All I had to do was keep my composure, steady my breathing, and limit the eye contact. I could do this. I had played Sandy in my high school’s rendition of Grease. I could pull off badass Sandy in tight, lycra pants, strutting across a stage in five-inch heels with a packed house watching my every move. Today skinny jeans and a fitted cotton shirt would have to do, and there was only one person I needed to impress—Beau.

He was sitting in his regular spot. The top perch of the class. I entered the row from the opposite aisle and walked toward him, careful not to look too excited to see him. Nina and I had only devised this plan yesterday, and it was all I had. Beau hadn’t called, texted, or emailed since the Sunday breakup, and today was Thursday. It was embarrassing that I missed Tuesday’s class, but my broken heart needed time and distance.

I’m not sure if he watched me walk toward him. I kept my eyes on my phone and the texts I was sending Nina. She was my lifeline to the outside world and the only thing keeping me on this plan.

He’s here, I typed.

Good. You can do this. It will work. Nina’s words made me smile. Call me after class.

I slid into the seat next to Beau, dropped my backpack on the floor, and fished for my notebook. My pen stash was in the front pocket. I dug through the collection until I found my favorite blue writing pen.

“People. It’s time to get started. The weeks are rolling past us and we still have lots of theory to cover.” The classmates around us lowered their voices. Everyone had grown accustomed to Professor Garcia by now, and the protesting and grumbling days were long gone. “The projects are looking great. This is one of the best semesters I remember. I’m going to have to recycle this assignment for another year.” I looked up and noticed our instructor had traded her red boots for purple ones.

Before I could jot the date on the fresh notebook page, the pen slipped from my hand and landed between Beau’s legs. Are you kidding me?

I tried to smile as he retrieved the pen from its precarious position and handed it to me across the armrest. My fingertips brushed against his knuckles as I took the pen in my hand. I didn’t want it to affect me the way it did, but the nearness of him had a way of closing the hole that had been burning in my chest since I saw him last. It was only a second, but for that moment, I didn’t hurt.

“Everyone ready for Para Social Relationship Theory? It’s fascinating! They are planting characters in reality TV shows left and right. Who isn’t in a relationship with a TV character they love?” The nutty professor’s laughter peeled through the auditorium. It was loud enough to snap me back to my current reality.

I brushed my bangs away and inked out the theory for today’s lecture. I shifted so I was angled away from Beau. This was going to be the longest class of my life.

* * *

I managed to take five pages of notes. Professor Garcia never lacked in examples or stories when it came to her presentation of a new theory. It also helped distract me from my group partner. I tucked my notebook in my backpack and was careful not to fumble the pen again. I didn’t need another flailing incident today.

“Have you talked to Garcia yet?” Beau was standing next to me. It was the first time I had heard his voice. He sounded impatient.

“No.”

“Are you going to tell her about the research or did you already tell her?” He had worked his arms through the straps on his backpack and he was edging toward the door. It was hard not to admire his chest as his T-shirt pulled against his torso.

“I wasn’t in class Tuesday.” This was harder than I thought it would be.

“So you’re telling her today that we’re handing over the research?”

“Yes. I’m going to talk to her once everyone clears out.” I glanced around at the partners filing out of class. It was difficult to watch my classmates who had clearly become couples through the course of the semester. Why couldn’t we have been assigned Island Fever or The Lion’s Den?

“Ok. Cool. Thanks. I wasn’t here Tuesday either. Didn’t know if you talked to her yet.” He turned to leave.

Nina had told me no matter what he said or did I was not to ask him about the next Love Match date, but he was walking away. How did she think this was going to go? Did this mean he had given up on the entire project? My eyes were starting to sting, and the farther he got, the more the hole in my chest burned. This was not working—at all.

“Oh yeah—we need to plan date seven for this weekend, don’t we?” he asked before reaching the swinging door.

“I guess so.” I stood, facing him and those smoldering eyes that almost made me forget what had happened.

“Did you watch the show Monday?” he asked.

My chest relaxed. He hadn’t given up on the project.

“I did. What about you?”

“Yeah. I saw it. What date do you want to try?” His voice sounded warmer. At least he was tuning in to the show.

“You choose. Whatever you want to do is fine with me. I’m going to talk to Professor Garcia now.” I pointed over my shoulder at the cowboy-boot-wearing academic.

