Page 3 of Sweet Temptation

“Yeah.” I slid from the hood of the car and landed lightly on the ground. The grass was cool and wet beneath my bare feet. I was probably getting mud along the hem of my white dress, but I didn’t really care.

“You’re sure?”

“Not really, but at the very least, it might distract me.” I did my best to sound convincing, but even I wasn’t sure I meant what I said.

“Okay. After-party it is then.” Wes jumped off the car and went to open the door for me.

I paused before I climbed into the passenger seat and reached out to lightly touch his hand. “Thanks for rescuing me tonight, Wes. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t been there.”

“You didn’t need rescuing. You just needed a getaway driver, and I was happy to help.” He smiled. “If anything, you kind of rescued me tonight too.”

I frowned as I tried to understand why he’d think that. Then I remembered his girlfriend had ditched him at the last minute. “I’m not sure being your date to the ball counts as rescuing you,” I said. “But I am sorry Sarah didn’t come tonight.”

Wes shrugged. “Things haven’t been all that great between us. I guess she didn’t see the point in coming if she had something better to do.”

I put my arms around Wes and gave him a tight hug. “It’s her loss.” He slowly wrapped his arms around me in response. He didn’t hug me too tightly, but I felt secure and warm, all the same. Wes gave really good hugs, and I felt like perhaps he needed one as much as I did right now.

The hug went on for a few seconds too long, and the two of us seemed to realize it at the same time. We awkwardly stepped back, refusing to meet each other’s gaze.

“So, after-party?” he said.

“After-party,” I quickly agreed.

I still didn’t sound convincing, but I jumped in the car before Wes could point that out. My heart couldn’t take another beating, and it felt dangerous to leave the safety of this random field where I felt somewhat protected. But, how much worse could this night really get? How much more of my heart was there left to break? Maybe if I stopped staring up at the stars and went looking for the answers I so desperately needed, I might be able to start putting it back together again.

CHAPTERTWO

The after-party was well and truly underway by the time Wes and I arrived. It was in the same clearing in the woods where Luther had held his last party, and tonight there were huge white lanterns strung between the trees that surrounded the wide-open space, and a live band was blasting out a tune on the other side of the dancing crowd.

Most of the students had changed out of their formal wear, but Wes and I were still dressed in our outfits from the ball. Wes was in his shiny black tuxedo, and I was in my flowing white dress. I hesitated at the edge of the clearing as I watched everyone dancing and having fun. I didn’t know if I could pretend I was okay when I so clearly was not. It felt like everyone here would be able to see my heartbreak as plainly as if it were written in permanent marker across my face.

Wes gave my hand a tight squeeze. “Let’s go get some drinks.”

“Uh, sure.” I still wasn’t certain if I wanted to stay at the party, but if I was, a little liquid courage was probably going to be necessary.

His hand dropped from mine as he started into the party, but I didn’t move to follow him right away. Instead, I paused as I watched him disappear into the crowd. The small amount of confidence I’d had in my reasons for coming here was slipping away. I’d thought it might offer a brief distraction and maybe I’d be able to talk to Noah and ask him why all this had happened. The latter was enough to make me shrink back into the safety of the trees. Now that I was here, Noah was the last person I wanted to see.

I lurched forward as someone knocked their shoulder into mine, and I stumbled as I tried to stay on my feet. Thankfully, I managed to avoid falling to the ground and making my dress any dirtier than it already was.

“Oops, I didn’t see you there, Charity.” I recognized Veronica’s high-pitched voice immediately. Her words were met with cackling laughter from her friends. “Although, I guess we can’t call you that now we know you’re actually IsobelLaFleur.”

How did she know already? Maybe she’d seen us dancing together. If Matthew was as well-known as Wes had suggested, our dance might have been enough to alert the entire school.

As I righted myself, I turned to face Veronica. The scrap of clothing she was wearing was barely long enough to cover her underwear. She had to be freezing. Not many girls would have been brave enough to wear a dress like that, but she had the build of a model and could pretty much wear anything. Even now I could see several guys drooling as they watched her. It didn’t matter how hot she was though; her looks could never wipe away the viciousness that was always present in her eyes. They were a little hazy tonight. Probably from one too many drinks.

“Imagine my shock when your father introduced himself to my parents tonight and I overheard him talking aboutyou,” she continued. “But don’t think that changes anything. Just because your daddy happens to have money doesn’t mean you’re one of us. Once a charity case, always a charity case. We all know you don’t belong in this school.”

It was hard to argue with that. Ever since I’d arrived at Weybridge Academy, I’d felt out of place. I’d never be one of them, and I didn’t want to be. Certainly not if it meant becoming anything like Veronica. It seemed Wes had underestimated her. Finding out who my father was hadn’t dampened her vendetta against me. It seemed to have reignited it.

“This only serves to prove what a fraud you really are,” she continued. “First you lie about your mother because you’re embarrassed by her. Next you lie about your father.”

She lifted her hand and tapped her fingers on her cheek, an exaggerated look of thoughtfulness covering her face. “But why would you lie about such a thing?” she wondered out loud. “Perhaps you were trying to keep Noah from finding out. Understandable, given the history between your two families. Still, I don’t think he’ll be very happy to hear he was being manipulated again.”

My breath caught in my throat. Was Veronica talking about the feud Noah had mentioned? What did she know about it all? I felt the desperate urge to ask her, but Veronica was the last person I wanted answers from, and I refused to admit my ignorance to her. Instead, I gritted my teeth. “I didn’t manipulate anyone.”

She glanced down at her nails, ignoring my response as she inspected her manicure like she was suddenly bored by the whole conversation. “Anyway, I’m sure it won’t be long before Noah learns the truth and breaks up with you. Then everything will return to the way itshouldbe.”

My eyes widened with surprise. She didn’t already know Noah had broken up with me? How was that even possible? She had to have seen him when he’d returned to the ball. If she didn’t know the truth, I was hardly about to enlighten her. I couldn’t bear to witness the satisfaction I knew would light up her cruel features.

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