Page 31 of My Real Love Affair

“I know that. Why do you think I’m freaking out?”

“You should be freaking out! This is—” She pulled out her phone and started scrolling. “Look at this. You two are trending on Twitter. There are already fan edits. Someone made a TikTok compilation of all the photos from last night set to a Taylor Swift song.”

She showed me her screen. Sure enough, there we were. Austin dipping me on the dance floor. Austin’s hand on my waist. That kiss outside the bathroom. Dozens of photos, hundreds of comments.

They’re so cute together.

Okay but the height difference??? I’m obsessed.

Finally a Bancroft with taste.

She’s gorgeous. He’s lucky.

But of course, there were other comments too.

What does he see in her?

This has to be a joke.

Publicity stunt for sure.

I looked away from the phone. “See? They think it’s fake.”

“Who cares what they think?” Cleo set her phone down. “The point is, people are talking about you and Austin together. Not about Femme Curve. Not about the edited photos. About this.”

She was right. For the first time since my scandal broke, I wasn’t the villain in my own story. I was just a girl at a wedding with a guy. A really, really hot guy who apparently wanted to see me again.

“I don’t know how to do this,” I admitted. “Cleo, I haven’t been on a real date in forever. What if I mess this up?”

“You won’t mess it up.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I know you.” She squeezed my hand. “You’re smart and funny and gorgeous. Any guy would be lucky to date you.”

“Even a Bancroft?”

“Especially a Bancroft.” Then her expression turned serious. “But you need to keep your guard up. Austin has a reputation for a reason. He’s a player. A heartbreaker. I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“I know what he is.”

“Do you? Because you’re looking at me with that dreamy expression you get when you’re catching feelings.”

“I’m not catching feelings. I barely know him.”

“Uh huh.” Cleo didn’t look convinced. “Just promise me you’ll be careful. Don’t fall for the Bancroft charm too fast.”

I hadn’t fallen for anything yet, but Austin was certainly charming. I’d been thinking about Austin since the moment I woke up. He’d saved me last night. Taken the heat off me when I needed it most. Given me a night where I felt beautiful and wanted.

Was it so wrong to want more of that?

“I had fun with him,” I said quietly. “Like, real fun. I know he’s probably just—I don’t know—using me for whatever gamehe’s playing with his family. But for a few hours, I felt like myself again. Before everything fell apart.”

Cleo’s expression softened. “Oh, babe.”

“And I know it’s stupid to think that someone like Austin Bancroft would actually be interested in someone like me?—”

“Stop.” Cleo held up a hand. “First of all, stop with the ‘someone like me’ bullshit. You’re a catch. A total fucking catch. Second, if Austin doesn’t see that, he’s an idiot.”