that tells me I’m caught. “You weren’t exactly acting like he was your mortal enemy, which is super weird, considering that’s all I ever hear out of your mouth.”
“He is.” I wipe the mascara from beneath my eyes and wring my tee shirt out between my fists.
“Are you sure? Because—”
“Court.” I peek up at her, hoping the shame I feel isn’t written all over my face. I know what she’s thinking. What the hell is wrong with me? How could I ever let him touch me? I can’t deal with her judgment right now because honestly, I don’t have a clue myself.
“Yes?” She crosses her arms and frowns.
“Can we just talk about this later?” I beg. “I still need to have a conversation with Jared.”
“You’re going to confront him now?” She glances over at him. “In front of everyone?”
“Yes.”
My jean shorts and tee shirt are clinging to my body in the most uncomfortable way, but I can’t leave yet. I wasn’t planning on this, but I have to show them I’m not bothered. No matter what. Nothing can get to me.
“Alrighty then.” She collapses onto a pool lounger with a sigh and drags her phone from her pocket. “I’ll just wait for you here. Go give him hell, or whatever.”
“Thank you.”
Gathering up the shattered pieces of my broken confidence, I pivot on my heel and head straight for Jared, who still hasn’t noticed my arrival. He’s too busy Frenching the life-sized blow-up doll to notice me. At least until I poke his shoulder, interrupting his ick fest.
“Can I have a word with you?” I stare down at him.
“Who is she?” the cheerleader asks.
“I’m his girlfriend.” I flash all my teeth in a smile so fake my face hurts.
“Ugh. Jerk!” She shoves him away, and he stares up at me with a glazed expression. He’s definitely drunk, and I’m second-guessing my determination to have this conversation right now.
“Hey.” He jerks his chin at me and climbs out of the pool. “You take a swim with your boyfriend over there?”
Odd, I didn’t think he’d even noticed.
“I should ask you the same thing.” I cross my arms and glare at him.
He shakes his head like I’m ridiculous. There’s something different about him tonight. Jared’s always been a little cocky, but there’s a sharpness in his eyes I’ve never noticed before. He seems uptight, and I wonder if it has anything to do with the fading bruises on his face.
“Over here.” I grab his arm and drag him to a quiet corner of the garden, away from prying eyes and ears. There’s a large wooden gazebo tucked into the shadows, and I steer us behind it where I can confront him privately.
“What the hell is going on?” I snap at him. “Why are you making out with some random chick when we had a deal? And what about your boyfriend?”
“I fuck whoever I want.” His words are clipped, an undercurrent of tension polluting his voice. “Chicks. Guys. I don’t really give a damn as long as I can get my dick wet. Everyone already knows it, so if you think it’s some big secret, you really are delusional.”
“Um… that’s not what you told me before.”
I’m genuinely confused. When we struck our deal, he said he was in love with Jacob. He told me if the football team found out he was dating a rival, they’d never let him hear the end of it. This sudden shift in attitude doesn’t make any sense.
“Did you just come here to nag my ass?” he gripes. “Because this relationship isn’t worth the trouble if I have to listen to you bitch at me, and I don’t even get to fuck you.”
“Excuse me?” I stumble over my shocked response. Jared is one of the few guys at BMA who’s always treated me with respect. This doesn’t even sound like him. In fact, it doesn’t even look like he’s the same person tonight. I’ve never seen him so angry, or so drunk.
“You heard me.” He tears his gaze away like he can’t even stand to look at me. “You’ll spread your legs for Carson and Landon, but you want to act like a saint whenever you’re around me.”
His words hit me like a torpedo, and it fucking hurts. How could he be so cruel? How could he throw that in my face? But should it really surprise me? That’s what everyone thinks about me.
“I’m not doing this with you,” I choke out. “You totally blew our cover tonight. The deal’s