The Stand-In Boyfriend: A YA Contemporary Romance Novel (The Boyfriend Series Book 5)

by Christina Benjamin

  15

  Jared

  Jared was in high spirits sinking shots at the beer pong table when he spotted Beth. He ran across the room and scooped her up in his arms, planting a big kiss on her lips.

  “I got it, babe. I got Syracuse!”

  “I’m so proud of you!” she squealed kissing him again.

  “I’m sorry about everything, Beth. I was an ass today, but that’s done. Everything’s gonna work out now.”

  “It’s okay,” Beth replied.

  “No, it’s not. I need to treat you better. And I’m going to, starting now.”

  Caroline’s voice cut into Jared’s blissful buzz. “I hear congratulations are in order?”

  Jared set Beth down slowly, glaring at Caroline over Beth’s head. She was wearing a black leather jacket over a low-cut strappy black dress that clung to her like a second skin. She came right up to Jared and planted a kiss on his cheek, dangerously close to his lips. “Syracuse, huh?”

  He’d nodded, afraid to open his mouth with hers so close.

  “I always knew you’d seal the deal,” she added with a wink and then slowly pulled a silver keychain from her purse and pressed the cool metal into his hand. Jared read the word embossed on it. SEI. It stood for Sports East Incorporated. It was the name of the scholarship paying for his full ride to Syracuse. How the hell did Caroline know that?

  Beth looked at the keychain, perplexed. “Wait, SEI is your dad’s company, isn’t it?”

  Confusion slid into icy panic in Jared’s gut. “What?”

  “I may have suggested my dad look carefully at your application,” Caroline replied staring innocently at Jared.

  “Oh my God, Car! You’re the best!” Beth exclaimed, hugging the conniving girl.

  “I don’t know about that, but I do take care of my friends,” Caroline replied, nailing Jared with a meaningful glare. Then she sauntered away, leaving Jared with Beth and an aching pain in his chest.

  Jared barely remembered the rest of the night. It had started off so perfect, but he felt it all slipping away—Beth, Syracuse, his life. He was stuck in a downward spiral. Caroline had her hooks in him deep and she seemed to think this was just another move in her twisted game. But Jared couldn’t help thinking it didn’t feel like a game anymore. It felt dangerous. And the longer it went on, the more certain Jared was that someone was going to get hurt.

  Beth

  Beth drove Jared home in his car that night. He’d had way too much to drink at Sullivan’s, but she couldn’t be too mad at him. He deserved a night to cut loose after getting into his dream school. Getting a full ride sports scholarship was no easy feat, even if Caroline had pulled some strings.

  Sometimes Caroline truly surprised Beth. She hadn’t been that supportive of Beth and Jared’s relationship at first. She’d even told Beth not to rush into sex with him, which shocked Beth completely. Before Jared, Caroline had teased Beth relentlessly about her virgin queen status. And now, she had not only stopped mocking Beth, but she was helping Beth in ways she hadn’t thought possible.

  Caroline was reluctant when Beth had first asked if Jared could come to Aspen, but she came around to the idea after she saw how serious Beth was about it. Hell, Caroline even invited the whole lacrosse team to come. Not to mention that she was totally helping Beth prepare for her big plans with Jared. If it wasn’t for Caroline, Beth felt like she wouldn’t know the first thing about sex. Caroline had helped Beth prepare with condoms, birth control and sexy lingerie. But the scholarship topped everything.

  Beth was blown away. This just proved that people shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. Caroline might be prickly on the outside, but she had a good heart, Beth was sure of it. Why else would she do something so amazing? She’d helped land Jared the school of his dreams.

  Now if only Jared could win Parker over, Beth thought as she wistfully looked up at his window on her walk back home after tucking Jared into bed. Then, her life would be perfect.

  16

  Jared

  The next morning, Jared had a splitting headache thanks to partying a bit too hard at his scholarship celebration. But if he was honest, he’d finished the night drinking for all the wrong reasons—mostly to forget how Caroline was ruining his life.

