The Fake Boyfriend and the Geek by Sidney Bristol

Author:Sidney Bristol [Bristol, Sidney]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: second chance romance, friends to lovers
Publisher: Inked Press
Published: 2018-01-15T18:30:00+00:00

9.

GIDEON WIPED HIS FINGERS on the napkin and leaned back in the seat. This was twice now they watched the sun set, though the first time was more spectacular. The view from the front seat of his Jeep wasn’t bad. One look at traffic and they’d realized the only way to eat still warm fries was finding a spot to pull over. The ocean side parking lot was a perfect solution.

In hindsight, he should have triple checked with Piper before they left the house. He’d wondered if she was ready for a public, two-person outing but hadn’t wanted to make her doubt herself.

“What’d you think?” Piper asked.

Gideon winced. His thoughts weren’t food focused, and he didn’t know how to convey his concern. The old Piper was a much more fragile creature than the one he was with.

“Food was good,” he said.

“Yeah?” She peered across the cab at him.

“Yeah.”

She kept studying him, those baby blue eyes of hers too perceptive to not know his mind had wandered.

“Want to take a walk?” he gestured at the beach.

“Not really. What’s that look mean?” she asked.

“I was just...” He blew out a breath. He had to be honest. “I was kind of kicking myself for not checking with you before we left. I don’t want to undermine you, but I also...it’s hard to turn that switch off the one that makes me want to protect you.”

Piper leaned her head back against the seat and reached across, wrapping her hand around his. He was keenly aware that up until now, it was almost always him reaching for her, not the other way around.

“Thanks for letting me fall on my face. I need to do that, or I’ll stay in my bubble, never dealing with my anxiety. I don’t want to live in my bubble anymore.”

“I can’t say I liked it.” Sitting back and watching the struggle play out on her face brought up all those helpless, frustrated feelings he’d gone through watching her have to endure Carl’s vitriol. “How are you really doing?”

“You mean about tonight, or...?”

“Tonight, and in general.”

“Kind of annoyed with Josh.”

“What’s the deal with you two, anyway?”

“Tamara tried to get us to go on a date. It...did not go well. Josh is like the big brother I never knew I had, and he can be annoying about it. He sent me a text instead of coming over to say hi. It was dumb and a little passive aggressive.”

“What’d the text say?” There had to be a real reason she was annoyed.

“Having fun, or something.” Piper glanced away.

“And that annoyed you?”

“I was doing okay, but... The whole idea that people were at other tables talking about me. Us. It just fucked with my head, and I didn’t need it from a friend.”

“You have had to endure more than any one person should. I think that you have rebounded and built an amazing life for yourself.” Even during the darkest period she’d done her best to heal.

“Thanks,” she mumbled.

“I think you are absolutely amazing. I always have.

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