Page 15 of Play Fake

“The asshole cheated on her. And the new girlfriend will probably be there too,” Olivia grimaces for me as my stomach roils at the thought of the happy couple.

Except I don’t know Waylon needed quite as much detail. He already has enough humiliating information on me to last a lifetime at this point.

“You know what you need?” Olivia’s face lights up like she has an idea, which makes me nervous.

“What?” I ask warily.

“A date. Someone hot. Show Ezra he was nothing but a blip,” Olivia leans forward, her smile growing as she goes all in on the idea.

“A two-year blip?” I look at her doubtfully, and then roll my eyes, annoyed to be having this conversation in front of Liam and Waylon rather than in the privacy of our Wednesday night ice cream circle at home. Some things should be sacred.

“Yes! Why not? Maybe there was someone else all along, and you were planning to leave him, anyway!” I can see the wheels turning in her head.

“And where am I going to pull this magical man from Liv? The ether?”

“We can figure it out. Can’t we Liam? You must know someone.”

“Uhhh… I’m sure I could find someone,” Liam hedges.

“What about Ben?” Olivia gasps at her own idea and pats Liam’s hand excitedly.

I don’t hate that idea. An excuse to be alone with Ben, even one this contrived wouldn’t be awful.

“I’ll do it,” Waylon’s voice cuts through their chatter, and it feels like a record scratch.

My eyes snap to his, hoping I can discern what the hell he’s thinking, but his eyes are locked down, staring at the menu in front of him. He cannot be serious. That would be an utter disaster.

“I mean, I’m free if you need it,” he corrects, lowering his voice this time.

“I don’t know if that’s—“ Liam starts, but Olivia talks over him.

“Oh, my god! Yes! Oh, you would be perfect,” Olivia slaps the table with her menu, while looking to me excitedly.

Fuck.When Olivia sets her mind to something, there’s rarely a way out of it she can’t block.

“Uh. I don't know. I mean, Ezra has met Waylon before and…” I trail off, my mind grasping for a solid reason why Waylon is a terrible idea.

He’s not. Theoretically anyway. In any other universe, where we don’t hate each other and I hadn’t just had a naked run-in with him, he would be perfect. He’s hot as hell, and his size makes him impossible not to notice in a room. He could probably make a career out of being a revenge date for scorned women the world over if football ever stops working for him. But in this reality, for me? It would absolutelynotwork.

“I mean, that makes it better. Think about it, Kenz. He’s met Waylon. He knows you two hang out at the house. Including when he wasn’t around. Maybe there’s been something brewing. It’ll make him wonder how long it’s been going on. Maybe you were just about to break things off with him to upgrade to Waylon. It’ll send his anxiety through the roof. It’s perfect!”

Olivia looks so pleased with her plan. I hate to argue with her.

“I thought we were just trying to find someone to be my buffer. Not concoct an entire revenge plot overnight,” I try to get this whole unwieldy train wreck back on the tracks.

“Two birds. One stone. Get with it, Kenz.” Olivia sounds determined to make this happen.

Ugh.

“Waylon and I barely know each other. We’re not going to be believable. And if Ezra figures out I’ve made up a fake boyfriend to get back at him? Dear god. Let the floor swallow me whole. I’d have to go into wit pro for the rest of my life to hide from the embarrassment.”

“Come on, Mac. I can make it believable. It’ll be fun,” Waylon flashes a smile at me, knocking his thigh against mine playfully.

I stare at him, my hand grabbing his thigh to still it, and when he insists on continuing to bounce it, I dig my nails in. I only wish I had telepathic powers right now, so I could ask him what the fuck he’s thinking.

SIX

Waylon