Chapter 1

The moment my boyfriend, Patrick Thorne, and his childhood friend, Sierra Lynch, spotted me, they broke off the kiss.

Patrick immediately tried to explain himself. "I was just getting something out of Sierra's eyes. You know how we can feel what the other one feels.

"If something gets in her eye, I feel it too. You're not going to get jealous again, are you?"

I shook my head, letting my gaze briefly settle on Sierra's split lip. Then, I caught Patrick by the chin, pulled a tube of toothpaste from my bag, and squeezed some onto his lips.

"Lettie! What are you doing? How am I supposed to eat like this?"

"Sierra's lips are obviously swollen from kissing someone," I said pointedly. "Aren't you two supposed to feel what the other feels? I thought it might hurt, so I figured I'd give you some toothpaste for the pain."

Patrick's face tightened, but I kept going. "Didn't you two agree not to do anything with anyone else? If Sierra already broke the rule, then I guess we can kiss too, right?"

Sierra's expression darkened the moment she heard that. She fixed Patrick with a warning look and hissed, "Don't you dare!"

I'd deliberately put on lipstick before leaning toward Patrick.

"Well? Are you going to kiss me?"

He shoved me away without a second thought. "Do you have to do this here? There are people everywhere. Let's just find a table."

I could hear people whispering around me. "She has no shame. Those two were practically making out. They're obviously a couple, and she's actually asking him to kiss her right in front of his girlfriend."

"Knew it. He rejected her."

I stood rooted to the spot, watching them walk away while I tried to ignore the looks people were giving me.

When I finally caught up with Patrick and Sierra, someone had already taken their usual spot. Patrick immediately told me to go talk to them.

"Just sweet-talk him a little. Ask that guy over there if he'll let us share the table."

I clenched my fists and stared at him. "Why me?"

"You know how I can feel whatever Sierra feels. I can't handle it if some old guy starts putting his hands on her!"

Sierra leaned against Patrick's shoulder, grinning. "The thought of some guy touching Patrick is hilarious. So, you're the one who has to help us out, Lettie."

I already knew he didn't care, but I still found myself asking, "Patrick, aren't you worried someone might harass me? I'm your girlfriend."

He reached over and lightly tapped my nose.

"Don't be silly. It's just some guy touching you. I'm not going to hold it against you. Now go."

I had always been irresistible to people, so when I asked if I could join them, they agreed without a second thought.

Sierra shot Patrick a knowing look and cooed, "Wow, Leticia really knows how to charm people. You're a lucky man, Patrick."

Patrick chuckled. "Yeah. I never knew she could be this bold. Looks like I made a mistake choosing places like the library and the park for our first few dates."

I clenched my teeth as a sharp ache tore through my chest.

Just then, one of the people at the table looked between us. "So, who's dating who? We've got this little couples' challenge. If you give the same answer ten times in a row, your drinks are on the house."

Without hesitation, Patrick slipped an arm around Sierra.

"She's my girlfriend."

Then, he leaned toward me and whispered, "Lettie, Sierra and I are obviously going to be better at this. Just put up with it so we can get our drinks for free."

Patrick even knew exactly where Sierra was most sensitive. Yet, the drink he ordered for me was the one thing I was allergic to—mango.

I let out a self-deprecating chuckle and finished every drink in front of me except the mango one.

A moment later, Patrick and Sierra came back down with their arms around each other.

Patrick froze when he saw me downing one drink after another. "Lettie, don't get the wrong idea. I only got all the answers right because Sierra and I are connected."

"Lettie!" Sierra exclaimed. "Don't tell me you knew the drinks were free, and that's why you're drinking like this! Too bad the deal only applies to Patrick and me. You still have to pay for yours."

Then, Patrick picked up a bottle from my side of the table. "You even opened a bottle this expensive? If you end up having to work off the tab, I'm not sticking around."

A smile tugged at my lips as I gestured toward the drinks on the table. "You've got it wrong. These were bought for me. So, just like you two, I don't have to pay for any of it."