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Sunday morning
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2025-01-10 17:03:41Related chapters
Pretend to be mine Dim sum and departures
Avon put his arm around her and leaned back against the pillows. “This program is really important to you, isn’t it?” She nodded, her head against his chest. “Tell me about it,” he said, his fingers moving through her hair. She hesitated. Was she ready to get into this with him just yet? Or ever, really? Would he understand? Would he even care? He kept waiting, though. “I’ve always been interested in how to help teenagers. There are all sorts of programs for little kids, lots of reading groups and playgrounds and stuff like that. But people stop caring about kids once they hit the age of eleven or twelve. And everyone hates teenagers. Which sucks, because that’s just the time of life when everything is changing and scary and you need help. And then when teenagers screw up, no one ever wants to give them a chance again. Especially teens of color.” “But an arts program?” She looked up at that tone in his voice and saw his raised eyebrows. “Isn’t that just rewarding kid
Last Updated : 2025-01-10Pretend to be mine Good news and Good company
Sure enough, she ran into him on her way into the building, a pink box in his hand. “My hero!” she said as she handed him the coffee she’d bought him. “How did you know I was going to bring doughnuts?” He eyed his coffee and the grin on her face. “I had a hunch.” She popped open the box and took out hers. “Just what I needed.” He tested his coffee for temperature, not taking a sip yet. “We all know you got lucky this weekend. Do you need to flaunt it?” She just grinned and took a big bite of her doughnut as he followed her into her office. “Before I forget, did you hear anything? Normally, I wouldn’t have even had to ask, but with you gone this weekend . . .” His voice trailed away as she shook her head. He sat down in one of the chairs in front of her desk. “Okay, we’ll talk about that in a minute. First: the weekend went well, I’m guessing?” He sipped his coffee and reached for his own doughnut. “It did, thank you.” She pushed all of her anxieties from the night before away
Last Updated : 2025-01-11Pretend to be mine “Text message mayhem”
Diana had a side job and business was thriving, which meant she always had great stories. Lucia laughed throughout the tale of graduation dress shopping for a whole family. Unfortunately, now that she’d been given permission to start thinking more about the Avon situation, it was all she could think about. “Should I ask him?” Lucia asked, midway through her second drink. “I guess that depends on how much you want to know the answer,” Diana said. Wednesday afternoon, Avon’s phone buzzed in his pocket while he was in the middle of an appointment with Nolan and his mom. He grinned, almost certain of who had just texted him. He and Lucia had been texting each other all week, both in innocent and creative ways, though she’d been strangely silent today. He fought the urge to pull his phone out of his pocket and concentrated on Nolan. When Abby and Nolan were walking out the door, she stopped and turned around. “Your friend Lucia’s been so helpful. She’s gotten me in touch with hel
Last Updated : 2025-01-11Pretend to be mine Regrets and longing
Lucia spent the rest of the afternoon first furious at Avon, then at herself. Why had she decided to text him in the middle of the day on a Wednesday, for God’s sake? Did she have to do this right when she was about to go into three back-to-back meetings where she had to concentrate and be diplomatic and pay attention? Shouldn’t she have waited to talk about this in person? After the last of her meetings, not only did she have to drive her boss home, but she made her sit in the driveway with her and talk about their transportation plan for fifteen minutes. She felt like she was going to crawl out of her skin. She was angry that she had gotten so invested in a relationship that had lasted all of thirteen days, angry she’d done all of that for something that wasn’t even a relationship in the first place, angry at Avon for being such a jackass, angry at Avon for being such a great guy for ninety-eight percent of those thirteen days, angry at herself for being on the point of tears
Last Updated : 2025-01-11Pretend to be mine Unexpected encounter
Avon only did this work when he was forced into it or had nothing else to do to keep him occupied, and Lucas knew it. “So I’m guessing from the look on your face that you didn’t go to San Francisco last weekend? Did you even try to fix it?” Avon kept his eyes on his computer and attempted to keep his voice level. “Leave it alone, Lucas.” Of course he’d thought about trying to fix it. But what was the point? Lucas stood up, thank God. “Fine, keep brooding. But you’d better have pulled yourself together by the time we go to San Francisco this weekend.” Avon head shot up. What the hell was he talking about? Why the hell would he be going to San Francisco? Lucas laughed. At, not with him, he was pretty sure. “The American Association of Pediatric Hospital Medicine Conference? We planned it, like, two months ago? We’re the only two junior peds from this hospital who get to go? We leave tomorrow?” Avon laid his head down on his desk, lifted it, and banged it back down. Luckily, th
Last Updated : 2025-01-12Pretend to be mine Reconnection
Avon was pretty sure he was going to like Diana. She seemed cool. “Hi,” he said, once they were alone. He touched her bare arm and this time didn’t let go. “Can I, um—can we talk for a minute?” Now that he’d seen her, he couldn’t just walk back to his barstool. She looked in the direction that Nolan and Diana had disappeared in, and then back at him. Shit, was she going to tell him to go away? “Sure,” she finally said. He grabbed her hand and pulled her deeper into the corner. “Look, I’m sorry about what I said. In the texts, I mean. I wasn’t thinking,” he said, once the din around them was a little quieter. He wanted to step closer but didn’t want her to back away. She squeezed his hand. “No, Avon, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have started all of that. It wasn’t . . . I didn’t want . . .” He looked down at her. That strapless dress she was wearing . . . he wanted to pull down the neckline and kiss her in that hollow between her breasts. “I wasn’t,” he blurted out. “I mean, I’m not.
