The Fake Boyfriend Experiment(48)

“You are so cool, Lily!” Erin squealed. “I had no idea you had it in you! We told the chaperones we were with the band, and they let us in, raving about how great you guys were.”

“Um, thanks.” I kept my eye on Les as I hugged Erin. He was grinning at me with just a little too much appreciation and smugness.

The second Erin let go of me, Les grabbed my wrist and hauled me against him, giving me a hug. “You were great,” he whispered against my ear. “You look so hot.” He let go of me and raised his voice. “I can’t wait to see what you look like in the dress for the semi next week.”

My cheeks heated up and I glanced at Rafe. He was scowling at Les.

Les grinned at him. “You must be Rafe.”

“You must be Les.” Rafe’s voice was cold and low, without the slightest hint of friendliness.

Neither of them offered to shake hands, which was good because Rafe looked like he wanted to throw Les off the stage.

“Rafe! Rafe!” We all turned around in time to see a familiar black-haired over-sexed keyboard player wearing rhinestone jeans and a black baby tee run up to the stage and hold out her arms for Rafe to pull her up.

Paige. I felt sick.

Rafe’s face lit up, and he grabbed her wrists and pulled her up onto the stage. Then she threw her arms around him and kissed him, a full-on girlfriend-only sloppy attack.

And Rafe kissed her back.

Right there.

In front of everyone.





CHAPTER FOURTEEN


Erin was the first to react to the Paige/Rafe public tongue tango. “Hey!” She kicked Rafe in the shin while he was still kissing Paige.

Oh, crap!

“Ow!” He jerked his mouth off Paige and grabbed his shin, hopping around in pain. “What was that for?”

“You’re cheating on Lily!” she shouted. “Right in front of her!”

A look of total confusion swept over his face. “What are you talking about?” He glanced at me, even as I inched backwards, trying to disappear.

“You!” Erin screeched at him. “Cheating on my best friend!”

“What—” Rafe stared at me as sudden comprehension swept over his face. “You told them we’re dating?”

I was almost to the edge of the stage. If I could just get off it and vanish into the crowd, I could get home in time to move to a new state before everyone figured everything out…

Paige smacked Rafe in the chest and jerked out of his arms. “You’re dating Lily? You swore she was in the band because your aunt forced you to ask her to play! I asked you if you liked her, and you swore you didn’t! I knew you had something going on with her!”

I paused. Paige thought he liked me? Really? Had she noticed something about the way he talked about me?

“I’m not dating Lily.” Rafe tried to catch Paige’s hands as she pounded at his chest, ranting at him. “Lily! Tell her we’re not dating.”

I wanted to die. Die. Right there.

Les stepped up and swung his arm around my shoulder. “I’ll take care of you, Lily. You’re better off without him.”

I was too numb to shrug him off. I just stood there, slowly dying.

Rafe’s eyes flashed at me, anger raging on his face. And betrayal. Oh, God, I felt awful. “What game are you playing?” he demanded.

“Rafe!” Paige shoved him so hard he tripped over one of the cords and crashed into his drums. They went flying, the cymbals spinning across the stage and his snare drum bouncing over the edge and rolling across the floor. Someone kicked it and it made the horrific sound of a dying instrument. Oh no, his beautiful drums…

“I can’t believe you lied to me,” Paige shrieked at him.

“I didn’t.” Rafe untangled himself from the carnage and jumped to his feet, stalking toward me “Tell her, Lily. Tell Paige the truth.” He glared at me, accusation deep in his eyes.

I swallowed, everything inside me shriveling up at the look on Rafe’s face. I’d blown everything. I’d betrayed him in the worst way, as a friend, totally violating the trust we’d built. It would never be recovered. “We’re not dating,” I said quietly. “We never were.”

Paige stopped ranting and stared at me. “You’re lying.”

I didn’t look at Les or Erin. I just met Rafe’s angry gaze. “I’m sorry, Rafe. It was an accident, and then, well, I...”

Les dropped his arm off my shoulder and stepped away from me, a look of pure disgust on his face. “He’s not your boyfriend? You lied about it? Why? To try to get me to take you to the semi? You’re that much of a loser?”

Erin smacked Les in the shoulder. “She’s not a loser!” she shouted, unleashing a world of Lily-defense onto him.