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five

With the fall festival lights and energy spinning around her, cold washed through Kamryn as she stared at her phone.

Greer: I’m so sorry I have to cancel tonight. The boys have the flu and there’s a huge event. I have to stay and take care of them.

Kamryn wanted to write back how angry she was. Instead, she rolled her shoulders and stared out at the town square where the fall festival had already kicked up. She’d managed to pry herself away from her desk after two weeks of working pretty much nonstop just for Greer to cancel on her tonight. And this had been their second attempt to get together.

Instead of writing what she wanted, she sent back a quick message about how she understood and they’d catch each other another time. She wasn’t supposed to be here alone. She needed Greer for her own protection, because she’d heard through the grapevine that Lauren was supposed to be here. The grapevinebeing Andra, who had managed to sneak a text to Kamryn to give her the heads up.

Greer was supposed to be there along with Andra, but they’d each been pulled away, leaving Kamryn alone. So very alone. Which was all she had been feeling the last two weeks. She couldn’t for the life of her get the teachers at the school to give her the time of day when it came to breaking down the boundaries of boss and employee. And Elia Sharpe had been making her life a living hell—well, probably not intentionally, but she hadn’t been making life easier.

Kamryn bought a drink and stood watching the band on the stage. It was never first-rate bands who performed during the festival nights, but this one wasn’t bad. She’d have to check out their website and see if they had more music than just this.

She’d needed an escape. That had been why she’d come and that was why she was going to stay. It had nothing to do with Lauren and her newest fling—the Replacement as Greer had named her. Kamryn finished her drink and slowed her breathing. She could do this. She could stay out here on her own and avoid her ex easily enough. Once Lauren showed up, Kamryn would leave.

“Kam?”

So much for that. The chill that ran through her wasn’t because of the cold this time.

“Lauren.” Kamryn forced the smile onto her lips. Why hadn’t she ever moved far away from home? Greer had, and she didn’t have to put up with this drama. It was high school all over again—well, in some ways. “I was just getting another drink.”

“We were too.” Lauren’s gaze was cool and locked on Kamryn’s. “Let me buy you one.”

Was this a good idea? Absolutely not. But the move had been expensive, Kamryn could use the drink, and Lauren was offering.

“Sure.”

The new piece of ass on Lauren’s arm, because she hadn’t budged from that position yet, scooted even closer as they walked toward the small vendor on the far side of the stage. Kamryn ordered a round of shots for everyone, surprised when they came in small paper cups the size of Styrofoam coffee cups. It meant there was about three times the amount of liquor in there.

They stepped to the side, and while Lauren and the Replacement sipped their shots, Kamryn tilted hers up and chugged it. She immediately went back to buy two more. It wasn’t a wise decision by any means, but it was going to get her through the night. The second shot she also chugged, but the third she held tightly in her hand.

“I’m not sure we’ve been properly introduced,” Kamryn said, the heat from the alcohol rushing through her body and warming her limbs. “I’m Kam.”

“Rosie. You’re not as pretty as I imagined.”

Kamryn jerked with a start. She moved her gaze from Rosie to Lauren, who at least had the audacity to look ashamed by that comment. Is this really who Lauren had chosen over her? Right then. Kamryn took a breath and sipped the shot in her hand. “We can’t all be divas.”

Rosie chuckled. “Lauren’s certainly one, don’t you think?”

“Sure,” Kamryn remarked offhandedly. It wasn’t Lauren that she was going to have an issue with tonight. It was the Replacement.

“So are you dating anyone new? Or still pining over this one?” Rosie ran her hand over Lauren’s arm possessively.

Had Kamryn just gone to the set ofMean Girlswithout realizing it? This woman was outrageously ridiculous, and the fact that Lauren was just standing there not doing or saying anything was equally insane. This wasn’t the Lauren thatKamryn had been in love with. This was someone she absolutely didn’t like.

Which, honestly, helped put some things into perspective.

“I have a girlfriend.” The words were out of Kamryn’s mouth before she could stop them. The worst part was that if it had just been her and Lauren, she probably wouldn’t have lied. But there was something about the Replacement that irked her so much she felt compelled into lying. “We just started dating, so it’s all very new.”

“Is she here tonight?” Rosie’s eyes lit up like she’d just been given a new toy.

“Oh, um, she was supposed to meet me, but—” Kamryn stopped talking. What was she doing anyway? She shuddered and took the shot in her hand, crumpling the cup up and throwing it into the nearest trash can, which happened to be right next to her. She laughed loudly and shook her head. “I’m getting another one. You all want one?”

So much for letting Lauren buy the booze. As soon as they nodded, Kamryn went to order one more shot for each of them. When she returned there were two more people standing with Lauren and Rosie. She should have taken the opportunity to leave while she had the chance. They were talking briskly, clearly they knew each other, and Kamryn was left out of the circle, yet again.

That was how it had always been with Lauren. Kamryn had always felt like she was one step outside of being included. Rushing back into that feeling didn’t help her situation. Neither did the fact that her head was spinning from the shots she’d already taken.

“Guys, this is Kam, Lauren’s ex.”