Last Updated : 2025-01-12Pretend to be mine Rekindling Joy
“I’m growing to like elevators quite a bit,” she said as the doors opened for his floor.He fumbled in his pocket for the door key and realized two things. One: he wanted to pick her up and throw her on his bed again. Two: he really had to pee. Shit. He’d better make it quick.He pulled her inside the room.“Don’t move. Give me one second. I’ll be right back.” He flew into the bathroom and hoped that the look on her face hadn’t been irritation or—oh God—a change of heart. Maybe she’d remembered she was mad at him? That thought made him zip his pants quickly, in case he had to convince her to stay.When he opened the door, she wasn’t standing in the entryway where he’d left her. She hadn’t left, had she? He looked around the room and . . . holy shit.She was propped up against the pillows on the bed, wearing that leather jacket, those heels . . . and nothing else. He unbuckled his belt.“I thought I told you not to move?” he asked her as he approached the bed.She nodded, her fingers
Last Updated : 2025-01-12Pretend to be mine First meeting
Lucia hills walked into the Lacoste hotel in Berkeley that Wednesday night wearing her favorite red heels, feeling jittery from coffee, and carrying a bottle of champagne in her purse. She took out her phone to text her sister, Susan, upstairs in one of the guest rooms. It was always good to give Susan a little more advance warning than most people. It didn’t matter that Susan had just made partner at her New York law firm; some things didn’t change. Oh no, was just about to get in the shower. Lucia got Susan’s text just as she stepped into the elevator. She laughed out loud as she pushed the number of her sister’s floor, the laughter calming her nerves. Lucia couldn’t wait to celebrate with her older sister, despite . . . no, maybe because their relationship was still tricky after all these years. The elevator glided in the air, in that smooth, noiseless way elevators in expensive hotels do, while lucia checked her purse for the second time to make sure she’d tossed the fanc
Last Updated : 2024-12-07
Latest chapter
Pretend to be mine Rekindling Joy
“I’m growing to like elevators quite a bit,” she said as the doors opened for his floor.He fumbled in his pocket for the door key and realized two things. One: he wanted to pick her up and throw her on his bed again. Two: he really had to pee. Shit. He’d better make it quick.He pulled her inside the room.“Don’t move. Give me one second. I’ll be right back.” He flew into the bathroom and hoped that the look on her face hadn’t been irritation or—oh God—a change of heart. Maybe she’d remembered she was mad at him? That thought made him zip his pants quickly, in case he had to convince her to stay.When he opened the door, she wasn’t standing in the entryway where he’d left her. She hadn’t left, had she? He looked around the room and . . . holy shit.She was propped up against the pillows on the bed, wearing that leather jacket, those heels . . . and nothing else. He unbuckled his belt.“I thought I told you not to move?” he asked her as he approached the bed.She nodded, her fingers
Pretend to be mine Reconnection
Avon was pretty sure he was going to like Diana. She seemed cool. “Hi,” he said, once they were alone. He touched her bare arm and this time didn’t let go. “Can I, um—can we talk for a minute?” Now that he’d seen her, he couldn’t just walk back to his barstool. She looked in the direction that Nolan and Diana had disappeared in, and then back at him. Shit, was she going to tell him to go away? “Sure,” she finally said. He grabbed her hand and pulled her deeper into the corner. “Look, I’m sorry about what I said. In the texts, I mean. I wasn’t thinking,” he said, once the din around them was a little quieter. He wanted to step closer but didn’t want her to back away. She squeezed his hand. “No, Avon, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have started all of that. It wasn’t . . . I didn’t want . . .” He looked down at her. That strapless dress she was wearing . . . he wanted to pull down the neckline and kiss her in that hollow between her breasts. “I wasn’t,” he blurted out. “I mean, I’m not.
