Dane eyed me cautiously. “Well what?”
I had a feeling there was more he wasn’t saying, but I didn’t ask.
The wedding was only a few weeks away, and I didn’t want to risk talking him out of this.
I couldn’t think of anyone else I’d be willing to ask, and Dane was still here, still agreeing to a plan that sounded ridiculous every time I thought about it.
For now, that was enough.
“Two weeks.”
Dane frowned. “What?”
“You’ll only get free drinks for two weeks.”
His eyebrows shot up. "Why?"
"Because you lied to me."
"Withholding information isn't lying."
The response came so quickly I was fairly sure he'd used it before, and the corner of his mouth twitched like he knew it too.
“Right." I narrowed my eyes, suspicious.
Dane lifted both hands in surrender. "I'll even agree to one week. No, wait. Ten drinks. But they can be claimed on any day."
I stared at him. He looked completely serious.
"You're negotiating fake-boyfriend compensation."
"I'm negotiating a very reasonable fake-boyfriend compensation package."
The fact that he said it without a trace of embarrassment made it impossible not to laugh.
Dane pointed at me immediately. "Don't laugh. I'm making sacrifices here."
“Why?" I asked, curious.
And just like that, some of the ease in him drained away.
"Because." He groaned and looked away. "I have a pack thing coming up soon."
The confession came out so reluctantly I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing again, especially when I noticed the faint red creeping up his ears.
"A pack thing?" I repeated.
"Don't."
I laughed, even louder this time. Dane dropped his head briefly before looking back up at me.
"You're enjoying this way too much."
"Maybe."
He sighed. "Fine. Stop laughing and I'll pay for gas."
That seemed fair enough. I lifted a finger and started counting off the terms of our arrangement.
