by K. A. Linde
“You’ve been here before?” He sounded surprised.
“I’ve been everywhere in Los Angeles,” she said mysteriously.
He arched an eyebrow. “That’s a sidestep if I’ve ever heard one.”
She fluttered her eyelashes and gave him a sly look. “Doesn’t sound like me at all.”
He laughed and looked down at the menu. She followed suit and sighed quietly in relief that he hadn’t pushed the subject.
When the waiter came over to take their order, Jude requested a bottle of red wine along with their meal, and then they were left alone once more.
“I’m glad we were able to do this tonight,” Jude said.
“Me, too.”
“I haven’t dated in a long time, Bri, but I really want this to work, and I’d like to get to know you better.”
A smile lit up her face. He wanted to move forward with their relationship. The earrings were the first step, then going out on their first real date, and now, this.
It had been fun, concealing her identity thus far, but she was curious about him. She wasn’t ready to tell him about Harmony yet. She needed to be secure in their relationship before she let him know that she was in high school…or that she was only seventeen. Small, minor details for later.
“So, we can start out slow and figure this thing out as we go,” he suggested.
“I think I’d like that.”
“I thought this could be the beginning of slow,” he said with a wink. He produced a flat square Tiffany’s box from his jacket pocket and slid it across the table.
Bryna slowly reached forward and took the box in her hand. This is slow?
“If Tiffany’s and Cartier are slow, what is fast going to be? A private jet and a weekend in Saint Barts?”
He chuckled and gestured for her to open it. “I like to give gifts, and since you obviously love the earrings I got you”—her hand went to the diamond earrings in her ears—“I wanted to get you something to match.”
Bryna slid the white ribbon off the box and lifted the lid. Inside was a slim bangle with inlaid diamonds. It was so perfect and elegant. She slipped it onto her wrist and stared at the way it glittered and sparkled in the light. Completely classic and timeless, she could wear it with anything.
“I love it.”
“Good.” Jude reached across the table and took her hand in his. He gently ran his thumb across her wrist where the bangle rested, taking in all the diamonds shining from the jewelry he had bought her.
Shortly afterward, their food arrived. They ate while chatting about their shared love of sports cars and college football. Bryna didn’t tell him why she loved Las Vegas State so much or that she hadn’t gone there, but it didn’t stop her from giving him shit about the fact that he had graduated from their biggest rival, University of Southern California.
After they finished their bottle of wine, Jude paid the check, and they were on their way out the door to return to his place.
A woman called out from a table near the door, “Bri!”
Bryna stopped and turned to face the woman. She silently prayed it wasn’t anyone from Harmony. That would be a tough fucking thing to explain away. When she got a glimpse of the person, she realized that she didn’t recognize the stranger at all. How the hell does this person know me?
“Hey!” Bryna said with false enthusiasm.
The woman stood and gave her a hug. “I haven’t seen you in forever.”
“Yeah, I’ve been so swamped.”
“I heard about you and—” She stopped, looked up at Jude, and then bit her lip. “Well, I see you’ve moved on.”
Bryna shrugged noncommittally. So, this woman knew her through Gates. At least she had stopped herself from saying his name. How many Gates are there in the city?
“Anyway, so good to see you again. Next time you’re out, stop by the club.” She stuffed a business card into Bryna’s hand. “Bring your new boyfriend, too. I’m sure Max will put you on the list.”
Max was a promoter friend of Bryna’s who would get her into all the hottest nightclubs. Bryna glanced down at the woman’s card. Dee Zion. No recognition. Must just be a club promoter. Phew!
“Will do, Dee. Thanks,” Bryna said before leaving her behind.
Jude looked at her questioningly as they waited for the valet to bring around his car. “Who was that?”
“Honestly, I have no clue.”
“She clearly knew you.”
Bryna shrugged. “That happens sometimes.”
He narrowed his eyes and seemed to assess her. “You know, when we first met, I thought you looked familiar.”
“I get that a lot, too.”
“You aren’t some hot model or actress I should know about who will make me feel stupid for not recognizing earlier, are you?”
“Why? Because I wear nice shoes and always carry my passport?” she joked.
“Oh, fuck. You are, aren’t you?”
He actually looked a little afraid for a second before she broke down laughing.
“No. I’m not a model or actress. I’m just me, and that’s good enough for the attention.”
“Good enough for me, too,” he said, opening the car door when it rolled up and helping her inside.
“YES, MRS. MATHISON, I completely understand the amount of work it would take to lead the Pink Charity Benefit for Harmony. But I also know that I am exactly the girl for the job.”
“I believe you, Bryna,” Mrs. Mathison said, leaning back in her desk chair. “I just wanted to be sure. I know that your extracurricular schedule is already full, and the Pink Charity Benefit is Harmony’s biggest philanthropy event of the year.”
Bryna smiled sweetly as she uncrossed and crossed her legs. “I am always willing to take on more to further my charitable contribution. I hardly consider it work at all.”
Running the largest benefit of the year would look stellar on her college applications, and she wanted to make sure everything would be in place for her. Not to mention, it would help her bid into society. This was the most coveted position at Harmony Prep!
