All Chapters of PLAYING PRETEND: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Thursday morning arrived with a harsh buzzing from my cheap alarm clock and my eyes burned from a severe lack of sleep.I dragged myself out of bed and rubbed my aching temples because my mind kept replaying the terrifying revelation about Kyle's billionaire father.The fact that Richard Bennett had access to my private financial files meant my secret was no longer safe behind university firewalls.I worried that Vanessa would march right into the nursing administration office today and announce my past-due tuition to the entire faculty.The fear of losing my spot in the nursing program chewed at my insides while I pulled on my dark blue scrubs.I caught the early bus to the hospital and spent the thirty-minute ride staring blankly out the scratched window.The harsh smell of bleach and strong antiseptic hit my nose the second I walked through the sliding double doors of the main entrance.My cheap sneakers squeaked against the polished linoleum floor as I navigated the bright hallway

I sat in the driver seat of my car and watched the automatic glass doors of the hospital lobby slide open.I expected to see Finn walking out with his usual nervous energy but the person who stepped onto the sidewalk looked fundamentally broken.His skin was pale and dark purple circles bruised the delicate skin under his eyes.He dragged his feet across the concrete pavement while his shoulders slumped forward in absolute defeat.A massive brown stain covered the front of his blue hospital scrubs and it smelled faintly of stale soup.I felt a sharp pang of protective anger hit my chest when I realized how much this single shift had drained him.I pushed the button on my door panel to unlock the passenger side so he could get inside the warm cabin.Finn pulled the heavy car door open and practically collapsed into the expensive leather seat with a heavy sigh.He did not even bother to buckle his seatbelt before he buried his face deep into his shaking hands."I-I am so sorry about my

"I am just going to say hello to the kid," my dad replied easily while turning the brass lock on the heavy wooden door.I held my breath and wiped my sweaty palms against the sides of my jeans one more time as the door swung open.The cool evening breeze drifted into the warm hallway and pushed the scent of expensive cologne into the air.Kyle stood on our concrete front porch and he looked ridiculously handsome under the dim glow of the porch light.He wore a crisp white button-down shirt tucked into dark slacks and he had rolled the sleeves up to his elbows.He held a massive bouquet of bright yellow tulips in his left hand and a dark glass bottle of wine in his right hand.He looked exactly like the perfect boyfriend he was pretending to be and my chest tightened with an unexpected flutter of genuine affection."Good evening, sir," Kyle greeted my father with a charming and flawless smile."I am Kyle Bennett and it is a real pleasure to finally meet you."My dad crossed his arms ov

I cut a piece of the pasta and placed it into my mouth while all three of them watched me chew.The gluten-free noodles were a bit mushy and the sauce lacked enough salt but I forced a bright smile onto my face anyway."This is genuinely delicious and you might have to give my personal chef the recipe," I praised her while taking another bite.Linda laughed loudly and clapped her hands together in delight while she sat down in her own chair."Your personal chef?" she repeated while shaking her head in amusement."Finn told me you came from a successful family but he left out the part about the hired kitchen staff."I felt Finn stiffen next to me and his knee bumped against my leg again."My parents travel a lot for work so the staff mostly just makes sure the house keeps running," I clarified to downplay the wealth."Well, I am glad you enjoy real home cooking," she said while passing the basket of garlic bread toward me.I took a piece of the bread and thanked her again while trying

The silence in the dining room felt heavy enough to suffocate me while my dad stared across the small wooden table.I turned my head slowly and I saw raw panic shining in the bright blue eyes of the guy sitting right next to me.Kyle always wore a flawless mask of confidence on campus but right now he just looked like a terrified kid who forgot how to breathe.His broad shoulders were rigid with tension and his knuckles were turning white as he gripped his cold glass of water.I knew he spent his whole life deflecting angry rumors about his billionaire father but nobody had ever trapped him in a corner like this before.A sudden surge of protective adrenaline washed away my usual anxiety and forced my body to move before I could even overthink the consequences.I slipped my trembling hand under the edge of the tablecloth and I grabbed Kyle by the knee with a tight and desperate grip.The muscles in his leg flexed under my palm but he did not try to pull away from my sudden touch.I sq