Read Online The Fine Art of Pretending by Rachel Harris - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Rachel Harris
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been good at taking—or believing—compliments. I clear my throat. “So, hiking, huh?”
Brandon’s forehead wrinkles in confusion before a huge smile spreads across his face. “Oh, right, wanna go? I hear the trails in this place are awesome. We can swing by the lake after if you want.”
Anything that gets us away from this moment .
“Sure,” I say. “Let me grab my shoes.”
I throw my hair up in a messy ponytail and step into abused Nikes. It’s just Brandon right now, so I can be myself…or at least myself wearing a bikini. Then I follow him out the swinging cabin door, ready to explore. And, hopefully, forget all about my impromptu concert.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 11TH
7 weeks and 3 days until Homecoming
BRANDON
LAKESIDE, 2:30 p.m .
A splash pulls Aly’s attention to the lake, and I sneak another peek. Over the years, I’ve seen her in a bathing suit tons of times, but she’s never worn anything like this—a tiny yellow bikini that leaves very little to the imagination. But mine is filling in the pieces anyway.
Post-makeover Aly is beginning to short-circuit my nerves.
Laughter rings out, and I gratefully turn to watch the chicken-fight. Kara on Daniel’s shoulders and Lauren on Justin’s. The match is at a standstill, each girl pushing yet neither budging.
Aly sits up beside me to scream, “Come on, Kara!” drawing my eyes to her again.
My fired-up imagination conjures a vision of the two of us taking on the winner, her tanned thighs wrapped tightly around me.
A dude in the water calls out to Drew, and, shaking the image away, I turn to see him walking toward us. Thank God. Although he’s spent the majority of his time in the cabin texting Sarah, I could hug him for showing up now. I need a distraction.
Any distraction.
I bump his fist. “What’s up, man? Anything changed in Sarah’s world in the last hour?”
“Fu—screw you.” Drew never curses in front of a girl, a trait that makes him exactly the kind of guy Aly should go after. Unfortunately, he’s whipped. Drew plops onto the sand and squints into the sun. “She’s alone on a new campus and sorority rush just started. She’s freaking out, and I can’t be there for her. I hate it.”
“But you are there for her.” Aly leans back on an elbow and adjusts her top. I avert my eyes, noticing Drew and Carlos do the same. “Don’t listen to these guys. I think it’s sweet you call her so much. Sarah’s lucky.”
Drew shakes his head. “I’m the lucky one. But thanks.” Then he claps his hands and says, “Almost forgot, guess what I just heard? Tonight’s karaoke in the main hall, baby.”
“Now that’s what I’m talking about,” Carlos says. Picking up his guitar from the towel in front of him, he breaks out in a horrendous rendition of the country song “I’ve Got Friends in Low Places.”
Aly laughs so hard she snorts. “I thought you were supposed to be a great musician.”
Carlos smiles good-naturedly. “Nah, I play a mean guitar, but I can’t carry a tune in a bucket.”
Smirking, I lean close to Aly’s ear. “Speaking of carrying a tune…”
“No.” She pushes me away, her eyes wide. “Don’t even think about it, bud.” Sticking out her tongue, she stands up to stretch, and my eyes involuntarily trace the length of her body. She saunters to the dock and spreads her towel near the edge, dangling her feet over the side. She leans down to splash cool water on her heated arms and legs. My mouth goes dry.
Gritting my teeth, I force my gaze back to the chicken-fight in the lake.
This mission needs to end—the sooner, the better. For her and for my sanity.
Aly may think she wants to be a Casual , but she’s wrong. Really, this whole thing seems to be about people seeing her differently, but she can get the same results without the sexy clothes. They are messing with my head, and they’re just not her . If I can get her to realize that, maybe things can go back to normal. It’s definitely
Brandon’s forehead wrinkles in confusion before a huge smile spreads across his face. “Oh, right, wanna go? I hear the trails in this place are awesome. We can swing by the lake after if you want.”
Anything that gets us away from this moment .
“Sure,” I say. “Let me grab my shoes.”
I throw my hair up in a messy ponytail and step into abused Nikes. It’s just Brandon right now, so I can be myself…or at least myself wearing a bikini. Then I follow him out the swinging cabin door, ready to explore. And, hopefully, forget all about my impromptu concert.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 11TH
7 weeks and 3 days until Homecoming
BRANDON
LAKESIDE, 2:30 p.m .
A splash pulls Aly’s attention to the lake, and I sneak another peek. Over the years, I’ve seen her in a bathing suit tons of times, but she’s never worn anything like this—a tiny yellow bikini that leaves very little to the imagination. But mine is filling in the pieces anyway.
Post-makeover Aly is beginning to short-circuit my nerves.
Laughter rings out, and I gratefully turn to watch the chicken-fight. Kara on Daniel’s shoulders and Lauren on Justin’s. The match is at a standstill, each girl pushing yet neither budging.
Aly sits up beside me to scream, “Come on, Kara!” drawing my eyes to her again.
My fired-up imagination conjures a vision of the two of us taking on the winner, her tanned thighs wrapped tightly around me.
A dude in the water calls out to Drew, and, shaking the image away, I turn to see him walking toward us. Thank God. Although he’s spent the majority of his time in the cabin texting Sarah, I could hug him for showing up now. I need a distraction.
Any distraction.
I bump his fist. “What’s up, man? Anything changed in Sarah’s world in the last hour?”
“Fu—screw you.” Drew never curses in front of a girl, a trait that makes him exactly the kind of guy Aly should go after. Unfortunately, he’s whipped. Drew plops onto the sand and squints into the sun. “She’s alone on a new campus and sorority rush just started. She’s freaking out, and I can’t be there for her. I hate it.”
“But you are there for her.” Aly leans back on an elbow and adjusts her top. I avert my eyes, noticing Drew and Carlos do the same. “Don’t listen to these guys. I think it’s sweet you call her so much. Sarah’s lucky.”
Drew shakes his head. “I’m the lucky one. But thanks.” Then he claps his hands and says, “Almost forgot, guess what I just heard? Tonight’s karaoke in the main hall, baby.”
“Now that’s what I’m talking about,” Carlos says. Picking up his guitar from the towel in front of him, he breaks out in a horrendous rendition of the country song “I’ve Got Friends in Low Places.”
Aly laughs so hard she snorts. “I thought you were supposed to be a great musician.”
Carlos smiles good-naturedly. “Nah, I play a mean guitar, but I can’t carry a tune in a bucket.”
Smirking, I lean close to Aly’s ear. “Speaking of carrying a tune…”
“No.” She pushes me away, her eyes wide. “Don’t even think about it, bud.” Sticking out her tongue, she stands up to stretch, and my eyes involuntarily trace the length of her body. She saunters to the dock and spreads her towel near the edge, dangling her feet over the side. She leans down to splash cool water on her heated arms and legs. My mouth goes dry.
Gritting my teeth, I force my gaze back to the chicken-fight in the lake.
This mission needs to end—the sooner, the better. For her and for my sanity.
Aly may think she wants to be a Casual , but she’s wrong. Really, this whole thing seems to be about people seeing her differently, but she can get the same results without the sexy clothes. They are messing with my head, and they’re just not her . If I can get her to realize that, maybe things can go back to normal. It’s definitely
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