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  “People always say I’m too much. But I like bright clothes, and I can be a bit . . . big, sometimes.”

  “You mean huge.” Luke cupped the back of Nico’s head and brought their foreheads together. “That makes you, you, Nico. I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

  Nico hiccupped. “All this pretending, Luke? I really wanted it to be real.”

  “It was. For most of summer, I was pretending to pretend.”

  “Since when?”

  Luke wiggled his head but didn’t break the contact. “You had me at our first kiss.”

  “We spent the whole summer pretending? That’s when I fell for you too.”

  “Only you pushed me away.”

  “I was scared.”

  “I know.”

  Luke put both hands on Nico’s cheeks “To be clear, all those favors were fake. I was asking you out every time.”

  “And even though I was worried, I still couldn’t say no.” He put his hands over Luke’s, sending a charge through Luke’s body.

  Unable to hold back, he kissed Nico. “Inviting me to the fund-raiser gave me crazy hope. It wasn’t for convenience. It wasn’t to pretend to anyone. You wanted me there.”

  Nico laughed and shook his head. “I can’t believe we wasted the last seven weeks.”

  “Did we?” Luke arched a brow. “We went out on a bunch of dates. We ate dinner together practically every day. Every night, we slept in the same bed. I couldn’t have scripted a better summer if I tried.”

  “When you put it like that.”

  “How would you put it?” Luke rubbed their noses together.

  “Just like you said.” Nico kissed him, and the contact riddled through him from his feet to the hair at his nape. “Best summer ever.”

  Luke slanted those warm, soft lips over his. Arms came around him, clutching him tight, and Nico kissed Luke back with the same urgency and need.

  “Come on.” Luke rose from the futon. “Let me change, and let’s go have a real, not-pretending-to-pretend first date.”

  Nico got up but didn’t let Luke get away. “Luke?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I still don’t want to see Kent again,” Nico whispered.

  “You won’t.” Luke kissed his forehead. “I promise. You won’t.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Luke

  Luke: You at the bakery?

  Nico: Nope. Helping E with wedding stuff.

  Luke: Will you be home tonight?

  Nico: Sure will. Anything you want for dinner?

  Luke: Just you.

  Should he send a silly emoji to make it seem less desperate? Or would that come across like he didn’t want to see Nico? “Ugh!”

  “Everything okay, Luke?”

  He dropped his phone as he looked up. Chris Rayner leaned against the doorframe and stared into Luke’s tiny office.

  “Chris!” He looked down for his phone, and then back up, cheeks burning. “I was just texting Nico.”

  “Calm down.” Chris stepped inside and shut the door. “You’re allowed to text people. No one expects you’ll work every second you’re here.”

  “Okay.”

  “Is everything all right?” He sat in the lone chair in Luke’s tiny office. “I was walking by and heard you.”

  “Yeah. Everything’s fine. Thanks.” He kept his gaze on Chris as he reached down to retrieve his phone. “Nico is swamped with wedding stuff. His sister is getting married on Saturday.”

  “Ah.” Chris smiled and sat back. “Speaking of Nico, I want to thank you and him for playing with the kids on Sunday. Linda and I appreciated it.”

  “Like that was a chore.” Nico especially enjoyed it. “They’re great kids. If that doesn’t sound too suck-upish.”

  Chris laughed and shook his head. “Not from you. The whole ride home it was ‘Nico showed me this awesome soccer move,’ or ‘Luke helped me fly like Superman,’ or my favorite, ‘Nico taught me to waltz.’ I think my daughter has her first crush at age eight.”

  “That could be . . .” He shrugged. “Awkward?”

  “You’re telling me. Aside from the fact I’m so not ready to deal with my daughter dating, she’s eight, he’s in college, and he’s your boyfriend. Pierce, my ten-year-old, knew you two are boyfriends and tried to explain it to her. She, however, refused to accept Nico wasn’t meant to be her prom date.”

  They laughed, and Luke finally relaxed. “Seriously, it was fun playing with them. Nico started playing soccer with Pierce, and Nicholas was upset because he couldn’t play with the big kids, so I asked him if he wanted to fly like Superman. Evidently he thinks Nico is just a really big kid.”

  “All three of my children think he’s one of the kids.”

  “When Bonnie felt left out, Nico offered to dance with her.” Luke smiled at how easily Nico had gotten down on a knee to be at eye level with Bonnie and asked her to dance with him.

  “From what I could tell, she stood on his feet and he did all the dancing. I hope his feet are okay.”

  Luke chuckled. “They’re fine. He’s the one who told her to stand there.”

  “Either way, it was nice of both of you to entertain them. They were not happy they had to come to some ‘old people party,’ as Pierce called it. You two made it a fun time. So thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” Even though it wasn’t a big deal, Luke remembered what his father said about compliments: always acknowledge them.

  “Well, that was all I came by to say. Maybe before the summer is over, you two can come to the house for dinner.”

  “Sure. I’ll talk to Nico about it.” Now that they weren’t faking it anymore. “Thank you.”

