Camila’s eyes welled with emotion. She took my hand and squeezed it. “I love that plan.”
Good, because I love you.
29
Ridge
A sleek black Mustang pulled down the gravel drive to my ranch house when I came back from the hilltop. The Saturday of the dance had arrived, and I’d been keeping myself occupied all day. The last thing I expected was for Raven Bradshaw to pay a visit, especially when she should be at her prom with Camila. Harold was working on one of the old tractors in the garage, and I wondered what he would think of our visitor. A Bradshaw was almost as bad as a Bell in his mind.
Raven stepped out of her car, revealing the gown she’d picked for the evening. It was a long, beaded gold dress with a high slit that revealed an overly tanned thigh. Her makeup was bold, painted in just the right spots to make her appear older than her eighteen years. I would be a liar if I didn’t recognize my attraction to my old friend, but I’d had many reasons for not exploring that attraction. Lord knew Raven had given me plenty of opportunities. The way she was looking at me on her approach told me she might be there to offer me another one.
“Lost on your way to the dance?” My joke was a lame attempt at trying to ignore the real reason as to why Raven had chosen that night of all nights to show up in her prom dress.
Her blush was still visible on her highlighted cheeks. “Something like that.” When she stopped in front of me, her height was almost a shock compared to Camila’s. “I’m here to ask you to my prom, actually.” Her blush deepened. “I should have asked you sooner, but I had some trouble getting up the nerve. I know you graduated two years ago, and the last thing you probably want to do is go to a silly high school dance, but—” She laughed quietly then looked me boldly in the eyes. “I think it could be fun. You know, to go together. You already know a lot of people going, since they were at the camp last year, and…”
She just kept talking, and I just kept listening. At one point during her run-on, I opened my mouth then snapped it shut. Raven had always been nice to me, despite her brother’s feelings toward me. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt her.
“You’re not saying anything.” Her eyes froze on me, and her nervous mood dissipated into darkness.
“I’m sorry, Raven. I guess I’m just confused. We’ve been friends for a long time, and your brother isn’t exactly my biggest fan.”
She waved her hand. “Don’t worry about Trip. He’ll be there tonight, but he won’t bother you.”
I let out a laugh. “He’ll be at your prom? Who’d he sucker into taking him tonight?”
Raven smiled at my amusement. “Camila Bell, of course.”
The air left my chest as soon as I heard her name. Raven didn’t seem to notice.
“Trip’s had his eyes locked on that girl for as long as I can remember.”
Not a person in town could have missed that, but to hear those feelings might suddenly be reciprocated had me fuming. Just the previous week, we’d met at the bridge, and she’d been so distraught over the fact that we couldn’t go to the dance together. She failed to mention that she’d agreed to go with someone else. Even if she had told me she was going with someone else, I wouldn’t have been upset about it, or at least no more upset than I naturally was that we couldn’t go together. But why did she feel the need to lie? I could only think of one reason—that she had feelings for him back.
Camila Bell, of course. Raven’s words went around and around in my mind.
“So,” Raven said, her expression still hopeful. “Will you be my date tonight? I mean, you’re already dressed up and everything.”
She’d noted my crisp black slacks and white button-down. I didn’t dare tell her why I was dressed up, and I cringed internally and let out a slow breath before responding. As pissed as I was at Camila for lying, I couldn’t accompany Raven to a dance, knowing she had feelings for me. Not only would it lead her on, but I would have to stare at Camila with Trip all night. Imagining them together was bad enough.
“I can’t go with you, Raven. I’m sorry.”
Her eyes widened slightly. Surely, men didn’t turn Raven down—especially outcasts with zero events on their social calendar. I had to give her a reason.
“It’s just that… I’m seeing someone, and it wouldn’t be fair to them.”
“Oh, I didn’t realize. I’m the one who’s sorry. I put you on the spot like that. It’s just—” She let out a laugh and waved at her car. “All my friends are going with someone else, and the only guy who asked me to go is a freshman. Sometimes I really hate living in such a small town.”
I smiled back at her sympathetically. “Trust me. I get it. Maybe you’ll meet someone at the dance. Any guy would be crazy not to want to dance with you.”
She shrugged then took a step back. “Yeah, well. Consider yourself crazy then.” She winked, making me feel a little better that I hadn’t completely crushed her.
Not until after she’d driven off did I allow myself to think about Camila again and the fact that everything I’d planned for that night, everything I’d planned to do and say, was a complete waste.
30
Camila
Loud pop music blared from the giant limousine when I climbed in to greet my friends. I was the final stop on the way to dinner before the dance, and as soon as I stepped inside, I laughed at the setup. Someone had gone all out with our transportation. Not only was the limo large enough to fit thirteen of my closest friends comfortably, but it was also lined with neon-blue lights that reflected off the wood floor. It felt like I’d just stepped into a club, complete with two poles and a bar. Undoubtedly, some of my friends had sneaked alcohol into those cabinets.
“There’s my date!” Trip’s voice boomed from the other side of the limo.
I waved at him and smiled before squeezing in between Josie and our friend April. Calling Trip my “date” would be a stretch. He’d asked me to accompany him, and I’d said okay but with conditions—we would go with a large group of friends, we would go as friends and nothing more, and no slow dancing.
He’d tried to argue that last one, but I put my foot down. If he wanted to come to the dance so badly, then he had to play by my rules, which ensured he wouldn’t get the wrong idea about our going together.
“You’ll never believe what Raven did,” Josie whispered to me while everyone was shuffling out of the limo for dinner. She waited until everyone was out of the vehicle before she turned to me fully, her eyes wide. “Raven went to Ridge’s house and asked him to be her date to prom.”
“What?” The word came out as a shriek. “She did what?” I hissed.
Josie looked uneasy. “Carla and I were getting our nails done, and I kind of accidentally overheard their phone conversation. I don’t think Carla even realized I heard, but I did, and you should know he turned her down.” She giggled. “Obviously, since he’s not here. He told Raven that he’s seeing someone.”