“Have you talked to him?” Parker asked warily.
“No. But I talked to Caroline.”
“Yeah? What great wisdom did the queen of bad choices have for you?”
Beth popped another bite of macaron in her mouth. This one was blood orange and spice. “She thinks I shouldn’t push Jared to come to the wedding because it’ll make him look lame in front of the team. She says I need to give him his freedom because guys hate it when girls get all clingy and demanding.”
Parker made a scoffing noise in the back of his throat. It was his not so subtle way of disagreeing completely without having to say so. Beth hated when he did that. She cut her eyes at him. “I’m guessing you have a different opinion?”
“That’s for sure.”
“Let’s hear it.”
“I don’t think you want to.”
“No, I honestly do, Parker. Tell me what I’m doing wrong because I can only eat so many macarons before I feel sick and I-I . . .” her voice warbled. “I don’t know what to do.”
“Hey,” Parker said soothingly. He slid closer to her on the bed and she leaned into him. Before she knew it, she was sobbing into his shoulder.
Parker held her, stroking her hair while she shook in his arms. He was so good in a crisis. Beth couldn’t think of anywhere safer than in Parker’s arms. He always knew to let her cry it out. It was rare that Beth let herself get this upset. And even rarer that she let anyone comfort her. But when she did, it was always Parker. When their dog Muffy had to be put down. When Beth’s nana died. When her father got a job offer in California and she was convinced they were going to have to move.
Each time, no matter what the reason, Parker had held Beth without question, gently stroking her hair while she cried out all her worries. It was one of the things she loved most about him, his quiet strength. And the way he always made her feel like she could take her time. He didn’t rush her to get over things the way the rest of her family did.
After a few more minutes of crying, Beth collected herself. She sat back, untangling herself from Parker and wiping her eyes. “I’m done,” she said sniffling.
“First of all,” Parker said in a voice full of kindness, “You aren’t doing anything wrong. Your boyfriend is the one with the problem.”
Beth huffed a laugh. “So my boyfriend is my problem?”
Parker stiffened and for a second he looked like he was going to say something, but instead he got up and walked across Beth’s room to her bathroom. He came back with a box a tissues and he seemed more relaxed.
“What do I know, Beth? I’m not really an expert on relationship advice. But if I had a girlfriend like you, you wouldn’t have to ask me to come to a wedding. I’d want to be there. I’d want to be anywhere you were. Otherwise what’s the point of being with somebody?”
Beth blinked at Parker, her heart pinching painfully at his words. Why couldn’t Jared be more like Parker? Or why couldn’t Beth be the girl Parker wanted to be with? Life was so unfair.
“Beth, you’re amazing. Any guy who doesn’t see that doesn’t deserve you. And believe me, they’re the one with the problem.”
“Thanks, Park,” she whispered.
He waved her off. “All I did was bring Fritz’s.”
“You know that’s not true.”
Parker smiled. “Well, if Jared doesn’t get his head out of his ass, I’ll go with you to the wedding.”
Beth laughed at the irony. “That’s actually what Car told me to do.”
“What?”
“She said I should ask you to go to the wedding with me.”
Parker rubbed his neck. “Well, I guess not all her advice is horrible.”
“So you’d really go with me?”
“Of course I would.”
Beth smiled. “Just like old times?”
“Just like old times.”
Parker
Parker went for a run after he left Beth’s. He needed to clear his head, and all the sugar from the macarons was making him jittery. That or maybe it was being so close to Beth. It was nearly impossible for him to be around her. His chest physically hurt when they were in the same room. And holding her while she cried had been excruciating. All he wanted to do was kiss her and tell her that she was the most amazing girl in the world, and if she was his she’d never have to beg him to do things with her.
He hated hearing Beth doubt herself. Especially because of some prick like Jared who didn’t appreciate her. What the hell was wrong with Jared? He was dating Beth Bennett for God’s sake. She was easily the most perfect girl in Boston, if not the world. All she wanted to do was spend time with him. Didn’t Jared realize there were guys who would die to be in his shoes?
