“Okay,” I said slowly, determined to play it cool enough to calm her down and not show my own panic. “I can grab a quick change of clothes now before I get you. We’ve had sleepovers before, Sab. It’s not a big deal.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah,” I said, heading to my bedroom to grab a duffel bag and an extra shirt and a pair of pants. “I have nothing to do tomorrow anyway. Unless you think you can’t resist me for a night. Is my virtue in danger?”
I relaxed a little when she laughed in my ear, trying not to think of the long, sleepless night I’d have ahead of me when the wedding was over.
“Caden, for real, are you okay with this? This is a big ask for a fake boyfriend.”
“Hey, I take all my fake boyfriend duties seriously. Plus, we don’t have to worry about traveling an hour so late.”
“Well, that was going to be my out for leaving early, so that’s gone too. If I didn’t love my niece…”
“It’s fine, Sabrina. Let me finish packing a bag, and I’ll head over to you, okay?”
“You really are the fucking best. I’ll owe you big-time.”
“You’ll owe me nothing. I feel bad for you since I’m pretty hot in a suit. You’re going to find it hard to control yourself in a hotel room all by ourselves.”
She laughed as a knot coiled tight in my stomach, already exhausted from how hard I’d have to work to keep myself in check after the wedding.
“So, don’t worry, and I’ll see you soon,” I said, impressed at how I managed to keep my tone even despite freaking the fuck out on the inside.
I packed a few toiletries along with my clothes and zipped up the bag before heading to my car. My head dropped back against the headrest after I started the engine.
Before I knew what I was doing, I dialed Jesse’s number.
“Hey, everything okay?” His concerned voice echoed around the car.
“Well, yes and no. Can I make a confession first?”
“You can. Although I may have an idea of what it is. How long have you been in love with Sabrina?”
I glared at my speaker.
“How do you know it’s that?”
“Lucky guess. Why? I’m wrong?”
“No, you aren’t. So, go ahead and tell me how you were always right, and I finally got burned by playing with fire for so damn long.”
“I can do that later. And I’m the last person to judge. Up until recently, I was pining for Emily just as badly.”
“You think I’m pining for Sabrina?”
“Aren’t you?”
“Yes, but that’s not the reason for my call, you perceptive asshole.”
Jesse’s deep chuckle rumbled through the speakers. He and Emily had finally stopped skating around each other and were officially together. He was ready to marry her tomorrow, but Emily was trying to take it slow.
It didn’t matter if their speeds didn’t match. They were inevitable.
And I was jealous as fuck.
Sabrina and I were a different kind of inevitable. Or, we would be if I weren’t careful. I’d thought tonight was going to be easy. I’d get to touch her and kiss her for show and try to muster my best poker face when I took her home and we went back to being friends.
I’d pine over her alone like I’d been doing all this time, and it would all return to normal.
