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“Don’t worry, we didn’t see a thing.” The reassurance comes from the boy-next-door face of Will Larsen. “I saw your tits and one butt cheek,” Beckett Dunne says helpfully.
With his perfect face, faint Australian accent, and wavy blond hair, Beckett is too sexy for his own good.
“Erase them from your memory,” I warn. “Impossible,” he replies, winking at me.
Lucy just sits at my feet, still purring. “She has great taste in people,”
Diana and I have a love-hate relationship. As in, she hates me, and I love to annoy her.
“Are there any more Dixon rules, or may I please be excused? My furniture isn’t gonna assemble itself.”
Mom gasps. “Nope. She was chasing after a cat and dropped her towel. Best accident
Look at me, breaking all the Dixon rules.
lobby and step onto the wide path in front of Red Birch. “What?” I ask. “You know, your mom may have a point
“I don’t like hockey players,” I mutter. Well, that’s not true. My best friend is a hockey player. So is her husband, and I like him. And I like Beckett. And Will. Huh. I guess the only one I don’t like is Shane. You learn something new every day.
“Christ. Here I am toiling away to earn
If someone wants to be in a relationship with you, they will. They won’t string you along. They won’t hit you up in the middle of the night for sex. They won’t feed you endless excuses about how they’re “not cut out for relationships” or how “you deserve so much better.” They would be with you, plain and simple. And despite the reputation
cutting across the small parkette in front of Meadow Hill. The ground is still wet with morning dew, and a light mist of water sprays my ankles as my white tennis shoes drag against the grass. I could walk, but I prefer the bus because it gives me time to edit my videos for Ride or Dance, the social media account I created for me and Kenji a couple of years ago. I use it mostly to post videos of our dance rehearsals, and then last
been scheming to keep me off it. “I’d love that,” I tell Veronika, flashing her my dimples. She giggles like a schoolgirl. We exchange numbers, and she saunters off with the exaggerated sway of her hips. I’m pretty sure that lady wants to bone me. I stretch my towel over one of the loungers and settle on top of it, deciding to scroll on my phone for a while before swimming laps. I just completed
RYDER: Me personally? Fuck no. But lemme ask the wife. If she wants to go, I’ll go. BECKETT: Wow. RYDER: Wow what? BECKETT: That woman owns you now. You realize that, right, mate? RYDER: Yes and?
Will’s gaze swings between us like a Ping-Pong ball. “Are you flirting?”
I’m never going to be able to look him in the dick again.
because Veronika got caught fucking the last one in the bathroom by the barbecues.” He chuckles at that, and I can’t help but smile myself. Despite all my resistance, there is an innate ease when I talk to Shane. Even when we’re fighting or snapping at each other, there’s just this…flow. And now that I’ve acknowledged it, I find the realization incredibly disconcerting. “That’s enough!” Brenda nearly shouts. “Both of you, stop this. The board has heard Niall’s suggestion and will take it under consideration.” She takes a calming breath. “Next on the agenda—Carla’s motion to deny Liam and
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“Well, Niall detailed that he walked into the men’s bathroom during our community barbecue to find Arvin, the pool boy, hoisting Veronika up between two urinals. She yelled out, and I’m quoting, ‘Clean up this dirty hoe like you clean up our pool.’” This
“On that note, you can leave now. I have a margarita to drink and four episodes of Fling or Forever to catch up on.” “Cool. Wanna order a pizza? I’ll grab some beer from my apartment.” I stare at him. “I didn’t invite you.” “Oh, I invited myself. Was that not clear?”
Oh, I might be bringing a friend, if that’s okay. Not sure yet, though.”
“Later, Dixon.” “Thanks for the ride, Daddy.” “Don’t turn me on this early in the morning, please.”
“I told them I had a girlfriend.” I start to laugh. “This is the greatest day of my life.” “Oh, it gets better, Dixon. I told them it was you.”
He called me Diana. And he said please. This must be dire.