“Right. Ok. I’ll just text you or something.” He pulled his earbuds out of his pocket.

“Sounds good. See you later.” I turned to catch Professor Garcia’s attention before he made it to the door. I didn’t want to watch him walk away.

Nina would be proud. That went exactly how she predicted. I was glad I didn’t cave to the desperation I felt. If only my conversation with the professor would go the same way, I’d be on my way to making all of this right.

She was shuffling a stack of folders into her briefcase. “London! I’ve been meaning to email you, but I had this darn cold-flu and I was lucky to get my cats fed, if you know what I mean.”

I smiled meekly. “Sorry you were so sick. That sounds awful.”

“I might have caught it from Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome, so it was worth it. You kids aren’t the only ones who have your fun on spring break.” She laughed as she pressed a tissue to her nose.

Did my professor just tell me she hooked up with someone and caught a cold? “Um, so I wanted to talk to you about the research. Can we maybe sit for a minute?”

Professor Garcia nodded toward the front row stadium seats. “You look a little worried. If it’s about the conference, there is nothing I need for you or Beau to do. I’ll handle everything.”

My hands were starting to get hot. I shook them next to my side and took a deep breath. “I’m not sure how to say this.” I closed my eyes and thought about what I almost had with Beau, what grade I almost had. This lie had cost me too much; it had to end. “Professor, Beau doesn’t know what I’m getting ready to tell you. He thinks I’m going to hand over our research.”

“And you’re not? I’m quite confused right now.” She was so still not a single bangle on her wrist moved.

If I didn’t spit it out, I would never have the strength to tell her. “We were together—Beau and me. We have been dating for the past few weeks. I was with him all through spring break and I didn’t tell my parents or my roommates. And when he wanted to tell you that we were together, I stopped him because I really need this grade. It’s the only class left for me to graduate and my parents aren’t going to let me move to L.A. if I don’t have an A. But Beau broke up with me during our argument and so now we’re not together.”

Professor Garcia sat with a stunned look on her face. “Oh my. That’s a lot to take in.”

“I know and I’m so sorry I lied to you and to the class and to everyone who read the blog. I didn’t know I wanted to be with him; it just sort of happened. And now everything is such a mess between us.”

“Hmmm…so let me ask you something, London. If you had met Beau out of this class and he had asked you on a date, would you have gone out with him?”

I thought about the night he ran into me with his bike. “No, I wouldn’t have.”

“And why not?”

This was starting to feel like a counseling session. “I guess because I didn’t know anything about him. I thought he was just like every other guy on campus.”

“And now that you’ve gone on these dates, you don’t think he’s so average anymore? You think he’s special?”

Well, if she wanted to define special as someone who could make me melt with one look, or someone who didn’t back down from my dares to get him to sing, or someone who could carry me with one arm from the scariest height I had ever encountered, then, yes, he was all of that and more.

“Yes, definitely. I think he’s the most amazing person I’ve ever met.” He was also the person I voluntarily made a fool of myself for on a regular basis.

“Then, it sounds like we need to make an adjustment to the research.” She smiled that cat-like smile she used when she was formulating a plan. “How many episodes do you and Beau have left to follow?”

“I believe we have four dates left to go.”

“I’ll make a deal with you, London. I probably have mentioned this, so you know I’m a huge Love Match fan. Never missed an episode.” Oh, good grief. I should pair her up with Nina. “The show’s rules stipulate that the bachelorette can’t reveal her true feelings to any of the men she is dating. What if you carry out the last four dates without telling Beau any of your feelings and see if the magic of the dates can bring him back around?”

I was hoping she would say exactly that. I smiled. “So he doesn’t know that I’m trying to get him back but I keep blogging like I’ve been?”

“Yes. Now, you’re going to have to do double the work, because I need you to record your true feelings and your observations from each of the dates for the real research. And I want you to come with me to Orlando to present the study.”

I hadn’t expected that bargaining morsel. I had a frightening image of my drunken professor in an Orlando dance club. “I guess that’s the least I could do for damaging the project.”

“London, it’s not damaged. Research changes. The heart wants what the heart wants. Who am I to stand in the way of true love? Oh, this is going to be so much fun! It’s even better than your original idea.” She clapped her hands together.

