Once more, Dylan Wright has no idea he’s making me wet in the panties. “Hello,I like vegetables. And beans. And tofu. And I’m doinggood for the worldwith my diet. Vegetables are so much better for the environment than meat is.”
“Okay, Ms.Sneaked a Barbecue Sandwich at Hog Wild While Wearing Sweatpants and a Fake Nose.”
I gasp, my heart rate tripling and my knees starting to quake.He saw through the fake nose.If he saw through it, who else did? “What?Oh myGod. How dare you. I would never—”
“The wig and the Sparrow County High sweatshirt were nice touches,” he adds. “But you might want to add a limp next time. Stride gives you away every time.”
Dammit.
Dammit.
“I donoteat—”
“Not gonna tell anybody, Tavi. I’m not like that. But if we’re gonna be friends, you’re gonna have to be honest with me.”
There’s a tingling in my chest that has nothing to do with the ridiculous crush I have on this man and everything to do with the fact that he has the ammunition to destroy me.
Or possibly it’s both.
“I had a bad day,” I whisper.
“Damn good barbecue. Not much better to cure a bad day. Where’d you get the beater car?”
Not a chance I’m going there. “No one would believe you if you started spreading that rumor. People try every few years, and they always disappear after their five minutes of fame, and trust me, there’snothinglike karma when you get your five minutes of fame by trying to destroy someone who’s only trying to do a little good in the world.”
He goes a little pale, and his cheek twitches. “True enough,” he says quietly.
I stare.
Pebbles stares.
He turns a corner, his shoulders visibly tightening.
And I suddenly have so many questions. “Is there something you want to tell me before I make you internet famous?”
He shakes his head. “I’m good. Also, setting unrealistic expectations for women everywhere when you’re literallypaidto stay in shape and pretend you eat three lettuce leaves for lunch every day isnotdoing good in the world.”
How is it that he’s currently on mydanger, danger!list yet also getting more attractive by the minute? “Don’t try to change the subject. You realize you just called me on keeping secrets, right? And now you’re keeping them yourself?”
A muscle tics in his jaw. “Not really a secret that I was a shit in high school. I own it. But I don’t have time to list all of my transgressions before we get there.”
“But you’re not a shit now.”
“People can change. I changed. I like this me, and I’m not going back.”
People can change.
He has no idea how much I needed that reminder. Coupled withwho are you, Tavi Lightly?it feels like Dylan is exactly what I need. He’smy reminder that I get to be in control of who I am, no matter my circumstances.
Naomi would like him.
Ilike him.
“I’ll give you a pass on your past so long as you don’t ask me to explain why I almost ran into that garbage truck the day after that thing that we don’t need to talk about ever again,” I tell him. “But if I’m going to help you get back into the dating world, I think I should know the name of this woman you’ve been secretly in love with forever and why you think you don’t deserve her.”
“Prefer if you don’t talk about that today either,” he mutters.
“Why?”
