“It isn’t so bad. Actually, it’s pretty funny in some parts. And Rhys was kind of sweet in the beginning, asking for advice and all.”

I’m on Shiloh’s bed, now in my pajamas. We’re propped up against the headboard listening to the most recent Sex on the Line episode. The one specifically dedicated to virginity.

Shiloh may think it’s sweet and harmless and funny, but all I can do is think about Caryn and Eric in her room, laughing as they re-hash the show, picturing me in every awful scenario that was called in.

“Is it that obvious I’m a virgin?” I ask, knowing she’ll tell me the truth. Shiloh isn’t exactly one to pull punches.

“Oh Prynne, well…yes,” she says with a smile, which fades as she sees the frown come to my face. “But that isn’t a bad thing. So what? Just because you don’t let the world know about your sex life every night like those two fuck bunnies across the hallway, doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you. Plenty of people wait. We all have our own reasons.” She looks over my shoulder at her wall of shoes and her face colors again. Suddenly, her eyes widen and she brings them back to me. “I mean, those people who decide to wait have their reasons.”

“But how did you know?” I have this feeling that I might as well be Hester Prynne, only with a big, scarlet V across my chest.

“Well, you don’t really go on dates and even back when you did, it wasn’t more than a few with any man, and you always came home well before midnight. Frankly, if you were having sex under those circumstances, it couldn’t have been too good. It’s almost a relief to learn you weren’t.”

I laugh, despite myself. Then it hits me that I could say the same for Shiloh, even though her excuse is her crazy work schedule. She almost never gets home before nine o’clock even on Fridays. I’ve never pried into her sex life, she’s too good a friend to lose over being nosy. Her secrets are her own.

Which makes me think about my own.

“I’ll tell you why,” I say looking straight ahead, “but you have to promise me you’ll keep it to yourself.”

“Who am I going to tell?” she says with a laugh. “Caryn? The people at my new job, who I don’t even know yet?”

“Seriously,” I insist, turning to face her. “It’s…it’s more than just what happened tonight. You won’t even believe it when I tell you.”

She shifts so that she’s leaning sideways against her headboard, her legs tucked under her, and all her attention on me. She reaches out a hand to squeeze my arm reassuringly. “Prynne, you can tell me anything.”

A small smile touches my face. “Well, for starters, my real name isn’t Prynne Dawson.”

I wait for her initial reaction, which is delayed. Then, she blinks and her face wrinkles with confusion. “It isn’t?”

I shake my head. “No, or at least it wasn’t until I changed it…from Faith Flanders.”

I wait for recognition to touch her eyes. “Wait a second…” she looks off to the side, then back at me. She leans in so closely I actually have to draw back. “Like the sister who left that show?”

Her hand comes up to cover her mouth which falls open in shock. It’s so amusing I actually have to laugh. It feels good.

“What the fuck?” Shiloh nearly cries, her hand coming down to shove me. “How did I not figure this out? I mean, the hair I knew you were dying, but—”

“You knew I was dying my hair?” I ask, feeling a bit irked at that. I thought I was doing such a good job with it.

“Oh Prynne, if I know one thing, it’s appearance. You don’t even have the right coloring for blonde.” She leans in. “I do have to say, the eyes threw me though. Congrats on fooling moi of all people.”

“You can’t tell a soul!” I remind her.

“Of course not,” she says waving a hand dismissively. She settles back against the headboard facing me. “I have so, so, so many questions.”

“Well, feel free to ask. It’s not as though I have anything else going on tonight,” I say bitterly.

She rises up again. “Wait a second, does Rhys know all this?”

“I told him everything,” I say, nodding.

“And the bastard couldn’t even be bothered to tell you about his stupid radio show?”

“That’s not entirely fair,” I say, for some odd reason feeling the need to defend him. “I only just told him about myself last night.”

“Oh,” she says, drawing her claws back in. “How’d he take it?”

“Surprised, but really great about it. I was so nervous I don’t think I breathed once as I told him. He’s the first person I’ve ever told here in New York.”

“Which, by the way, I’m seriously pissed about,” she says slapping my arm lightly.

“Sorry, I was just so used to keeping it this big secret, it was like second nature to me. Like a lie that continues so long, it goes too far past the point of being okay to reveal it.”

Shiloh just nods, as though she understands. Then she gets giddy again, wriggling her shoulders with delight. “So I want the four-one-one. What the heck happened after you left the show? I mean, I never really watched it, but my mother couldn’t get enough.” She rolls her eyes and something like resentment briefly touches her face.

“Thanks?” I say, wrinkling my brow with amused uncertainty. “Anyway, I started out at Tucker College until I was discovered and stalked by a crazy fan while I was there. That’s when I ended up at Bluett University.”

“Well, at least this explains the V-card status. No wonder you never dated. You probably never learned how to do it properly.”

“And just how does one do it properly?” I snark back.

“Well, for starters, he has to treat you like an absolute queen,” she says, doing her best pin-up pose and batting her eyelashes.

I laugh and grab one of her many pillows to throw at her. Then I fall back onto the bed and the smile falls from my face. “The funny thing is, Rhys does treat me like a queen. Or at least better than any man has before that I’ve dated. We have this crazy…” my eyes dart to hers and quickly away again, “connection, I guess. He makes me laugh one moment, then makes my toes curl the next.”

“With that voice, I can see how that could happen,” she muses, looking off to the side. Then, she leans against the headboard again, giving me a thoughtful look. “You really like him, don’t you? Even after all this.”

I bite my lip and nod.

“So what are you gonna do about it?” She asks, raising one eyebrow.