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My stomach churned.
My temper roared.
There were photos of tonight. Including the pictures of us out on the balcony. These images were different from the ones this motherfucker had already taken. It was then I realized it was a man…
Because my face was cut out.
Chapter Fifteen
Paige
Then: One Month Later
I waited backstage. I was beyond nervous about participating in this auction to begin with, but I wanted to try to step out of my comfort zone.
Who was I kidding?
All I wanted was to forget about Adrian in any shape, way, or form I could. He was taking up residence in my head without even trying. He was just there, looming in the forefront of my mind.
The morning after I woke up in Adrian’s bed, I walked into my dorm room. Not even twenty minutes after, Cade was knocking on my door. To say I wasn’t instantly terrified he’d found out I’d slept in his brother’s bed would be an understatement. Thank goodness he was only there to apologize for flying off the handle the night before.
We quickly made up and since then, we’d been spending more time together. I was basically at their apartment on the daily, running into Adrian whether I wanted to or not.
He went right back to our usual dynamic. He’d pick on me, and act like nothing had changed between us when it felt as if everything had. To him, I was just his brother’s best friend. I was beginning to think maybe he wasn’t lying that morning. He didn’t kiss me, and I’d merely imagined it.
Except there were a couple of times we were alone for a few minutes for one reason or another, and I’d catch him staring at me from a distance. We’d lock eyes, but his guard was still up. I couldn’t read him. He wouldn’t allow it. All I had were these stolen moments of the man I craved in ways I hadn’t before.
Maybe I was imagining that too?
My brain was on an endless repeat of thoughts and questions plaguing me on the daily. It didn’t matter what I was doing, Adrian was there lurking in my memories.
Why did it feel so real then?
One thing I was sure of, my crush on him turned into way more than just infatuation. It developed into a whole-ass fixation.
Was I in love with him?
“Are you ready?” Dani questioned, tugging me back to the present.
“I think so.”
“You’re going to do great! The guys are going to go crazy for you.”
I was auctioning off a date with me for a great cause. The money was being donated to an all-children’s hospital for kids who were suffering from cancer.
The college was putting it on. I jumped at the chance of possibly meeting a nice guy that Adrian hadn’t scared away with his stupid rule of “look but don’t touch” when it came to me.
“Okay, you’re up next!” Dani exclaimed. “We’ll announce you soon.”
I nodded, inhaling deep breaths from my heart rapidly beating a mile a minute.
“You can do this, Paige,” I muttered to myself.
“Our next date to be auctioned is with Paige Summers, please make your way out onto the stage.”
I made my way over to her.
“Is everyone ready to spend some money?” she shouted into the microphone. “We’re going to start with the bachelorettes and then the bachelors and let me tell you… phew!” she fanned herself. “These participants are hot! But before we start a bidding war that I know will occur with this beauty standing beside me, let’s discuss the two rules. First and foremost, you can outbid as long as it’s within the allotted timeframe. And last but not least, the date you take your person on must be planned by you and last the entire day. Tomorrow from nine a.m. to midnight! Before they turn into a pumpkin of course,” she joked, making the audience laugh.