“Thank you, Professor Garcia. I won’t ruin it this time.” I couldn’t believe she was taking it so well. Love Match was like a drug casting a spell over its fans.

“Just don’t tell Beau. I think he’ll come around on his own. Good luck, dear.” She picked up her briefcase and climbed the steps to the top of the class.

* * *

I walked out of Manning Hall ready to tackle the world. Garcia was on board and I had avoided the scandal that accompanied a report to the dreaded honor court.

My phone buzzed in my back pocket. I pulled it out to read the text.

Saturday date: show at the Cat’s Cradle

Beau was planning the next Love Match date. Yes. The day was getting better and better. I thought through my response before hitting send.

Good idea.

Victoria and Heath were helicoptered to a secluded island for a private concert. Cat’s Cradle was nothing like an island, but it was an intimate venue for a concert.

Zero flirting could be detected. So far, I was sticking to Nina’s plan. I couldn’t wait to call her and tell her what had happened with Beau. Missing Tuesday’s class might have been a side effect of one of his bucket list items, but deep down I wanted to think it had something to do with us.

* * *

This was our seventh date, but it felt more like the first. Beau had texted and said he would meet me at the door of Cat’s Cradle, the venue for the Bayou Boys concert. I faced my reflection in the mirror one last time before heading out. There were only three more dates after tonight.

It was as if Beau had flipped a switch. He went from the hot and sweet boyfriend who couldn’t keep his hands off me to a cool, distant classmate enduring the last few weeks of school with his group partner. He couldn’t keep this up. There was no way the time we spent together didn’t mean the same thing to him as it did to me. I held on to the memories from spring break. I knew exactly what Nina was talking about when she said Beau looked at me like no one else. It was all there in his eyes—at least it used to be.

“You look great, London. Stop worrying so much.” Nina peeked her head around the corner.

“Babe, he’s going to eat you up.” Candace chimed in behind her. I didn’t know she was home tonight. “That skirt is cute.”

“You two are sweet.” I fluffed the back of my hair. “What are you doing home, Candace?”

“I stopped by to say hi. Pearce is having a guys’ night or something like that.” She chewed on her bottom lip.

I didn’t want to pry. I crossed my room to give her a hug. “I’m glad you’re here. I won’t be out too late. I think the concert starts at nine, so I should be home early. Movie night?”

Nina smiled behind Candace. “Definitely. More zombies?”

“Absolutely. I can’t take a romantic comedy tonight. I’m living it as we speak.”

“Just remember. Be close, but not too close. Smile, but not too much. And don’t trip or fall or anything like that.” Nina was full of advice tonight.

“Yes, mom.” I rolled my eyes and grabbed the jacket from my bed. Ready or not, it was time to meet Beau.

* * *

Date Seven: Down in the Bayou

There was a long line snaking the entrance to the concert. My outfit was carefully planned for tonight, but I didn’t think about standing outside in the cool spring air when I choose the black skirt. I stood on my toes, searching for Beau. The guy in front of me was too tall to see past.

“London. Hey.” Beau tapped me on the shoulder while I strained to examine the crowd.

Caught off guard by the contact, I stammered, “Hey.” I wanted his arms around me or a kiss, but shoulder tapping was the only touch I felt.

“Come on. My friend works the door. We can go on in.” He walked toward the door. Of course he had a connection at Cat’s Cradle. He knew everyone.

I heard a few snarky comments as we breezed past the anxious concertgoers. Thankful to be inside, I smiled at Beau.

“I’ll be right back. I see someone I know.” Before I could even respond, Beau dashed through the throng gathered in front of the stage and disappeared.

Alone, I looked around the quaint concert hall. It was dark. The roadies were on stage completing the final sound tests before the Bayou Brothers took the stage. I knew things were not the same between us, but I couldn’t believe Beau took off like that. We were supposed to be on a fake date. A real fake date.

Not wanting to look like a wallflower, I walked to the bar to get a bottled water. I sipped the water and waited. I had lost Beau in the growing crowd. I tipped the bottle back and felt a hand graze my butt. I whipped around to see who had touched me.

“Derek? What are you doing here?”

“Hey, London. Didn’t think I’d see you here either.” He had a mischievous smile on his face that made me squirm. “I thought you knew how much I liked the Bayou Brothers. I’ve seen them at least six times.”