“Well, I will have to look through the remaining applications, of course.” Mrs. Mathison looked down at the large stack on her desk and then back at Bryna. “But I am sure you are a perfect fit. Our distinguished alumnus, Felicity Rose, will be heading the committee this year. I’ll forward your application to her, and she will be in contact over the break.”
“Thank you so much.” Bryna stood and shook her teacher’s hand.
“No. Thank you for all of your hard work.”
She smiled brightly and then exited the room. Avery and Tara were seated in the hallway beside another cheerleader, Jemma.
“Glad that’s all cleared away,” Bryna said¸ clasping her hands behind her back. “Mrs. Mathison chose me to head the Pink Charity Benefit. Dream come true.”
“Oh my God,” Avery squealed.
“That’s amazing!” Tara said.
“How could she have already picked you?” Jemma asked. “The applications were due yesterday. First round of interviews are supposed to be this afternoon.”
Bryna shrugged. “Not my problem. Don’t worry though. I’ll save spaces for you all to be my assistants.”
She brushed past the girls without a second thought. She was queen. Of course she was chair the committee. To think anyone else really had a shot was laughable.
She headed to the cheer room for practice after school. The other girls wouldn’t get there until after they spoke with Mrs. Mathison, which would give Bryna time to speak with Coach Baker.
Bryna knocked on the door to the cheerleading coach’s office. “You wanted to see me?”
“Yes, Bryna. How was your interview with Mrs. Mathison?”
“I got the lead spot for the Pink Charity Benefit,” she said proudly.
“That’s good to hear.” Coach Baker ran her hand back through her blonde bob and smiled. “I just wanted to discuss with you something that was brought to my attention
this past weekend. Please take a seat.”
Bryna wasn’t sure what this was about, but by the look on her coach’s face, she wasn’t going to like it. She plopped down across from Coach Baker and waited.
“It was unfortunate that you had to miss the game this past weekend. I recently heard that you weren’t absent due to illness, however, and I wanted to see what you had to say about it.” Coach Baker shifted uncomfortably. She was a petite woman who truly cared for the girls who cheered for her. She likely hated having this conversation more than Bryna.
Bryna’s eyebrows rose. “What I have to say? I was in bed all night and could barely move.”
Coach Baker sighed. “I want to believe you, Bryna. I was told that you weren’t home all night, and you were, in fact, out on a date.”
“What?” she gasped. “Who told you that?”
“Your brother,” she said apologetically. “He said that you weren’t at home when he got in. I haven’t confirmed with your parents because I wanted to speak with you first.”
Bryna swallowed her red-hot anger. “Pace is my stepbrother. My father is filming in New Zealand until Christmas, and my mother is probably off somewhere, coked out and sleeping with one of her twenty-something cabana boys. Feel free to verify with them, but neither was home. Nor was Pace, and for once, he never came into my room.”
Coach Baker shifted uncomfortably. “What about your stepmother?”
“I didn’t see her all night.” Here came the theatrics. Bryna put her hand over her mouth and swallowed as if she had to keep from crying. She breathed in heavily, shook her head, and then looked away. She couldn’t believe this was happening to her. “You don’t know what it’s like at home right now, Coach Baker. I was sick in my room, all alone. Pace is throwing out wild accusations. I don’t have a parental figure in the house anymore. I look up to you so much, Coach Baker, and knowing that you might believe this of me just makes it all worse.”
“Bryna, I’m sorry. I know things have been rough with your home life lately. You’ve been so consistent all these years, and this was just a one-time miss, so we’ll put the whole thing behind us. Let’s just get to practice.”
“Thank you, Coach Baker,” Bryna said, wiping her eyes. “Can I just have a minute before I go out there?”
“Of course.”
Coach Baker walked out of her office to herd the rest of the team, and Bryna pulled out her cell phone. Dropping the theatrics, she let her temper take over. How dare Pace rat me out to my coach! She wouldn’t stand for this. He couldn’t get away with it. She hoped he knew what he had gotten himself into because, from now on, this wasn’t just fun and games. He had messed with her life, and he was going to pay.
She jotted out a text message to Pace.
Game on.
Bryna left practice in a hurry. She wanted to get home and prepare for her inevitable showdown with Pace once he got home from football practice.
On her way out of the building, she’d told Avery and Tara how Pace had lied to their coach. They couldn’t believe that he would lie, let alone stoop to that level, but they were glad nothing bad had come of it. She wished she had someone to confide in about Jude, but she couldn’t tell the girls that she hadn’t actually been sick.
On her way home, her phone started ringing. She glanced down at the display. Gates. She sighed. This had been a long time coming. She clicked the Bluetooth feature.
“You have one minute before I hang up,” she answered.
“I’m sorry. I miss you. I want to make it up to you.”
Bryna rolled her eyes. “And how does Chloe feel about that?”
“Chloe and I aren’t even together, Bri.”
“You’re not a couple, or you’re not fucking?”
“Bryna,” he sighed. “Come on. I’m making an effort here.”
