Page 38 of The Ruse

I’d certainly given more than Bailee had in our little arrangement.

“I just wanted to make sure you didn’t get any ideas about stealing her from Nash just for the fun of it,” Ava said, continuing her thought. “She deserves to end up with a good guy for a change.”

“And I’m not a good guy?” I winced.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” Ava hurried to say, realizing that she’d ruffled my feelings. “Obviously, I don’t know you well enough to make a judgement call.”

“I would hope not,” I said. “Because despite all the rumors, I’d always treated Bailee well.”

It might have all been for show, but I’d been a great boyfriend. Exactly what Bailee had asked for.

I’d been so great at my job that people had even given us our own couple name: Ashlee.

And we’d reveled in the attention—laughed at how everyone was eating up the huge piece of imitation pie we were serving them.

“Of course.” Ava covered her face with her hands, as if embarrassed to have said anything now that my missing girlfriend had been brought into the conversation. “Sorry. I obviously don’t know what I’m talking about.”

“It’s okay.” I decided to let her off, even if the judgment did burn. “You weren’t here to see any of the good parts.”

She’d only known what people were sayingafter.

It was interesting how quickly a narrative could turn when Bailee decided to go rogue.

But even so, Bailee and I had been good friends. That was what I’d started to believe we were, at least. I’d thought we were the type of friends who shared all their secrets with each other.

I would find out a little too late that I was the only one who had seen us that way since Bailee had taken all my secrets while giving none of hers in return.

Elyse laughed at something Nash said, bringing my attention back to them. And despite what Ava had said about Nash not being Elyse’s typical type, there was nothing about the way they were interacting that would lead me to think he wasn’t exactly what she was interested in.

Her eyes brightened as they talked, and she leaned closer to him as their voices lowered. She seemed genuinely interested in everything he had to say.

I’d even caught her peeking over at him several times as we’d studied, as if she truly liked looking at him and enjoyed the fact that he was sitting next to her.

Based on all of that, I doubted that she’d take the bait even if I was still trying to execute my plan from earlier this afternoon, which was to steal her away from Nash. She seemed all in on him at this point, so much so that I was actually embarrassed that I’d tried my little stunt in the first place.

I mean, just because one girl in second grade had chosen me over Nash didn’t mean all girls would.

Yes, I knew I was attractive. Bailee herself said part of the reason she’d picked me to be her fill-in boyfriend was because I was one of the hottest guys at school—her words, not mine.

But looks weren’t everything.

Ava lifted her books from the table and hugged them to her chest. “Wanna walk back to the dorms with me?”

Scarlett and Hunter were just packing up as well, so I guessed Ava was trying to give her sister some alone time with Nash.

“Sure.” I picked up my books and dropped them into my backpack. “I’ll make sure you get there safely since your boyfriend is elsewhere tonight.”

It was something I had lots of practice with: filling in until the real love interest could come and take the place I’d kept warm for him.

12

ELYSE

“Thanks for saving me tonight,”I told Ava when I got back to our room after Nash walked me back to the dorms. “My mind went totally blank when I saw Nash sitting at the table with you guys. I literally thought I’d just ruined everything.”

“What are sisters for?” Ava pulled a makeup wipe from the package she had on the corner of her desk that doubled as a vanity. “I saw the panic on your face and knew just what to do.”

I set my book bag on my bed. “I thought Nash was staying home with Carter and Cambrielle tonight, so I didn’t think inviting Asher to study with us would be an issue.”

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