Diamonds (All that Glitters #1)(19)

“I didn’t see her all night.” Here came the theatrics. Bryna put her hand over her mouth and swallowed as if she had to keep from crying. She breathed in heavily, shook her head, and then looked away. She couldn’t believe this was happening to her. “You don’t know what it’s like at home right now, Coach Baker. I was sick in my room, all alone. Pace is throwing out wild accusations. I don’t have a parental figure in the house anymore. I look up to you so much, Coach Baker, and knowing that you might believe this of me just makes it all worse.”

“Bryna, I’m sorry. I know things have been rough with your home life lately. You’ve been so consistent all these years, and this was just a one-time miss, so we’ll put the whole thing behind us. Let’s just get to practice.”

“Thank you, Coach Baker,” Bryna said, wiping her eyes. “Can I just have a minute before I go out there?”

“Of course.”

Coach Baker walked out of her office to herd the rest of the team, and Bryna pulled out her cell phone. Dropping the theatrics, she let her temper take over. How dare Pace rat me out to my coach! She wouldn’t stand for this. He couldn’t get away with it. She hoped he knew what he had gotten himself into because, from now on, this wasn’t just fun and games. He had messed with her life, and he was going to pay.

She jotted out a text message to Pace.

Game on.

Bryna left practice in a hurry. She wanted to get home and prepare for her inevitable showdown with Pace once he got home from football practice.

On her way out of the building, she’d told Avery and Tara how Pace had lied to their coach. They couldn’t believe that he would lie, let alone stoop to that level, but they were glad nothing bad had come of it. She wished she had someone to confide in about Jude, but she couldn’t tell the girls that she hadn’t actually been sick.

On her way home, her phone started ringing. She glanced down at the display. Gates. She sighed. This had been a long time coming. She clicked the Bluetooth feature.

“You have one minute before I hang up,” she answered.

“I’m sorry. I miss you. I want to make it up to you.”

Bryna rolled her eyes. “And how does Chloe feel about that?”

“Chloe and I aren’t even together, Bri.”

“You’re not a couple, or you’re not f*cking?”

“Bryna,” he sighed. “Come on. I’m making an effort here.”

“Sidestepping the question isn’t making an effort,” she responded. She was still pissed about what she had walked into that night with Chloe and Gates. He shouldn’t have blindsided her with that.

“We’re not together, and we’re not f*cking either. All right?”

“Fine.”

“You and I are the only people in each other’s lives who know the real person behind the mask. You were there for me before my acting career exploded. Everyone else sees the movies, and you see the dick who you agreed to date even though he was a nobody.”

Bryna laughed despite herself. “I would never date a nobody. I knew you would be huge.”

“Would be huge?” he asked, laughing.

“We’re not talking about your dick, Gates!”

“Fine. Fine. I’m just trying to make this right. I’ll be gone through most of Christmas break, but I actually have an appearance scheduled for New Year’s Eve in Los Angeles. If you aren’t seeing anyone else, maybe you could be my date?”

She didn’t know her plans for Christmas or New Year’s. Her dad was supposed to be in town for both, as far as he had told her, and she usually dropped everything to spend as much time with him as possible. Also, she didn’t know if, by the end of the month, she would have a hot New Year’s date with Jude all lined up.

“I don’t know. If nothing else comes up, then count me in. But just as a friend, Gates.”

“Sounds like a vote of confidence, B. I invite you to the Chateau Marmont hotel for a posh New Year’s exclusive, and you say, only if you don’t find a better offer.”

Bryna’s heart rate picked up in excitement. “The Chateau Marmont? You are on the rise, aren’t you?”

“Say you’ll go with me.”

“I stand by my answer.”

Gates laughed. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were seeing someone else.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” she demanded.

“I know you, and you wouldn’t be interested in some Harmony or Covenant trust fund baby. And with your extracurricular schedule, where would you find the time to meet someone new who could compete with me?”

Bryna shook her head in disbelief. This had been a relatively pleasant conversation up until that comment. Now, the anger that had momentarily dissolved was rearing its ugly head again.

“You’re right. How could anyone ever compete with the ex-boyfriend I dumped for lying to me about sleeping with his costar? In fact, maybe you should just invite Chloe to the New Year’s party.”

“Oh, so there is someone.”

“Stop fishing,” she snapped.

Gates laughed lightly. “I’m not fishing. I have to get back. I hope I see you on New Year’s, Bri.”

“Bye, Gates.” She hung up the phone with relief.