CHAPTER 9
”So,” Charlotte said, ”is that everything?”
My sister sat across from me in the booth.
Her usually smiling face was set in a firm line. I had no idea what she was thinking. We”d been here about 15 minutes, during which time, I”d spilled all the tea there was to spill. Charlotte just let me talk without saying a word.
Until now.
”I think so,” I said.
She stared at me a moment then broke into a smile. ”Good.”
”Good?” I echoed, throwing up my hands. ”Seriously, Lotte. I tell you I”m in a fake relationship with the only guy I”ve ever had a crush on—one who wants to get back with his ex—”
”Who you agreed to help get back with his ex,” she put in.
”—and that”s all you have to say?”
She shrugged. ”I”m glad you told me. I hope it works out.”
”Also, what”s up with this non-smiling thing you”ve got going on? Felt like I was being interrogated instead of talking to my sister.”
”You mean this?”
Charlotte”s face went blank, and I nodded. ”So weird.”
”I got it from Bo,” she said.
”Should”ve known,” I muttered. ”How is Stryker? Still frowning at everything and hating everyone but you?”
She blushed, but the smile that ate up her face was filled with love. ”Bo”s awesome. Yes, he still frowns a lot. But his tough exterior hides the softest marshmallow center.”
”At least he”s consistent.”
”Back to you and Sam,” she said and lifted a brow. ”Scam? Really?”
I chuckled. ”Yes, and?”
”Considering your situation, it”s a little on the nose.”
”Hey, I like it,” I said. ”And you can”t let a good couple name go to waste.”
”Wait a second,” Charlotte said suddenly. ”Did you say he”s the only guy you had a crush on? Like ever?”
I shrugged. ”Besides famous musicians and fictional crushes, yes. Why?”
”What about the other Sam?”
”What other Sam?”
She crossed her arms. ”You told me there was a different Sam. When I asked about your crush, you said it wasn”t your friend Sam but someone else. They just happened to have the same name.”
I shook my head. ”Still can”t believe you bought thatone.”
”Scarlett!”
”What?”
”I can”t believe you lied to me.”
”Is it really lying though…if it”s so obvious you should”ve known it was a lie?”
She scoffed, but a small smile played on her lips. ”So, just to be clear, there were never two Sam”s?”
Piercing blue eyes flashed through my mind, and I couldn”t hold back a smile.
”There”s only one Sam Bishop,” I said.
”Oh, Scar.”
When I looked at her, Charlotte was giving me this look, half-concern, half-pity.
”You still like him. Don”t you?”
”What? No, I got over that a long time ago. You know how I feel about guys and romance, in general. They”re just—”
”—a distraction,” she finished. ”And yet, you smiled when you thought about your ”fake” boyfriend.”
”Must”ve been a twitch,” I said.
She kept staring at me.
”We have a deal, Lotte. It”s all about my list and his ex. The relationship is pretend. Period.”
”Hmmm.”
I wasn”t sure I wanted to know what that sound meant, so I didn”t ask.
”And you said you”re meeting him later?” she asked.
”Yeah, in about”—I checked my watch and felt a thrill roll through me—”twenty minutes.”
”For kissing lessons.”
I tried to stay cool, but it was hard. Warmth and sparks filled my heart like fireworks. Inside, I was lit up like the Fourth of July.
”It”s no big deal,” I said.
”And whose idea were the lessons again?” she asked innocently.
”Don”t go there, Lotte.”
”I”m just saying, maybe you”re not the only with a crush.”
I dismissed that idea immediately. ”He wants Brisa. That”s why he agreed to this in the first place.”
My sister met my gaze head on. ”And what do you want?”
With a forced laugh, I slid from the booth, and she stood as well. Hugging my sister was something I”d never get tired of. I was used to seeing her every day of my life. So, her being in college, no matter how close it was distance-wise, and me being home, it was an odd feeling. Knowing I couldn’t see her every day.
”I miss you,” I said into her neck, ”even when you”re hitting me with the hard questions.”
Charlotte laughed and pulled back to look at me. ”I miss you and your sarcasm.”
”My texts aren”t sarcastic enough?” I asked.
”Not the same thing.”
”I”ll work on it.Where are you headed after this?”
She shrugged. ”The library. I want to say hi to everyone and make sure the books are okay. Thought I might do some reading while I”m there too.”
Of course.
”Better go,” she said. ”You wouldn”t want to be late for your lessons.”
I ignored her knowing tone and the smile she wore as I walked away.
”Hey, Scar,” she said.
”Hmmm?” I asked, looking back over my shoulder.
”I know you say it”s all pretend, and maybe it is.” Charlotte shrugged. ”But if you do still have feelings for him, don”t give up on your Sam just yet. Remember, sometimes, fake love turns real.” Her cheeks went pink as a smile brightened her face. ”Trust me, Bo and I would know.”
As I got into my car, I thought about what she”d said.
My sister would know. Her relationship with Bo wasn”t exactly conventional—or at least, it didn”t start that way.
But there was one main difference.
Bo and my sister were destined.
They were each other”s person, even if they didn”t know it yet.
