I’m on the couch playing video games when my phone starts blowing up with texts.
Gabs: I LOVE Chloe. Good work.
Joel: Finishing up with a late workout. Wanna crash girls’ night?
Frank: Need to talk to you. Give me a call.
Heath: <picture attached>
I open the meme Heath has sent and chuckle. It’s our main form of communication, sending them back and forth every day when we don’t have anything else to talk about. I respond with one of my own, and I’m getting ready to text Joel back about going out when the phone rings in my hand. Frank.
“What’s up?” I answer. “I was just about to hit you back.”
“Got something for you.”
“Told you I was done, man.”
“Yeah, I know, and I get it, but this is a one-time run. Five hundred, free and clear.”
I hate the way him dangling cash in front of me makes me so eager and excited. Money may very well be the root of all evil, but being without it fucking sucks.
Thanks to Joel and Wes dropping their used books from last semester in my room—neither would admit it, but it isn’t like I don’t know their class schedule—I was able to pay Frank back, but since I stopped dealing, there isn’t any new cash coming in. Everything Chloe gave me went straight to my mom, save a couple hundred to live on until I find a new income stream.
“No can do. Gonna have to get someone else.”
“This drop requires a certain finesse. I want someone I can trust.”
Finesse equals sketchy as fuck. “No way, man.”
He’s quiet for a beat. “A grand.”
Chloe
When the guys show up, I’m buzzed.
“Where’s Nathan?” Gabby asks them, saving me from having to admit I don’t know where he is. We had class together today, but I haven’t seen or talked to him since.
“Said he’d meet us here.” Joel’s dark hair frames a face that’s almost too handsome to be real. He slides in next to Katrina and pulls her close.
Blair introduces me to Wes, and Vanessa introduces me to Mario. I watch in adoration as the couples get lost in one another. I wonder if Nathan and I look that convincing. Gabby seems to believe we’re legit, anyway.
“Zeke’s in Phoenix?” I ask Gabby, pulling that bit of information from what she told me when we met.
She nods. “I should Facetime him once we’re all here. Speaking of, there’s your guy now.”
Nathan’s already spotted us and walks through the bar to our table with an easy smile, but his eyes are a stormy blue. He’s trying hard not to show his agitation, but I see it. He’s probably not all that pumped about having to spend an extra night with his fake girlfriend.
Since the kiss and our talk on Saturday, we’ve both been treading a little more carefully around each other. Our touches and interactions feel more intentional and less intimate.
He’s a loyal friend, even a loyal fake boyfriend, and I doubt he likes lying to his friends any more than I do. It doesn’t stop me from being excited to see him.
He grabs a chair from a vacant table and pulls it up between me and Wes.
“What’s up?” He and Wes give each other a nod before Nathan turns to me. “Hey, babe.”
“Hey, babe.” As soon as I use the endearment, I laugh. He leans in to cover my amusement at the pet name. He’s so not a babe. “Promise never to use that one again,” I say. “Too weird.”
“You can call me whatever you want.” He winks as he extends an arm around the back of my chair.
“I’m gonna grab a pitcher,” Wes says to Nathan. “Need a glass?”
“Not drinking tonight.” Nathan rubs his thumb along my shoulder.
I don’t miss the raised eyebrow Wes shoots in Nathan’s direction.
“I’ll help you.” Joel stands and goes with Wes to the bar.
“Nathan Payne, I’m so mad at you,” Gabby yells across the table, smiling.
“Uh-oh, what’d I do this time?” His tone is down despite the playful way I know Gabby meant the jab.
“You’ve been keeping Chloe all to yourself. We love her.”
I fidget nervously at her kind words. Nathan plays the doting boyfriend well, looking down at me with a smile on his lips, his eyes still troubled.
I glance at my cell, eyeing the time.
“You have early class tomorrow?” he asks quietly.
“No, early morning workout.”
“You ready to go?”
I nod, partly because of the guilt I feel for sliding into their group under false pretenses and in part, I want to give him an easy out. “Yeah, I should get to bed early tonight.”
“Gotta cut and run, guys,” Nathan announces. “Need some time with my girl.” He drops a kiss to my temple.
“What? You just got here!” Gabby protests.
Joel and Wes come back with the pitcher and cups.
“Catch you guys in the morning,” Nathan says without meeting anyone’s gaze.
We stand, and I give Gabby a genuine smile. “Thank you for inviting me out. I had a really good time.”
“Of course. Consider yourself invited for every future girls’ night. I’ll text you.”
When we get outside, Nathan asks, “Need a ride?”
I glance at my car but know I’ve had too many to get behind the wheel. “Yeah. I was going to call an Uber though if you want to stay.”
He shakes his head. “Nah, I don’t really wanna be here.”
He leads me to his car and opens the passenger door for me. I give him a rueful smile at the unnecessary gesture until he adds, “Handle sticks.”
He closes me in and rounds the car to hop in the driver’s seat.
“This isn’t what I pictured you driving,” I tell him, glancing around the car and noting the hot pink flower-shaped air freshener hanging from the rear-view mirror. I tap the flower and I catch a whiff of the fruity smell—strawberries, I think.
“Are you suggesting a handsome, rugged guy like myself can’t also enjoy a pale red hue?”
“Pale red?” My lips turn up at his description. “That is Barbie-vomit pink.”
“Don’t play Barbie like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you didn’t have the dream house, the convertible, and the portable closet.”
“Did you?” I ask, amused at his knowledge of Barbie accessories.
“Nah, this was Gabby’s car. She wrecked mine last semester and then Zeke bought her a new one, soooo she gave me this.”
“Wow.”
He nods, and we fall silent for the rest of the ride.
“Do you want to come in?” I ask when he pulls into the parking lot behind Freddy.
He searches my face before responding, “I don’t think so.”
I’m slow to move, delaying leaving him. Despite not wanting to get too involved, I really enjoy being with him. “I’m sorry if it was weird to have me hanging with your friends. Gabby is…”
He smiles. “I know. Gabby is unrelenting. She wouldn’t have taken no for an answer. And it’s fine. More than fine. I’m glad you’re getting to know them.”
I open the door. “See you tomorrow?”
“Busy day tomorrow, but definitely Wednesday in class.”
Another car pulls up behind us, forcing me out. “See you then.”