  Beth stopped by to offer him a ride to school. “Hey, all-star. You ready to go?”

  “Not even close,” Jared said groaning over his bowl of cereal.

  “Hung over?” she asked.

  “Majorly.”

  “Want me to skip first period? We could go to Hazel’s for a greasy breakfast?” Beth walked up behind him and looped her arms around his neck, kissing him just below his ear. “Or we could stay here and celebrate a little more.”

  Jared straightened up and unhooked Beth’s arms from his neck. “I’ll just meet you at school, okay?”

  Beth looked hurt, but nodded. “Sure. I’ll see ya later.”

  When she left, Jared slammed his fist against the table. This needed to end now. It was killing him not being able to be with Beth the way he wanted. But he couldn’t let himself sleep with her without telling her the truth. He respected her too much to do that to her.

  Jared pulled out his phone and dialed Caroline.

  “Hello, handsome.”

  “We need to talk.”

  After school, Jared stormed into the dive bar Caroline designated as their meeting place. He’d made up his mind on the way to the bar that he was going to end whatever this was between them. It wasn’t a game anymore. It stopped being one the minute Caroline held that scholarship over his head. She was messing with his life now and he wasn’t going to stand for it. Jared wanted Syracuse and Beth, and he’d do whatever it took to get them, damn the consequences.

  “Hey handsome,” Caroline greeted, as Jared slid into the booth across from her.

  “Don’t,” Jared warned, pulling his hand away as she reached for it. “We’re done.”

  She smiled sweetly. “Someone’s salty today. I thought you’d be happy after I gave you Syracuse.”

  “This isn’t a game, Caroline. This is my future you’re messing with.”

  Caroline sighed like she couldn’t be more bored. “Well, lucky for you I think it’s time our game comes to an end too.”

  Jared sat back waiting for the catch. When it didn’t come he had to ask. “What do you want from me?”

  “It’s simple. You come to Aspen with me and let Beth go to the wedding with Parker.”

  “Why?”

  “Because, I don’t trust you. If you go to the wedding with Beth, what’s to stop you from telling her your version of the truth while I’m not around to defend myself?”

  “I’m not gonna do that,” Jared hissed. “Not at her sister’s wedding. I’m not a monster. She’d be devastated.”

  “No, you’ll just de-virginize her and break her heart. You’re not a monster at all,” Caroline replied with her usual brand of sarcasm.

  Jared exhaled deeply, running his hand through his hair. “Car, I don’t know what the right answer is here. Just tell me what the hell you want already!”

  “I told you, let Beth go to the wedding with Parker and you come to Aspen with me. It’s the only way to guarantee you keep your mouth shut and don’t sleep with her.”

  “Why do you care?”

  “Because she’s my friend. My only girl friend! And I never wanted to hurt her.”

  “So I’m just supposed to keep this secret forever and let you keep jerking me around by my balls and now my scholarship?”

  “Not forever. Just till after graduation. Promise me you won’t tell Beth until after we’re done with school and the scholarship is yours.” Caroline bit her lip like she was deciding whether to say something else.

  It was the first time Jared had ever seen her lose any of her cool, collected bravado.

  “Just do this and I promise I won’t interfere anymore, alright? I just can’t deal with having Beth hate me. I want to graduate as friends, so I can look back
at high school with at least a few good memories.”

  Jared sighed. Honesty was the last thing he’d been expecting from Caroline. It made it harder to be angry at her. He ran his hand through his hair again trying to organize his thoughts. He couldn’t deny that he wasn’t looking forward to ruining the last few weeks of senior year by telling Beth the truth. Maybe he could wait until summer when his teammates and people like Parker wouldn’t be around to interfere. Then Jared could take Beth away somewhere nice and make everything up to her.

  “So no more games?” he asked. “If I do this you’ll leave me and Beth alone? No more late night joy rides or clubbing requests?”

