Truth or Dare: A Sweet Romantic Comedy Collection by Laura Burton (free ebook reader for ipad txt) 📗

Maybe if I could just borrow it for a few hours, I could figure out a solution to this mess.

“This dare... It’s a set up,” I whisper, a sickly sensation rises from my stomach and I shut my eyes to block out my friends' stares.

“You and Ryder might be smart, but we’re not stupid Michelle.”

My eyes snap open, surprised at the tone of Holly’s voice. She’s usually so chirpy and bubbly. But her baby blues are dark now. She's glaring at me. Debbie nods along with her arms crossed.

“Look. The guys might think this is just for your college paper thingy...” Holly says.

“My thesis, you mean.”

“Right. Whatever,” Holly shakes her head with a huff. She hates it when her thoughts are interrupted. “But us girls know exactly what you’re doing.”

Debbie smirks. “Are you sure you’re training to be a shrink and not secretly studying to become a matchmaker?”

I grin sheepishly. “Is it that obvious? Do the guys…?”

“Ryder knows. For sure. He finds it all entertaining.”

“Hah. Just wait until it’s his turn.” Debbie says, her smile turning devilish.

“What about Mark and Cameron?”

Debbie makes a derisive laugh and twists her hair around her index finger. “Maybe they figured it out... Maybe not. But I know one thing, neither of them had a problem with their dares––right Holly?” She nudges Holly who grins back.

But this is not Ryder, or Mark, or Cameron we’re talking about. This is Jonah. The guy who told me, at Holly’s party, that he wouldn’t fall for it. He isn't looking for love.

This is why I maintain that the dare “don’t fall in love,” is perfect for him.

“Once he finds out I’ve been manipulating him too, he’ll never look at me the same way again,” I worry aloud.

“Maybe not,” Holly says, taking my hand. “Or maybe he’ll see past the games and realize his true feelings for you.”

“You two were amazing tonight,” Debbie says. “We’ve never seen you so happy. And we all saw the way he looked at you, even Mark and Cameron picked up on it.”

“Oh, don’t even get me started on that adorable kiss and cuddle at the end.”

“I know; somebody should have snapped a picture of it.”

I force a smile as my friends gush over the performance, but my stomach lurches. I can still smell his cologne on my dress, and if I close my eyes, I can almost feel his arms around me.

Thinking about it brings tears to my eyes and a lump in my throat.

“The point is,” Debbie says finally, snapping me out of my head. “Jonah is happy when he’s with you.”

“Tell him the truth,” Holly says firmly, gripping my hand.

It’s a long shot. But if I have any hope of making this work, my friends are right, and now I know what I need to do.

I jump up to my feet and nod, dazed. “Right,” I say, straightening out my dress. “I have to find Jonah.”

Jonah

I sit on the edge of a deck chair beside the dark pool as Tessa sits across from me, tears running down her cheeks.

I have no idea where Michelle is nor what time it is. It must be the early hours of the morning though because everyone has vacated the pool and it’s just me and Tessa.

“You see how messed up this is, right?” I blurt, my mind reeling at the fact Tessa followed me to Hawaii. Couldn’t she have waited until Monday to see me? Normal people ask their ex out for coffee in the city. Normal people don’t fly to Hawaii with a fake fiancé to win their ex back.

Tessa sidles close to me, placing her hand on my thigh. “I’ve missed you, baby.” Her touch burns my leg and my fingers twitch. Before I can do anything though, she leans in close and kisses me fully on the mouth.

I have imagined this scenario a thousand times in my head. Okay, maybe not this exact scenario, but the 'Tessa wants me back and now she’s kissing me' scenario.

I should be happy.

But everything about this feels wrong. The touch of her hand makes me want to recoil, the scent of her perfume which once drove me wild, now makes me nauseous. I lurch away from her lips as if I’ve been smooched by a fish.

Even the look of devastation on her face isn’t enough to fill me with regret for pulling away.

“You’re hurt... I get it,” Tessa says with a breath. She looks down. “But baby, I’m gonna make it up to you, I promise. Don’t you get it? I need you.”

“Jonah!”

I look up at the sound of my name and Tessa’s face blurs from view. Instead, my eyes focus on Michelle standing on the other side of the pool. She’s let her hair down, and it's hanging in soft waves. She stands there, a vision in red, like a flame, as the reflection of the pool water dances across her dress.

My limbs have a mind of their own as I find myself getting up and walking around the pool to join her. What have I been doing, sitting and talking with Tessa?

“I’m sorry,” I blurt as we reach each other, grasping hands.

“No, I’m sorry,” Michelle says, shaking her head. I’m not sure what either of us is apologizing for. But all I know is I should never have let Tessa get between us. I shouldn’t have agreed to talk to her like this. Instead, I should have scooped Michelle up in my arms and danced with her all night. We gaze into each other’s eyes and she smiles at me as if she can read my thoughts. A tiny tear rolls down her cheek.

A snort in the distance pulls us out of the moment and we both turn to watch Tessa slink her way toward us.

“Are you two for real?” she asks, resting a hand on her hip. “You don’t expect me to believe your act, right?”

The question makes my stomach churn and I realize lines between make-believe and reality have become blurred. I forgot we had been posing