“I know,” I answered Asher out loud. “But I don’t want that slot.”

He shook his head. “Is this about you not having enough confidence in yourself? Love Origins is amazing. I’m pretty sure that’s why Pirelli gave you one of the prime Group B spots. And that’s probably why Elizabeth Ann Margaret is so jealous of you.”

My stomach flip-flopped, not quite knowing what to do with that string of compliments. Other than insist anyway, “I can’t do my presentation on that day.”

“Why not?” he asked with a baffled look.

I sighed. I was tired. So tired of lying. So tired of pretending that I was a regular woman just like everyone else in the program. Someone with choices and self-agency.

“I just can’t. I have other plans on that day. Plans that can’t be changed,” I answered, telling him a super vague version of the truth.

He considered my words, his expression sharp and calculating. “Are these plans the reason you want me to ask you out in June? Like maybe May 25th is a court date? Or the day some kind of separation papers will be filed?”

My cheeks warmed. “Yes, something like that.”

He nodded, his handsome face lighting up with a grin. “In that case, I will volunteer to switch to your extremely prime spot. Then I’ll ask you again in five months.”

Five months…

I smiled, liking the thought of this nightmare finally being over in five more months.

But Asher must have mistaken my answering smile for an invitation. Instead of going straight to Jacoby’s office, he stepped forward and hugged me.

He hugged me right in front of my guard!

I wanted to shove him away. But it had been so long…so long since someone had touched me with any sort of genuine affection. For one broken moment, I allowed myself to give in to the human contact. I let my forehead fall onto his shoulder and breathed in all that guy that didn’t hate me.

But then I quickly pulled away.

It was like taking the mandatory swimming classes at my Japanese high school. This was how you were supposed to swim. Take as many strokes as you can. Turn your head to the side, then take a quick breath, and plunge back into the water that could drown you. Eventually, the teacher wanted you to learn to do this so well, you only had to come up for one sip of air per length when you were racing.

Five more months.

I took a sip of air, then stepped back from Asher. “I’m sorry. I should… I have to go. I don’t want to keep my driver waiting.”

“Yeah, of course,” he answered with a little wave.