Elodie’s plan sounds simple in theory. The first part does, anyway.

For a couple of days, she wants to spy on Carter and get a feel for his daily routine. That part doesn’t sound too terrible. But then she tacks on, “And then I’ll start teaching you how to channel your inner flirting goddess,” and it feels like I’m going to vomit.

Me flirt? Ha! Yeah, right. Convincing her of any of this is impossible. So, by the time I get ready to leave, I’ve somehow agreed to let her and Gaige start “training me” to become the girl who’s going to break Carter’s heart.

As I leave her bedroom to go meet my mom in the driveway, I hear voices carrying up the stairs from the foyer. Voices I recognize.

Oh, yippee. Carter’s downstairs with one of his friends.

Hoping to avoid him, I take my sweet time lollygagging down the winding staircase. Unfortunately, I don’t move slowly enough.

“No, it’s the best idea ever,” Holden is telling Carter, waving his hands around in the air animatedly. “The end of high school should be celebrated with a party. Just like Christmas, the Fourth of July, and Fridays.”

“The end of high school isn’t a holiday,” Carter says, sounding tense.

“Heck yeah, it is,” Holden insists. “We’re done with school, man. Forever. Which is even bigger than a holiday.”

“We’re not done with school.” Carter stuffs his hands into the pockets of his jeans, frowning. “At least, I’m not. I still have four years, plus grad school.”

“You don’t have to go to grad school, dude,” Holden says. “Or college, for that matter. It’s a choice. One I’m choosing not to do for at least another year.”

“Yeah, well, not everyone’s that lucky,” Carter mumbles, seeming in a really bad mood.

“You’re in a pissy mood today,” Holden notes, confirming my previous assumption. “And you know what might cheer you up? Letting me plan the end of school party you’re going to throw. We can have it next Friday while your parents are out of town and have it strictly as invite only.”

Carter shakes his head, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “Every time I let you throw a party at my house, the cops end up getting called.”

“Yeah? So what?” Holden says. “They never actually do anything to you.”

“They tell my parents,” Carter stresses, raking his fingers through his hair. “Particularly my dad, who’s not a fan of getting a call from the police. And while I’m all for pissing my parents off sometimes, I’d rather not deal with my dad’s shit right now.”

“Come on, Car; we need to do this,” Holden pleads with his hands clasped in front of him. “For the greater good of the partying population of Fareland.”

“God, you’re so overdramatic.” He blows out an exasperated breath. “Seriously, between you and El, I’ve reached my drama queen overload for the day.”

He rolls his eyes. “Like you’re one to talk. You’ve seriously been pissy all day.”

“I’ve had a lot of things on my mind,” he says with a shrug.

“How is that possible?” Holden questions. “We just graduated. You should feel less stressed.”

Carter just shakes his head. “It’s not that simple for me.”

Holden gets a wicked glint in his eyes. “Wait. Are you still pissed off over that chick blowing you off last weekend? Is that why you’ve been in such a bad mood all week?”

“She didn’t blow me off,” Carter says with an eye roll. “No girl ever has.”

Now, I’m the one to roll my eyes. Too bad it’s at the precise moment they both notice me heading down the stairs.

“I think Ensley thinks you’re full of bullshit, Carter,” Holden muses when he catches me mid eye roll.

Carter eyes me over, causing my heart rate to go through the damn domed roof. Then his gaze lands on Holden, his lips quirking. “You think so?”

Holden gives a head nod. “She was rolling her eyes at you, man.”

I inch my way farther down the stairway, deliberating how crazy I’d look if I sprinted for the door. An amused Carter is never a good thing.

“Maybe we should test out that theory.” Carter looks at me, the smirk playing at his lips making my stomach ravel in knots. “So, as I’m sure you just heard, I’m throwing a party next Friday.”

Holden fist pumps the air. “Ha! You just agreed. And I call no takebacks.”

Carter doesn’t even so much as cast a glance in Holden’s direction, even when Holden starts doing some sort of dance that looks like a combination of twerking and the chicken dance.

I almost smile. The dude may be hot, but he can’t dance for shit.

Then, any amount of humor rising inside me goes poof as Carter takes a step toward me.

“Normally, I don’t bring dates to parties because I like to keep my options open,” Carter continues with his eyes fixed on me. “But I’m thinking of mixing things up a bit and asking someone to go with me. You know, see if the grass is really greener on the other side. Because personally, I’m not buying into all this dating is better than hooking up bullshit.”

“That’s cool,” I manage to get out, then turn for the door, ready to get the hell away from Carter and his penetrating, amused gaze. But he snags my arm and stops me.

I’m not sure he’s actually ever touched me before. Well, not on purpose, anyway. The skin-to-skin contact unleashes goose bumps all over my skin, and it takes all of my inner willpower not to shiver. I loathe my body’s reaction.

This is just a stupid crush, stupid body, so chill the eff out!

“And I was thinking,” Carter says with his hand still on my arm. “Maybe you’d like to come with me.”

I blink. Huh? Did he just say what I think he did?

Then I mentally smack myself. He’s playing you, you moron! Don’t fall for his shit!

I peer over my shoulder at him. “You want me to come to your party?”

He nods, amusement glimmering in his eyes. “Yeah, as my date. My first date ever, actually, so you should consider it a double honor.”

I mentally roll my eyes. Arrogant much?

I part my lips to tell him no thank you, but then Elodie appears at the top of the stairs, waving her hands at me like a mad lunatic. Gaige moves up beside her, shaking his head, as if he’s so over this.

That makes two of us.

“Do it!” Elodie mouths, then gives me a thumbs-up.

I grit my teeth. No freakin’ way. Sure, I may have agreed to her plan, but the last thing I want to do is accept a date invitation from Carter when he’s only toying with me. That’s not a good way to start this plan.

As if reading my mind, Elodie mouths, “Trust me.”

I hate the word trust. Anyone can just throw it around without any real meaning behind it. Trust me, I’ve been screwed over a lot by trust. But never by Elodie.

Summoning every ounce of strength I possess, I face Carter. “Okay, count me in.” Then I wiggle my arm from his grip and run like hell out the front door.

Yep, it’s a great way to start getting a guy to fall madly in love with you, but hey, at least he can’t retract his invite.

Well, at the moment, anyway.

If he doesn’t, though, that means I might actually have to go on a date with him.

Shit. I’m in way over my head.