Page 64 of Mr. Brightside

It’s not a question. It’s a statement.

And for the first time ever, I admit to myself that what my abuela sees so clearly on the screen is true. What part of me has known since that night at Clinton’s when things shifted between us. What I’ve wanted more than anything for my entire life.

I am in love.

--

Tori: Rhett just told me Jake bought you a Tesla. CORY!

I grin as I read her message and unlock my new ride. Jake keeps insisting I just have to walk up to the car and open the door, but I’m used to having to physically insert a key into the handle to unlock it. It’ll be a while before I’m comfortable with every bell and whistle on this thing.

Cory: Can confirm.

I snap a picture of me in front of the car and shoot it off with the message before climbing into the driver’s seat.

Tori: Stop. STOPPPPP. Of course it’s black. And he got one too? You and your husband have MATCHING CARS? Why do I feel like every time we talk, you tell me the bare minimum about your “fake” marriage, then Rhett tells me something Jake said or did that makes me swoon?

I cringe at the word “fake” in quotation marks. I get where she’s coming from, though. All she knows is what I’ve shared. Well, that, and what Jake tells Rhett, which Rhett then tells her. Maybe that’s something Jake and I need to have a conversation about. I trust his judgment, and I know Rhett is his best friend. But he may not realize that anything and everything he says will be repeated to Tori, which inevitably makes its way back to me.

I think about how I want to respond, considering I haven’t talked about the surprising and profound depth of our relationship with anyone. Or I hadn’t—until I spilled all the tea to Abuela over the last few hours.

For as much as I feel protective over our marriage and what it’s transforming into, I don’t think I can keep it all to myself any longer. It’s not fair for me to get defensive when people inquire about my “fake” relationship if I haven’t given them a clear picture of how it’s evolved.

Cory: The last few weeks have been incredible, Tor. Jake is just… he’s everything. It started casual for sure, but it quickly turned into more. There’s so much more to him than I realized. He’s done more for me in the past month than anyone has ever done. It’s nice to be taken care of… to be wanted. I think I’m falling in love.

Her reply comes through immediately.

Tori: CORY!!!!

Cory: I know. I KNOW. Ugh.

Tori: Not ugh. I’m so happy for you!! I want to hear every juicy detail, but I’m about to go into a meeting. Call me this weekend so we can catch up?

Cory: Okay. Can you do me a favor, though?

Tori: Anything

Cory: Maybe don’t tell Rhett I said that? Everything is amazing with Jake… but it’s still so fresh and new. I haven’t even said those words to him yet.

Tori: I won’t. I promise.

I blow out a breath, dock my phone, then put the car in drive to head back to Hampton.

A pit of concern rolls through me when I think about what I just confessed.

But it doesn’t feel as horrible as I thought it would.

Probably because it’s true. And the truth always feels right, even when it’s hard.

I’m falling in love with Jake Whitely.

--

I pull into the parking lot behind Clinton’s with just a few minutes to spare before my shift, which means I can’t avoid her when I see Lia in the parking lot.

I get out of the car and accept my fate. There’s no way she didn’t see me pull in.

“Nice car,” she quips over her shoulder as she walks toward her pickup truck without breaking pace.