The Fake Boyfriend Experiment(51)

It was my dream dress, but my heart felt like someone had wrapped spiked chains around it and was slowly crushing it the longer I stood there waiting. Chris wasn’t coming, was he? I watched each kid walk in and look at me. Their thoughts were obvious: look at the poor loser standing by herself.

The silk dress could do only so much for me, apparently.

Why had I agreed to meet Chris here? How idiotic was that? It would have been much better to meet him at my house, no matter how late we were getting here. I mean, seriously, everyone was here with a date. It wasn’t like I had anyone to hang out with.

Erin walked up behind me and rested her chin on my shoulder. “You said Chris was coming from practice, right?”

Relief rushed through me to have her there, and I nodded, staring at the door, grateful that she’d ditched Keith for a few minutes to hang with me. Les had quadruple dated with them, with some ugly chick from St. Mary’s. A junior, Erin had told me.

Like that made me feel better.

Les had snagged a junior at the last minute.

I’d gotten stood up.

“So, I have a theory,” Erin continued.

I frowned and turned toward her. She was wearing a blue strapless dress that barely reached the top of her thigh, and wrapped around her like it was a second skin. She looked so hot, and I was happy that she and Keith were getting along so well, though it did sort of accentuate how bad my night was turning out to be. “You think Rafe told Chris not to come, don’t you?” I stomped my foot. “I knew it! I was thinking that, but then I thought Rafe wouldn’t care enough, or that Chris was too nice to leave me hanging. But that’s what happened, isn’t it? That’s why Chris is late? Stupid Rafe!”

She grinned. “Actually, I think Chris told Rafe he was taking you, and Rafe talked him into letting him come in Chris’s place.”

My heart stuttered. “Really?”

Her smile widened. “I think the reason your date is late is because Rafe is taking you and he had to rush home to get a suit.”

I clutched at her arms, excitement leaping through me. “Really? You swear? Because I’ll kill you if you’re wrong!”

She giggled, her eyes gleaming. “Rafe totally loves you! Anyone watching that performance would have seen that. Now that he knows you’re single, he’s going to make his move.”

I frowned. “Les stopped liking me once he knew I was single.”

“That’s because Les is a dork.” She reached up and tucked a stray hair back into my updo. “You look awesome. Rafe will die when he sees you.”

Suddenly, a hand fell on my shoulder, and I saw Erin’s eyes widen at whoever was behind me.

I immediately spun around.

It was Chris.

Disappointment surged through me as he smiled. “Hey, Lily. You look awesome.” He leaned forward and kissed me on the cheek, his fingers loose around my wrist.

I managed a smile. “You look pretty decent in a suit, too.” He did. His hair was all slicked back and he smelled nice. Unfortunately, he wasn’t Rafe.

He held out a corsage. “For you.”

I stared at the beautiful arrangement of pink roses and baby’s breath. “You got me flowers?”

“Of course. It’s a semi-formal, isn’t it?” He tugged an elastic band free. “It’s a wrist corsage. Hold out your hand.”

I sighed as he set the flowers around my wrist. They were so pretty. I held them to my face and inhaled. They smelled great too. And Chris looked hot. So why did I feel like I was going to cry?

He threw his arm around my shoulder and started walking toward the dance floor. “I think you need a dance.”

“I don’t really feel like dancing.”

“Tough.” He released me and started dancing. “Come on, piano girl. Shake that booty like you do when you’re playing the keyboard.”

I felt my cheeks heat up even as I grinned. “Shut up.”

“Never.” He grabbed my hand and yanked me toward him. “Dance with me, Lily.” He wrapped his arm around my waist and put his mouth close to my ear so I could hear him over the music. “I know I’m not Rafe, but we can still have fun tonight, can’t we?”



I jerked my head back to look at him. He knew I liked Rafe?

He grinned, apparently reading my expression. “Everyone knows,” he yelled over the music. “That was a great scene last weekend after our gig. Totally threw him for a loop. Good one!”

I felt some of my tension ease away. “Really?”

“Heck yeah!” He spun me around. “It’s good for Rafe to get knocked around a little. It was hilarious to watch his face,” he said. “He’s been moping around at school all week, which he deserves for choosing Paige over you.”