Bye-Bye Jerk, Hello Mr. Right by Rosie Steppe

Chapter 697 Chapter 697 Chall

The second I brought up my dad, Wayne clammed up. Guess it's hard to chat when your dad's the reason mine's

gone.

"There will never be meatballs I like in this world again," I said, staring down at the meatballs Xander had made. I tried to sound casual, like I didn't care, but my brain was screaming, 'Don't blow this! Don't let Wayne catch on about Xander. Because now? I knew. Xander was Hayden. The disguise, the secrecy-it wasn't random. He had a reason. Whatever it was, I just had to roll with it for now.

"Rea, I'm really sorry about your parents." His voice dripped guilt, but his face? Ugh, it was all fake pity, like he thought that'd fix anything.

It didn't. If anything, it made my stomach twist, but I just smiled tight and said, "It's not your fault."

He gave a bitter smile. "You're... so kind, Rea."

Yeah, kind enough to almost forgive his family once. Key word: almost. I'd learned better. No way I'd let that slide

-not now, not ever.

so I grabbed my drink-pumpkin spice milk. One sip,

unreal. Better than Hayden's ever was. And when he finally stops pretending he's not Hayden, I'm totally gonna ask if he spent his fake-dead months learning how to

I said, not holding back, even

have plans tonight?" he asked, like he'd been hanging

licking a little pumpkin spice milk

seductive than I realized because Wayne's eyes darkened. He swallowed -twice before saying,

was to turn him down, but after a second, I reconsidered. I'd been stringing him

stretched wide. "What

pick,"

that, someone stepped into the office but backed out fast

caught on. "I'll get going, then. See

exhaled a huge sigh of relief and focused back on the meal Xander had

I didn't even pause I cleared the whole container. And honestly, I was sure I wouldn't be hungry again until tomorrow

and noticed a message from Ron: [Didn't seem like a good

didn't bother answering. Instead, I tried calling Demi. No

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