“You need to leave,” I say, my voice low.
“Do I? Make me. Let her make me.” She smiles through me at Alli.
“Everything okay out there?” a mature man’s voice calls from the distance, and Ariel looks back at it.
“Leave. Now.” I say dryly. She doesn’t move an inch.
“We got a problem here!” Alli yells out, earning a death glare from Ariel. “She won’t leave us!”
The man begins to step closer, apparently enough to scare Ariel off. “Whatever!” She snaps, then stomps off. The man reaches us and checks on both with hands on our shoulders.
“Get home, kiddos.”
Alli nods and thanks him while I stand there, staring after Ariel’s retreating figure, trying to wrap my head around what just happened. My heart is still racing, but it’s not just from the confrontation. It’s from the kiss. From the way Alli looked at me. From the sudden, overwhelming realization that this whole fake relationship thing might be spiraling into something I’m not ready to confront.
I glance at Alli, casually fixing her hair like it’s no big deal, but her teasing smile doesn’t quite mask the intensity lurking behind it.
“You okay?” she asks, her voice light but her eyes searching mine.
I nod, still too stunned to form words. Yeah, I’m screwed.
Chapter 20
Alli
It’s been weeks since I kissed Jared, and I’m still unraveling. I wasn’t supposed to feel anything, right? But I can’t stop replaying the moment I stepped in, feeling so angryandprotective catching him stuck under Ariel’s presence. His body went from easygoing to rigid the second she appeared. The way she tried to touch his arm, the way his jaw tightened… I acted out on pure instinct and did what I thought was right—what felt right.
The kiss wasn’t supposed to feelsoright, though. It wasn’t supposed to knock the air from my lungs or sink its claws into my chest, refusing to let go. But it did. And now, no matter how hard I try, I can’t shake it.
I’m supposed to be using him. That was the deal. Jared helps me get my confidence back, and I pretend to be his girlfriend to keep girls like Ariel at bay. Simple. No strings. No complications. But now? Now I’ve gone and made it messy. Every look, every touch has me spiraling, second-guessing everything. Because honest feelings and bad timing? They make a painful combination. I keep telling myself I still like Ethan, but let’s be real—I don’t. Not even close.
I shove the thoughts away and focus on the Harvest Moon Festival. The campus looks like it belongs in a movie, with bright lights glimmering in the dry autumn air, the scent of caramel and popcorn swirling around, and bursts of laughter everywhere I turn. This is the perfect opportunity to clear my head, to stress over something simple like my volunteer shift today.
The photo booth is the perfect distraction. With Olivia bailing for a sorority thing, I’m left to run it alone, handing out tickets and directing group photos. It’s repetitive and mindless, exactly what I need right now.
“All right, next group!” I call, flashing a smile at a pack of giggling freshmen.
But my mind isn’t here. It’s stuck in a loop, circling back to the one thing I’ve been avoiding.
Has Jared been thinking about the kiss? Because I have. Way more than I should. But we haven’t talked about it. He’s been wrapped up in football, and I’ve made it my mission to pretend nothing’s changed. It’s easier that way. Or at least, it should be. Too bad my brain didn’t get the memo.
“You make a pretty decent carny.”
That voice. My heart stutters, and even though I don’t turn around to see him, I know exactly who it is.
I turn slowly, half-expecting to find him leaning casually against the booth, but instead, he’s standing a few feet away, hands shoved in his jacket pockets, his unmistakable grin plastered on his face.
I try to swallow the sudden heat creeping up my neck.
“Shouldn’t you be charming the crowd somewhere?” The words come out too fast, as if I’m trying to overcompensate for the fact that everything about him is making me feel… nervous? Ridiculously aware of how stupidly attractive he looks standing here, surrounded by hay bales and the oversaturated fall decor?
He steps a little closer, the space between us tighter than before, an unspoken challenge in his gaze. But neither of us says anything about it. Neither of us moves too much.
I watch his eyes flick to the side. Just for a breath, it feels like he’s avoiding me.
“Nah. Thought I’d see what the student life is all about,” he teases, stepping closer. His grin feels laid-back, but there’s something in his eyes that makes my pulse go rapid. It’s intense and a hint of curiosity. Like he’s looking right through me, peeling back layers I’m not sure I’m ready to expose. Heat flares in my chest, my pulse hammering. He’s not just here to joke around.
I force a laugh, but my heart’s thudding in my chest. “Well, don’t let me stop you from winning a giant teddy bear or something.”
