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So, what are you going to do, Leeza?
5
Rhys
Iwalk around Storm House, the New Year’s Eve party in full swing.I walk by a room where my brother and Jesse and a few others are playing a drinking game.Kendra is nowhere to be found, and I think that’s a good thing.
You know who else is nowhere to be found?Leeza, or Lisa.Unease erupts in my stomach.After sex this morning, Leeza said she had things to take care of and practically bolted out the front door.As she fled, I asked her if she’d be here tonight, and she said she would be, but she had a paper to write first.
We’re on Christmas break, so I have no idea what paper she has to write…unless.Bile punches into my throat as I glance around and spot Samantha.What the hell is she doing here?She hates hockey and parties, and me in particular.
I pull my phone from my pocket and check my app.As suspicion wells up inside of me, I shoot off another message to Lisa, asking her when she’s going to be here.I stare at the phone, waiting for a response, but none comes.I tuck my phone away as Samantha seeks me out.
“Samantha,” I say, bracing myself, because she looks like she wants to murder me.It’s been years since we hooked up, and she’s hated me ever since.“Happy New Year.”
She laughs, but it’s humorless.“Oh, it will be.For me anyway.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Her grin is sly and she has a look of victory on her face.“You’ll see.”
I take a sip of beer, and it’s flat on my tongue.“Did you come here tonight to play cryptic games with me?”
She points an accusing finger.“I’m not the one who plays games, Cheddar.”
“I don’t know what I ever did to hurt you, but I’m sorry,” I say and truly mean it.
“You’re sorry,” she shoots back.“Sorry for sleeping with me and then acting like you didn’t know me.”
I lower my head, my stomach cramping.“I’m not that guy anymore, Sam.I never meant to hurt you.I thought it was just a hook-up.”
“Maybe you should have clarified that with me first to let me know where I stood before you took me back to my place.”
“You’re right, I should have.”I honestly had no idea that she wanted more from me.I was just a guy who partied.Everyone wanted a nibble of Cheddar and no one took me seriously.At least, I didn’t think they did.Leeza though, I thought she saw me for me, but now…I think things aren’t quite as they seem.
She folds her arms and gives me a look that suggests she doesn’t believe me.“You’re only putting on a show because your brother is here.I know who you really are…” She nods and gestures to the front door, to where Leeza is standing.“So does she.”Sam laughs.“Looks like the player has been played.”
“Leeza,” I say my heart squeezing tight when I spot her standing in the doorway, nervously nibbling on her lower lip, a sheet of paper in her hand.“What…” I swallow, hard.“What have you done?”
I honestly don’t need to ask, because I already know.All this time, she’s been playing me.That first night I brought her back to Ryan’s place, when I silently questioned her sobriety, she called me Rhys.I was sure of it, even though she tried to play it off.Then this morning, during sex, she called me Rhys again.There’s no way she could have known my real name, unless…
“Hi Lisa,” I say, as all the pieces fall into place.
“Cheddar…” She shakes her head and corrects herself.“Rhys.I’m…I’m…”
Samantha squares her shoulders.“Let the show begin.”She walks over to Leeza and takes the paper.
I shake my head and start to walk away.“Rhys, please…” Leeza reaches for me, and I jerk my arm away.“It’s not what you think.”
“Are you telling me you weren’t pretending to be drunk to see if I would try to take advantage of you?”She pales.“That you weren’t pretending to be Lisa on an app, looking to get dirt on me?”
“I fell for you,” she blurts out.“I fell for Rhys Taylor.”
“You don’t know who Rhys Taylor is Leeza, or is it Lisa?”
“I do know,” she says, a new kind of panic in her voice.“We spent hours talking, and I loved every minute of it.During those conversations, you showed me with words who you really were, and when you took care of me the other night, and we went skating, and I fell and you took me to your bedroom, and well…you know.You showed me with actions who you really were.”
“Who am I, Leeza?”
