by Paige Tyler
Desperately, I try to figure out what could have been posted that would irritate all of our viewers at once.
Then I see it.
I blink hard, but the image feels like it’s engraved on the backs of my eyelids.
“Sutton,” Liv breathes, her voice full of concern.
Kali and Liv hurry over to drape their arms around me. Together, we stare down at the incriminating picture that was making its rounds across all our pages.
Boone and another woman sit at a table in a restaurant, their heads bowed close together as they talk. They’re even sitting on the same side of the booth and their shoulders are touching. If one of them looked up, their lips could lock with ease. While they aren’t arm in arm, it’s clear as day that they’re having an intimate, intense conversation.
I know who the woman sitting beside Boone is without even reading the rest of the comments. It’s Lucy, Boone’s long-lost love—his real love.
How can I compare to that?
Hot, angry tears pool in my eyes. I fight hard not to cry, knowing that I have no reason to weep over this. Boone and I had agreed that neither of us could have feelings for each other. But my feelings are threatening to swallow me whole right now.
“It’s okay, Sutton,” Kali whispers in my ear.
She and Liv hug me tightly, desperately trying to comfort me. Guilt washes over me in ragged, painful waves. I wrench away from them and shake my head hard, desperately holding back tears. And failing miserably. They stare at me with confused, worried eyes.
“You don’t get it!” I cry out sharply. I can’t carry on this façade anymore. I can’t deceive my best friends when I have no right to be this upset to begin with. “All of this was fake. Boone and I were fake. Our date was fake. Our emotions were fake. I lied to you because I didn’t want to admit it. We were faking our whole relationship so that rugby groupies would stop hounding him and the Glammers would give me more attention. I’m not supposed to be upset about this. I can’t be upset about this!”
My shoulders go stiff as I wait for my two best friends to rage at me. I wait for their anger, their disgust, their scorn. But instead, they both pull me back into their arms and hold me even tighter.
Kali wipes my tears and rubs my back. I cling to them, my deep guilt flowing stronger.
“If this is your reaction,” Liv begins gently, “then I don’t think anything about you and Boone was fake after all.”
I slowly lift my head and gaze at the two people who can always keep me floating even when I feel like I’m adrift at sea.
“I don’t know what I did to deserve friends like the two of you,” I croak out, my voice rough from crying.
While Liv dries my face, Kali smiles at me.
“You didn’t have to do anything,” Kali says. “We’re friends because of who you are. We adore you, even if you make a mistake.”
Liv eagerly nods. “None of us are perfect, but we make perfect friends.”
I hug my two besties tighter, but before I can say anything, my phone chimes one more time. Trembling, I hesitantly glance down at the screen.
It’s a text from Boone.
We need to talk.
CHAPTER TWELVE
The jade roller is cool against my cheek as Kali hums under her breath and leans toward me where I sit on my bathroom’s spacious vanity. My eyes are closed, but I can hear Liv nearby tossing my clothes over her shoulder from inside my closet and muttering to herself.
D-Day has arrived. My stomach is in knots simply thinking about it.
Boone will ring the doorbell any minute now, and I’ll have to sit there and listen to him tell me that he doesn’t want to fake-date me anymore and is getting back together with the real love of his life. At least I’d told him to meet on my own home turf to limit the humiliation.
“Eureka!” Liv cries from the closet. A second later, she scampers across the bedroom and into the adjoining bathroom to stand beside Kali. “Sutton, don’t you worry. I found the perfect outfit for you. It’s going to make Boone’s jaw hit the floor.”
“And your makeup is going to be flawless,” Kali chimes in proudly.
I slowly open my eyes and smile at my two besties.
“I can’t believe you guys are being so nice to me even after I tricked you,” I say, still in awe. “If I were you, I’d be so mad.”
“No, you wouldn’t,” Kali says. “Girl, I know you. If Liv or I managed to put on a show like you did, you’d be downright impressed.”
“Mmm-hmm,” Liv agrees with a nod.
