THE

WRONG BACHELOR
ALEXANDRA MOODY
Copyright © 2018 by Alexandra Moody
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means,
including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except
for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Edited by Pete Thompson
Cover Design by Alexandra Moody
 CONTENTS
1. Madison
2. Cole
3. Madison
4. Cole
5. Madison
6. Madison
7. Cole
8. Madison
9. Madison
10. Madison
11. Cole
12. Madison
13. Cole
14. Madison
15. Madison
16. Cole
17. Madison
18. Cole
19. Madison
20. Madison
21. Cole
22. Madison
23. Cole
24. Madison
25. Cole
26. Madison
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About the Author
 1

MADISON

M y boyfriend had a death wish.

And if he kept making excuses about why he’d forgotten to pick me up,
leaving me stranded in the rain, there was a strong chance I’d be granting that
wish.
“Where were you Saturday night?” I had already asked the question twice.
I’d always thought that Jake was pretty smart for a football player, but right
now he was looking at me with blank eyes and truly embracing the dumb-jock
stereotype. I wasn’t usually an angry person, but the way he kept stalling
made me want to punch him.
“Saturday night…” His voice hovered over the words, dragging them out
like he’d been given a lobotomy and had forgotten how to speak. He glanced
around at the school parking lot, and I couldn’t figure out if he was looking
for someone or searching for an escape. It was still early though, and there
was barely anyone at school—unfortunately for him.
I’d been silent the whole drive to school this morning, working up the
courage to ask him about the weekend, and now all my questions were
spilling out of me in a nervous, angry rush.
“You were supposed to pick me up from work,” I said. The fury in my
voice had quickly evaporated, and my tone was now clearly tinged with
sadness. I wasn’t very good at playing the angry girlfriend.
His eyes finally found mine again as realization dawned on him. “Aw, I’m
sorry, Madi. I completely forgot.”
“I waited for over an hour,” I said. “I tried calling you a hundred times,
but you never answered. I had to walk home in the rain.”
He rubbed his face, guilt flaring in his eyes. “Madi, I didn’t realize. I
would never leave you stranded.”
Except he did.
 “So, where were you?” I asked, trying to get to the point of the whole
horrid conversation. “And why didn’t you return any of my calls yesterday?”
He swallowed, licking his lips as if they’d suddenly become dry. “I was
out with the guys on Saturday,” he finally admitted. “And I dropped my
phone.” He pulled his battered phone out of his pocket as proof. The screen
had shattered into a thousand different pieces. “I was going to talk to Skip
today to see if he could fix it for me.”
I stared at the phone, trying to process his explanation. “That doesn’t
change the fact you forgot about me…” I said, peering back up at him.
He met my gaze and nodded. “I know, and I’ll make it up to you, I
promise.”
I let out an uneasy breath. It wasn’t the first time Jake had let me down,
and it probably wouldn’t be the last. I knew he often got caught up in the
moment when he was hanging out with his friends though, and his broken
phone seemed like proof enough of why I ended up stranded.
“Forgive me?” he asked. “You know I’d forget my own name if my mom
hadn’t sewn it on all my socks.”
“I’ll think about,” I said. Jake’s joke caused a small smile to light my lips.
I tried to hide it, but I knew it was too late.
He shook his head at me and grinned before pulling me in and smacking a
slobbery lingering kiss against my cheek.
“How about now?” he asked.
“Jake!” I squealed. “That’s disgusting!’
He laughed before planting another kiss on my other cheek. “I can do this
all day, Mads,” he said.
“All right, all right, you’re forgiven,” I conceded.
He let me go and smiled down at me smugly. I could only shake my head
at him. I’d never been good at holding a grudge against Jake, and he totally
knew it.
He slung an arm over my shoulder, and we walked into the school
together. It was like everything had magically returned to normal. Jake was
smiling so freely that it was almost impossible to believe we’d been fighting
just minutes before.
His friends were all crowded around his locker when we arrived, and the
moment Jake saw them his arm dropped from around me, and he went to join
them. I didn’t even get a goodbye. It was hardly unusual, but today it upset
me for some reason. As I watched him bump fists with the guys in greeting, a
queasy, uncertain feeling returned to my stomach. I’d told Jake I’d forgiven
him; why hadn’t my stomach got the memo?
