“When you were gonna do it, too.”
Zander doesn’t have to explain further. I get it. With me out of the picture, Braden realizes he’s Liv’s link to O-Chi. A role he doesn’t want to be obligated to play.
I rest my hands on Zander’s chest. “What if I try to talk to her about it? I can make sure she understands that if she’s Sweetheart, there are going to be some, you know,boundariesshe needs to respect.”
A grin spreads across Zander’s handsome face and for a split second, I feel that little thrill I’m used to feeling when I’ve obviously pleased him. “Okay, that would help.”
“And then, maybe, you could talk to Braden and the other brothers? Put in a good word for her?”
“I’ll say she’s my number one choice.”
“Thank you.” He’s the president, his opinion counts for a lot.
“And you’ll come to the masquerade with me?”
I bite my lip.
He holds me tight and murmurs in my ear like he used to. Like we never broke up. “Betts—babe—” I shiver and feel him smile against my skin.
“Okay.” It’ll be fine. I just need to find another girl to bunk with because the “just as friends” will last all of five seconds if I stay in a hotel room alone with him.
I wriggle out of his arms. “I gotta find Liv.”
“I’ll text you the details.”
I nod and dive into the crowd. When I reach the girls, I give them the news that I’m going to the masquerade.
“Are you rooming with Zander?” Mia asks.
I adamantly shake my head.
“Good. I need a roomie. You in?”
I exhale in relief. “I’m in.”
Liv is over the moon. The entire walk back to Newberry, she chatters about all things masquerade: we’ll do each other’s hair, there’s going to be a DJ, it’s open bar. “And maybe Zander will stop moping around,” she adds.
“We’re just going as friends.”
“Sure. Sure.” She giggles happily and gives me a tight side hug, sending us stumbling off the curb. “Yay! I’m so excited! I have my best friend back!”
If only it were that easy to be the old Betts again.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Hangover aside,I wake up feeling kind of shitty because, to some degree, a very small degree, I’m bribing Zander to help Liv. But honestly, there’s a big part of me that genuinely wants to go to the Mardi Gras ball with him. I don’t know if I should trust that part of myself, but I can’t deny it’s there. And hey, at least it assuages my guilt.
That is, until Mom calls and compounds it. Liv and I have just gotten back to our room, still warm and damp from our showers. I let Mom rattle on about Jamie as I unwrap and comb my hair. Funny, I haven’t spoken to her in a month and all she can talk about is my brother.
I’m hoping this means she won’t bring up sororities, but she does. After her lengthy lecture on continuous recruitment, I say, “I’ll keep my options open.” It’s my new motto. Open to anything, closed to nothing. Except lying faeries.
Satisfied, Mom asks, “And how’s my Zander?”
Shit. I never told her we broke up. But right now I don’t need the drama. “Good,” I reply. I saw him last night and he looked just fine to me. Perfectly healthy.
“And he’s not doing anything about this whole sorority fiasco?”
My back and shoulders tense up. “What can he do?”