“Mist. Ladies get in free on Friday nights.” Yes, I did my research before I walked over here. I’m not an amateur.
a wry chuckle. “Or a lot, considering I’m willing to do the tango in front
condo that night and raced upstairs to ice my face. PERCY:
But falling apart in front of my father is not an option. I can’t remember the last time I cried in his presence or showed even a sliver of vulnerability.
my fucking God. No. Absolutely not. “Percival?” I burst out, anger whipping inside me. “Are you sure that was his name?” “Unlike this doofus”—Marnie points at her husband—“it’s not a name I’m likely to forget.” Priya eyes me in concern. “What’s wrong?” “That’s my ex.” I wrap the towel tighter around me,
Not that she’s ever getting married. Maryanne’s precious cargo. I’ve already decided that when she turns sixteen, I’m going to sit her down and talk to her about the benefits of becoming a nun. I think a convent would be a really good place for her.
“Nah, I saw it coming,” Will says. “They made out at the pool party, and we all had to pretend it was for a dare.” I ignore Will’s smirk and glance at Ryder. “I don’t know. It sort of happened and now I’ve got a girlfriend.” He lifts his eyebrows. “Made it exclusive pretty fast.” “I can’t exactly not be exclusive. She’s Gigi’s best friend and I’m not looking to get murdered. But don’t read too
I snap out of it. “What the hell’s the matter with you? Your face is redder
ve ever felt. I’ve dated athletes before, but Shane’s butt is something else. “You have the ass of a marble statue,” I marvel. He smirks. “I know.” “All right, not to be crude”—I peek
five thousand notifications. Literally.” “Sure.” “I’m serious.” Confused, Diana dries her hands with the towel Gigi hands her and checks her phone. A moment later, she starts to laugh again. “Oh my God. Lindley. We’ve gone viral.”
But even though Diana can reach the ground here, she still wraps her legs around me again. I hold on
speak to some of the boys. She’s wearing cutoff shorts and a black tank top that bears her midriff, and there isn’t a single teenage boy on that bench who
“My daughter will never date a hockey player,” Logan says ominously. “I know what they’re like.”
He drags a hand over his reddish beard, snorting loudly. “My girls would eat these boys alive.”
it’s going to take a lot of flukes and upsets to wrench that Frozen Four trophy out of Jensen’s hands. There’s a reason he’s the winningest coach in college hockey and probably the highest earner. He not only recruits the greatest players, but then after they leave, he gets their kids too. Lucky bastard.
“You can’t go calling people assholes,” I hear Talvo reprimanding Connelly afterward, and I smother a laugh. “We’re Harvard. We’re better than that.” “Sorry, lost my head.”
“Holy shit, did this chick really just tell the Connor that she can make him happier than Zoey? Swear to God, if she picks him, I’m gonna—shut up, Dixon! Shut up. Jeff ’s about to pick.” “I’m not talking. You’re the one who’s talking!”
“He asked me, as a friend, to have dinner with him tonight. It’s not a date, and I am the most loyal fake girlfriend you will ever have. I fake love you, Shane. I want to fake marry you and have your fake babies. Okay?” I glare at her. “Uncalled for. I can’t believe you brought our fake children into this.”
STEMinist in Training.
I asked Mom and Dad again, but they were too busy arguing—”
are you guys doing?” “We’re recreating the Pompeii eruption.” Diana’s mouth opens for a second, then closes, then opens again. “Look, I’m all for science. But
But still. “Nice night, huh?” Shane’s voice holds a rasp of gravel. “Gorgeous,” Dave confirms. “What are you two up to?” Marnie chirps. I’m getting fucked as we speak, I almost blurt out. I can’t decide if this is the most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened
“No man is allowed to touch you but me, Dixon.” His voice is low. Thick with desire. “And if one tries, I’ll rip his fucking hands off.”
Despite myself, my heart flips, and it pisses me off that she still has this effect on me. I don’t want her to.
Turns out I’m the worst secret-keeper ever. But I trust that Shane’s not going to say anything. He hasn’t blabbed about our fake relationship after all, and it’s been months.
what’s different now?” “His dick,” I confess. “I’ve fallen into his dicksand.” Will nods solemnly. “I’m sorry.”