Laughing in spite of everything, I lean back against the mirror and let Kali finish gently rubbing moisturizer into my face before she starts applying makeup. We’d agreed on simple but gorgeous as the theme for my breakup fashion statement.
“I'm so glad I have you two in my life,” I whisper.
Kali squeezes one of my hands while Liv takes the other. For a minute we simply smile at each other. We’re so close that we can communicate without words. Nothing else needs to be said.
The comfortable silence continues as Kali applies my makeup. Then Liv helps me dress. In a pink skirt that comes to mid-thigh and a floaty, white blouse with sheer paneling, I’m a beautiful force to be reckoned with.
My two BFFs stand close to me, Liv’s chin on my shoulder and Kali’s cheek to mine as we look at the reflection of the mirror.
“You look amazing, girl,” Kali whispers.
“Thanks to the two of you,” I murmur before squeezing them tightly in a hug.
Downstairs, the doorbell chimes.
From where he’s lying on the floor, George lifts his head and lets out a bark while Coco blinks at me curiously. Even Chanel, the bunny, seems to know something’s up because she hops around in a small circle.
My breath immediately lodges in my throat. My tongue feels so heavy and dry behind my teeth that I’m not even sure I’m going to be able to talk to Boone at all. What if I just sit there looking like a fool while he breaks my heart?
I manage to take a deep breath and hold it in my lungs while I count to ten. My heart’s practically palpitating in my chest, but I need to stay calm and cool. I’ll let Boone say his piece while acting collected and confident. There’s no way I’m going to let him see how much I’m hurting.
It’s that simple. I don’t need a wishy-washy man in my life, even for a fake relationship.
Kali and Liv gaze after me as I leave the bedroom and head down the stairs. Jutting out my chin and pushing back my shoulders, I grasp the knob and pull open the door.
Sunlight spills inside, framing Boone’s athletic body in golden rays. He gazes down at me, his hands dug in the back pockets of his jeans, making his tee stretch tightly across his muscular chest. A slow smile crosses his mouth, but his eyes are full of woe. My knees start to quiver, but I force myself to stand tall. He doesn’t look like he’s slept much last night. His hair is a little mussed and he seems tired.
Join the club, buddy.
“Boone,” I say stiffly.
“Hey,” he says. “You look amazing, dar—”
Unable to bear hearing him say darlin’ one more painful time, I step out the door and close it behind me.
“You wanted to talk, Boone, so let’s go talk.”
With a hesitant nod, he follows me to the backyard of the house, which is mostly just an area of private beach decorated with an outdoor table, comfy chairs, and an oversized umbrella. Instead of allowing him the honor of sitting on any of our cozy chairs, I lead him right to the sand by the water and ease myself down onto the warm dunes. He joins me and for a little while we simply stare out at the ocean.
After a moment, he turns to me. I know the words he’s going to say even before they even leave his perfect, sweet lips.
“Darlin’,” he whispers huskily. “I can’t do this anymore. This has to end.”
Since yesterday, I’ve been bracing myself for that exact comment, but it still manages to hit me like a sucker punch.
I wince
hard, grinding my teeth, but I refuse to break down. I lift my head, letting the sun warm my cheeks so that I don’t tear up again. I’d spent enough time crying last night. I won’t shed a tear today.
“I’m real sorry,” he continues quietly, but now I’ve heard enough. I don’t want an apology.
I whirl toward him, long dark hair flying over my shoulders, and fight the urge to scowl at him.
“I get that part, Boone. Really, I do. We agreed that we could end this relationship at any point. But how could you let me find out that you’re getting back together with your ex the way I did? How could you go out on a date with her and let everyone online rub it in my face? I know our relationship was fake, but did you have no real respect for me at all?”
Boone falls silent. His jaw goes slightly slack.
“I…” he stammers. “We…”
I hold up an angry hand, palm facing him. “I, we, nothing, mister. One of our commandments was to be honest and you broke that.”