I started toward my locker, trying to ignore how ill I suddenly felt. Jake
was a good guy, but sometimes he seemed to fail at also being a good
boyfriend. I cared about him a lot, but deep down I was beginning to worry
that we weren’t right for each other. We were probably just going through a
rough patch, and everything would be fine given a little time—at least, that’s
what I was hoping.
I felt a hand touch my elbow and let out a breath as Hayley linked her arm
with mine. Her long, brown hair was up in a ponytail today, and she was
wearing one of her signature school outfits—cute wedges, a denim skirt and a
white tank top. There was so much concern in my best friend’s hazel eyes,
and she was giving me a hesitant smile, as though she wasn’t sure what mood
I was in. I couldn’t even begin to verbalize how relieved I felt to have her at
my side.
“How did things go with Jake this morning?” she asked.
“It was fine,” I muttered. “He said he forgot about picking me up and that
his phone broke so he didn’t get my calls.”
Hayley’s expression darkened. “And you’re okay with that?”
I shook my head. “Of course not. I just know how he is, and I hate being
mad at him. It’s not that big a deal.”
“You called me crying when you finally got home on Saturday night. I
almost took the two-hour drive back from our beach house to come check on
you. How is that not a big deal?” Hayley could be a bit of a pit bull when it
came to me. Sometimes it felt like she was more protective of me than my
own mother was.
I shrugged. I didn’t have an answer for her. In truth, I was still upset, but
I’d forgiven Jake, and I needed to move past it.
“He’s always letting you down. You’re far too good for him,” Hayley
continued.
I couldn’t argue with her because after the weekend I was beginning to
feel like maybe she was right. It hurt to think of ending things with Jake
though. We’d been together for almost two years and friends since we were
kids. I couldn’t seem to process the idea of us no longer being together. I
knew what a great person he was; I just felt like recently, I was seeing less
and less of that great person around me.
I let out a sigh, pushing thoughts of Jake from my mind. I’d already dealt
with him today, and I didn’t want to dwell on it any longer.
“Ladies,” a voice called from behind us. Hayley and I both turned to find
Angus striding toward us. In his chinos and button-up shirt, he looked every
bit the student body president he was so proud to be. As soon as he reached
us, he shoved flyers into both our hands.
“Don’t forget that today’s the last day to vote,” he said.
I frowned and glanced down at the paper. It was a voting form for the
stupid charity dating competition the school was hosting. “True Love,” they
were calling the contest. It made me want to gag.
I immediately passed the flyer back to him. “Thanks, I don’t need one,” I
said.
Angus grinned. “Oh, you’ve already voted? No problem, Madi.”
“No, she hasn’t,” Hayley chimed in, grabbing the flyer back from Angus
and shooting me a knowing look.
“Madison Matthews, I thought you were better than that,” Angus gasped,
raising his hand to his forehead in fake shock. “We need everyone to get
involved. It’s for charity after all. Every penny goes to help victims of the
terrible wildfires last summer.”
I tilted my head at Angus. I knew all about the wildfires. Everyone did. I
hadn’t been directly affected, but the flames had come dangerously close to
the school, and plenty of houses on the south side of town were damaged. I
wasn’t convinced that Angus was genuinely concerned though. He looked far
too excited about the whole event.
“I just think there could be better ways to raise money,” I said, glancing
between both Hayley and Angus, hopeful of finding some support.
“What better way than while helping two people find ‘True Love,’”
Angus replied before he thrust another voting form into my hand. Before I
could protest again, he turned on his heel and left, no doubt off to harass his
next unsuspecting victim.
As I watched Angus bounce from student to student, I realized his flyers
weren’t the only thing promoting the contest. As I looked around the corridor,
I began to notice there were posters everywhere. There was even a massive
banner strung from the ceiling. Whole reams of paper had been wasted
covering every locker in the school to remind people that today was the last
day to vote for contestants.
 The fact I was only noticing them now just showed how distracted I’d
been when I’d arrived at school.
“You think they’re actually going to go through with it?” I asked Hayley,
nodding my head at the voting slip Angus had handed her.
“It looks like it. There’s an assembly announcing the contestants at the
end of the day tomorrow,” she replied. “Plus, Angus has Mrs. Green wrapped
around his little finger. He could lock us all in a room for a month and call it
Big Brother and our principal would probably go for the idea.”
