The Fake Girlfriend Effect

Chapter Nineteen

♡ Cassie ♡
. . .

I wake up with Katie in my arms on what I assume is the couch-but it's not as peaceful as you'd expect when I wake up to hear our moms gushing about how cute we are.

"I mean, I just woke up and-just look at them," Stephanie gushes. "They're adorable."

"I always knew they'd be together someday," Mom squeals quietly. "Ah, they're adorable!"

"Imagine how they'll act on the fourth," Stephanie practically giggles. "And Katie's just so smitten with Cassie-"

My cheeks tingle in embarrassment, and my heart races-she is not smitten with me. She's like that with everyone.

"It's just so nice to see Cassie be happy again..." Mom says-and that's it, I have to make them shut up.

I open my eyes and then widen them in surprise because right there-our moms are staring at us.

"Oh-" Mom and Stephanie exchange looks, "uhm, good morning, honey!"

"Don't 'honey' me," I pout. "I heard you guys," I say it so quietly so that I don't wake Katie-who I'm trapped under.

"Oh-" Mom giggles nervously, "oopsie," she backs away. "See you at home, honey!" she calls out.

Stephanie bursts into laughter and shakes her head. "When did you even get here?" she asks.

"Some time ago," I shrug. "Like... late at night?"

"Sneaking around," Steph shakes her head. "Might as well give you a key."

"Might as well," I joke with a grin. "I'm trapped," I look at a sleeping Katie.

Stephanie smiles. "Well, when you get un-trapped, you can eat breakfast with Josh and me."

And with that, she leaves-she leaves me with Katie and the thoughts of last night...

How she comforted me-her hand on my cheek and my heart pounding.

She leaves me with the daughter I'm not dating but, for some reason...

Kind of really wish I had dated from the start.

• ✿ • ✿ •

"So what I'm hearing is, you're in love with your fake girlfriend?" Ellie chuckles, brows raised in nothing more than amusement.

"No!" I let out a groan of frustration. "Why do I have the feeling Jenny thinks that too?"

Ellie shrugs. "I mean, look at the two of you," she holds her phone up to reveal my Instagram and six photo dumps of Katie and me in the past few weeks-including the ice-skating one where, as Jenny said, we look super gay.

"And," Ellie continues as we walk towards the swimsuit section of the store, "you said you thought of her when Tess tried to kiss you-even I saw it. You were hysterical."

"What were the two of you even doing at that party?" I ask.

"Singing Kumbaya," Ellie replies sarcastically.

I scoff and roll my eyes but smile so she knows I'm joking.

"I woke up this morning to texts from her..." I look down at my phone. "Haven't answered them."

And Ellie reaches into my pocket and pulls my phone out, causing me to stop just as she does.

"What are you doing?" I ask, looking over her shoulder.

"Something you should have done a long time ago." I watch as Ellie goes to Tess's profile and hits the "block" button.

"El-"