“Sutton, I’m not getting back together with Lucy,” he interrupts swiftly. He turns in the sand, knees sinking slightly into the beach. His eyes are so earnest that it almost leaves me speechless. “You really think some other girl is the cause of this?”
Confusion swirls with the frustration building inside of me. “I saw the pictures of you two together.”
Boone shakes his head. His dark blond hair hangs into his eyes. “Yes, I was with Lucy last night, but we weren’t together, Sutton. She just got engaged. She wanted to tell me face to face.”
I blink at him in confusion.
“What…?” I whisper.
“Lucy and I ended up talking for a long, long time last night, but it was nothing underhanded. We talked about what it means to be happy and how much we’ve both changed and grown since leaving Texas. Lucy was sitting there telling me how sorry she was for cheating on me, but at the same time, she was glad that it happened because it led her to where she is now. And honestly, I agreed with her, because it led me to you, Sutton.”
My eyelashes flutter. I can’t remember how to breathe or swallow or move. I can hardly even remember how to speak. “Me?”
Boone leans toward me like he wants to touch me, but instead, he plants his hands in the sand in front of me.
“You want honest, I’ll give you honest. I’ve been falling for you from day one, darlin’,” he says. “You weren’t just some cute girl in a bar that needed help. You were just…you were just you. You’re so beautiful and funny and sassy and sweet and charming and confident. I wanted you then and I want you now, but I can’t fake this anymore. I have feelings for you, Sutton. I broke a rule. Maybe the most important one. And now, I don’t want to give you up because of it.”
Boone stares down at the sand, chin falling to his chest. His hands curl into wounded, tight fists.
I gaze at him, stunned beyond belief.
This whole time I was fighting feelings for Boone, he was doing the exact same thing? I had no idea.
“You’re too good at acting,” he continues weakly, eyes still down at the sand. “The line between what’s real and fake got too blurred for me. I can’t have my arms around you, my lips on yours, and not have you belong to me heart and soul, Sutton. I thought I could handle it. I thought I could hide my feelings, but I simply can’t anymore.”
My heart squeezes in my chest.
“It wasn’t fake for me, either,” I whisper, the words leaving my mouth before I can even think of stopping them. “None of it was, Boone.”
He lifts his head sharply. But instead of his eyes meeting mine, he gazes dazedly out at the ocean for a moment, blinking hard and shaking his head as if he thinks the sound of crashing waves has messed with his hearing before he slowly turns back toward me.
“Sutton, are you saying…?” he whispers, voice shaking faintly.
Despite my earlier promise, tears pool in the corners of my eyes. But this time, they aren’t tears of sadness. They’re tears of pure joy.
“I’m saying I’ve been trying to act like I'm not truly falling for you, Boone, but the truth is that I knew I was in trouble from the first minute we met,” I tell him. “You think any girl would be able to resist your handsome face, cute accent, and charming chivalry? Of course, I fell for you. I fell so hard that I’d rather be with you in a fake relationship than be without you for a minute.”
A faint roar of shock and joy rumbles through Boone. He gently cups my face and rests his forehead on mine. I can feel his hands shaking, but my whole body is vibrating, too.
“I want to be with you, darlin’,” he says, his breath warm on my lips. “I want to be with you for real—forever. All you have to do is say yes.”
“Yes!” I answer immediately. “As if I could ever even think of saying no.”
He chuckles and the sound is music to my ears. He pulls me close, arms circling me, and I melt into his strong chest. He tips my head up toward his, mouth finding mine once more.
Though we’ve already kissed, this sweet smooch sends shockwaves of joy rippling through me like I’ve never felt before. This time, the kiss is the promise with new beginnings and real joy. There’s nothing fake about it.
Our relationship might’ve started out full of lies, but the honest truth is that we were meant for one another all along.
EPILOGUE
Every single Coyotes’ fan in the stadium is on the edge of their seats as the timer continues ticking swiftly down. My eyes dart desperately between the clock and the field. Rugby players dart and weave across the grass so quickly and powerfully that I almost can’t find my blue-eyed, blond-haired sexy southern sweetie amongst them. But somehow, I manage.
