Page 22 of Faking it For Summer

“You and me both,” Juniper says.

“No, you guys won’t,” Wendy says quickly, and there’s a pink hue blossoming on her cheeks.

I wonder if she has a thing for him. I’m almost positive that he has a thing for her because the last time I saw him, we were all at Salty Sirens, and I was pretty sure he had lust in his eyes, though I didn’t tell her that. Wendy’s the sort of woman who doesn’t want to hear about hot men wanting to seduce her. She doesn’t understand how beautiful she is and how men are drawn to her. If I had a man like Carter gazing at me like caviar, I’d be sure to let him have a nibble. Maybe that’s why I don’t have any men after me.

“Well, I’m not going to say anything either,” Louisa says. “Especially not now that I’m entering my own fake relationship with Preston.”

“Yeah, that’s going to be interesting.” I wonder if she knows what she’s getting into.

She doesn’t know Preston that well, as she hasn’t been on the island long, but apparently, they hit it off right away.

Preston is the owner of Cocktails & Chaos, and he is a really nice, good-looking guy, but I’ve never known him to be the sort who would be great in a fake-dating situation. I wonder if Louisa has a thing for him. Even though she did just run away from an almost marriage. Louisa’s love life is even more of a hot mess than mine. Mine is just nonexistent.

“Plus, he’s really hot,” I say loudly. “How are you going to fake date a really hot guy? You’re going to want to date him for real.”

“Are you going to want to date Luke for real?” she shoots back at me.

“Oh, no way. He’s been my best friend since before I could do multiplication. I do not want to date him.” I gag.

“But he’s cute,” Gigi says, teasing me. “I remember him from high school. He’s tall, dark, and handsome, and those baby blues of his are to die for.”

I frown at her words. She’s gushing far more than I like.

“Yeah, he’s okay. But, my gosh, I’m nervous, guys. I realize that we may have to kiss.”

“What do you mean, you may have to kiss?” Juniper giggles. “You’re definitely going to have to kiss.”

“But I’m not going to French kiss him. I’m just going to give him a peck. That’s what I told him.”

“A peck?” Wendy raises her eyebrows in surprise. “What are you, twelve?”

“Why do you sound like Luke right now?”

“I bet he’d totally want to go all the way with you,” Josie says, winking at me. “And, girl, you should go for it. Luke has always been a stud muffin.”

“No, he hasn’t,” I say, incredulously. “Do you have a thing for him?”

“No, I don’t. Why would you ask me that?” Josie asks.

“I don’t know. I just thought you said that weird, like you wanted to make out with him.”

“Are you acting jealous?” Juniper’s eyes narrow, and my heart races.

There’s no way I’m jealous of any woman who wants Luke.

“I’m not. At all. Let’s finish putting on our makeup.” I take a long gulp of wine and try not to think of kissing Luke.

“My parents were gobsmacked when I told them, my grandparents were cool with it, and Rafe was acting like an absolute jerk. I don’t know that he believed me, but Luke and I are going to sell it so that he’ll have to eat crow.”

“Well, you know, he is very smart.” Juniper walks around with the bottle of wine and tops us all up.

“Since when have you thought that Rafe was smart?”

“Since always. He’s always been smart. You know that.”

“He’s book smart. He’s not emotionally intelligent. He’s my brother, and he is so freaking annoying. All the questions he kept asking me, I was like, is he trying to ruin this for me?”

“Have you heard what Rex has said?” Louisa asks. “Because he’s the reason you’re doing this, right?”