Page 86 of Choosing You

“I overheard Sierra talking about it at that party I took you to. I told her and Ava if they did anything to you I’d come after them.”

“You didn’t have to do that, Garret. I can handle myself. You should’ve just told me what they were up to and I would’ve taken care of it.”

“You can’t just take care of it. It’s like I keep telling you. It’s all a game. Bribes. Blackmail. That’s the only thing that gets them to back down.”

“So you bribed them or what?”

“I didn’t have to. My family practically runs this school. They donate a ton of money. My dad and grandfather are on all these boards and committees. They have a lot of influence here.” He glances over at Sierra and Ava. “If I wanted to, I could get those two kicked out of school. Well, maybe not Ava. At least not now.”

“Why? What did she say to you? And why was she telling you to act like her boyfriend?”

We hear Ava laughing from across the dining hall. Garret picks up his tray. “I can’t sit here anymore. Let’s go.”

On the walk back to my room, he’s quiet. Too quiet.

“Okay, I know you’re hiding something from me, Garret, so what is it?”

He sits down in my desk chair, leaning back and tapping a pencil on the desk. “My dad, or more likely Katherine, thinks it’s time for me to get a new fake girlfriend. Apparently Courtney isn’t generating enough press for the Kensington name so she’s been replaced by Ava.”

“Why Ava?”

“She was on some stupid reality show last year so she gets photographed a lot at events.”

“When did you find this out?”

“Ava told me at the party last night. I didn’t believe her so I called my dad and he confirmed it. He said it was both his and Katherine’s idea but I know it was all Katherine.”

“Do Ava’s parents get a say in this?”

“They were all for it. In fact they want me to go out with Ava for real. For some reason they like me. I have no idea why. I barely know them.”

“Why didn’t you tell me this last night?”

“We had enough going on last night.” He sees the distrust on my face. “I swear I was going to tell you about this. I just wanted to wait until after you had your talk with Frank.”

I’m not sure I believe him. “So you still didn’t tell me what she said to you just now.”

“Why do you have to keep talking about this? Just forget it.”

I stand in front of him determined to get answers. “I didn’t like the way she was whispering in your ear and whatever she said seemed to really piss you off. Just tell me what she said.”

He sets the pencil down and folds his arms across his chest. “You heard what she said. She wants me to act like a real boyfriend or she’ll start telling my dad about us again.”

“What does that mean? Take her out on a date?”

“Uh. No. She has plenty of guys who will take her out. And those guys can take care of her other needs as well because I’m sure as hell not doing it.”

“Wait. So she wants you to have sex with her?”

“It’s blackmail, Jade. Ava can get sex anywhere. She doesn’t need me for that.”

“Hold on. Let me get this straight. So if you sleep with her, then she won’t tell your dad about us. But if youdidsleep with her, there would no longer be an us. So that logic makes no sense.”

He laughs, easing the tension that Ava has built up between us. “Yeah, she’s not that smart. She’s just being a bitch because she doesn’t like the fact that I’m with you.”

“Doesn’t she know we’re not dating? Tell her we’re just friends.”

He smiles just slightly and gazes at me with those gorgeous blue eyes. “Ava can see that you and I are more than friends.”

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