I sighed and tried not to look so miserable about it all. I don’t know why I
was so against the contest. I guess it was because I didn’t want to see a bunch
of girls getting hurt.
“I still think they could have come up with another way to raise money.
Why couldn’t they have just held a bake sale?” I wondered. A cupcake never
hurt anyone.
Hayley grinned. “Probably because not everyone in our school feels the
same way as you do about baked goods. I still have no idea where you put it
all. I’d be the size of a house if I ate half the stuff you devour.”
“Nah, you’d be alright,” I replied. Being on the cheer squad, Hayley did
way more exercise than me. I liked to go on the occasional run, but working
out wasn’t really my thing. “And even if you weren’t, you’d still be the
hottest house around.”
Hayley laughed brightly at my comment. “This coming from the girl who
the boys voted ‘sexiest in school’ last year.”
I frowned at the memory, wishing she hadn’t brought it up. All the guys
had made a list last year ranking the girls at school. There’d been a massive
blow up over it after some of the girls found out and shared it around.
Hayley was right; I had been at the top of the list of girls. I didn’t find it
complimentary though. The hot list had upset so many girls, but what Hayley
didn’t seem to understand was how much it had also hurt me. I’d received so
much unwanted attention from it all, and none of it had been good.
The girls were the worst. Some told me that I was voted for as a joke, and
others went in the opposite direction and said it was because I was a slut.
“You know I don’t like talking about the list,” I murmured.
Hayley’s face dropped. “Yeah, I know,” she replied. “I was just hoping we
were at the point where we could laugh about it, you know.”
I nodded, knowing she meant no harm. I think she believed I was just a bit
embarrassed by it all. But she didn’t realize that I doubted myself every time I
left the house these days. Were my clothes too revealing? Was I wearing too
much makeup? Was I wearing too little? That stupid list had made me
question the way I portrayed myself to the world. It made me wonder if
people saw the real me, or if they only cared about what was on the outside.
We stopped by her locker so she could collect her things before heading a
little further down the corridor to mine. I immediately felt my hackles go up
as I saw who was leaning against it. Cole Kingston: Lincoln High’s most
beloved footballer, and my personal nemesis.
He looked like some kind of Abercrombie model as he casually propped
himself up against my locker. His dirty blonde hair was hanging in his eyes,
and his low-slung jeans and white t-shirt gripped his body tightly. Lucky for
me I was immune to his good looks, unlike most of the girls in the school. He
had a reputation for being charming and flirtatious, but to me it just came
across as cocky, arrogant and irritating.
“Good morning, Hayley,” he said, smiling at my friend as we approached.
“Matthews,” he added, glancing at me briefly, as though it had only just
occurred to him to greet me, despite the fact he was waiting at my locker. I
certainly didn’t get a good morning smile.
“Do you want something, Cole?” I asked, trying to keep my cool. I was a
pretty nice person 90% of the time, but Cole seemed to bring out that other
10%.
Cole and I had once been friends, but that felt like a million years ago
now. We’d done almost everything together, but around the time we started
high school that had all stopped. Almost overnight we went from best friends
to complete strangers. I still had no idea why he stopped speaking to me.
When he started again though, his words had turned cruel and taunting. He’d
changed.
All that remained of our friendship now were a few memories and a
matching scar on our knees from when we tried and failed to ride a tandem
bike together one summer. He’d been sweet once upon a time, but the guy
standing before me now was nothing like that.
He tapped his fingers across his bottom lip, considering my question.
“World peace?” he asked as if he were unsure.
“You know that’s not what I’m asking.”
His lips lifted in a grin. Any other girl in the student population would
probably swoon if Cole Kingston looked at them that way. I didn’t see the
appeal.
 “Can you move?” I asked.
He jumped out of the way of my locker in a flash. But what was revealed
behind him only made my mood worse. There was a flyer for the True Love
competition plastered across the door.
I immediately pulled the flyer from my locker and scrunched it into a ball.
Cole laughed. “Not a fan of charity?” he asked.
“Not a fan of women being degraded,” I replied. “But I’m sure you’re all
for this kind of misogyny.”
“It’s not degrading if it’s for true love,” he replied.
I rolled my eyes at Cole and glanced at Hayley who was smirking at him.
“Traitor,” I mouthed at her, making her grin widely.
