Faking With The Enemy: An Enemies-To-Lovers RomCom: Milestone Mischief #2

by Piper James

  “Ooh, I know,” Karly shouted, slamming her empty shot glass down onto the table. “Let’s play truth or dare.”

  “Ugh, not again,” Felicia mumbled.

  “What are we, twelve?” Jessa asked, laughing.

  “Come on, it’ll be fun,” Karly whined.

  Jessa looked at me, and I shrugged, not caring what we did as long as the tequila kept flowing. Felicia groaned and took another shot as Karly clapped her hands and bounced in her chair.

  “You guys can crash here tonight so no one needs to drive,” I offered.

  “Slumber party!” Karly sing-songed. “Now, we have to play truth or dare. It’s like, federal law, or something.”

  “Federal law?” Felicia asked, arching one black brow at Karly.

  “Shut up,” Karly said as she brought her glass to her lips and tossed the tequila back. “I’ll go first. Jessa. Truth or dare?”

  “Truth,” Jessa answered, an unsure expression on her face.

  “Boo. No fun,” Karly shot back. “Okay, truth. How old were you when you lost your virginity?”

  Jessa’s cheeks turned a light shade of pink. She knocked back a shot, then cleared her throat as she stared at Karly. “Twenty.”

  “No shit?” Karly gasped.

  I half expected Felicia to push her out of her chair, but the dark-haired beauty only stared at Jessa with wide eyes. I had to fight to keep the shock out of my own expression. Though twenty wasn’t old, by any means, most of the girls I knew in high school became sexually active at fifteen or sixteen.

  “No shit,” Jessa confirmed. “You guys know I never had any friends in high school, much less boyfriends.”

  That was right. I’d forgotten these three went to high school together.

  “Yeah, but…” Karly sputtered.

  Jessa shrugged. “I slept with a couple of guys in college, just to try it. I found it…underwhelming, to say the least. I never really got what the big deal was until Rafe.”

  Her pupils dilated as her blush grew brighter. She was obviously thinking naughty thoughts about my best friend, and I couldn’t help but get a little misty-eyed at how happy they made each other.

  Sheesh, this tequila is making me sappy.

  “Okay, my turn,” Jessa announced, snapping me out of my thoughts. “Felicia, truth or dare?”

  “Dare,” Felicia said firmly.

  “Ooh, let me pick. Let me pick,” Karly begged.

  “No, it’s Jessa’s turn,” Felicia said firmly, making Karly sag in her chair.

  “You always say truth when it’s my turn,” she pouted.

  “Exactly. You know everything about me, and your dares are ridiculous and mostly illegal.”

  My head reared back at those words, and I wondered just what kind of dares Karly liked to issue. I needed to remember to never accept a dare from her.

  “I dare you to call the hottest guy you know and tell him you want him,” Jessa said, narrowing her gaze at Felicia like she knew she’d never do it.

  “Okay,” Felicia said, pulling out her phone. “What’s your dad’s number?”

  “Ew. Come on,” Jessa groaned, balling up a napkin and throwing it at Felicia’s face.

  Laughter burst out of me as Karly nodded in vigorous agreement. Mr. Maddox truly was a silver fox, but I knew Felicia was just fucking with Jessa.

  These girls were too much, and I loved it. I loved being part of their group, and I knew that no matter what happened with Nate, I’d always have them to lean on.

  And that meant the world to me.

  29

  Nate

  The repairs on the Bel Air were finished. The windshield had come in today, and it was the last part I needed to install before taking the car to the body shop to be completely repainted. After that, I’d take it to have the seats and carpet reupholstered, and she’d look good as new.

  I was cleaning the last of the fingerprints off the glass when Dane walked in and gave a low whistle.

  “Hey,” I said, stuffing the rag in my pocket as I stepped back to admire the car with him.

  “It looks good,” he said.

  “You think Ivy will be happy?” I asked.

  He nodded, then gave me a knowing look. “I think Mrs. Anderson will be happy, too.”

  “That’s what I meant,” I said, pulling the rag from my pocket and scrubbing it over an imaginary smudge on the driver’s window.

