The Dysfunctional Test Read Online Free PDF Page A

compliment.
    She just stared at him, so he looked back. Really looked. Camryn was more cute than hot. More girl-next-door than girl-on-stripper-pole. She had a cherubic face slightly offset by a button nose. Her complexion was paler than her siblings, making her shoulder-length, cinnamon brown hair an emphasis. She wasn’t a twig like Heather, having more of an hourglass curve he could always appreciate in a woman. But her eyes… It was like she never grew into them. A cosmic mix of green and blue and brown.
    If she wasn’t Camryn Covic, he probably would be attracted to her.
    “You know me, Troy,” she said quietly, finally breaking eye contact. “I know what doing this will mean for you. But, please, I don’t want Heather looking back on her wedding day and only remembering how I ruined it.”
    She couldn’t ruin something if she tried. More importantly though… “They’ll hate me. Your family is the only one I have. After this supposed breakup, they’ll hate me.”
    She shook her head. Stared into her lap. “No, they won’t. They’ll think you temporarily lost your mind. They’ll hate me . For letting you go, or hurting you, or messing up another relationship.”
    No way did she believe that. Except the defeat in her face said she did. Her lips pressed together as if trying not to cry. The Cam he knew didn’t know how to cry.
    “Are you even attracted to me?”
    Her mouth popped open. Her head whipped up. “Excuse me?”
    “The family is going to expect us to act like a couple. Holding hands, kissing, public displays of affection.”
    “I don’t do public displays of affection.”
    He wondered if she did private ones. He scooted next to her and draped an arm behind her back.
    She flew off the couch. “What are you doing?”
    He didn’t think her eyes could get any bigger. How wrong he was. “Kissing you.”
    “Why?”
    Standing, he took a step toward her. She stepped back.
    They did this dance until she backed herself solidly against his entryway table. He pinned her by placing his hands on either side of her waist. When he leaned in, not to kiss her but to whisper in her ear, his cheek brushed hers. The rough rasp of his day-old growth grazed her pale, soft cheek. She sucked in a breath and grabbed his T-shirt, bunching it in her hand.
    And just like that, he didn’t know who was playing the trick on whom. Had no idea what his original point was in doing this. He closed his eyes and inhaled, smelling lemongrass. Light and clean and distinctly her. He couldn’t tell if it was her heart or his pounding. Either way, it wasn’t a good sign. For balance, he opened his eyes.
    “Can you fake this kind of attraction, Cam? Because if you can’t, this won’t work.” He took a step back, not enough to free her, but enough to look down at her to see if she was as ruffled as he.
    She stared at his chest. Swallowed. “This was a mistake. I’m sorry.” As if just noticing her grip on his shirt, she dropped her hand. “Pretend I never said anything.” She brought her arm up and brushed by him.
    Was that a tremor in her voice?
    With his back to her, he could hear her walking to the couch to grab her purse, and then turning the knob on his front door. In the twenty years he’d known Camryn, he’d never known her to ask for anything, even help. Especially help.
    Not then. Not now. Not ever.
    It had to be so humiliating for her coming to him, particularly about something like this. And he’d just embarrassed the crap out of her. After all she’d done for him…
    “I’ll do it, Cam.” He turned and looked at her when she paused. “I’ll do whatever you need. I promise.”
    She gazed at her hand on the knob and nodded, but said nothing before leaving.
    He stared at the door. Ran a hand over his hair. Stared at the door some more.
    Finally, he pulled out his cell. “A little warning would have been nice, Heather!” His voice came out way harsher than he’d intended, but he’d just been rattled