Parker shook his head, still in shock that he’d just offered to go to Brenna’s wedding with Beth. It was a terrible idea but he’d done it anyway.
He scoffed at himself. ‘Like old times?’ Yeah right! Nothing about what Parker felt for Beth was like old times. He envisioned the other Bennett weddings he’d attended as Beth’s plus one. There was dancing and hand-holding and walking down aisles. Bennett weddings were bonafide romance fests, and the thought nearly crippled Parker. He had no idea how he’d ever survived four weddings without telling Beth how he felt about her.
It would be pure torture to do all the things he longed to do with Beth as a placeholder for Jared. It would be like getting to live a dream for a few days, only to have it violently ripped away. Because Parker knew the instant the wedding was over the illusion would evaporate and Beth would go back to Jared, leaving Parker alone and more broken than ever. He couldn’t survive that. He was barely getting by as it was. He had to find a way to make Jared go to the wedding with Beth.
Parker shook his head with disgust. He was such a coward. Never in a million years did he think he’d be rooting for Jared to win one when it came to Beth. Parker sucked cold air into his lungs and pushed himself harder, pounding pavement like it could somehow beat back his traitorous heart.
Six miles later Parker still didn’t feel any better. He couldn’t get Beth out of his mind. He’d tried his best to be a good friend. He’d even bit his tongue when she asked what he really thought of Jared. But now, Parker was kicking himself for not just telling her everything. It would’ve been the perfect opportunity to tell Beth what Caroline had proposed after the lacrosse game and what he suspected it meant. But when it came down to it, he knew hearing that would only hurt Beth worse—and that was the one thing Parker could never do.
12
Beth
The next morning, Beth walked up to Jared’s locker with purpose. She’d tossed and turned all night mulling over Parker and Caroline’s advice. Beth had decided that maybe Caroline was right, but if Jared was the kind of guy that wanted to date a doormat then maybe he wasn’t the guy for her. She wanted the guy Parker described. The one who didn’t need to be begged to be there. The one who wanted to be there, no matter where ‘there’ was.
Jared’s back was to Beth as she walked up. As usual, he was surrounded by some of the guys from the lacrosse team. Sullivan saw her first.
“Bennett,” Sullivan called. “Thanks for the pizzas last night. It doubled as breakfast this morning.”
“You’re welcome, Sully,” she replied, returning his smile.
Josh Sullivan was easily Beth’s favorite of all of Jared’s lacrosse teammates. He actually knew how to have a conversation and he kept his rude remarks to a minimum when she was around.
“Hey babe,” Jared greeted, scooping Beth off her feet for a kiss.
He still tasted like toothpaste and she snuggled into him inhaling his intoxicating aftershave. Focus, Beth! She couldn’t let herself get distracted by Jared’s sexiness. “Hey, can we talk?” she asked softly against his neck so the guys couldn’t hear.
He nodded. “Later guys,” Jared said dismissing his friends as he shut his locker and led Beth down the hall.
They stopped when they reached a private alcove and Beth
took Jared’s other hand. “So I talked to my mom and I can’t get out of the wedding, but she said I can fly out to Colorado as soon as it’s over, so I’ll only miss the first few days.”
“That’s great, babe,” Jared replied.
“But there’s more.” Beth bit her bottom lip before continuing. “I would really love it if you came to the wedding with me.”
“Beth . . .”
“Just hear me out,” she interrupted. “The wedding is at my family’s hotel on Tybee Island and the setting is kinda romantic. Our plans to finally be together don’t really have to change, just the location. And then we can fly out to Aspen after. Plus, it would really mean a lot to me to go to a wedding with a date for a change.”
Jared pulled his hands away and scrubbed his face in frustration. He wasn’t smiling when he finally looked at her, which gave Beth a sinking feeling.
