Page 14 of The Summer We Lie

"Or like a total control freak," I say, but I can't help returning her smile. The reality of what I'm about to do hits me again, sending another wave of electricity through my veins. "Okay, we have two more days of finals, I think," I say, pacing the small space between her bed and closet, my fingers nervously playing with my nose ring. "And if I meet him on Friday, I'll have to visit Mom and Justin on Saturday because we leave for California on Sunday." My thoughts are racing ahead, trying to organize the chaos. I stop pacing and take a deep breath, forcing my lungs to expand fully. "I can do this."

"Hell yeah, you can!" Harper says, setting my phone down on her vanity with decisive confidence. "Just think what all that money could do for you." She wiggles her eyebrows suggestively, droplets of water still clinging to her shoulders from her bath "And what if he's super hot? Then it's like a win-win. And if he's got a huge dick and knows how to use it, it's a win-win-win."

I laugh despite my nerves, shaking my head at her. The knot in my stomach loosens slightly at her typical Harper bluntness. "Not for my poor cooch," I protest, flopping down dramatically on her bed. The soft comforter envelops me like a cloud. "I'd rather him be small so it won't hurt. I've heard horror stories about first times."

"No, no, trust me," Harper says confidently. She drops her towel without a hint of self-consciousness and begins pulling clothes from her dresser. Her curves catch the light, and I feel a familiar pang of envy at how comfortable she is in her skin. "You want a big dick. It will hurt for the beginning but then..." She pauses, slipping on a pair of lacy black underwear that probably cost more than my textbooks. "Then it gets good. Like, seeing-stars good."

"Oh my God, I'm scared," I groan, burying my face in her pillow. It smells like her expensive shampoo—something with vanilla and spice. The scent is comforting despite my racing thoughts.

She pulls a tank top over her head and comes to sit beside me on the bed, placing a reassuring hand on my back. I can feel the warmth through my t-shirt. "Don't be," she says, her voice softer now, taking on that protective tone she gets when she really cares. "That's what Friday is for—to make sure you're still okay with it after you meet him. If anything feels off, you walk away. No questions asked."

I roll onto my back, staring at the ceiling where Harper has strung fairy lights in an artistic pattern. "Yeah, but even if he's hot and I'm good with it, the whole sex thing makes me nervous. I think I waited too long," I say, feeling heat rise to my cheeks. "Everyone else has all this experience and I'm just... clueless."

"You didn't," Harper says firmly, squeezing my arm. "And plus, you're very sexual even if you haven't done the actual deed before. I've seen you on camera—you're going to be a natural. I know this shit, trust me." She flips her damp hair over one shoulder, sending a few droplets spattering across my arm. "I'm more worried about you becoming addicted than not liking it. You've got that repressed Catholic girl energy."

I snort at this, swatting at her arm, but she continues, undeterred.

"And besides, they bought a virgin—they expect you to not know anything, so it's all good. That's literally the appeal. Your inexperience is what's worth a million bucks to this guy."

"You have a point," I say, sitting up and tucking my legs underneath me. Everything she's saying makes sense and makes me feel better. The rational part of my brain is finally catching up to the panic. "I'm still worried, but I don't need to stress until I meet him on Friday. One thing at a time, right?"

Harper stands and walks back to her closet, pulling out a flowy summer dress in a shade of green that would make my skin look sallow but perfectly complements her red hair. "Exactly. And hey, at least you'll have a great story to tell your therapist someday." She winks at me over her shoulder, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

"If I can afford one after paying for Justin's college and Mom's bills," I say, running my hand over the soft fabric of her duvet, tracing the pattern with my fingertip.

"After the deal, you can afford ten therapists." Harper laughs, the sound bright and confident. "Hell, you could probably buy the whole practice. And the building it's in."

I smile, feeling a strange mix of terror and excitement bubbling in my chest. In just a few days, my life is going to change completely.

"What are you going to wear?" Harper asks, already shifting into planning mode, her eyes narrowing with the strategic focus she usually reserves for business plans or baking recipes.

"I have no idea." I groan, falling back on her bed again, my arms spread wide in surrender. "Help me? I don't even know where to begin."

"Obviously," she says with a grin that speaks of makeovers and possibilities. "We're going to make sure this ArchitectOfControl gets his money's worth. By the time I'm done with you, he'll think he got a bargain."

Chapter Seven

Skye

My stomach does somersaults as Harper puts the finishing touches on my hair, the ceramic wand sending tendrils of heat against my neck. The fruity scent of her hair products fills the bathroom, mingling with the steam from the shower I took earlier, creating a warm cocoon that should be comforting but does nothing to settle my frantic nerves. I focus on breathing it in—vanilla and something tropical—trying to ground myself in the familiar ritual of getting ready with my best friend instead of spiraling into panic about what I've agreed to do.

"So where are you meeting him again?" Harper asks, her tongue caught between her teeth in concentration as she wraps another strand around the curling wand. Her fingers work with practiced precision, so different from my own fumbling attempts at styling my hair. She's always been the polished one between us.

"Bellini's—that fancy Italian restaurant in Pittsburgh." I fidget with the sleeve of my robe, rubbing the soft terrycloth between my fingers like a worry stone. The fabric is worn thin in places from years of use. "I listed Pittsburgh as my city since it's the closest big city to us. I don't want him knowing the exact town I live in if it goes bad." My mind conjures up a dozen nightmare scenarios, each worse than the last—him following me home, showing up at my door, telling everyone what I do online.

Harper nods, her eyes meeting mine in the mirror. The light green of her irises looks almost yellow under the bathroom lights, fierce and protective. "Makes sense. So you're driving there and back tonight? That's four hours round trip."

"Yep." I try to sound casual, but the thought of that long drive home alone after what will certainly be the most nerve-wracking dinner of my life makes my stomach clench. Two hours of replaying every awkward moment, every mistake, with nothing but darkness and empty highway stretching before me. Plus, being exhausted while driving at night isn't exactly safe. God, I haven't thought this through at all, have I?

"I have a better idea." Her lips curve into that smile I know so well—the one that means she's about to improve my life whether I think I need it or not. It's the same smile she had when she convinced me to try camming in the first place, reassuring me that the red wig and makeup would make me unrecognizable.

"What?" I ask, turning my head slightly before she gently nudges it back into position with warm fingers against my cheek.

"What if I go with you?" She releases a perfect wave and reaches for another section of hair, her movements confident and smooth. "I can get us a hotel room so we can stay the night. When you get back from dinner, we can watch a movie, order room service, make it a whole girls' trip." She meets my eyes in the mirror again, her expression turning more serious, the playful sparkle hardening into something protective. "Plus, I'll be there if anything goes wrong."

Relief floods through me, so powerful I almost feel dizzy with it, like standing up too quickly after lying down. The knot of tension in my chest loosens just enough to let me breathe properly for the first time today. "I would love that." I stand up, careful not to disturb the half-finished waves cascading over my shoulders.

Harper bounces up and down, clapping her hands, her hair bouncing around her freckled face. "This is so exciting! It's like being in a movie—my best friend meeting a mysterious millionaire while I wait in the wings as backup!"