Page 23 of Play Fake

“Perfect.”

She returns her attention to Jay and Ezra, letting them know we’re leaving and asking them to tell Ally to text her and apologize for leaving early. Then she grabs my hand, and we head for the exit.

She takes a deep breath once we finally get outside, staring up at the night sky and rubbing her hands over her upper arms like she wants to get rid of the bad energy.

“Sorry, I just couldn’t do it anymore.”

“No problem. Whatever you want.” I shrug casually, trying to shake off the fact for a split second I’d forgotten everything we were doing was an act.

NINE

Mackenzie

“I can’t believeI’m saying this, but do you want to go somewhere else for a while? Wren and Olivia are both still going to be out, and it’s just so quiet there when they’re gone,” I say the words reluctantly after we get into his truck.

I really don’t feel like going back to my place to have a long cry about Ezra. I had made it through the first time seeing him. We’d been cordial to each other. Friendly even. But it still felt like the wound that was mostly healed had been torn open again.

I’d spent the last several weeks thinking about all the reasons I hated him, why it was better we were broken up, and why we absolutely did not make sense together, but then I’d seen him in person. I’d remembered the way he smiled, the little quirky scar he had over his lip, and the way my hand fit perfectly in his and fuck me, I’d missed him.

I hate admitting it, and I want to think about it even less. Which meant I absolutely do not want to go home and think about how much I miss him, especially now when he’d said we needed to catch up, and I might be tempted to take him up on it and call or text him.

“You can just say you want to spend more time with me. You don’t have to make up excuses,” Waylon smirks, and I know he’s joking, but I still want to punch him a little bit.

This is my next problem. One I’m going to make worse by not going home. I didn’t hate tonight. Waylon was actually nice to me, almost kind even, like he cared how I was doing. We got along for once, and I could tell people were curious about him, and about us. He’d played his part perfectly.

Ezra, however, had been unreadable in his reaction. Waylon claims he’s jealous, but I’m not sure I believe it. While it hadn’t been my original intention, Olivia planting that little bug in my head had made me hope for it a bit.

Fuck. There I go. Thinking about him, again. I had to stop. I was out with one of the hottest guys on campus, and just because he wasn’t my type didn’t mean I couldn’t enjoy it.

“Yes. You’re right. The truth is, I’m just desperate to spend more time with you, Prescott. I can’t help myself.”

“See, was that so hard?”

“Painful. I might die.”

He laughs a full, deep laugh and his face lights up in a way that makes my stomach flutter again. Or maybe it was the five whiskey sours. I really hoped it was the whiskey because if not, my boy problems are multiplying, and fast.

“I know a place we can go. Wanna grab some food first?”

“Oooh yes. Some fries sound amazing. Maybe a milkshake?”

“Only if you’re gonna hold my hand on the rink.”

I give him a look that tells him where he can put his little joke and he laughs.

“Okay. Milkshake and fries coming up.”

Before I know it,we’ve got a bag of fast food and two milkshakes, and his truck is bouncing its way down some sort of steep back road.

“Are we allowed to be out here?”

We’d taken several turns down what looked like private roads to get to this point, and if I was on a real first date, and didn’t know Waylon as well as I did, I’d be worried I was about to become a murder victim.

“Yeah. My buddy’s family owns this property out here. Just wait, you’ll see.”

“Wait to see where you’re going to dump my body?”

“How’d you guess?” He doesn’t miss a beat in response.