Page 133 of The Ruse

And though it sounded like his late arrival had all been a mistake and not payback for choosing Asher instead of him, all I could think of was that I didn’t care.

I didn’t freaking care how much of a close call it had been or how important his last-minute errand was and how lucky he was to make it here in the nick of time, because I didn’t want to be here with Nash anymore.

I wanted to be with Asher.

I wished Nash was still stuck in traffic so I could tell Mrs. Carmichael of the escort change—I wanted to spend the evening with the guy I actually wanted to be here with.

I wanted to have not been so stupid that I hadn’t even thought to ask Asher if he could be here tonight.

Why had I just assumed that he couldn’t make it? Or that he wouldn’t be able to get the right outfit for the night?

Even if he hadn’t been able to afford a tux without dipping into his college savings, I could have gotten the tux for him. There would have been a way to make it happen if I’d been thinking creatively at all.

We were about ten feet away from the spot in line where I’d left Asher, when Asher seemed to notice Nash for the first time. And it only took a second for realization to dawn on his face and for his expression to fall.

No.He was going to bolt.

He was going to think that I had chosen Nash over him.

I knew he would. He always thought that’s what the people in his life did.

Choose someone else.

I quickened my step to rush over to him and explain what was going on. But before I could say anything, he put on what I knew was a forced smile and said, “Looks like your escort made it and my services aren’t needed after all.”

“No, it’s not—” I started.

But before I could get any more words out, Nash slipped his arm behind my waist possessively and said, “Thanks for being willing to stand in, but I’ll take it from here.”

What?

Was Nash actually doing this?

He knew I’d picked Asher. I’d told him so, like a week and a half ago.

But he must have known that Asher didn’t know I’d picked him, because he just looked at Asher in a way that said,I won the war, bro.

Ugh. Their beef with each other was so stupid.

I wanted to tell Asher that I had most definitelynotpicked Nash, but before I could, Asher slipped back into the cluster of debutantes and escorts behind us and was heading toward the exit that would lead back to the ballroom.

“Asher, wait,” I called, hoping that he’d stop. But he either couldn’t hear me over the buzz of voices around us, or he didn’twantto hear me because he just kept on going.

I started pushing my way through the crowd, but I only made it a few feet before I heard Mrs. Carmichael announce Ava’s name over the speakers.

No! Not yet.

I stopped and looked back to the stage entrance, then back to where Asher’s head and shoulders were about to disappear through the double doors.

Mrs. Carmichael would be calling my name in a few seconds. There was no way I could make it to Asher and then drag him back here in time.

This freaking sucks.

A second later, Asher was gone, and I knew that I really had to do this without him now. So I begrudgingly marched back to where Nash was waiting.

“Something wrong?” Nash asked, like he really didn’t know that I was an emotional wreck right now and that he had probably just ruined any progress I thought I’d made with Asher tonight.

“Everything is perfect,” I lied through my teeth.

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