settling gently around my arm, his thumb brushing lightly over my shoulder. “If anything, that Diego guy is the idiot for letting you go.”
“You’re nice to say that,” I said, trying to brush it off. “Even if it’s not true.”
“But it is,” he said, his voice quieter now, more certain. “He had something good and didn’t recognize it. That’s on him. Not you.”
I let out a small breath. “Thank you.”
And I wanted to believe him.
Wanted to believe that my failed dating life wasn’t somehow a reflection of me… that I wasn’t the problem.
But when I was the common denominator in every failed attempt, it was getting harder and harder not to wonder.
I shook my head slightly. “But I still don’t want to be around him.”
“This house is huge,” Theo said. “And there will be a lot of people here all weekend. You don’t have to be anywhere near him if you don’t want to be.”
I bit down on my lower lip, my gaze drifting back toward the door.
The thought of pretending everything was fine… like Diego hadn’t completely blindsided me… made my stomach twist.
“The guy really did a number on you, didn’t he?” Theo asked quietly, like he could see more than I wanted him to.
I let out a breath and gave a small shrug. “We only dated for a couple of weeks, but… I don’t know. I thought he really liked me. Thought we had something good.” I glanced down at my hands. “So yeah, it sucked finding out none of it was real for him.”
“It’s his loss.”
I let out a groan and leaned back against the counter, dragging a hand over my face. “I literally can’t go out there and have him find out I’m still just as single as I was the day he broke up with me.”
But then a new idea hit me.
A plan.
Something I’d done before.
And someone who definitely owed me a favor.
“What are you thinking now?” Theo asked, clearly picking up on the shift in my energy.
“It’s probably crazy…” I said, straightening as the idea took shape. “But instead of leaving, maybe I could ask Miles to pretend to be my boyfriend for the weekend.”
Theo blinked. “You want another fake relationship?”
“Yes.” I nodded. “I mean, Miles totally owes me after ghosting me twice last month. So I can absolutely blackmail him into helping me if he tries to say no.”
Theo opened his mouth, like there was something he wanted to say.
But then, the voices in the kitchen grew louder.
“We should probably get out of here before someone finds us,” I said. So I reached for the door, sliding it open and stepping into the kitchen. But I only made it two steps out of the butler pantry before stopping short.
Because Diego was standing at the counter now, his arm around Selena as they laughed with Alessi and Bash about something.
My stomach twisted.
“Hey,” Alessi said with a smile when she noticed us. “It’s good to see you two finally made it.”
“Yeah.” Bash glanced over, too. “We were wondering when you’d show up.”
“Sorry, we just—” I started, then trailed off as Diego’s gaze landed on me, recognition flickering across his face. Followed by surprise.
Then something else I couldn’t quite place.
Guilt, perhaps?
I swallowed.
“Hey, Nora,” he said cautiously, his gaze searching my face like he was trying to figure out just how in trouble he might be with me.
“Hey,” I echoed, forcing my voice to stay steady.
Because this was fine.
Or at least it would be once I have a chance to talk to Miles.
I turned toward Theo, deciding it would be less awkward to just introduce him than stand there like an idiot. “This is Theo. My—”
I stopped.
Because who exactly was he to me?
My boss?
My brother’s friend?
Lucy’s brother?
My… friend?
Before I could figure it out, Theo stepped forward.
“It’s nice to meet you,” he said, reaching out and shaking Diego’s hand. “I’m Nora’s boyfriend.”
Then, without looking at me, his other hand found mine—his fingers lacing through mine like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Like we’d done it a hundred times before.
My pulse kicked up, my thoughts scrambling to catch up like I’d missed something important.
Theo was actually claiming to be my boyfriend?
In front of all these people?
I turned to him, my eyes widening as I tried to process what he’d just said.
But instead of saying anything, he just let his thumb brush lightly over the back of my hand.
Like he was telling me that he had this and I should just go along with it.
So, as a strange flutter sparked low in my stomach, I tightened my fingers around his.
“Oh,” Diego said, clearing his throat as he took Theo’s intimidating form in. “It’s nice to meet you.”
There was a beat of silence, and I flicked a glance toward Bash and Alessi, who looked just as surprised.
Then Alessi clapped her hands lightly and said, “Well, Bash and I were just grabbing something to drink before heading outside.”
“Yeah.” Bash nodded. “We’ll get out of your way.”
“Oh, you’re not in the way at all,” I said, my brain still trying to catch up. “We were actually just going to head upstairs to get everything settled in my room.”
“Just your room?” Diego asked, his brows pulling together as his gaze shifted to Theo. “Are you staying somewhere else this weekend?”
“Oh—no,” I blurted. “We’re staying together. Obviously.” I stepped closer to Theo, hoping that would sell it. “I’m just used to calling it my room since it’s always been mine whenever I’m here.”
I glanced up at Theo, a flicker of uncertainty hitting me.
Was he okay with that?
But as I searched his face, I didn’t find any signs that he was bothered by the idea. If anything, he looked completely at ease.
Which… I guess he should be since he was the one who’d just volunteered to be my fake boyfriend.
“Anyway,” I added quickly, “we’re going to take our stuff upstairs.”
“Yeah,” Theo said as he grabbed our bags and nodded toward the staircase. “Lead the way, babe.”
Babe.
The word sent a small jolt through me. Never in my life did I ever dream that Theo Archibald would actually call me something like that. Giving me his own term of endearment.
But since I didn’t trust myself to respond in any sort of chill and relaxed way, I just turned and started up the stairs, very aware of his tall, handsome form following close behind.
Because, yeah… apparently, we were sharing a room now…