“Sidestepping the question isn’t making an effort,” she responded. She was still pissed about what she had walked into that night with Chloe and Gates. He shouldn’t have blindsided her with that.
“We’re not together, and we’re not fucking either. All right?”
“Fine.”
“You and I are the only people in each other’s lives who know the real person behind the mask. You were there for me before my acting career exploded. Everyone else sees the movies, and you see the dick who you agreed to date even though he was a nobody.”
Bryna laughed despite herself. “I would never date a nobody. I knew you would be huge.”
“Would be huge?” he asked, laughing.
“We’re not talking about your dick, Gates!”
“Fine. Fine. I’m just trying to make this right. I’ll be gone through most of Christmas break, but I actually have an appearance scheduled for New Year’s Eve in Los Angeles. If you aren’t seeing anyone else, maybe you could be my date?”
She didn’t know her plans for Christmas or New Year’s. Her dad was supposed to be in town for both, as far as he had told her, and she usually dropped everything to spend as much time with him as possible. Also, she didn’t know if, by the end of the month, she would have a hot New Year’s date with Jude all lined up.
“I don’t know. If nothing else comes up, then count me in. But just as a friend, Gates.”
“Sounds like a vote of confidence, B. I invite you to the Chateau Marmont hotel for a posh New Year’s exclusive, and you say, only if you don’t find a better offer.”
Bryna’s heart rate picked up in excitement. “The Chateau Marmont? You are on the rise, aren’t you?”
“Say you’ll go with me.”
“I stand by my answer.”
Gates laughed. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were seeing someone else.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” she demanded.
“I know you, and you wouldn’t be interested in some Harmony or Covenant trust fund baby. And with your extracurricular schedule, where would you find the time to meet someone new who could compete with me?”
Bryna shook her head in disbelief. This had been a relatively pleasant conversation up until that comment. Now, the anger that had momentarily dissolved was rearing its ugly head again.
“You’re right. How could anyone ever compete with the ex-boyfriend I dumped for lying to me about sleeping with his costar? In fact, maybe you should just invite Chloe to the New Year’s party.”
“Oh, so there is someone.”
“Stop fishing,” she snapped.
Gates laughed lightly. “I’m not fishing. I have to get back. I hope I see you on New Year’s, Bri.”
“Bye, Gates.” She hung up the phone with relief.
She felt like she was performing on a tightrope. Every footstep forward left her wobbling and in a more precarious position than the step before, but she couldn’t turn around now. All she could do was keep walking down the unsteady rope and hope she would make it over to the other side without falling and breaking her neck.
“SO, B,” Pace said, leaning against the wall next to Bryna’s locker, “you going to Jemma’s house party this weekend? Her parents are out of town.” He waggled his eyebrows up and down.
It took everything in her being not to throw the locker door into his smug face. Pace had never responded to her threatening text message earlier this week about interfering with Coach Baker. She was left waiting for another double-cross, and all she wanted to do was wrap her hands around his neck and throttle him. Except he might enjoy that. Gross!
“Isn’t it enough that you harass me at home, Pace?” She stuffed her books into her bag.
“Hardly.”
Bryna wrinkled her nose and slammed the locker shut.
“So, Jemma’s party?” he asked again.
“No,” she spat. “I’m not going to Jemma’s party. I have better things to do.”
Bryna started walking down the hall, but Pace fell into step beside her.
“What better things? Off with your mysterious stranger again? Are you going to tell me who he is? I know it’s not G
ates since he’s out of town.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Bryna said.
Why does Pace have to latch on to this one thing? She couldn’t let him find out about Jude. This was her secret to keep, and she didn’t want Pace to have any leverage over her. He clearly wanted to ruin her life, and she shuddered to think what he would do if he found out.
“Don’t you have class on the other side of campus?”
“I do,” he agreed and then went right back to the other subject. “You should bring him to Jemma’s party, so we can all meet him.”
She stopped and glared at him. “I’m not going to Jemma’s, and even if I were, I would be going solo.”
“Because your date is too good for a Harmony party?”
“You’re really stretching today, Pace.”
She shook her head and vowed not to let him get under her skin. Just because he had told Coach Baker that she had been out on a date didn’t mean that he knew it for a fact. How could he know when he was at the football game and the only person who recognized me was a nobody, just some club promoter?
Pace smiled the toothy grin that made her skin crawl. “I’m going to find out who he is, Bri.”
“Good for you. Bye-bye now.” She wagged her fingers at him and then stepped into English, her final class of the day.
Striding to the back of the room, she took her spot in between Avery and Tara. Avery immediately leaned over and started gabbing about something that had happened in her last class. Bryna couldn’t concentrate on her nonsense right now.
Pace needed to stay out of her business, and she needed to start avoiding him at all costs. While her idiotic stepbrother was Valley trash, she wouldn’t put it past him to resort to anything to discover who she was seeing. And if he found out, he would reveal her secret, and she couldn’t risk Jude finding out that she was in high school. Not yet at least. She would have to undermine Pace before he could learn anything.
“Earth to queen bee,” Tara said.
“What?” Bryna asked. She shook her head and turned to her friend. What was she asking?
“You have been way out of it lately.”