  “No more,” Caroline repeated. “Just come to Aspen and send Beth to Georgia with Parker.”

  Jared huffed a laugh. He’d basically already told Beth to go to the wedding with Parker, but now he was regretting it. “I don’t know if it’s a good idea to let Parker spend so much time with Beth. I have this feeling he’s onto us. He saw you dropping me off late a few times.”

  “So what? We’re just two friends hanging out.”

  “What if he tells Beth he thinks he knows we’re more than friends at the wedding?”

  “He won’t,” Caroline replied.

  “How do you know?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Because he’s in love with her. If he was gonna tell her he would’ve already.”

  “So I’m just supposed to be okay with my girlfriend going away for the weekend with a guy that’s in love with her?”

  “Please don’t act like you didn’t already know the poor kid’s obsessed with her,” Caroline sneered. “It never bothered you before.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Everyone calls him your stand-in because you treat him like a placeholder. He fills in for you at all the lame stuff Beth wants to do and you just do the good stuff, which is exactly why I don’t think you’re the right guy for her, but it’s her funeral if she can’t see that.”

  Jared glared at Caroline, bitter at the truth he heard in her words. If he got through this he needed to start being a better boyfriend. He shook his head. This was getting worse by the minute but he didn’t see any other way out. Either he gave Caroline what she wanted or he’d lose Beth and Syracuse. If he gambled, he might not walk away completely empty handed. “I can’t believe I’m even considering this, but if I do it I need some sort of guarantee.”

  “I give you my word. Keep your mouth shut and your pants on until graduation and I’ll leave you alone.”

  “And my scholarship?”

  “It’s yours to keep if you agree to those terms.”

  Jared gulped down his beer while weighing his nonexistent options. He hated letting people tell him what to do. His whole life had been his father making bad decision after bad decision, uprooting their lives every time he’d been wrong about who he shared his bed with. And now Jared’s bad decisions were forcing his hand. It killed him to give up even more ground but he was stuck.

  “Fine,” he grumbled.

  Caroline extending her hand. “Do we have a deal?”

  Jared finally reached out and shook it. “We have a deal.”

  What did he have to lose? It was just his future and the girl he loved at stake.

  But Jared didn’t see what choice he had. If he didn’t take Caroline’s offer, he’d have to tell Beth the truth and Caroline would make sure he lost his scholarship, and potentially Beth.

  It’s only a week. He repeated the phrase to himself as he drained his beer. It’s only a week.

  17

  Beth

  The next few days of school flew by, but things between Jared and Beth didn’t improve. He went back to his pre-scholarship sulking. Beth was sure the news about Syracuse would’ve alleviated some of his stress, but it seemed to be adding more. Jared was acting moodier than ever and changed the subject every time Beth brought spring break up. The only thing he’d say on the matter was that he was going to Aspen, end of story. Beth couldn’t help feeling like she was missing something.

  Jared’s behavior was making her crazy. One minute he was avoiding her, the next he was walking her to class, holding hand and kissing her like nothing happened. Beth didn’t get it. All of a sudden it was like he had split personalities. All she could think was that maybe the stress of knowing he was playing for a top tier college was getting to him. That or he was trying to say he just wasn’t that into her. He was definitely sending her mixed signals.

  Beth invited Jared to dinner twice hoping they could talk through whatever was going on, but both times he’d made up excuses. Spring break started on Wednesday and by Tuesday Beth couldn’t take it any longer. Jared was leaving the next day for Aspen and she didn’t want to leave things like they were. As much as she wasn’t looking forward to Brenna’s wedding, she did love spending time with her family. But she knew she wouldn’t be able to enjoy any of it if she was wondering what the hell was going on with her and Jared’s relationship status the whole time.

  She cornered Jared after school. “Listen, if you’re gonna break up with me, just do it already.”

  “What? I’m not gonna break up with you. Why would you say that?”

  Jared looked genuinely panicked and Beth suddenly felt bad. Was she losing her mind, or did dating just make everyone feel this crazy?

