Page 20 of The Ruse

I stood there for a second longer. And then, deciding that I probably looked stupid just standing there all glassy-eyed, I gave Asher a nod goodbye and headed up to my room.

“So,how were things with Nash tonight?” Ava asked as soon as I made it into our room. We had one of the bigger rooms at the end of the girls’ hall, with two twin beds, two dressers, and two desks where we could study.

Ava’s was always the messier side, with various clothes strewn around the bed and floor. Mine reflected more of my minimalistic nature.

I dropped my things on my bed before turning back to my sister. “It was all right.” Then I added, “It was good.”

“Yeah?” Her smile was wide as she pulled her pajamas that matched mine out of a drawer. “Did he finally kiss you?” She bounced her eyebrows suggestively. “You know, that’s why Carter and I waited behind. So you could have some time alone when he dropped you off.”

“You weren’t having a little goodnight kiss of your own in Carter’s truck?” I said with a smirk, evading her question for a second.

“Maaaaybe.” Her huge smile told me that was exactly what they’d done.

“I knew it.” I laughed.

“Carter is addicting, what can I say?” She turned her back to me while she changed into her pajamas.

“At least one of us got to kiss a Hastings brother tonight,” I said.

“What?” Ava turned around after pulling her top over her head. “Nash still didn’t kiss you?”

“No.” I dropped down to sit on my mattress with a sigh. “Do you think I’ve been reading everything wrong? Like, maybe I’ve just been seeing all these signs that he likes me just because I want it to be true so badly.”

“You’re not imagining it,” Ava said. “Like, he asked you out, didn’t he?”

“Well, yeah…” I said. “But I guess part of me wonders if he’s just hanging out with me because I’m here and the only one of our friends who isn’t paired off with anyone yet.”

“Scarlett and Hunter aren’t dating anyone.” They were the other fourth of our group who had gone home for Thanksgiving.

“They might as well be dating each other, though,” I said. “They say they’re just friends, but I sometimes wonder if they’re actually making out during all those extra study sessions they have together.”

Scarlett had said that she and her best friend Hunter had dated for a short time last year before deciding to just be friends. And Hunter was always looking at her like he was in love with her.

“No, they’re actually studying,” Ava said matter-of-factly. “You know how anal Scarlett is about her grades. She’s determined to beat Carter for valedictorian.”

“You don’t think they’ve ever slipped up?” I asked, unconvinced. “They’re together all the time.”

But Ava shook her head. “I asked Scarlett about it after practice last week, and she said that she and Hunter really aren’t together.” Ava picked her dirty clothes off the floor and threw them into her laundry hamper. “In fact, she just texted me tonight that her dad is trying to set her up with someone back home. Some older guy.”

“Someone she likes?” I asked.

“I don’t know.” Ava shrugged. Then waving the subject away, she said, “But back to you and Nash, I really do think that he likes you. I was watching you two during dinner and I think he’s just nervous.”

“You do?” I asked, hope daring to blossom in my chest.

She nodded, her eyes meeting mine. “You’re just kind of intimidating.”

“Intimidating?”

“You just need to lighten up. Let loose,” Ava hurried to say, her twin senses kicking in and telling her that I was taking offense to her comment. “Just try not to take everything so seriously.”

I sighed. Ava had always been the fun twin. I was the serious one.

“Who knows, maybe I’m wrong.” She raised her hands at her sides.

“No, I do take everything seriously.”

It was a problem. Seeing my mom raise us by herself had made me cautious when it came to love.

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