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“What does it matter to you?” I snap. “Why are you following me?”

He takes a step back. “I saw you and Nathan, um, well…and you seemed upset after so I thought I should check on you.”

My hands clench into fists. So, it wasn’t in my head—he really was watching.

“Paul, I’m not yours to check on anymore. Go dance with Lainey and leave me alone.”

He shrugs, looking sheepish. “Lainey broke up with me twenty minutes ago.”

“Maybe because you can’t stop bothering me.”

“Yeah, maybe…”

I cover my face with my hands. I absolutelycannothave this conversation right now. I step away, but Paul puts a hand on my arm to stop me.

“Wait, listen, I miss you, Riley. Breaking up with you was the stupidest thing I’ve ever done.” His eyes skim down my body. “You look so good in that dress.”

I mouth curse words into my hands as horror andunderstanding dawn on me. On top of everything else, Nathan was right about Paul this whole time.

Paul pulls my hands from my face. “Remember all the fun times we had onstage and goofing around in the wings? And when we went kayaking and spent the afternoon singing and annoying everyone else on the river? We were so good together, Riley. You have to miss me, too, at least a little bit?”

I squeeze my eyes shut. I’m not remotely interested in getting back together with him. But wouldn’t life be easier if I was? I could forget Nathan. I could stop working at the store with no regrets. Everything would be so much easier.

Paul seems to take my lack of response for affirmation and pulls me in for a kiss.

Absolutelynot. I twist sharply and he kisses my cheek instead.

“Stop! Let me go, Paul. I can’t do this. We’re over.”

I jerk away and jog for the restroom like it’s the eye of ahurricane. But not before I spot Nathan, huddled with Anthony and Kenzie, watching us from the corner of the room.

Chapter Twenty-Four

I’m still in the restroom ten minutes later when Hoshiko comes barreling in.

“Riley?” she calls.

I open the door to my stall. Her eyes widen when she sees me.

“What’s going on? I just ran into Paul and he told me that you two might be getting back together? I thought you hated him! I tried to talk to Nathan, but he’s being extra surly tonight. He really must not like dances.”

“He didn’t say anything?”

“Nathan? I could barely get two words out of him. Did you two fight?”

“No. I don’t know.” There are two other girls in here with us, but they’re seniors and don’t seem to be paying attention. I pull Hoshiko to the far mirror. “He kissed me,” I whisper urgently.

“Paul or Nathan?”

I growl. “Paul tried to kiss me, but I ducked out of the way.”

“So, you aren’t getting back together?”

“No.He’s the worst. I don’t want to talk about him.Nathankissed me.”

“And you didn’t duck that one?” she asks with wide eyes.

“I did not.” I suck in a breath. “But it wasn’t real. He was just faking it because Paul was watching us.”