“About the kiss?”
He was facing her now, and she could see his full expression. Gone was the mild-mannered Max she knew. He looked hurt, confused... and angry. “I—” She glanced at her shoes again. “I shouldn’t have kissed you.”
“I don’t know what happened back there. To be honest, I don’t want to. But it’s probably a good thing.”
“What do you mean?” she asked, surprised.
“I was starting to really like you. Not just as a friend.” He ran his palm over his tuxedo pantleg. “I know we agreed that we wouldn’t date, and I truly meant it at the time. But I was changing my mind. You’re fun, Amy. You’re witty and pretty, and I’d be crazy if I didn’t fall for you.”
Her heart squeezed. “Oh, Max—”
“Let me finish. I’d hoped you felt the same way, or at least could at some point. But when you kissed me, I knew you didn’t. You weren’t thinking about me, were you?”
“No.” Her eyes burned. “I wasn’t.”
He faced the front just as the garage light turned off. “I don’t think we should see each other again.”
She started to protest, then simply nodded. “Good night, Max.”
“Goodbye, Amy.”
She hurried out of his car, the light turning back on. She’d barely opened the door when she heard him back out of the driveway and speed off. She leaned her forehead against the doorjamb.Stupid, stupid, stupid.She’d let her anger at Daniel ruin a friendship that may have eventually turned into a romantic relationship.Now I’ll never know.
Amy went inside and shut the door. She didn’t expect Britt to be home, and when she checked her room upstairs, it was empty.
She went to her bedroom, plopped onto the edge of her bed, and tossed her shoes on the floor. Her heart hurt to think that Britt was with Daniel.How could she do this to me?She slipped out of her beautiful, expensive dress, letting it fall in a puddle next to her bed, and shoved on an old T-shirt and shorts.
Then she lay down, hugging her pillow to her chest, her heart in pieces. “How could she betray me?” she whispered.
***
“I’m confused.”
Britt didn’t respond to Savannah as they left swanky University Park.
“If I have this straight,” Savannah said, “you were at a party with your dad, and your mom showed up with her date? Boyfriend?”
“I have no idea what he is,” she said flatly. “Mom never mentioned him.”
“So she never told you about her guy and you never told her about your dad. Oh boy. That had to be a mess.” When Britt didn’t answer again, Savannah said, “Are you okay?”
“No.” She wondered if she’d ever be okay again.
Her phone buzzed for the third time since Savannah had picked her up. She didn’t bother to check who it was. It had to be her father, or her mother, and she didn’t want to talk to either of them right now. She knew for sure it wasn’t Hunter. He’d had his fun and laughs at her expense. He was probably out having a grand time with that woman he was with. Or maybe even multiple women. “Whatever.”
“What’s that?”
“Can you take me home?” she asked, on the verge of tears again.
“But you just said you wanted to stay at my house.” Savannah maneuvered her car onto the freeway that was always crowded, no matter what time of day it was.
“I did, but...”
“Britt, talk to me. You’re holding something back, and I think you’ve been keeping whatever it is inside for a while. Even when we were planning my shower, you were preoccupied, although I didn’t think you were upset.” She glanced at her. “Actually, you’ve been happier than I’ve ever seen you up until now.”
Although she didn’t want to talk about Hunter, she didn’t want to dodge Savannah either. She was her best friend, and she’d dropped everything the minute Britt had called her. “Something else happened tonight,” she said, twisting her gloves into a knot. “I... I found out my boyfriend isn’t who I thought he was.”
Savannah nearly veered into the next lane. She course-corrected as the other driver laid on the horn until he flew by her. “You have aboyfriend?”