“Weddings aren’t really my thing, Beth. Wouldn’t you rather go by yourself so you can just spend time with your family?”
“No. I’d really like to go with my boyfriend. If I don’t bring a date my family will try to set me up with all the eligible bachelors, which last time turned out to be my second cousin.”
Jared groaned. “Your sisters are seriously ruining my life.”
“Tell me about it,” Beth grumbled.
Jared was pacing. He actually looked pained at the idea of skipping a few days of a stupid snowboard trip. Was it really that big of a deal to do something Beth wanted for a change? For God’s sake, she said she was still planning on sleeping with him. How was that not enough? Parker’s words floated back to her. ‘I’d want to be anywhere you were. Otherwise what’s the point of being with somebody?’ Beth used them as motivation.
“Jared, what’s the point of all of this if you don’t ever want to do anything I want to do?”
His brown eyes got large and stormy. “Are you breaking up with me?”
“No!” Beth moved closer to Jared, stroking his face tenderly. “I just want to know you care about me.”
“Of course I care about you!”
“Then I don’t see why going to a wedding is such a big deal.”
Jared threw his hands up and backed away. “I can’t deal with this shit right now, Beth!”
“Well you sorta have to. Spring break and the wedding is less than a week away. I need to sort everything out for the wedding and I sorta need to know if you’re coming with me.”
“Then count me out.”
“What?”
“I’m not gonna let you pressure me into doing this. I’m sorry your sister decided to get married in the middle of spring break, but it’s not my fault and I’m not changing my plans.”
“Fine! I guess I’ll just take someone else.”
“Fine!” Jared shot back.
“Parker already offered to go with me.”
Jared snorted. “Of course he did.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I’m done talking about this,” Jared said pushing past her and disappearing into the sea of students in the hall.
Jared
Jared’s leg was bouncing so hard in his seat that the desk was rattling.
Caroline looked over at him with a coy expression. “Trouble in paradise?”
“Fuck off, Car.”
She slid closer, drumming her nails on his chemistry book. “That’s not what you said last time.”
“How does this not bother you? Beth’s your friend. And we’re, we’re—”
“We’re what?”
Jared shook his head. “She doesn’t deserve this.”
“Then stop,” Caroline said. “Break up with her.”
“I don’t know how many times I’ve told you, Car, what happened the first day of school was a mistake. I’m with Beth. She’s the one I want to be with.”
Caroline shrugged. “If you say so.”
“How much longer are you gonna keep torturing me with this bullshit?”
“Oh come on, is it really torturous to hang out with me? I thought we were having fun.”
“You threatening me is not fun, Car.”
“Then just break up with Beth and it’s over. You’ll be free.”
Jared cut his eyes at her. “You can’t force me to break up with her.”
Caroline’s feline smile grew. “Oh my God. You’re in love with her, aren’t you?”
Jared scoffed. “I don’t do love.” But the sudden pang in his heart said otherwise.
Caroline studied Jared with her predatory eyes. “Don’t lie to me, Jared.”
“So what if I do love her? It’s not like it would stop you from harassing me.”
Caroline faked a pout. “Maybe it would. I’m not a completely awful person. Like you said, Beth is my friend. Maybe I can think of an arrangement that works for all three of us.”
“I can tell you right now, Beth’s not a threesome kinda girl.”
Caroline winked. “That’s not what I had in mind, handsome. But it does give me some ideas.”
“Like what?”
“Give me time to think on it,” she replied fixing him with a wicked grin.
Jared bit his tongue and turned his attention back to the front of the classroom. His leg went back to shaking. He wished more than anything that he’d never run into Caroline in the hall that first day of school. Then he’d happily go to Beth’s sister’s wedding with her. But he couldn’t do that now. Not knowing how much it meant to Beth. If he went to the wedding he’d just be thinking about how he was a fraud the whole time.
