Page 46 of Pick Six

“How much more?” She looks at me surprised.

“Like I might have ended up on the kitchen counter in just a T-shirt while he used his hands on me more?” I mumble.

“Holy shit. Good for you!”

“Bad for me. He knows now that I have this stupid thing for him, and that’s not going to end well.”

“Oh my god! Stop. I am so freaking jealous. That man is hot, Harp. You are living the life the rest of us only dream of. Getting off on a kitchen counter in the middle of the night with Xavier? Jesus!”

“Itwaskind of hot… but also, I feel awkward now. I’ve made our whole arrangement awkward. I’m so screwed.” I cringe and lean my head down onto my forearm on the table.

“I mean you could get screwed.” She laughs.

“Stop! I cannot think about that. I have to stop thinking about him like that in general.”

“Kind of hard to do when you’re dating the guy you have a crush on. When do you see him again?”

“Fake dating. I’m not sure. His publicist has things on her list. But I’m going to the opening game to watch him. Violet and Mackenzie are going to be there.”

“Like the football wives? Wait does this mean you’re gonna be in the box seats with the wives?”

“Yes,” I say sheepishly because I’m embarrassed that I’m pretending to live this football girlfriend life that doesn’t really belong to me.

“Again… jealous. I hope you’re enjoying this.”

“I’m trying to appreciate it, but it feels weird since it’s all pretend and I don’t really belong there.”

“Violet and Mackenzie are your friends. You belong where they are.”

“Not when they’re doing the football player wife thing.”

“I mean… give it time.”

“Scarlett!”

“What? I’m just saying…”

“I don’t know why you’re encouraging this. You’ve never approved of athletes before. You didn’t even like athlete agents if I remember. You’ve always said we need to find the bar where all the archaeologists from the university hang out.”

“I mean, I am a sucker for a guy who spends his summers getting dirty and curses like a sailor.” She wiggles her eyebrows.

“Well, maybe you’ll meet one who wants to work with you on your channel. A collab or two and you’ll hit it off. And then he’ll have a friend. When this is all over, we can double date.” The idea of something beyond my current awkward fake situationship has me feeling a smidgen of hope.

“I’m not opposed to that. But I still think you need to give Mr. Faking It But Don’t Have To Fake It a chance, you know?” She grins at me.

“Yes. I’ll start playing with fire later today too. Maybe take some ice cream into the collections room.”

“Don’t joke about that! I still can’t believe he did that.” Scarlett grumps about an intern who brought an ice cream cone into collections and let it drip onto one of the objects under her watch.

“All right… we better get back in there and start working on this exhibit.”

* * *

When we get back inside,I see I have a text from him and open it up.

ALEX

You busy tonight? My parents are having a thing and want me to stop by. I’d rather not go alone.