“Great reflexes, Bishop,” Wesley says, then nods to a red couch in the far corner of the shop. “We were over there, but glad to see you missed us.”
“Makes it even more satisfying to give you this,” Tyler says, snagging the gift from Jason.
I groan when I see it. This time the wrapping paper is covered in crude illustrations of snow people. The catch? Each snowman’s getting hisothercarrot blown by another snow person. And the words in the thoughtbubble above him are: “Now that’s what I call a snowball fight.”
“Seriously?”
“Very serious,” Miles says.
“You made me come down here for a gag gift?” But then, this gift reinforces my fake-dating plan. One good prank deserves another.
You’re not fake-dating Isla for the sake of a prank. You’re fake-dating her because you can’t stop thinking about her.
“Who said it was a gag gift?” Jason replies.
I rip open the paper, then groan again. They gave me a T-shirt—a picture of Jim Carrey asThe Grinchwith a quote from the movie: “I guess I could use a little social interaction.”
“Wear it today, man,” Tyler tells me, “at the competition.”
Jason nods. “You better. Because that pic of you and your team winning the snowman fashion contest? Fucking gold.”
Call me skeptical. “Gold in what way?”
“People like it, Rowan,” Jason says, completely serious. “The team likes it.”
“They like it?” I ask, like that’s a brand-new concept.
“Yeah, it’s that thing where other people enjoy things,” Wesley deadpans.
“Try it sometime,” Miles puts in.
I smile like a canary-eating cat. I’m this close to telling them right now that I plan to enjoy the hell out of the gala. That I won’t be ruining their good time. But I swallow down the words. I have to do this in the right order.
As a server arrives with the food and my smoothie, Wesley, Miles, and Tyler place bets on who can win asnowball fight, then take off to take their chances, leaving me with Jason.
“Can’t believe you brought me down here for that,” I say, nodding to the shirt, figuring it’s the perfect segue.
“I didn’t,” Jason says.
“What do you mean?”
“How’s it going? The whole practice-dating thing with Isla?”
Your sister’s fucking incredible, and I can’t stop thinking about her.
I hate lying to him, and I didn’t realize how much until now. But at least I can give her the credit she deserves for having put up with me. “I’m not an easy client,” I begin.
Jason snorts. “Tell me something I don’t know.”
“I’ve been a pain in her ass from day one. I’ve put up roadblocks, devised excuses, and argued.”
“I’m shocked.”
“And even though I’ve tried to sabotage pretty much everything, she keeps trying harder to help. I’m learning dating stuff. Like how to open up. Be real.”
There. That felt intensely fucking vulnerable to admit too.
Jason smiles, then claps me on the back. “That’s great. Rome wasn’t built in a day, but I’m happy for you.”
