Page 250 of Faking the Goal

But I really fucking do.

Claire catches me looking and follows my gaze.

"I still can't believe you're dating him."

I turn back to her. "Why?"

"Because that is Kentaro Azuma."

"Yes." I nod solemnly. "I'm familiar with my boyfriend's name."

She laughs. "No, I mean he's probably the most undatable guy on campus."

I stare at her. "How the hell is that man undatable? He's practically the perfect guy."

Claire gives me a look.

"Precisely."

"What?"

"He's too perfect, Taylor. And he acts like it." She leans closer, raising her voice over the music. "He's hot, smart, comes from money, one of the best goalies in college hockey—and he walks around like ninety-nine percent of the human population doesn't meet his minimum requirements."

I snort.

Okay.

That part is considerably harder to argue with.

"Seriously," she continues. "Have you ever seen him interested in anyone? Half the girls on campus would probably volunteer a kidney for one date with him, and he looks at most of them like they interrupted him while he was doing something important. He's practically a snob."

"No, he isn't."

Claire raises an eyebrow.

"Fine," I concede. "He's a little bit of a snob."

She laughs. "Exactly. I always figured if Azuma ever actually dated someone, she'd have to be ridiculously perfect too."

I wish that didn't bother me as much as it does.

Because I've thought the same thing.

Long before I became his fake girlfriend, I knew the kind of woman I imagined Kentaro eventually ending up with. Someone who came from a world like his. Money. Education. A good family. Someone sophisticated and polished who could walk into any room beside him and belong there without having to fake a damn thing.

Basically, someone nothing like me.

My gaze wanders toward Kentaro again.

And finds Emma sitting beside him in the booth.

She must have joined them while I wasn't paying attention, because now she's tucked into the seat next to him, leaning in slightly so he can hear her over the music.

Emma looks beautiful tonight. Not that this is breaking news. Emma could probably crawl out of a dumpster wearing a garbage bag and somehow make it look like couture.

But sitting beside Kentaro, she looks especially...Right.

That's the word that slips into my head before I can stop it.