  “Mm hmm,” Dane replied.

  “Shut up,” I shot back, making him laugh.

  He was right—I should’ve been thinking about Ivy’s mom and whether or not the car would please her. It was her car, after all. Not Ivy’s.

  “Ivy will be pumped that it’s going to be done before Christmas,” Dane mused. “She wanted to give it to her mom as a Christmas gift, right?”

  “Yeah,” I said, and uneasy feeling slithering into my gut.

  Thanksgiving was next week, which meant Christmas was just over a month away. If everything went to plan, and Charity lost interest in me in the near future, my deal with Ivy would be over in a few weeks.

  No more smiles. No more kisses. No more intimate encounters that led to the best sex I’d ever had.

  Maybe I should break something that will take weeks to get replacement parts for, I thought, my gaze scanning the car.

  “Stop it,” I muttered, shaking my head.

  “What?” Dane asked, peering at me.

  I looked back at him, my shoulders drooping. “I need some advice.”

  Dane pointed a finger at his chest as his mouth fell open. “Advice? From moi?”

  “Yes, asshole. From you,” I said, motioning for him to follow as I made my way to my office.

  The shop was closed and all the other techs had gone home for the night. There was no one to overhear, so I left the office door open. I slipped into my chair, and Dane took the one across the desk from me.

  “Okay, shoot,” he said, rubbing his hands together.

  “This thing with Ivy has me tied in knots,” I said without preamble.

  “Do you like her?” he asked.

  “Yes, of course I like her, but that’s beside the point.”

  “Why is that?” he asked. “Seems to me that is the point.”

  I was shaking my head before he finished. “She doesn’t like me.”

  Dane’s head tilted as he looked at me with incredulous eyes. “Haven’t you guys been sleeping together?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, that would indicate that she likes you, at least a little. Right?”

  “She’s so hot and cold, it’s hard to tell,” I said with a sigh. “I know she likes the sex. But you and I both know you can enjoy a physical relationship without any feelings between you.”

  “Speak for yourself,” Dane shot back with an indignant expression.

  “Please,” I deadpanned, “you’re an even bigger player than I am. Was. Fuck.”

  “We’re not talking about me,” he said, shaking his head. “We’re talking about you and Ivy. Maybe you should just tell her how you feel.”

  A faraway look crossed his features for a split second before he wiped it away. I started to ask him about it, but shook off the urge.

  “I don’t know, man,” I said in response to his statement.

  “You don’t know how you feel? Or if you should tell her?”

  “Both,” I answered, but it came out as more of a question.

  “It sounds like you have some things to figure out.”

  “Well, that’s helpful,” I grunted.

  “Hey, don’t take your cluelessness out on me,” he said, holding his palms up. “I can’t tell you how to feel. The only advice I can give you is to decide what you want, then be honest with Ivy about it.”

  “But…what if I decide I want to be with her, and she shoots me down?” I asked, the words quiet and unsure.

  “Then you’ll have to accept her decision.”

  I sighed and scrubbed a hand down my face. “I don’t know if I can h
andle the rejection.”

  “Then you’ve already lost her,” Dane said, then stood. “I’ll see you tomorrow, man.”

  I watched him go, my thoughts running over everything he said. Could he be right? Could it be that simple? If I told Ivy I wanted to give this thing between us a real shot, and she agreed, we could be a true couple by Christmas.

  But what if she laughed in my face?

  I groaned and leaned back in my chair, closing my eyes. No. What was happening between Ivy and me—it wasn’t real. We were acting like a couple, and it had gone to our heads. The sex was amazing…we couldn’t fake that if we tried.

  But the rest was just pretend.

  Maybe Ivy had been right all along. Maybe we needed to erect some boundaries. Put everything back into perspective and stick to the rules of our original bargain. Keep everything clear cut. Safe.

  Yeah. That would be for the best.

  “Thanks for letting me come over.”

  Ivy nodded as she stepped aside to let me into her apartment. My stomach was queasy, and my skin itched, but I knew what needed to be done. I’d called Ivy from the shop, and when she said I could come over, I drove straight here.