  “My pleasure.” He opened the door and then turned around, grinning. “Just be warned, the kids are going to think you’re there to see them.”

  Luke snorted. “Right. I’ll keep it in mind.”

  His screensaver—a picture from the Phillies game—had kicked in while he’d talked to Chris. The selfie of him and Nico with the game in the background had been a lark. Something to prove to Isaiah that Nico actually went to the game. They had their arms around each other, and despite their date being an act, they looked happy. Because we were happy.

  His phone buzzed, and Luke froze. How would Nico react to his “just you” comment? He turned the phone over and frowned.

  Kent: I need to talk to you. It’s important.

  Right. It was never important.

  Luke typed and then stopped. Why engage him? After the overtime/coin flip comment at the picnic, he didn’t see any point in further communication. The more he thought about it, the madder it made him.

  Tapping his phone, Luke blocked him.

  He should have done that when he heard Sebastian say they’d been dating for three months. It felt liberating. Like the weight around his waist had been removed. He set the phone down and returned to the project he’d been working on.

  The phone rattled on his desk, and he turned it over, half expecting another Kent text.

  Nico: You had me at hello.

  Luke’s heart flipped as he smiled at the screen.

  Luke: Do you even know where that came from?

  Leave it to Nico to pull all the right strings. He stared at his phone as Nico typed.

  Nico: That sports movie, with Tom McGuire.

  He laughed so loud, he watched the door for people to come check him out.

  Luke: Actually, it was Jerry Cruise.

  Worried that Chris might swing by and see him still texting, he put the phone in his lap and tried to focus on his work. That proved nearly impossible as he tried to anticipate Nico’s comeback.

  After he’d read the same paragraph for the fourth time, Nico’s response appeared.

  Nico: Whatever. Can we agree it was that romance movie jocks could pretend they were going to see for the sports?

  Luke exercised more restraint this time and merely snickered.

  Luke: OMG! I remember thinking that exact th
ought when I saw it.

  Luke: As for dinner, whatever you’re making is fine.

  Nico: Okay great. I’ll make bologna sandwiches.

  He loved the easy banter between them. Nico wouldn’t eat bologna if it was the only thing in the fridge.

  Luke: Use spicy mustard please.

  Someone walked by his office, and Luke realized he’d gotten nothing done. “Okay. No more texting,” he whispered to his phone.

  An email notice popped up on his screen. From Kent. Because the world wanted to torture him.

  Subject: Really Important!

  Seb broke up with me and told me to leave the apartment. I need to crash with you for a day or two. Please?

  Was he fucking kidding? In what universe did that happen?

  No, you can’t crash at our place. Nico doesn’t want you around. Find a hotel.

  Luke’s phone buzzed. “Jesus fucking Christ.” His head shot up to check his door. When no one walked by, he checked his screen.

  Coury: Hey, bro. How’s it going?

  Luke: Got time to talk?

  He held the phone expectantly and was rewarded when Coury’s name appeared.

  “Hey, Coury. Thanks for making time for me.”

  “As if. So, what’s up?” Coury paused, but before Luke could answer, he added, “Or should I guess this has to do with Nico?”

  “Sorta. It’s Kent, which kinda means it involves Nico. But not really.”

  “Wow. Philadelphia is really improving your communication skills.”

  “C’mon. I’m serious.” Normally he was good goofing with Coury, but not right then. “You were right.”

  “I usually am.” If it wasn’t true, Luke would have told him to fuck off. “What was I right about?”

  “Sebastian broke up with Kent.”

  “Too bad I didn’t bet you. You’d have to pay me whatever I wanted.”

  Ha! “Kent asked if he could crash at our place for a night or two.”

  “Are you shitting me? That’s some fucking balls.”

  “Right?”

  “You didn’t say yes, did you?”

  Clearly his roommate saw him as a total pushover. “Of course not. Nico told me the reason he’s been holding back all summer is he’s afraid I’ll go back to Kent.”

  “As if you’d take that ass-munch back.”

  “Yeah, I can’t believe I dated him in the first place.” Luke paused when he thought someone was coming. No one walked by. “Nico doesn’t want Kent around.”

  “Can’t blame him for that.”

  “Nope, me neither. I promised him he wouldn’t have to see Kent again. Which is why Kent absolutely can’t stay at my place.”

  “Luke, even if you hadn’t promised Nico, he absolutely shouldn’t stay at your place.”

  “I know.” This time he definitely heard someone. “Hang on.”

  Before he’d turned round, Kent walked in. “Luke. Can I talk to you?”

  “I’m on the phone.” He tried to shoo Kent out of the room, but the asshole walked further into the small office.

  “I know, but this is important. I really need to talk to you. Please.”

  “Hang on, Coury.” He held the phone against his chest. “I said no. Now will you leave? I’m busy.”

  “Yeah, talking to your roommate is such a work-related activity.” He pulled back the chair and sat. “I’ll wait until you’re done with your personal call.”

  “As if you’re here to discuss work. Go wait in your office.”