I went to open my locker as Cole opened the one next to mine. How we
ended up as neighbors in school and at home, I’ll never know. Not only did I
have to see him several times a day, but I also had to battle through his fan
club to get my books most mornings.
“So, you’re saying you wouldn’t want to be a contestant and vie for our
lucky bachelor’s heart?” he asked, closing his locker and looking at me
intently.
“I have a boyfriend.” I shut my own locker a little harder than I intended.
“Sure you do,” he said, patting my shoulder like I was a child.
“You know I do,” I growled.
“You keep telling yourself that.”
Before I could respond, he turned and walked away, leaving me standing
there, fuming at nothing but air. I wanted to shout a retort after him, but his
stupidly large shoulders were already too far down the corridor for him to
hear me.
“Did you see that?” I turned to Hayley, who had been standing silently
next to me the whole time. She may have been the only female in the school
that wasn’t completely infatuated with Cole—well, besides me of course. I
suspected it was because she was into college guys. She said high school boys
were too immature for her tastes, and when it came to Cole, I had to agree.
“I think he likes you,” she said.
“Cole doesn’t like me,” I replied. “Don’t even joke about stuff like that.”
“Who says I was joking?” she asked. “His banter with you is totally filled
with sexual tension.”
“Gross, Hayley. Now, next time he talks to me, that’s all I’m going to
think about.”
She grinned. “I’m just saying it how it is.”
“Maybe we could just put a muzzle on him?” It wasn’t the worst idea I’d
come up with for dealing with Cole.
Hayley laughed and bumped her shoulder against mine. “Sounds kind of
kinky.”
I shook my head, laughing with her as we started toward class. The bell
rang as we entered the English room. The day was only just beginning, and
yet I was ready for it to be over. It didn’t help that when I sat down, there was
a small square ballot form waiting on my desk.
“Vote for your True Love contestants!” was scrawled across the top of the
page, with one box allocated for the male vote and ten boxes for the female.
I scrunched the paper up into a ball and sat back as the others in class
scribbled away on their voting forms. This competition was ridiculous. I just
couldn’t believe I was the only one in the school who thought so.
 2

COLE

M adison Matthews was my kryptonite. Anytime I got near the girl, I

managed to turn from Superman into Clark Kent. Only my version of
Clark Kent seemed to be a raging asshole. I always said the wrong thing
around her, and even when I said the right thing, she took it the wrong way. I
couldn’t win, and I’d almost given up trying.
Almost, but not quite. It seemed like the only way I could get her to
interact with me was by being a jerk, so I’d resigned myself to the role a long
time ago. I wasn’t ready to let it go. Not if it meant I didn’t get to speak to her
at all.
I sat diagonally behind her in English, watching as she glared down at the
voting form she’d just scrunched into a tiny ball. Her scowl was quite cute, in
a way. Only Madi could get angry at a piece of paper.
“Stare at that paper any longer, and it’s going to burst into flames,” I said,
leaning forward on my desk so she could hear me.
She turned in her chair, and the deadly laser beams that had been
narrowed on her voting slip became focused on me. Despite the hate-filled
glare, I found myself tuning out for a second as I stared into her grey-blue
eyes. They were the color of a swirling ocean in the middle of a thunderstorm,
and every time she narrowed them on me, it always took me a moment to
snap back to attention.
“Leave me alone, Cole,” she replied.
I wasn’t ready to leave her alone though. I never was. “Did you vote for
me?” I asked, raising my eyebrows at her.
“As if I want to watch you sleaze over a bunch of poor girls.”
I sat back and placed my hand over my heart. “Oh, Matthews, you wound
me.” I lowered my head and pretended to wipe a tear from under my eye, but
I was surprised to find that underneath my act I genuinely felt slightly hurt by
her comment. Did she really think I was a sleaze?
“Yeah, you look inconsolable,” she replied.
“Want to know who I voted for?” I asked, forcing a grin back onto my
face.
“Nope.”
“Of course you do,” I replied.
“No, I’m really not interested.”
“You sure?” I asked, holding my voting form up for her to see.
She gave an exasperated sigh before focusing on the form. I could almost
see the moment realization struck her. Her cheeks turned red, and her eyes
looked like they wanted to explode from her skull.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” she asked, her angry gaze flickering
back to me.