  I knew I must stink of motor oil and sweat, but that wasn’t a bad thing. I could use my dirtiness as a shield. A suit of armor to keep Ivy at an arm’s length.

  “Do you want something to drink?” she asked, walking toward the kitchen.

  “No, thanks. I won’t be here long. I just…wanted to talk to you about something.”

  She stopped and turned around, backtracking to the living room. Taking a seat on the couch, she looked up at me with expectant eyes. I shifted my weight from foot to foot as the nausea grew even more pronounced.

  Taking a deep breath, I said, “So, I’ve been thinking.”

  “Did it hurt?” she asked, smirking. At my serious expression, her face fell, and she nodded. “Sorry. Go on.”

  “Things between us seemed to have gotten out of hand,” I said in a slow, measured cadence. “When we entered into this deal, we set clear rules—most of which, we’ve broken. The sex…” I paused to clear my throat, “…has been amazing, but it’s clouded our judgment.”

  “What are you saying, Nate?” she asked, her tone unnaturally neutral.

  “I’m saying I think you were right. I think we should keep things platonic between us in private.”

  “Platonic,” she said, as if she’d never heard the word.

  As if she hadn’t said it first.

  “Yeah,” I replied. “I can’t see Charity going much longer without giving up on me and moving on. Once she does, everything between us will go back to normal. No more pretend dates. No more fake engagement.”

  Ivy was silent, her head nodding slowly as if she agreed. I wasn’t sure how I felt about the response. My emotions were all over the place. I wanted to be relieved that she wasn’t fighting me on this, but I couldn’t deny the disappointment welling up inside me.

  “Okay,” she said simply.

  “Okay? That’s it?” I asked, flinching at the frustration in my voice.

  “What do you want me to say, Nate?”

  I want you to argue. I want you to fight.

  “Nothing, I guess,” is what came out of my mouth instead.

  “So, I’ll see you on Thanksgiving?” she asked, her voice still quiet and slightly monotone.

  “Thanksgiving?”

  She nodded. “Rafe invited me and my mom to family dinner…unless you don’t want us to come?”

  “No,” I said quickly. “I mean, yes. Yes, of course, I want you to come.”

  “Okay,” she said. “See you then.”

  “Okay,” I replied.

  When she stared at her lap and didn’t say anything else, I turned and headed for the door. Pulling it open, I looked back at Ivy. She glanced up and gave me a small smile. I smiled back, gave a little wave and walked out.

  That had been easier than I thought it would be. Too easy.

  And, fuck, why did it hurt so badly?

  30

  Ivy

  Nate was right. Things had gotten out of hand, and we needed to reestablish our boundaries and focus on our priorities. He needed me to help him get out of the dumpster fire he’d fallen into with Charity Glasscott. I needed him to finish restoring my mother’s beloved Bel Air.

  That was all.

  But no matter how many times I repeated those facts, the hollow feeling in my chest refused to go away. I knew, without a doubt, that my feelings had gotten tangled up with Nate. I’d let my guard down, invited him inside, and offered him fucking refreshments—metaphorically speaking.

  What I’d actually done was let go of the hate I’d been harboring for years while letting myself remember why I’d liked him in the first place. He was charming, funny, considerate, and hotter than hell. And the sex—I wasn’t going to think about that right now.

  Steeling my spine, I got out of my car and headed into the hospital. I was due to work a double, and there was nothing like a busy emergency room filled with patients who needed serious help to get my mind off my emotional baggage…and to put that baggage into perspective.

  When I arrived at the nurse’s station, I was almost disappointed to see how empty the place was. There were a few patients—one broken ankle, two unusually high fevers, and a guy who looked like he might puke at any second. I grabbed a blue disposable emesis bag from the counter and carried it over to him. He thanked me with a weak voice before closing his eyes with a groan.

  I had just returned to the nurse’s station and pulled up the lineup of patients on a tablet when Rafe found me.

  “Hey, Ivy. You okay?”

  “I’m fine,” I said, looking at him with a curious expression. “Are you okay?”

