Never Have You Ever (The Love Game #1)- Elizabeth Hayley Page 0,72
Sophia with last-minute tasks for the auction. Wasn’t it enough that I’d agreed to participate? Did she really need my help choosing fonts for the signs she was planning to display? She could put them in Wingdings, and I probably wouldn’t have even noticed.
My commitment to it was there. It really was. I’d just never been the type to concern myself with small details. At least when it came to event planning. Which suddenly reminded me that I was supposed to be planning Cody’s birthday party, which was in about a month and a half. Maybe after the auction dust settled, I could rope Sophia into helping me. She’d offered, but too caught up in all the sorority stuff, we hadn’t talked about it further.
“What’s up?”
Max’s words stilled my wiping of the bar. He’d been sitting there for over an hour, so I knew better than to think his question was a casual inquiry about what I’ve been up to since I last saw him. He was asking me what was wrong because, clearly, I wore my feelings on my face like a gigantic banner advertising my most recent concern.
How I’d ever managed to maintain a lie as huge as my identity for a few months had been a sort of magic even Houdini would’ve been impressed by. Though as Sophia had pointed out, our imaginary family might be coming to an end as soon as Carter slipped up.
I looked up from the spot on the bar I’d been scrubbing at even though I knew the stain was permanent. Sighing heavily, I left the rag on the bar and leaned against the steel fridge behind me. Crossing my arms, I wondered what part of everything would be easiest to fill Max in on.
“Well, I’ve been pretending to be gay, the majority of the student population thinks I’m fucking my sister, and I agreed to prostitute myself this weekend for Sophia’s bachelor auction.” That about covered it.
Max’s eyes had grown a little wider with every detail I’d revealed, and now he looked almost sorry he’d asked anything. He knew a little about my relationship with Sophia, but I’d left all the peripheral details out.
“Okay,” he said slowly. “That’s definitely a lot to deal with.” He was quiet for a moment while I guessed he was processing everything. “So is the auction really for people to bid on sex?”
“No,” I said with a laugh. Then I added seriously, “And no, you can’t come.”
Max laughed, his big belly jiggling with the sound of it. “Well, let me know if she opens it up to the public.”
“Even if it were open to the public, it wouldn’t be open to you,” I joked. “Seriously though, Max, I don’t know how I got myself into this mess.” I moved to the register to begin closing everything down for the night.
“I do. You wanted to better your life.”
Max’s statement was true, but so many things had changed since I’d initially agreed to play Brody Mason, it made me wonder if, when all of this was done, I’d have accomplished what I’d set out to. Right now, it just felt hectic and complicated.
Max slid off the barstool stiffly and pulled on his coat. “I’m sure you’ll figure it all out.” He smiled before putting some money on the bar and heading toward the door.
He’d said it with confidence, like he was in on some secret I wasn’t privy to. That or he had no idea how any of this would play out but wanted to assure me it’d be okay anyway.
I decided Max was a better actor than I was.
The remaining couple at the end of the bar closed out their tab, and I managed to close the place down in less than half an hour and couldn’t wait to get to bed. Or couch. Whatever.
I wasn’t sure if it was the low temperature, but the ride home felt painfully long. By the time I parked and climbed off my bike, I could barely feel my fingers. I didn’t typically like to ride when it was this cold out, but Brody’s apartment wasn’t exactly within walking distance of the bar. At least I’d found a spot out front this time so I didn’t have to walk far.
Shoving one hand into my pocket, I tucked my helmet under my other arm as I walked toward the apartment. As I approached the steps, I noticed Sophia sitting outside, a big jacket on. She had the fur-lined hood pulled over her