I laughed, delighted by the reaction. I glanced at the page, pretending to
look thoughtful. I’d only written two names down: Madi’s and mine. I’d also
decorated the page a little. “You think the love hearts are too much?” I asked
in my most serious tone.
“You can’t submit that,” she said, reaching out to grab it from me. I was
too fast though and quickly moved it out of her reach with another grin.
“Sure I can. I can vote for whoever I like.” I placed the form down on my
table, the smile on my face growing bigger. I was enjoying this way too much.
“No one wants to see you as the bachelor,” she said.
“Sure they don’t,” I replied, leaning back in my chair and putting my
hands behind my head. I couldn’t help but notice as her gaze flickered toward
the muscles on my arms.
“Fine, some of the idiots on your football team might want to watch you
make a fool of yourself. But no one’s going to vote for me. Everyone knows
I’m with Jake.”
She looked satisfied with her argument, as though she’d just proven she
was right. But I simply shrugged. “We’ll see,” I said. “We both know you
have one vote at least.”
She scowled at me one last time before turning back to the front of the
room. Her dark locks fell across her face as she did, forming a curtain
between her expression and me. Her shoulders were still tense, and she started
tapping her pen against the table. I felt a wave of satisfaction over her
reaction. I’d gotten to her, and I was definitely still on her mind. Although, it
was unlikely she was thinking anything good.

“I HEARD you were flirting with Madi again in English,” Tanner said, as we
walked into the cafeteria. I lifted my brows in surprise. I didn’t realize anyone
in the class had been watching us, let alone taking note of our interaction.
“Flirting?” I protested. “I was just giving her a hard time.”
“That’s pretty much the same thing with you, bro.”
I frowned, rubbing my neck as we paused at the back of the lunch line.
How did Tanner even know about it? I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. He
always seemed to be the first person to hear any rumors that were spreading
around the school. It was pretty useful having Tanner as a best friend because
I tended to find out second.
“Who told you this?” I asked.
“Lee.”
“Lee’s not in my English class…”
Tanner shrugged in reply.
“Right.” I shook my head at the ridiculousness of it all. The school had a
vicious gossip circuit. I tried to stay out of it for the most part, but this wasn’t
the first time I’d heard people talking about me. It wasn’t like I was some
wallflower.
“Let’s just hope Jake doesn’t hear about it too,” Tanner said. “We don’t
need any more bust-ups on the field, and you know how he hates you talking
with his girl.”
“Too right,” I agreed. Jake was always ready to blow a gasket over things,
especially when it came to Madi. Two of our teammates had nearly ended up
in hospital last year after he found out they’d voted for her on that stupid hot
list that went around. I had refused to participate in the list, which was lucky,
as I probably would’ve picked Madi as well.
“Though who knows how long they’ll be together after the weekend…”
Tanner added.
I paused as I made my way down the lunch line and turned to look at him.
“What are you talking about?”
“Did you see Jake at Lee’s party on the weekend?” Tanner asked.
 “Briefly,” I shrugged. “The dude looked wasted.”
“No more than usual. Apparently, Laurie was all over him.”
I frowned before glancing over at our table. Jake was already sitting there
with Madi at his side. Laurie was seated a few places down from the two of
them, but I could see her trying to catch Jake’s eye.
“He cheated on Madi?” I asked, trying to control my temper. The words
felt like acid in my mouth, and I had the sudden urge to punch something—or
someone.
Tanner shook his head. “I don’t think so. I just heard that they were close
and he wasn’t really pushing her away.”
I lifted an eyebrow at Tanner. That definitely didn’t sound promising.
Laurie could be relentless when she wanted something. I’d been the subject of
her desire before, and it had taken weeks to get her to leave me alone. She
was one of the hottest girls in school, but also one of the craziest, and I didn’t
need that kind of shit in my life.
“Does Madi know?” I asked.
“Probably not,” Tanner replied. “Why? Are you going to tell her?”
“No,” I muttered. Talking to Madi about something like that probably
wouldn’t end well for Jake, her or me. Still, it was tempting. Jake had put a
stop to my friendship with Madi when they started dating. He’d threatened me
not to go near her, and I’d been stupid enough to listen. I didn’t want to break
the bro-code. I let Madi and I drift apart and never told her why. She was
clearly hurt by that, and by the time I started talking to her again she was so
cold towards me that the only way I knew how to handle her was through
jokes and teasing.