I had never paid attention to what kind of music Derek liked. I probably wouldn’t have guessed bluegrass-Cajun-funk.

“Yeah. I’m here with someone.” I looked over my shoulder, hoping that my someone would walk up any second.

“Don’t tell me it’s that blog guy again.” His eyes narrowed. “I get that you are committed to your class project, but did you have to quit Encore?”

The water bottle was my only distraction tactic. I took another swallow and avoided Derek’s question.

“I wrote Betray Me with you in mind. Come back to Encore. There’s time for you to rehearse. We’ll pretend none of this other stuff ever happened.” His hand landed on my hip and was resting on my waist.

“Derek? What are you doing?” I took a step back. He had invaded my personal space one too many times.

“Come on, London. I know why you left.” He stepped closer.

“I left because I wanted to spend my last months at Carolina doing something else besides being stuck in the basement.” I raised my hand to his chest. “And whatever it is you think you’re doing, you need to stop.”

The lights flickered on the stage and everyone around us started cheering.

“You don’t mean that.” He leaned toward me and I recognized a lustful look in his eye. One that I never wanted to see from him.

I didn’t have much space to move. The room was packed, and I was shoulder to shoulder with Bayou Brothers fans.

“Nina is my best friend. Please, just go, Derek. Leave me alone.”

“This doesn’t have anything to do with Nina.” He reached for my waist again, but I was wedged next to a tall man, oblivious to my problem.

“Derek, seriously, back off.” I was starting to panic. Derek was acting deranged and deaf. I had never seen him like this.

“Man. You heard her. Back off.” Beau emerged from the sea of fans. I don’t know how much of the conversation he overheard between Derek and me, but it was enough.

Derek ignored him. “London, come on. Why don’t you watch the show with me? Leave this jackass.” His hand lunged for me.

“No. She’s my date. We’ve both asked you to leave—nicely.” Beau stepped in front of me, blocking my view of Derek.

“Then why did you leave her here?” Derek stood his ground.

Beau leaned forward and I could hear the low murmur of his voice, but I couldn’t make out any of his words. I didn’t see what happened next, only Derek tunneling through the crowd and out of my line of sight.

“You ok?” Beau looked worried—the kind of worried that made me melt.

“I’m fine. I could handle him.” I had to shout over the instrumental bars. The band was starting up.

“Good. I won’t leave again. Sorry.” He turned toward the stage and threw a fist in the air, then leaned toward my ear. “See? I knew he was a jerk.” I thought I saw a smile sneak across his face. He immediately focused on the stage. The Bayou Brothers were ready to start.

I looked at Beau. I wasn’t sure if he was sorry he left me standing alone in a pit of guys, sorry that Derek was being an ass, or sorry we were broken up. The banjo sounds filled the room and one of the brothers with the longest beard I had seen, struck the strings on his fiddle. This was no place to think through anything.

* * *

“Good concert?” Beau asked as we walked outside.

I stood on the sidewalk, hugging my jacket tightly. “Yes. They were awesome.” They were so much better in person than on the radio. “Thanks for the date.” I waited, hoping he would ask me to get coffee or a drink. Almost all of our dates were two parts.

“Cool. See you in class Tuesday?” His hands were in his front pockets and he was backing up.

“Yes. See you Tuesday.” I waved. Shit. It was only a one-part date. I guess I would be spending the rest of the night with my roomies and zombies.

* * *

I closed the front door behind me, expecting Nina and Candace to be waiting for me in the living room.

“Hello?” I called out in the quiet house.

“Oh, hey, babe. It’s just me.” Candace was in the kitchen retrieving a bag of popcorn from the microwave.

“Where’s Nina?”

“Derek texted her about thirty minutes ago. She went over to his place.” Candace dumped the popcorn in a bowl and threw a second bag in the microwave.

“What? She’s with Derek?” My stomach flipped. I wasn’t prepared for how I was going to tell her what happened with him tonight, but I intended to let her know what a royal asshole he was. I couldn’t let my best friend waste another second on him. He was officially disgusting.

“You look like something’s wrong, London. Was the date that bad?”

“Yeah. I mean not the part with Beau. Something bad happened. Candace, there’s something I have to tell Nina.”

