Page 14 of A Little Crush (The Little Things #6)

RORY

I ’ve been debating long and hard about whether or not I should have this conversation. Long. And. Hard. But even now, I can’t decide if I’m making a mistake.

Clutching the coffee cup to my chest, I take another peek at the man across from me.

I’m still not sure if it was a good idea to ask him if we could chat.

But after replaying my conversation with Jaxon during Ghost in the Graveyard, I figured it couldn’t hurt.

Right? I probably should’ve ordered drinks for both of us, but since I didn’t want this to feel like a date, I only ordered a coffee for myself.

Now, I’m definitely second-guessing the decision.

After all, I’m about to ask him for a favor, aren’t I?

Maybe I should wait for the barista to call his name before I bring everything up. Or maybe not. I don’t know?

“You gonna tell me why we’re here?” Dodger asks.

“Yeah of course,” I rush out. “Should we wait for your order, first?”

“Nah, I’m good.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.” He settles back in his chair and folds his strong arms, letting me take the floor as the Bean Scene’s customers hustle and bustle around us.

Now or never, Rore.

“So…” I start.

Dodger’s mouth curves up. “So.”

“I have a…” Something clogs my throat, and I clear it. “A situation.”

He pulls back, surprised. “A situation?”

“Yeah.”

Dropping his voice low, he murmurs, “Need me to ask my sister for a tampon or something?”

I fight the urge to laugh and cover my face. “Not that kind of situation. And also, your sister’s not here, so…”

“Then, I’m glad it’s not that kind of situation.” Relief swallows his handsome features as he steals my coffee, taking a sip while waiting for his own order to be ready. “What’s up?”

What’s up? Well…where do I start?

Dodger’s parents are my family’s friends, but would I say we’re particularly close?

Not really. Not when he’s like, fifteen years older than me and was touring the world with his band by the time I hit kindergarten.

Okay, that might be a bit of a stretch, but not by much.

We never even really spoke more than once a year until a little while ago when we wound up staying in the same town.

It didn’t hurt when Tatum started dating the guitarist in Dodger’s band, either, but even so, close is definitely not a term I would’ve used to describe our relationship, or at least, not until recently.

After the wedding announcement, Dodger could see how nervous I was to come back to Lockwood Heights, so he offered to be my safety blanket. And now, here we are.

Just say it.

“So…” I reach for my coffee, taking a long swig.

“Is it just me or are we going in circles?” he challenges, though I don’t miss the mirth dancing in his kind eyes .

He’s right. We are.

“Jaxon called you my boyfriend,” I blurt out.

His brows kick up. “He did?”

“Yeah.” I gulp. “And I can totally correct him or whatever, but I just…I guess I felt like I should give you a heads-up.”

“So you can totally correct him ,” he volleys, mimicking my own words, “but you didn’t when he first mentioned it?”

My nose wrinkles in shame. “Not exactly.”

With a low laugh, he steals my coffee again but doesn’t bring it to his mouth. “Are you coming onto me, Squeaks?”

“Not at all.” My nose wrinkles even more. “No offense.”

His smile grows like this is the most amusing conversation he’s ever had.

That makes one of us, buddy.

“None taken,” he retorts. “So, if you’re not coming onto me, why didn’t you correct him?”

“I don’t know.” Unable to look him in the eye, I pick at my cuticles instead. “I guess the idea of me looking like I moved on from my stupid, childish crush felt better than admitting I haven’t even been on a date in over a year.”

“A year?” He whistles. “That’s quite a long time, Rore.”

I roll my eyes. “Trust me, thanks to Tatum, I’m well aware.”

“Okay, so what does it mean?”

It’s a good question. One I’ve asked myself a hundred times since my encounter with Jaxon in the forest. “I don’t know?”

“That’s not an answer, or at least not one I’ll accept.” Reaching forward, he tucks my hair behind my ear, then urges my chin up until my gaze meets his. “Ask me, Rore.”

“Ask you what?”

With a gentle shake of his head, he shifts closer but doesn’t let go of my chin. “Ask. Me.”

My lips part as I consider my options. I could back down.

I could turn around, head right back to Jaxon, and come clean, putting the kibosh on this entire thing.

Or…or I could ask the rockstar in front of me to roll with it.

To corroborate my little white lie until we’re both on an airplane back to Harden Heights and as far away from here as possible.

I swallow thickly, let out a slow breath, and raise my gaze to his.

“There she is,” Dodger mumbles. “Ask me.”

“Will you…will you be my fake boyfriend for the rest of the time we’re here?”

Dropping his hand, he lifts a shoulder. “Sorry, can’t do?—”

My look of terror cracks his facade, and he doubles over in amusement. “Kidding, Rore.”

“Not funny!” I smack his shoulder.

“Kind of funny,” he argues. “And yeah. Yeah, I got you.”

“You sure?” I push. “Because if you’re not?—”

“It’s not like the tabloids will catch me cheating on you or some shit. The band’s on hiatus anyway. Besides, it’s only a week or so. I can keep my dick in my pants for a week.”

“You sure? Because when you put it that way…” My words trail off, letting my silence fill in the blanks while pulling another shameless grin from the man in front of me.

“All right, here’s a caveat. If I feel the need to pull my dick out of my pants while I’m here, I promise to do it in private and away from Jaxon or anyone else you decide to lie to. Sound like a plan?” He snaps his fingers. “Wait, I have one more rule.”

“And what’s that?”

“No falling in love.” He tacks on a wink. “It’s Fake Relationship 101.”

The man has a point, and in most chick flicks, I’d say he’s onto something.

But me and Dodger? He’s like an older brother to me.

No, he’s even worse than that. He’s like a…

okay, I can’t really think of something worse than the whole fa lling for your older brother example, but you get my point.

Me and Dodger? No bueno. Not now. Not ever.

“No problem,” I announce.

A cocky smirk tugs at his mouth. “That’s what they all say.”

“But you’re okay with it?” I push.

“Yeah, what the hell? Go wild, Rore. Let’s see what happens.”

“Dodger?” the barista calls, interrupting us.

That same smirk teases me as he stands. “Be right back, girlfriend .”

Yeah…this is going to be interesting.