  “I’m sorry. It’s just I don’t know what’s going on with us, Jared. We had that big fight and now you hardly talk to me. Plus, you’re going away without me. Spring break was supposed to bring us closer together and now I don’t even know if you want me to come out there.”

  Jared

  Jared felt like his heart was being ripped out as Beth blinked up at him with her wide, pleading eyes. He pulled her in close and kissed her harder than he’d meant to but he knew each kiss could be the last. It would be if Caroline had any say in it. He couldn’t screw this up.

  Caroline had been explicitly clear that Jared had to keep Beth from coming to Aspen and keep his mouth shut about their tryst in the janitor’s closet or she’d make sure he’d never play at Syracuse, or any other reputable college knowing her family’s clout.

  Beth finally pulled away from Jared’s rough embrace. “Jared, talk to me.”

  “Beth, of course I want to spend time with you, but I really think we should just do our own thing for spring break. Go enjoy your family and let me hang with the guys. We’ll have the rest of our lives to go on trips together.”

  Beth’s face brightened. “The rest of our lives?”

  Jared felt his face redden realizing what his word choice implied. He quickly pulled Beth in for another kiss.

  “So you’re not mad at me?” she asked when he pulled away.

  “I don’t think I could ever be mad at you.”

  “Then why have you been acting so weird?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve never been in a serious relationship. I’ve never had a fight like that before. I guess I just didn’t know how to fix things.”

  Beth exhaled. “Me either.”

  For a few minutes Jared just held her hands in his, rubbing his thumbs over her smooth skin. God, he was going to miss her if things didn’t work out.

  “So we’re good then?” she asked softly.

  He couldn’t look her in the eyes, but he nodded. “Yeah, we’re good.”

  “Good. Because, I think . . . I think I really want us to work out.”

  Jared looked into her eyes and felt his heart splinter. “Me too.” And as he said the words, he realized they were true. He did want things to work out with Beth. But he’d screwed everything up so badly.

  Jared steeled himself. He couldn’t give up. Not if there was a chance he could make things right. It’s only a week. He could get through this.

  “I could fly out after the wedding and we could still spend a few days together in Aspen?” Beth proposed, her face bright and hopeful. She slid her arms around Jared’s neck and stood on her toes to kiss him softly.

  “B
abe, let’s not push it, okay?”

  “But we said, we’d . . .” her face got pink. “Ya know, finally seal the deal over spring break.”

  “I think we put too much pressure on sex. And I told you before, I can wait, Beth. You’re worth it.”

  Beth

  Beth’s heart beat double time at Jared’s words. Hearing him say he’d wait for her only made her want him more. She smiled up at him. “Everything will work out.”

  “Exactly,” Jared said pulling her close.

  Beth closed her eyes, drinking in his warmth but her mind was already miles away plotting how she would surprise Jared by showing up in Aspen wearing some of the slinky La Perla outfits she’d bought. She already had them packed just in case he changed his mind last minute about Georgia.

  She told herself she was just being prepared and the new lingerie was just too pretty to waste. After all she had been looking forward to at least trying it on. Always the hopeless romantic.

  18

  Beth

  The next day Beth stood outside Parker’s house going over their last minute road trip checklist. Jared had left earlier that morning. Caroline’s ‘broad trip’ bus left at five AM, so Jared stayed at Sullivan’s house since he lived closest to the depot.

  Jared was gone before Beth was even awake. It sort of bothered her that he hadn’t even said goodbye. No text message or anything. She’d packed him a cooler of snacks and left a note inside saying she’d miss him. Why couldn’t he ever do anything like that for her?

  Beth tried not to be bitter as she finished helping Parker pack the car.

  “Okay, I think we got it all,” Parker said shutting the trunk. “You got the road trip mix?”

  Beth held up her iPhone as her answer. “Did you grab the snack bag?”

  “Yep,” Parker replied slinging a grocery bag into the back seat.