“Let’s go in the living room. Here’s your popcorn. The zombies can wait.”

I followed her to the couch, grabbed Ugly Quilt, and told her how Derek pounced on me at the Bayou Brothers concert. I didn’t want to think about how far it would have gone if Beau hadn’t shown up.

“Holy shit. This is bad, London. And by the way, he is slime. Not even slime. What’s lower than slime?” Candace looked horrified.

“I know. It makes me sick. But I have to tell Nina. And she’s over there with him right now—probably—you know.”

“Ewww.” Candace had stopped eating her popcorn.

“What should I do?” I realized it had been months since I had been alone with Candace. I couldn’t think of the last time she had helped me through a crisis. It was always Nina. This time Nina was involved in the crisis. Candace couldn’t have chosen a better time to reemerge.

“We can’t call her now.” Candace made a face. “But first thing tomorrow, you have to tell her.”

“She is going to freak out. She has been in love with Derek since our freshman year.”

“He is such a loser. Maybe we should go over there right now. I don’t care what they’re doing.” Candace was getting worked up.

“No. No. Tomorrow morning will have to be soon enough. Will you do it with me? You don’t have to tell her, of course. Just be here?”

Candace smiled. “I will be here. For both of you.” She picked up a piece of popcorn and tossed it in her mouth. “Now, for the fun part. Tell me about Beau.”

I sighed and launched into my recount of our fake date.

* * *

The pancakes were on the table and Candace had already cleared the counter from our messy production line. Nina should be here any second.

“Don’t worry, London. She’s going to be ok.” Candace tried to reassure me, but it wasn’t working.

My palms were sweaty. When I heard the front door open, I shook my hands by my side like I did every time before the curtain went up. It usually calmed me. I pushed the syrup to the center of the table.

“Hey, babe.” Candace greeted Nina.

She glanced over the orange juice glasses and the pancakes on the table. “Derek told me you’d try something like this.”

Candace and I exchanged puzzled looks.

“What do you mean?” I was nervous to ask her.

“London, I’m not mad. Derek told me what happened last night.”

Again, I looked at my other roommate. I was utterly confused.

“What exactly did he tell you?” I shook my hands again, and slapped them against my leg to stop the calming ritual.

“He told me you hit on him, but I knew it was probably just to make Beau jealous. Sounds like it worked.”

I didn’t know what to say. Derek had twisted everything around and Nina bought every lying word. Why did he even care if Nina was mad? He was just using her and stringing her along. It didn’t matter anymore what his intentions were—I knew mine.

“Nina, he’s lying.” That was as bluntly as I could state it.

“What are you talking about? You didn’t hit on him at the concert to make Beau jealous?”

“No. It was the other way around.”

“What? Derek hit on you? That’s not how it happened. It can’t be.”

I sighed. I knew I was breaking Nina’s heart, but it was far worse to let her end up with a conniving bastard. “It wasn’t the first time, Nina. He did it on opening night of Spoiled Hearts.”

“And you’re just now telling me? This isn’t possible. You’re the one who is lying and twisting this all around.” Her eyes seethed with anger.

“I should have said something then, but I just thought I misinterpreted the whole thing—until last night. There was no misinterpreting. I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.”

“I slept with him! Twice! Both times after he hit on you!” Her voice filled the kitchen. Candace stayed planted by the counter. “You couldn’t have told me before I did that? And it wasn’t even good the second time!”

“I didn’t know what to do. Please believe me. I didn’t want him to be an asshole. I just thought it was creative moodiness or something. Nina, I’m sorry.”

“You’ve said that. Thanks.” She grabbed the plate of pancakes and walked down the hall.

“Nina?” Candace called.

We heard her bedroom door close with a bang. She left us standing in the kitchen, pancake-less. I slouched into the closest chair.

“What a disaster.”

“She’s going to be ok, London. You had to tell her. Just give her some time. She’ll come around. I haven’t been here much this semester, but I do know you two are too close to let a guy come between your friendship. She just needs time.”

“Thanks, Candace.”

“I’m going to run over to Pearce’s now. He’s probably starving. I usually do his grocery shopping on Sunday.” She picked up her keys.

“You do Pearce’s grocery shopping?”

She winked. “I do anything he wants.”

Ugh. I could only take one asshole a day. “Ok. See you later.”