It was stupid that I blamed Jake for the rift between Madi and I. I knew I
was mostly to blame. Still, it would be slightly poetic if I were the one to
break them up. I only thought about it for a second before I knew I couldn’t
go through with it. There was no way I could hurt her that way.
“She just deserves better,” I added.
Tanner laughed at my comment. “What, like you?”
I didn’t like the way he was grinning at me. Was the thought of Madi and
me together really so weird?
“I’d be a great boyfriend,” I said.
“Maybe.” He looked unconvinced. “But not with Madi. You two would
kill each other.”
 He was probably right.
As we carried our trays of food back to our table, I found myself studying
Madi. She was chatting happily with Hayley, who was sitting next to her.
There was no hint that she was upset and she definitely didn’t seem to notice
the way Laurie was making eyes at her boyfriend. She really must have no
idea about Saturday night.
It really wasn’t my place to tell her. Tanner said that nothing happened,
and it’s not like I was there to see it with my own two eyes. I blew out a long
breath as I placed my tray on the table and took a seat. I decided I wouldn’t
say anything—for now. But I was definitely keeping an eye on the situation.
Even after I sat down, I couldn’t focus on my food, or what Tanner was
saying from beside me. I found my eyes were still drawn to Madi. She was
nothing like the rest of the girls at our table. They all had so much makeup
caked on they looked ten years older, but Madi didn’t appear to be wearing
any. She was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, while the other girls were sporting
short skirts and heels. They must have hated her for looking better than them
without trying.
It wasn’t just her outfit that was different though. Her whole personality
was completely at odds with the other girls in our group. They were all
laughing loudly, and shouting over one another to be heard. Madi had never
been that way though. She was quiet, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t heard. It
seemed like everyone was always drawn to her. People would quieten down
when she spoke, wanting to listen to what she had to say.
She was doodling something on her napkin, and I tilted my head to try and
see what it was. I was interrupted before I got a chance to get a good look at it
though.
“I didn’t see you at the party on Saturday night,” a voice purred beside
me.
I glanced down at Laurie, wishing I hadn’t somehow ended up next to her.
The girl was the worst kind of toxic. One whiff of her and it was like the
poison was in your bloodstream for life.
“I wasn’t there long. I had an early start on Sunday,” I replied bluntly.
She draped herself on my arm. “I missed you,” she said. She glanced over
at Jake for a brief second before focusing back on me. There was no way I
was playing this game with her.
“Funny, can’t say I felt the same.” I was normally much more gentle when
letting girls down, but that tactic didn’t work when it came to Laurie. Give her
an inch and she’d swallow you whole. “And can I steal my arm back, please?
I kind of need it to eat.”
She grunted unhappily but detracted her nails from where they’d lodged in
my skin.
“I voted for you to be the True Love bachelor,” she said, her gaze still
focused on me. “If I’m one of your girls, will you give me a rose?” She
pouted her bottom lip and fluttered her long eyelashes.
“Depends,” I replied.
“On…” There was a warning tone in her voice.
“How much the audience likes you,” I replied. “This is for charity after
all. And if you’re not bringing in the dollars…”
A sense of determination filled her eyes. “Oh, the audience will love me.
You’ll see.”
She spoke about it like she was already a sure bet. Since she was pretty
popular, I guessed it was highly likely she’d be picked. There were ten places
for the girls, after all.
I glanced around the table, wondering if any of our other friends would be
selected. I felt certain that some of the girls would be picked, though it was a
little harder to know if any of the guys would, seeing as there was only one
being chosen.
When my eyes landed on Madi, I had to smother a smile. She was so
confident that she wouldn’t be voted for. But I had a strong feeling she was
about to be proved wrong, and I couldn’t wait to see the look on her face
when they called her name.
 3

MADISON

E veryone from school was packed into the gym. Laurie and half the cheer
squad had even arrived early to reserve some of the seats at the front. I
got along with those girls well enough, but they weren’t really my friends.
Not in the same way Hayley was.
The two of us ended up closer to the back of the bleachers, sitting with
some of the girls from my drama class. There was something about drama
that bonded kids together in a way none of the other classes at school did.