“Go, Coyotes, go!” I shout at the top of my lungs. I’ve been cheering so loud for them this whole game that I’ve almost lost my voice. But I don’t care. I love it.
Kali and Liv are on either side of me. The three of us hold each other’s hands and breathlessly hope for one more miracle shot, but the time is almost completely run out.
“Come on!” I plead desperately, just as Boone breaks away from the pack of muscled athletes.
Sweat glistens on his tan forehead. His powerful legs carry him across the field as he holds the ball tightly under his arm. He flies past the opponent’s try line, successfully grounding the ball on their side and earning the Coyotes enough points to win the tight championship match.
Immediately, the entire stadium erupts in cheers. Kali, Liv, and I jump to our feet and shriek with delight.
“We did it!” I scream despite my hoarse voice.
I never thought I would be the type to care about any kind of sport, but I’m so thrilled right now that my heart could burst. The Coyotes have been training so hard for this and I know how badly Boone’s wanted to win.
The whole team surrounds him and the men holler and laugh with adrenaline-fueled excitement.
Through the jubilant excitement, Boone turns to look over his shoulder at me. His gaze penetrates the celebratory chaos and a slow grin spreads across his handsome face. He runs across the field right toward where the girls and I are seated in the front row of the stadium.
Kali and Liv both urge me forward and I jump over the railing to land right in Boone’s strong arms.
“You were so amazing out there!” I gush, my fingers caressing through his dark blond hair. “I’m so proud of you!”
He spins me around and then sets me down, arms still around me.
“I thought this would be the happiest day of my life,” he says, grinning from ear to ear. “But to be honest, it isn’t.”
“What do you mean?” I ask worriedly.
Even though Boone says this isn’t the best day in his life, he certainly still looks overjoyed.
“I mean, this day is wonderful, but the happiest I’ve ever been is still the day you and I began to date for real, darlin’,” he answers sweetly.
He cups my face, leaning down to tenderly press his lips to mine as the stadium erupts in a second wave of che
ers. My face flares bright red, but not even a little bashfulness is going to make me break away from this hunky man’s kiss a second before my lungs are screaming for air.
The last few months have been so blissful that it almost feels like it could be a dream, but I’m happy to say that this is very much my reality. Ever since becoming a true couple, Boone and I have become inseparable. The girls adore him and he’s even getting pretty close with Grayson, too. Luckily, the Glammers were willing to forgive Boone for being spotted with his ex once we clarified the reason for them meeting up. I’m not going to lie. A few adorable candid shots with Coco helped, too.
Our social media engagement has also continued to skyrocket, but to my surprise, I’ve found myself suddenly a whole lot less focused on whether or not I’m the most popular G&G boss babe and a whole lot more focused on my relationship with Boone. Not much else matters when I know I always have him to lean on.
“Sutton,” he says, gently tilting my chin up to gaze into his eyes, “I need to tell you something. Honesty is one of our commandments, right?”
I nod and laugh, grinning up at him.
Is his face turning pink, or is it just the sun?
“I…I love you, darlin’.” The words come out in a rush. “I didn’t want to say it too soon, but I can’t hold it back a minute longer. I love you to absolute pieces. I love the way you look at me and the way you laugh and the way you throw yourself so hard into your work. I love you so much and have been waiting to say it out loud for so long that I want to shout it from the top of a mountain. You’re my world, my everything.”
My fingers curl around his jersey as every word he says sinks in. I’ve never had anyone be so earnest and sincere and generous with their love. I’ve always felt like love was something you won by fighting for it, but Boone has lavished me with tender affection since the first time we met.
I swallow hard, throwing my arms around his neck.
“I love you too, Boone,” I gush, hardly able to say the words because I’m so filled with joy.
He chuckles again and lets out a holler of delight, then spins me around before dipping me toward the ground, his lips finding mine. Our chests are pressed together, our limbs are intertwined, and our hearts are beating to the same rhythm.