Pretend to be mine Unexpected encounter
Avon only did this work when he was forced into it or had nothing else to do to keep him occupied, and Lucas knew it. “So I’m guessing from the look on your face that you didn’t go to San Francisco last weekend? Did you even try to fix it?” Avon kept his eyes on his computer and attempted to keep his voice level. “Leave it alone, Lucas.” Of course he’d thought about trying to fix it. But what was the point? Lucas stood up, thank God. “Fine, keep brooding. But you’d better have pulled yourself together by the time we go to San Francisco this weekend.” Avon head shot up. What the hell was he talking about? Why the hell would he be going to San Francisco? Lucas laughed. At, not with him, he was pretty sure. “The American Association of Pediatric Hospital Medicine Conference? We planned it, like, two months ago? We’re the only two junior peds from this hospital who get to go? We leave tomorrow?” Avon laid his head down on his desk, lifted it, and banged it back down. Luckily, th
Pretend to be mine Regrets and longing
Lucia spent the rest of the afternoon first furious at Avon, then at herself. Why had she decided to text him in the middle of the day on a Wednesday, for God’s sake? Did she have to do this right when she was about to go into three back-to-back meetings where she had to concentrate and be diplomatic and pay attention? Shouldn’t she have waited to talk about this in person? After the last of her meetings, not only did she have to drive her boss home, but she made her sit in the driveway with her and talk about their transportation plan for fifteen minutes. She felt like she was going to crawl out of her skin. She was angry that she had gotten so invested in a relationship that had lasted all of thirteen days, angry she’d done all of that for something that wasn’t even a relationship in the first place, angry at Avon for being such a jackass, angry at Avon for being such a great guy for ninety-eight percent of those thirteen days, angry at herself for being on the point of tears
Pretend to be mine “Text message mayhem”
Diana had a side job and business was thriving, which meant she always had great stories. Lucia laughed throughout the tale of graduation dress shopping for a whole family. Unfortunately, now that she’d been given permission to start thinking more about the Avon situation, it was all she could think about. “Should I ask him?” Lucia asked, midway through her second drink. “I guess that depends on how much you want to know the answer,” Diana said. Wednesday afternoon, Avon’s phone buzzed in his pocket while he was in the middle of an appointment with Nolan and his mom. He grinned, almost certain of who had just texted him. He and Lucia had been texting each other all week, both in innocent and creative ways, though she’d been strangely silent today. He fought the urge to pull his phone out of his pocket and concentrated on Nolan. When Abby and Nolan were walking out the door, she stopped and turned around. “Your friend Lucia’s been so helpful. She’s gotten me in touch with hel
Pretend to be mine Good news and Good company
Sure enough, she ran into him on her way into the building, a pink box in his hand. “My hero!” she said as she handed him the coffee she’d bought him. “How did you know I was going to bring doughnuts?” He eyed his coffee and the grin on her face. “I had a hunch.” She popped open the box and took out hers. “Just what I needed.” He tested his coffee for temperature, not taking a sip yet. “We all know you got lucky this weekend. Do you need to flaunt it?” She just grinned and took a big bite of her doughnut as he followed her into her office. “Before I forget, did you hear anything? Normally, I wouldn’t have even had to ask, but with you gone this weekend . . .” His voice trailed away as she shook her head. He sat down in one of the chairs in front of her desk. “Okay, we’ll talk about that in a minute. First: the weekend went well, I’m guessing?” He sipped his coffee and reached for his own doughnut. “It did, thank you.” She pushed all of her anxieties from the night before away
Pretend to be mine Dim sum and departures
Avon put his arm around her and leaned back against the pillows. “This program is really important to you, isn’t it?” She nodded, her head against his chest. “Tell me about it,” he said, his fingers moving through her hair. She hesitated. Was she ready to get into this with him just yet? Or ever, really? Would he understand? Would he even care? He kept waiting, though. “I’ve always been interested in how to help teenagers. There are all sorts of programs for little kids, lots of reading groups and playgrounds and stuff like that. But people stop caring about kids once they hit the age of eleven or twelve. And everyone hates teenagers. Which sucks, because that’s just the time of life when everything is changing and scary and you need help. And then when teenagers screw up, no one ever wants to give them a chance again. Especially teens of color.” “But an arts program?” She looked up at that tone in his voice and saw his raised eyebrows. “Isn’t that just rewarding kid
Pretend to be mine Sunday morning
Lucia woke up the next morning alone in bed. She assumed that Avon was in the bathroom, but when he didn’t get back in bed after a few minutes, she sat up and saw his bathroom door open and the light off. She pulled on his robe and wandered into the kitchen in the hopes that he was making coffee, but he wasn’t there, either. She decided that he’d probably gone for a run on the beach like he said he did some mornings. She sort of wished he’d left her a note but forced herself to shrug it off. She got back in bed with her neglected phone to check her work email. But first things first: she typed out a quick reply to a text from Diana that just said ???????? Weekend so far: having fun, eating good food, great sex, don’t wish you were here. Just then, she heard Avon’s front door quietly open and close. “Oh, you’re awake.” He’d tiptoed into the bedroom, holding two cups of coffee in a tray and a bakery bag. “I thought you’d still be asleep.” She looked at the bag, and then back to
Pretend to be mine Appreciation
He took her hand as soon as they entered the parking lot. “How did you get a hug out of Abby? She still calls me Dr. Avon in that very formal voice,” he said. “Oh, I was just giving her some advice about the kinds of services they could get. She told me about the accident and that it was a drunk driver.” He dug in his pocket for his car key. What did she mean, services? “They have good health insurance, I think. Fred works for one of the studios.” She checked her phone and frowned at it before looking back up at him. “I know, she told me, but good insurance only goes so far. I meant all of the crime victims’ services that they can get from the state. Counseling, compensation, help at home, stuff like that. She said she vaguely remembered being told about it right after the accident but had no idea how to access that stuff.” No wonder Abby had hugged her. “So you gave her your card? What’s the mayor’s office going to do about a kid in L.A.?” She looked back up from her phone a
