Page 81 of #Awestruck

I couldn’t wait to walk into the reunion on Evan’s arm. If Aubrey had allowed it, I might have even worn a custom T-shirt that saidHERE WITHEVANDAWSON.

And when we arrived at the reunion, it was every bit as awesome as I’d imagined it would be. We stopped at the registration table to get name tags for both of us, which seemed silly for him. Like everybody at the reunion wouldn’t know exactly who he was. The two women running the table gave me a whole lot of side-eye, as if they couldn’t figure out why I was the one there with Evan.

Living well really was the best kind of revenge.

Aubrey had left a name tag for me, and I stuck it onto my dress. When we went into the ballroom, Evan nodded. “You guys did a good job. It looks nice.”

“Don’t let my sister hear you say that. It can’t be just nice. It’s the best reunion ever. Make sure you say that to her. At least five or six times. I need to check on the food real fast. Will you find somewhere for us to sit?”

“Yep.” He kissed me hard and fast, and he left me breathless for more.

The food table looked fine; I didn’t know why Aubrey wanted me to monitor it. The catering staff were doing an excellent job of keeping the trays filled and the punch bowl topped off. I picked up a pair of tongs to move them over a couple of inches. It was the only thing I could think to do so that I could tell Aubrey I had helped.

“Ashton, you clean up nicely.”

I turned my head and nearly dropped the tongs I was holding. It was Rand from work. “What are you doing here?”

He had on a name tag that said Archie Abrams. “Oh, you know. Just came by to say hi to the old gang. Is your fiancé, Evan Dawson, here? I’d love to chat with him. Brenda filled me in on the specifics of your relationship. Your pretty boy doesn’t know, does he?”

Just like that, my life literally flashed before my eyes. This was it. I was done. Rand would expose me, and Evan would hate me.

I’d been living in denial that this day of reckoning would come, and now it was here.

“That you only dated him in order to get dirt on him? I should get my phone out. I’d love to film his reaction.”

“Stop it,” I hissed at him. “What do you want?”

“Well, since you turned out to be such a terrible reporter, I’m here to get the story you couldn’t. I figured talking to Evan’s old high school friends would be the best place to start. Somebody here has to have the inside scoop.”

I couldn’t let him talk to Evan. Rand would ruin everything. “What will it take to make you leave?”

“How about you going on the record saying you’ve slept with your fiancé?”

“I haven’t.”

He let out a bark of laughter. “Right. No wonder Brenda wanted to replace you. You’re not even a very good liar.”

“Just go,” I said.

He seemed to be considering this. “Pass. And you can stop your scared-bunny routine. I’m not going to out you tonight and make a scene. I want people to talk to me, so I need to fly under the radar. I’ll mind my business, and you mind yours.” He walked away with a smirk. How had I ever liked hanging out with him? Such an ambitious, sneaky jerk.

I made my way back over to Evan, not sure if I could trust in what Rand had said. I could absolutely see him torpedoing me just to get Evan’s reaction shot. It would be a good runner-up story once Rand realized that Evan was exactly who he said he was.

“Let’s dance,” I said, pulling Evan out onto the dance floor with me. The song was a slow one, and I wrapped myself up in his embrace, letting him be my shield against the rest of the world.

I was going to have to tell him. I’d hoped I could slink away from ISEN and pretend that Brenda’s story and my involvement with it had never happened. But I was beginning to realize that it might not be possible. I had to warn him what Brenda, and now Rand, were up to.

Evan had an away game this weekend. I’d tell him on Monday, when he came over to hang out after practice. I wouldn’t want him distracted for the game.

That would give me a few days to build up my courage and figure out how to tell him.

Aubrey danced up alongside us with Justin and yelled, “What do you think of the reunion?”

“Best reunion ever!” Evan and I responded at the same time, laughing as we did so. Aubrey didn’t seem to notice. She just gave us a satisfied nod and returned her attention to her husband.

After we’d danced to both fast and slow songs, Evan asked, “Do you want to get something to drink?”

I nodded and followed him to the refreshments. Which were still operating just fine without me. He poured me a glass first and handed it to me.

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