  He looked keyed up, filled with nervous energy as he ran his fingers through his hair. I could tell it wasn’t the first time he’d done that today. He shook his head and motioned for me to follow him into the employee locker room.

  “What’s going on Rafe?” I asked when he stared at me for several seconds without speaking.

  “I need your help,” he said.

  “Of course. Anything.”

  “Can you take Jessa to the movies tomorrow afternoon, and maybe get Karly and Felicia to go, too? I know you’re working a double, but you’ll be able to get enough sleep before then, right? It’s not too much to ask, is it? If it is, just tell me.”

  “Rafe,” I said, wrapping my fingers around his wrist to ground him and stop his spiral of…whatever this was.

  “Sorry,” he said, taking a deep breath. “I’m kind of a mess.”

  “I can take Jessa,” I said. “It’s no problem, but I have to ask, why?”

  There was obviously some reason he wanted her out of the house. Otherwise, a simple afternoon out with the girls wouldn’t be such a big deal.

  “I’m going to ask her,” he said in a low, almost reverent voice.

  My mind blanked, not really understanding what he was saying. “Ask her what?”

  He shoved a hand in his pocket and pulled it back out, holding his fist toward me. When he uncurled his fingers, a dainty, vintage-looking diamond ring rested in his palm.

  “Oh,” I said, then more excitedly, “Oh!”

  I threw my arms around his neck and squeezed him tightly. When I let go, some of his anxious energy seemed to have dispelled.

  “You don’t think it’s too soon?” he asked.

  “No, I don’t,” I said, shaking my head. “You two were made for each other. She loves you almost as much as you love her.”

  I laughed at his arched brow and plucked the ring from his still-outstretched hand. As I stared at it, my eyes started to burn. This was the real deal. Rafe and Jessa were building a life together, and his proposal was the next step.

  As I handed the ring back to him with a smile, the ring on my own hand felt like it weighed about eight hundred pounds. It was bigger and fancier than the one Rafe had—the one I knew was h
is mother’s—but it meant nothing.

  It was a fake. Maybe not literally—I was pretty sure the diamonds were real—but my ring was a prop meant to perpetrate a lie.

  “Thanks, Ivy,” Rafe said, pulling me back to the present. “There’s a five o’clock showing of that romantic comedy she wants to see. That’ll give me a couple of hours to prepare everything and surprise her when she gets home.”

  “Of course,” I said, pulling him into another hug. “I’m so happy for you, Rafe. You both deserve all the happiness a life together will bring you.”

  My eyes burned with emotion, and as I pulled away, I laughed as though my tears were only ones of happiness. And I was happy for him and Jessa. But I was also sad that I might never know the same joy and excitement he was feeling right now.

  Because Nathaniel Walton was the only person who’d ever made my heart stutter and my insides melt. And he simply wasn’t an option.

  I was bone-tired after my double-shift. Physically. Mentally. Emotionally. I just didn’t have an ounce of energy in me, and I couldn’t wait to collapse on my bed. To welcome the sweet relief of unconsciousness.

  So, when I walked through the automatic doors to see someone leaning against the hood of my car, I grunted with impatience. I didn’t care who it was. I was too tired and too grumpy to deal with anyone right…now…

  “Charity?” I asked as I drew closer, unable to believe it was her. “What are you doing here?”

  She smirked, and my hackles rose, a burst of angry energy coursing through me. I stopped in front of her, bristling as I waited for to speak. The fact that she thought she could, what? Harass me at my place of employment? It was unreal, the gall this woman had. How did she even know what time my shift ended to be here?

  “I just came to warn you,” she said, her smug little smile still firmly in place.

  “Warn me about what?” I gritted out.

  This was all her fault. The pain and confusion, the anger and sadness. All of it lay on her bony shoulders, and some part of me wanted to lash out. Violently.

  “Nate,” she said, holding a hand up to study her long, glossy-red fingernails before focusing back on me. “I know you think you have him wrapped around your pretty little finger, but he’s got you fooled, honey. He’s a man-whore, and he’ll never keep his dick in his pants. Even for you.”