“More than anything else, including my app – which you know I basically had tobegthe company to take a chance on – failing.”
“And that fear is exactly why you need to boldly go where you’ve never gone before all alone, Justus Reese.”
Chapter 5
J.T.
I can do this.
I can have arealdate with my fake girlfriend.
I can have areal datewith my fake girlfriendall by myself.
Nervousness suddenly begins to swell around my neck like a noose prompting me to tug at the collar of my navy, “Spock It Like It’s Hot” tank top.
Shit, I don’t think I’ve feltthisanxious about going on a solo date since I attended my first “face of Wilcox” event over a decade ago.
Then, I was worried about embarrassing my best friend.
His deceased parents.
Their legacy.
Now, I’m concerned that I may say the wrong shit and the woman of my dreams will decide it’s best we stay playing pretend rather than ever make anything real.
Post casually giving Singh the two finger signal to fall back, I finish my trek along the sandy shore to the palm tree we agreed to meet at.
It’s apparently the one she hid behind right before deciding to pick me to play the role of her boyfriend.
Guess it’s kind of sentimental that this is where we’re meeting today.
The first day we’ve activelyplannedto be alone versus our vacation partners flaking off for various reasons.
Huh.
What if this all goes to shit?
What if we bothneededthe backup file of having someone we could ultimately call on if things got weird or uncomfortable or too incompatible?
Was doing this mission solo a mistake?
Am I really prepared for this shit?
Fuckme,why do I wish Wes was around to give me a Batman themed talk like I did for him when he finally decided to get back onto the dating deck?
Not that I haven’t been dating.
They just didn’t mean anything.
Unlike Janae Boucher.
Who meanseverythingto me.
Spotting most of her curvy figure blocked by the trunk of the tree is what leads to me gripping the back side and playfully swinging my face around to cheekily greet, “Beloved.”
The sight of her smile instantly appearing gets my heart pounding, demanding to be in the palm of her hand. “Imzadi.”
“God, I love it when you call me that,” slips loose prior to my hand savagely gripping the nape of her neck to aid in yanking her mouth to mine.