  “I’ll wait here.”

  Gritting his teeth, Luke shook his head. “Fine.” He freed the phone. “I’ll call you in a few, Coury. I need to get outside.”

  “Sure.”

  Luke snagged his badge off the desk without looking at Kent. He stopped at the door. “If you’re here when I get back, I’m calling security.”

  A stomach-rumbling aroma met Luke halfway up the stairs. Whatever Nico was making smelled amazing. He smiled, thinking of Nico at the stove, cooking something Nonna taught him. Making dinner for them.

  A wave of new deliciousness struck him as Luke pushed the door open. Luke was sure he’d never had it before.

  “Honey, I’m—” He stopped in the doorway. “Home.”

  Nico stood in the living room pounding out something on his phone. The real shock, however, was Kent. Sitting on the couch with his bags at his feet.

  “I asked for one thing,” Nico whispered. “I thought you promised.”

  “Nico . . .” Luke’s head whipped toward Kent. “What are you doing here?”

  “You said I could stay here for a couple of nights.” The nasty smirk slammed into Luke like a gut punch. “Sorry if I got here before you could talk to Nico.”

  “The fuck? I told you . . .” He turned back to Nico. “I told him no.”

  “Really?” Nico looked on the verge of tears. “You break your word and then you lie about it?”

  “Nico—”

  “I have the emails, Luke! Kent forwarded them to me.” He tapped his finger hard on the phone screen. “You told him you’d talk to me and it would be okay for him to stay.”

  “Nico, I—” His phone pinged, and he looked down. An email from Nico.

  “What the fuck is this?”

  From: Kent

  To: Luke

  Seb broke up with me. Can I crash at your place for a couple of nights?

  ~ ~ ~

  From: Luke

  To: Kent

  Sorry to hear it. Yeah, you can crash at the apartment.

  ~ ~ ~

  From: Kent

  To: Luke

  You sure it’s okay with Nico?

  ~ ~ ~

  From: Luke

  To: Kent

  I’ll talk to him. I’m sure it will be fine.

  ~ ~ ~

  He read the emails three times before he looked up. “I didn’t write these.”

  Nico had been watching him but turned away as soon as Luke looked up. His expression broke Luke’s heart.

  “That’s it?” He stepped into his shoes. “You didn’t write them?”

  Luke looked at Kent, but before he could answer, Nico walked past him.

  “I expected better from you.” Nico opened the door. “On so many levels.”

  He walked out of the apartment and shut the door, hard.

  “Nico! Wait.” Luke put his phone on the table by the door and reached for the handle. Kent grabbed his arm before he could open the door.

  When Luke turned, Kent had his bag over his shoulder. “I’ve changed my mind. I’ll get a hotel room. You two have some issues to work out.”

  He stepped in front of Luke, blocking the stairs.

  “Move!”

  Kent continued to walk down slowly.

  “Move, dammit, or I’ll shove you out of my way.”

  Kent backed against the wall and gestured for Luke to go first.

  Thumping down the stairs, Luke burst out the front door. “Nico!”

  He searched left and right, but no Nico. Where did he go? How could he have disappeared so fast?

  Kent brushed past. “Guess I’m not the only one who’s single again.”

  Luke reached for his phone, but of course he’d left it upstairs. Racing back to their apartment, he grabbed his phone. The call went straight to voicemail.

  “Fuck!” He pounded out a text. When he hit send, he waited, but it didn’t show as delivered. “Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!”

  How did Nico get away so fast? Never mind that, where would he go? Pushing everything else aside, he focused on what Nico would do. The bakery was closed. He wasn’t here. That left . . .

  Luke: Hey Elisa. I’m worried about Nico. My ex surprised us right as we were gonna eat and N ran out. If you hear from N, let me know please?

  Thank God Elisa knew the truth about them. Except . . . where the fuck did those emails come from?

  He opened the email from Nico and scanned the headings. They came from his work email account. But how? He never sent t
hose. Kent must have doctored them.

  Checking again, he saw the time, 11:10 a.m. Pulling up his phone list, he saw the call from Coury at 11:03. He returned the call at 11:09, right after Kent . . .

  “Son of a bitch.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Nico

  Elisa: Where are you?

  Nico: Getting shitfaced at Woody’s

  Elisa: Woody’s is on 13th? Right?

  “This is from that guy over there,” the bartender said, sliding a drink toward Nico.

  Nico didn’t bother to look around, just pushed the drink back.

  Last thing he wanted was someone coming on to him. “Tell him thanks, but I’m waiting for my boyfriend.”

  He had no idea who that would be or when he’d meet this ‘boyfriend’, but he was waiting for him.

  Nico took a sip of the bourbon and soda he was nursing.

  He probably should go to a straight bar. There all he had to do was avoid looking at the girls and no one would care.

  Someone dragged the neighboring stool out. “Two bottles of water, please.”

  “You came.” He knew she would. The bartender returned, and Nico slid a ten across the counter. “I got these. She’s my sister.”