He didn’t deserve Beth or the happiness she brought to his life. And Jared couldn’t bear the thought of Caroline telling Beth the truth before he got the chance to. Caroline promised she wouldn’t say anything about their indiscretion, and so far she hadn’t, but Jared didn’t trust her. Caroline had a twisted moral compass and obviously got off on control.
This was a royal mess and Jared had no one to blame but himself. He’d started this. He needed to find a way to end it.
Jared felt off for the rest of the day. He couldn’t stop thinking about the stupid things he’d said to Beth that morning. And Caroline’s calculating smile haunted him. Why the hell did he have to get involved with Caroline Voss? He should’ve been happy with Beth. Beth was sweet and kind. She didn’t have a vindictive bone in her body, which was more than Jared could say for Caroline. But he’d fallen right into her trap.
After Jared had initially talked to Caroline that first week of school things settled down for a bit and Caroline made herself scarce. Jared assumed it was because she felt guilty about hooking up with him behind Beth’s back, or maybe she found some other fun distraction. But either way it seemed Caroline was done with him and Jared was relieved. Juggling two girls was more than he could handle.
Things got even better when Jared found out Caroline took a few weeks off of school for some family vacation. With her out of the picture things got more serious with Beth. Jared thought he was in the clear. Caroline was off the radar for almost a month. According to Beth, she was yachting or doing some other rich kid thing. Jared really didn’t care, as long as it didn’t interfere with his life.
Stories about Caroline trickled back to Stanton and Beth talked about her all the time. That’s when Jared first found out about some epic party Caroline was throwing at her famous Aspen house over spring break. She and Beth had been planning it since freshman year and Jared felt like he’d won the lottery when Beth invited him to come along. He was intrigued about the hype surrounding Caroline’s Aspen house and stupidly Googled it. The place was beyond spectacular and Jared spent the rest of the day drooling over it.
He would kill to have half the opportunities these over-privileged Stanton kids had. He knew he should’ve said no to the trip, but he couldn’t. He didn’t get breaks like free trips to Aspen every day. Passing it up because he made a one-time mistake with Caroline seemed too harsh a punishment. So he agreed to go with Beth.
Everything had ju
st snowballed from there. Caroline came back and Jared dug himself a hole he didn’t know how to get out of—one full of Caroline and Beth.
There were so many lies and secrets floating around in Jared’s head he didn’t know how he’d managed to keep them all straight this long. Truthfully, Beth’s sister’s wedding was a blessing. As much as Jared had wanted to spend spring break with Beth, spending it apart might be safer.
Jared was slightly terrified of being trapped at a house with Caroline and Beth. Beth had made it clear she wanted to sleep with him in Aspen and Jared had a sneaking suspicion Caroline would do everything in her power to make sure that didn’t happen. Not to mention Jared would feel like a total asshole having sex with Beth while keeping his secret about Caroline.
Jared closed his eyes, contemplating his options. The problem was he didn’t really have any and he had no one to blame but himself. He sighed realizing he’d have to keep his secret a bit longer. Avoiding the drama all together seemed like the best option at this point.
13
Parker
Parker got home from a run to find Beth sitting on his front porch. Her eyes were puffy from crying and immediately Parker knew she’d had another fight with Jared. He jogged up the stairs and knelt in front of her, still trying to catch his breath. “Hey.”
“Hey,” she replied.
“You okay?”
She nodded, her face brightening with a smile. “I will be.”
“Do you wanna talk about it?”
“Not really.”
“Wanna watch ‘Singin in the Rain’?”
“I was thinking ‘Sweeney Todd’.”
“Whoa, it must’ve been bad.”
“It was.”
The only time Beth wanted to watch ‘Sweeney Todd’ was when she was really mad. Like when Brenna cut all the hair off her Barbie dolls or Beth didn’t get the lead in a play.
“Let me take a quick shower and then I’m all yours,” Parker replied.
The Stand-In Boyfriend Page 7