I wasn”t sure I had one of those.
And Sam had already found his.
Oh well, I thought as I drove and turned up my latest romance audiobook. At least my sister got her happily-ever-after. I”d settle for kissing lessons and a fake romance where my heart was in no danger of being broken.
#
”You”re early,” Sam said when I walked into the garage.
My steps didn”t falter. ”I like being on time,” I said.
He cocked his head and sent me a grin. ”Thought you might be excited about the lessons.”
”Someone has an inflated ego.”
”Nah, my ego”s just the right size.”
I turned my laugh into a cough then gestured to the garage. ”I was kind of surprised you wanted to do this here. Is there some place we can…well, you know?”
”Kiss?” he put in.
I nodded.
”Yeah, there”s a supply closet around back that”s hardly ever used.”
My heart stuttered at the thought of being alone with Sam in such close proximity, but I didn”t let my nerves show.
”Or we could always try my car.” Sam shot me a grin. ”Some girls have a thing for muscle cars.”
”Not me,” I said. Although if I was being honest, the idea of making out with Sam in his Mustangor anywhere really, was quite appealing. Not that I was dumb enough to tell him that. Instead, I added, ”I like motorcycles.”
He grunted.
”Or I think I do. I have to ride one to find out for sure.”
”I saw that on your list,” Sam said. ”Tell me, Kent, is it the high fatality rate or the bugs possibly hitting your face that turns you on?
I winced. ”I definitely don”t like bugs, and I plan on wearing a helmet as well as going the speed limit. Also, don”t hate, Bishop. Just because I want to try something you don”t approve of doesn”t make it any less valid.”
”Doesn”t make it any safer either,” he muttered.
”I”ll be careful.”
”Promise?”
I laughed at that, but his face was totally serious. ”Yeah, okay. Jeez, I promise.”
”Good,” he said, wiping his forehead on a cloth. ”You had me worried there for a second. Motorcycles are dangerous. You know, I had a friend who—”
I was too distracted to do much more than nod. His words became muddled background noise as I continued to take him in. Sam wasn”t wearing anything unusual. It was just a white t-shirt with dark wash jeans. The shirt had a few oil stains on it. But man, he made them look good.
”What would I do if anything happened to you?” he finished.
”Huh?” I said.
Sam caught my gaze, and his lips tugged up in a grin. ”You”re staring, Starlet.”
Was I?
Absolutely.
Would I admit it?
No way.
”You have a stain”—I gestured to my own chest—”just there. I was wondering if you”re going to wear that or change…that is if we ever actually start the lesson.”
”You sound pretty eager,” he said.
”Whatever,” I scoffed and turned to leave.
”Sorry.” Sam placed a hand on my arm, and as a jolt of electricity shot through my veins, I struggled not to react. ”It”s just so fun teasing you.”
”Fun for you,” I replied.
”Come on, Kent. You like teasing me too. It”s one of the reasons we get along so well.”
As his hand traveled down to meet mine and squeezed, I mumbled, ”So, there are multiple reasons? Who knew?”
Sam laughed softly, giving my hand a slight tug as he stepped forward. His fingers entangled with mine like it was the most natural thing in the world. ”While we”re here, I thought we could check off another item on your list.”
I stared from our joined hands back to his eyes. ”But we already completed this week”s itinerary.”
The first time he took my hand at school, my breath caught. Not going to lie, I trembled a little too. But Sam didn”t miss a beat. He didn”t seem affected, just gave me that cocky grin and walked with me, side-by-side, holding hands like we”d done it forever. Our palms had kissed more times this week than we had. They were doing it again now.
I didn”t know I could feel so much.
A light electric current hummed under my skin. The pleasant warmth spread from where we were connected to the rest of my body, making me feel light as air. I finally understood. All those songs about wanting to hold your hand? Yeah, they were right.
Because this. Was. Lovely.
I was almost disappointed when Sam released my hand and gestured to a beat up sedan in front of us.
”This is it,” he said.
I blinked. ”What do you mean?”
”I”m going to teach you how to change a tire, #17 on your list.”
I shook my head as a smile touched my lips. ”You don”t have to do that,” I said.
”But I want to,” Sam replied. ”It”ll make me happy, knowing you”re safe.”
Oh my heart.
I felt those words tattooing themselves on my soul as surely as if he”d written them there.
Why did he have to say things like that? It made it so much harder to remember this was all pretend.
He sounded so sincere and had this expectant look on his face. I didn”t have it in me to tell him. The truth was I”d already gotten my dad to walk me through this a couple days ago. But so what? Maybe Sam had some tips to make the job easier.
”Thanks, Bishop,” I said.
”Are you surprised?”
”Yeah. Honestly, I figured you”d lured me here to ravish me. But I see now the lessons were just an excuse. ”
I tried my best to hide the disappointment in my voice. Wasn”t sure I succeeded.
”No, we”re going to do those too,” Sam said.
”We are?”
”Like I said, you”ve only had one kiss, and we need to make Scam believable. So the kissing lessons will be happening.”
Sam threw me a smile.
”Ready to get dirty?” he asked.
”What?!?”
