Page 41 of The Omega's Fake Mate

“Yeah, I can see that.”

“I hope they make up.”

“I'm sure they will. I fought with all of my friends too, growing up.” One time, I had taken Zander's book and thrown it into a lake. I couldn't remember now why I'd done that. All I remembered was that Zander hadn't spoken to me for aweek. In those days, that felt like a lifetime. We made up in the end, though. We always did.

Until I moved, anyway.

Kade nudged my shoulder, pulling me out of my reverie. “So how did your evening go? Did they buy it?”

“Oh, I think they did. Let me tell you, the way he kissed me was very convincing.”

“So he kissed you.”

“Not like it was the first time,” I waved Kade off, trying to make the whole thing appear like it was no big deal, even when it was. Not the fact that he'd kissed me, no, that was sort of expected, considering the whole fake relationship thing. Just the way it made me feel—and I had no idea how to tell my friend or what to make of it.

Kade must have seen something in my eyes, though. “You liked it, didn't you?” He tried to contain himself, but I could see him celebrating on the inside.

“Don't get ahead of yourself,” I warned him. “Just because I like it when he kisses me doesn't have to mean anything.”

“Oh, but what if it does?” Kade grinned as if he already knew the answer.

What if it did? That didn't change anything about my situation. I didn't know how to have a relationship. I sure as hell didn't know how to have a long-distance relationship.

Worse than that, I didn't know if this was anything more than show to Zander.

15

Zander

Two days after Thanksgiving dinner, I was disturbed during my lunch break again. The thought struck me that perhaps I really should consider locking the door more often, but it had always been open when my grandma still ran the store, and that was that.

“Zander, are you in?” I heard Mrs. Fawnston call.

“Over here,” I said, stepping out of my small office. I'd left my desk the moment I heard the door bells chime.

“Oh, there you are. Shall we go into your office? I figured you'd have a minute over lunch. I brought your book.” She held it up.

To be honest, with everything that was going on in my life, I'd totally forgotten that she wanted to discuss that with me. I hadn't even started writing the next one yet. Perhaps I should. It would make a nice, productive distraction from thinking about Nick.

Without waiting for a response, Mrs. Fawnston walked by me into my office and I felt like I had no choice but to follow her.

“Seriously, I feel like this is one of your strongest works,” she said, waving the book in her hand. I could see that she'd stuck colorful post-it notes between some of the pages. “If notthestrongest book you've written so far. There was just... more emotion in it?” she mused. “I could really feel the characters struggling to accept their newfound love for each other.”

I sank into my chair behind my small desk, crossing my hands behind my neck. Mrs. Fawnston didn't have the faintest idea how much I could sympathize with the characters I had created just now. Life was funny like that. I wasn't sure whether or not I regretted having given this book to Nick. “I'm glad that you enjoyed the book. My editor liked it too, even though it is a bit cliché, the whole fake-relationship thing.”

“Pah.” Mrs. Fawnston gestured with her hand. “It's a cliché because it works. You write about love, Zander, and you do it so well I can feel it every time. That's all that matters in the end.” She put the book down on my desk and looked at me. “It's just a shame you haven't found someone for yourself yet. Perhaps you really should let your parents help.”

I raised an eyebrow at her. “Arranged marriage? You believe in that?”

“All I'm saying is you could let your parents introduce you to some people. You don't have to marry them right away.” She winked at me. “I know you're not one to fall in love quickly. It always takes your characters so long to confess to each other too.”

I shook my head. “The only time I've ever fallen in love I never even noticed it until I was already in too deep. Mind you, I was still a child at the time. Perhaps it wasn't love at all.”

She scoffed. “I'm pretty sure you know best what you were feeling. Don't disregard it because you were young. I met my husband in middle school and we were together for twenty long years.”

“I met him earlier than middle school. He moved away during middle school.” What might have been if he hadn't? I would never know. There was so much I didn't know now.

“And it still bothers you?” Mrs. Fawnston asked, eyeing me closely.