Page 35 of Starry Nights over Dragonfly Lake

There was a reason that he distrusted everyone and had never put down roots anywhere. Everyone always thought the worst of him, but for once, it upset him.

The sooner he left Maple Tree Lodge the better, he decided as he headed upstairs.

18

Beth was still sitting dazed in the armchair in the snug when her three best friends rushed into the room.

Lily glanced behind her before closing the door.

‘Well?’ she asked, coming to stand in front of Beth.

‘Well what?’ asked Beth weakly as she straightened up in the chair. Her lips still felt bruised from Noah’s passionate kiss.

‘What gives?’ snapped Ella, putting her hands on her hips. ‘Do you want to tell us why you suddenly snogged the black sheep of the family in front of everyone?’

‘In front of Jeremy as well,’ replied Beth, in a pointed tone.

But her friends didn’t seem to pick up on it.

‘Who cares about him?’ spluttered Lily. ‘When have you ever done anything like that in your life?’

Beth found herself smiling, suddenly finding humour in the ridiculous situation she had put herself and Noah in. ‘Never,’ she told them. ‘But I can be naughty when I want to be.’

Hannah burst out with shocked laughter and quickly put a hand over her mouth.

‘I’m not talking about eating leftover pizza in your pyjamasfor breakfast,’ carried on Ella, frowning. ‘This is serious. He’s a bad boy.’

‘He kisses like one,’ Beth found herself saying, unable to stop herself from grinning.

Her friends looked at each other before staring back at their friend.

‘Who are you?’ asked Hannah, boggle-eyed at her. ‘What’s happening here?’

‘Come on,’ urged Lily, sitting down on the opposite armchair. ‘This is serious.’

Beth laughed. ‘It’s really not,’ she told them, looking from one worried friend to the next. ‘He’s done me a favour actually. If he had been a good guy then he would have bolted or said, “What are you doing?” or something. Instead he gave me a thoroughly amazing kiss, I might add.’

‘Great,’ sighed Ella. ‘So now you’re in love with him instead of Jeremy.’

‘No!’ Beth carried on, laughing. ‘We’re faking it.’

‘You’re what?’ they all chorused.

‘It’s a ruse to stop Jeremy from being a pain,’ Beth explained. ‘He’s been all over me since he arrived and I couldn’t take it any more. But I couldn’t get rid of him so I took matters into my own hands.’

Ella’s mouth fell open and, for once, even she was lost for words.

‘But you’ve been so upset over Jeremy,’ Lily reminded her. ‘So do you really think you got the wrong end of the stick? That he’s not a cheating lowlife?’

‘I absolutely think he’s a cheating lowlife,’ said Beth. ‘That’s why I kissed Noah. As a fake distraction to get him to go away.’

‘But that kiss didn’t look fake,’ Hannahtold her, frowning.

‘I know, right?’ Beth grinned. ‘It was pretty good. But that doesn’t matter.’

‘It does in my little black book,’ muttered Ella.

‘Okay, so he’s a great kisser but now what?’ asked Lily.