MY COUSIN'S BOYFRIEND I

♤LEXI♤

My cousin Joan had always been the wild one in the family; the one who partied hard, dated the hottest guys, and somehow charmed everyone without even trying.

Me? I was the opposite: the dependable one, the girl who arrived early to family gatherings and stayed late to clean up. While she lived for chaos and attention, my heart was stuck on the one guy I couldn’t have, unwilling to settle for anyone else.

Joan had called me out of the blue and asked me to come over to her house because she needed me. I was in the middle of binge-watching my favorite true-crime series but she begged me to get to her house as soon as possible because it was urgent. She offered no explanations why she needed me.

I didn't want to go but I complied. Joan and I had always been close, more like sisters than cousins, especially since we grew up in the same small town before she moved to the city for her marketing job.

She was the glamorous one: tall, petite, with that effortless beauty—long blonde hair that cascaded in perfect waves, piercing blue eyes, and a smile that could light up a room. I, on the other hand, was shorter, curvier, with the same blonde hair and blue eyes, but I always felt like the cheaper version. Decent looking, sure, but not the kind of pretty that turned heads like hers did.

When I arrived at her place, she pulled me inside with a hug that smelled like her signature vanilla perfume. The apartment was impeccable as always with the modern furniture, soft lighting, and takeout containers from our favorite Thai place already spread out on the coffee table.

"Eat first," she said, shoving a carton of pad Thai into my hands. "Then we'll talk."

We ate in comfortable silence for a bit but I could see the wheels turning in her head. Finally, I set down my fork. "Okay, spill. Why am I here?"

Joan leaned back on the couch, her legs tucked under her, looking every bit the picture of innocence in her little black dress that hugged her figure perfectly. She was getting ready to go out, that much was clear.

"So, I'm going to this party tonight. Vivien's birthday bash. You remember Vivien, right? From college?"

I nodded. Vivien was one of her old friends. She had been very popular in college and always threw extravagant parties with open bars and DJs. Everyone loved her or wanted to be associated with her.

"Yeah, but why do you need me to stay over? You going to be out all night or something?" I asked.

She bit her lip, a telltale sign she was about to drop a bomb. "Dylan doesn't want me to go. He's being all protective and stuff."

My heart did a little flip at the mention of Dylan. God, Dylan. Joan's boyfriend of the past year, the guy who'd been the object of my secret crush for even longer.

I'd met him through her, of course—at a family barbecue where he showed up looking like he stepped out of a men's fashion magazine. He was tall, broad-shouldered, with dark hair that always fell just right over his forehead, and those green eyes that crinkled when he smiled. He was funny, kind and always remembered little details about people. But he was Joan's, and I'd buried my feelings deep, pretending they didn't exist every time we all hung out.

"Why doesn't he want you to go?" I asked, trying to keep my voice neutral.

Joan sighed dramatically. "Because William is gonna be there."

My stomach twisted. I knew that name all too well. Joan had dated him back in college and he was her first real boyfriend. She'd cheated on previous guys with him before, sneaking around like it was some thrilling game. It had broken her last relationship into pieces, and now here she was, heading to a party where he might show up.

I turned to give her the what the fuck look. "William? As in, your William? The one you... you know..."

Joan waved a hand dismissively, but her cheeks flushed a little. "Yeah, that William. But nothing's going to happen, Lexi. I swear. I love Dylan so much. He's everything to me. And William's moved on... he's got a girlfriend now. What happened between us is ancient history."

I stared at her, trying to read if she was convincing herself as much as me. Joan had always had a wild streak, the kind that pulled her toward trouble even when she promised otherwise.

"Then why go at all? If it's that risky, just skip it." I tried to reason with her.

She stood up suddenly and planted her hands on her hips.

"It's Vivien's birthday, Lexi. She invited me personally, and Vivien's like a sister to me. Am I supposed to not go just because William's her brother? That'd be rude as hell. Besides, it's just a party. I'll be in and out." She said.

"Joan, come on. You cheated on your last boyfriend with him. What if old feelings bubble up? Dylan's great, he doesn't deserve that."

Her eyes flashed with irritation. "That was ages ago, Lexi. I was young and stupid. Dylan knows I love him. And I'm not going to do anything. Vivien's party is important; she's been through a lot lately with her job stuff. I can't bail. Please, just trust me."

We went back and forth for a few minutes. I argued that she should just tell Dylan the truth, that sneaking around would only make things worse. She countered that Dylan was overreacting, that he trusted her but was just being paranoid because of her past.

"It's one night," she said. "I'll be home by morning."

Finally, I threw up my hands. "Fine, go. But don't say I didn't warn you if things get messy."

Joan exhaled in relief, crossing the room to hug me tight.

"Thank you. You're the best cousin ever." She pulled back, her expression shifting to something more scheming. "Which brings me to why you're really here."

I blinked. "Wait, what? I thought you just wanted company or something."

She bit her lip and glanced toward her bedroom. "Not exactly. I need you to... impersonate me. Sort of."

My jaw dropped. "What?"

"Hear me out," she rushed on, grabbing my hands. "Dylan has my location sharing on. He knows I'm home; or supposed to be. I told him I wasn't feeling well, that I had a fever and was staying in. He's going to FaceTime to check on me tonight. If I go to the party, he'll know something's up. So, I need you to sleep in my bed, keep my phone with you, and pick up when he calls. Pretend to be me."

I pulled away, laughing incredulously. "Joan, that's insane. No way."

"Please, Lexi. You don't even have to talk. We look so alike. We have the same hair and same eyes. Just cover part of your face with your hair if you're worried. Lie there in the dim light, act all sick and weak. He'll buy it."

I shook my head, standing up. "This is ridiculous. What if he notices? We might look similar, but we are very different. He'll see right through it."

Joan stepped closer, her voice dropping to that persuasive tone she used when she really wanted something.

"Come on, just this once. For me? I'll pay you. Five hundred bucks, cash. I know things have been tight for you since you moved here."

Money.

She knew my weak spot. Rent was due soon, and my freelance gigs weren't paying like they should. Five hundred bucks wasn't much, but it was something. And honestly, the thought of talking to Dylan —even silently—sent a forbidden thrill through me. It was just a video call, right? A few minutes tops. What harm could it do?

"Fine," I muttered, trying to sound reluctant. "But only because I need the cash. And if he shows up, you're on your own."

Her face lit up. "He won't! He's two hours away, dealing with some family emergency. And he hates driving at night, says it makes him anxious. You're safe."