Sam laughed quietly. ”I meant the tire, Kent.”
”I knew that.”
”Did you?”
”Less talking, more teaching, Bishop.”
#
Okay, I had to admit.
I never knew changing a tire could be romantic.
Or so hot.
Watching Sam work with tools was something else. I couldn”t take my eyes off himas he gripped the wrench, demonstrating how to loosen a lug nut. Or when he lifted his hand to wipe the sweat from his brow. Or when he looked at me expectantly.
”Now, you try,” he said.
I nodded. ”Okay.”
As he passed me the wrench, our fingertips brushed.
It was the lightest of touches. Completely unintentional. A few seconds, and it was over.
But that didn”t matter.
I felt the sweep of his fingers long after we separated. Shaking it off, I tried to focus. Sam had started on one lug nut, and I placed the wrench over the next. But when I went to turn it, the thing wouldn”t budge. I gritted my teeth and moved forward to get more leverage. It didn”t matter.
The sucker just would not move.
”Problem?” Sam asked.
”No,” I muttered, ”it”s just stuck. I”ve got it.”
”You sure, Kent? Your face is turning red.”
”That”s because it”s hot in here.”
And because he”d suddenly moved closer, leaving only a few inches between us.
”I”m good,” I repeated.
As Sam looked over my shoulder, I could feel his breath hitting my neck. ”The tires on these older models can be tough. If it”s rusted, you might be too small to get it.”
I scoffed. ”Have you seen my thighs?”
”Yeah,” he said, voice sounding rougher for some reason. ”I”ve seen them.”
”Then you know I”m not small, Bishop.”
He laughed quietly.
Getting frustrated with the dumb nut that wouldn”t turn, I gave up and whipped around to face him. Unfortunately, this put us in even closer proximity. His blue eyes blazed with amusement. ”What are you laughing at?” I asked.
”You,” he said.
”Why? Because I can”t do something you made look so easy?”
”No.” Sam held my gaze. ”I”m laughing because you”re too stubborn to ask for help.”
He leaned forward even as I stuttered a protest.
”And because you”re right. Your thighs aren”t small. They”re perfect.”
”I…what did you just say?”
Sam sighed and wrapped his arms around me from behind, placing his hands over mine on the wrench. ”You heard me, Kent. Now, work with me, and let”s change this tire. Like you said, it”s hot.”
Yeah, because you keep breathing on my neck, and you”re wrapped around me like a freaking blanket.
Sam barked a laugh, and I realized I”d said it out loud.
Oh well, I blamed the heat.
”Push down on three,” he said.
”Okay,” I said softly.
We managed to get the lug nut loose, and I exhaled.
”Nice job, Kent,” Sam said into my ear. ”I”ll stop breathing down your neck now.”
”I don”t mind,” I said.
I was half-hoping he”d stay close, but Sam laughed it off and stepped back. It didn”t take long after that. He gave me pointers as I removed the old tire and replaced it with the spare. By the time it was done, we were both smiling.
”You can definitely check that off,” Sam said.
I already had, but I said, ”Yeah. Thankyou, Bishop.”
He nodded then cocked a brow. ”So…lessons?”
With a swallow, I said, ”Sure.”
Sam started to say something else, but at that moment, the twins joined us.
”Dad says you have to take me to Scouts,” Bennet said to his brother.
”And me to my dance lesson,” Betty put in.
Sam cocked a brow. ”What about Mom?”
”She”s busy. A couple needed an emergency private lesson for a wedding dance or something.” Betty crossed her arms. ”And are you saying you don”t like taking me? Because that would make me really sad, big brother.”
”I”d love to go, but I have plans.”
He gestured to me, and the twins both smiled.
”Oh hi, Scarlett,” Betty said.
”Hey, Betty.” I nodded to her twin. ”Bennet. How”s it going?”
”Fine,” Bennet replied. ”I had to take three tests today.”
Betty nodded. ”It”s hard being 10.”
I bit back a smile at that. She soundedso serious.
”Why are you here?” she asked.
”Just learning how to change a tire,” I said. ”Your brother”s a good teacher.”
”Eh, he”s alright.”
Bennet tilted his head. ”What plans do you guys have?”
”Excuse me?”
”Sam said he has plans. What are you guys doing?”
I stuttered, trying to come up with anything but ”we”re about to start our kissing lessons,” while Sam just looked on, amused as he watched me struggle.
Betty”s eyes narrowed. ”If he”s making you do something you don”t want to, Scarlett, just say so. I”ll go tell my dad, and he”ll make Sam stop.”
”Thanks for the vote of confidence, sis,” Sam said.
”I don”t know what that means, but you”re welcome.”
Bennet raised his hand. ”We”re doing important stuff in Scouts today, so I really need to be there.”
”And I can”t miss dance or my technique will get sloppy. You wouldn”t want that. Would you?” She added, ”Scarlett should come with us.”
”Yeah, let”s go, or we”ll be late.”
Sam looked to me then with a question in his eyes. ”You up for some running around?”
With three pairs of those ocean eyes on me, I couldn”t have said no even if I wanted to.
And I didn”t want to.