Page 88 of The Ruse

“For the most part.” Scarlett leaned against Hunter’s desk. “Ava asked Carter, of course. And Cambrielle asked Mack. But I don’t think Elyse has asked anyone yet.”

“She didn’t ask Nash?” I asked, hope filling my chest. I might not be able to afford to take her on the fancy kind of date she was currently on, but I had a tux and I’d already be at the ball…

My aunt had wanted me to look the part in case one of the debutante’s escorts couldn’t make it at the last minute. But if Elyse was having a hard time asking someone…maybe I could offer to be her prince charming for the night.

She’d said before that she liked it when guys went after what they wanted.

And the more I was around Elyse, the more I wanted her.

“I don’t think she’s asked Nash yet,” Scarlett said. “Apparently, she’s never asked a guy out before and is putting it off until the last minute.”

“She’s never asked a guy out?”

“That’s what she said.” Scarlett shrugged. “But who knows, maybe she just wanted to see how their date went today before she asked him.”

Oh.

Of course…

“But that’s cool that you’re going to be there,” Scarlett said. “Are you escorting someone you met while you were living with your aunt and uncle?”

“Uh, no,” I said, suddenly realizing that I was going to look like a dork sitting in the audience when Elyse and all her friends had the spotlight on them all night. “Apparently, I’m the backup escort.”

“Oh, that’s cool,” Scarlett said.

“Does Elyse know you’re going to be there?” Hunter asked.

“I don’t know why she would,” I said. “This is the first I’ve heard of anyone else from our school going.”

Why was he asking that, anyway?

Had he noticed the way I couldn’t keep my eyes off Elyse as she’d left for her date today? Had I been way too obvious when I’d gone to stand by the window to watch her leave—using the excuse that I needed to stretch my legs?

He probably had. Hunter didn’t usually say a ton, but he noticedeverything.

Hunter studied my face for a moment, as if piecing together everything in his mind. Then with a slight smirk, he said, “Maybe you should offer to be Elyse’s escort.”

Scarlett’s jaw dropped as Hunter’s suggestion seemed to register in her mind. She looked at me. “Do you like Elyse?”

“No—” I hurried to say, my breath catching in my throat. “I—we’re just friends.”

But she didn’t look like she believed me because she said, “I saw her script on your desk when I came to get Hunter this morning. Was Elyse even tired when she stayed home from the basketball game last night? Or was that just her excuse so she could have some alone time with you?”

“My side of the roomwasall cleaned up when I got back from the game,” Hunter added. “I thought you were just being nice, but did you tidy up because you had a girl over?”

“Of course not. I mean, it’s not in the way you’re thinking.” Panic filled my chest for some reason. “Elyse was reading a book in the common room last night, and we only ended up in here because Miss Crawley wanted us to work on a scene for the play.”

“What kind of scene were you working on?” Hunter arched an eyebrow like he already knew.

And man, this looked bad.

“It was just a scene that was giving us some trouble during rehearsals this week.” I scratched at a spot under my collar, hoping he’d let me leave it at that.

“It was a kissing scene, wasn’t it?” Scarlett guessed, a huge smile on her lips.

My neck started to sweat, and I wanted to crack open a window.

“It was totally a kissing scene.” Hunter looked at Scarlett, his green eyes lighting up. Then glancing at his bed, he asked, “Wait… You guys didn’t, like, make out on my bed, did you?”

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