“Who’d you vote for?” Teagan asked as I sat down beside her. She’d been
the lead in our last three school productions, and I was pretty sure the girl was
going to end up in Hollywood one day. It wasn’t just because of her white
blonde hair, dazzling green eyes, and perfect skin either. She was just that
talented.
“No one,” I said. “It’s not really my thing.”
“It’s for charity,” Teagan said with a tsk. “It’s everyone’s thing.”
“I for one hope you all voted for me to be one of the lucky ladies,” Evan
said, coming to sit on the other side of Hayley.
“You going to sweep our dashing bachelor off his feet?” I asked.
“Oh, no. He’s the one who’ll be doing all the sweeping,” Evan said,
making us all laugh. If whoever was picked to be the bachelor swung even
slightly that way, I had no doubt Evan would win. Evan looked like he
belonged in a boy band. He was gorgeous, funny and had a heart of gold.
“I think we all know it’s just going to be a lineup of girls in cheerleading
uniforms,” Teagan said, her shoulders sinking. “No offense, Hayley.”
“None taken,” Hayley replied. “Just as long as it’s not me. No boy here
has enough chest hair to get a date with me.”
“You and me both,” Evan agreed. “We should really go out together one
night, Hayles. I know a great uni-bar downtown that rarely IDs. Lots of hot
older guys.”
“You had me at uni-bar,” she grinned.
The room began to quieten as the principal stepped onto the platform
erected in the center of the basketball court and stood in front of the
microphone stand.
“Many of our lives have been affected by the fires that came through here
last year,” Mrs. Green began, her monotone voice vibrating softly through the
speakers around the gym. “As a way of giving back to the community and
helping those who lost so much in the devastation, your student council has
set up a contest to help raise much-needed funds. Please welcome your
student council president, Mr. Angus Fable, to tell you more.”
The room erupted in a cheer as Angus leaped onto the stage. He pulled the
microphone from the stand and strode around the small stage, soaking up the
applause. He grinned brightly at the crowd, not an ounce of nerves showing
on his face. I’d hate to have to speak in front of the whole school, but Angus
thrived on the attention.
“Thank you, Lincoln High!” he shouted into the microphone, causing the
speakers to screech awkwardly. It didn’t throw Angus off his game though.
“You have all voted, and it means so much to this community,” he said. “I
can’t wait to get this contest started. The film club is ready to record every
romantic minute, and you’ll be able to watch a new episode every Sunday
night. And, of course, you can vote for your favorite contestants each week,
for a small fee, all for a good cause.”
There was a smattering of applause, led by Principal Green, who was
beaming proudly at Angus. I really seemed to be the only person who wasn’t
excited about the True Love contest.
“Now for the moment you’ve all been waiting for,” Angus called, waving
a piece of paper above his head. “I have the results!”
The room went wild again, and Angus grinned broadly at the reaction.
Looking around me I could see eager anticipation on every student’s face. I’d
really underestimated how much interest there was in this competition.
“When your name is called, please make your way down to the stage. I’ll
start with our bachelor. Drum roll please…”
The students began slamming their feet against the ground, and the stands
rumbled with the sound.
“And your bachelor is…none other than Lincoln High’s star football
player, Cole Kingston!”
Screams erupted and people jumped to their feet at the announcement. I
slowly stood so I could see over everyone’s heads. There was no cheering or
clapping from me though.
“Why the hell would they pick him?” I asked Teagan.
She shook her head at me but smiled. “Have you seen Cole? Why
wouldn’t they pick him?”
I looked back toward where Angus was standing to find that Cole had
joined him. Cole was grinning broadly as he stood on the stage and lapped up
the attention. Tilting my head, I tried to understand what everyone else saw in
him.
As I watched him shake Angus’ hand, Cole seemed to have a genuine
smile on his face. He had a nice smile—I had to admit that. But he usually
reserved a cruel smirk for me. His dirty blonde hair was also always messy. It
was constantly hanging in his eyes, and he looked like he needed a good
haircut. He was ripped, which I guess all the girls loved. His face must have
been what really pulled them in though. He was unbelievably handsome.
Even I couldn’t deny that.
Still, there had to be sweeter guys out there; kinder, more considerate
boys, who wouldn’t enjoy the opportunity to break nine girls’ hearts into a
million pieces. Cole was like a god this school worshipped, and that was fine,
but he was also a jerk and obviously not the right person for this contest.
Lincoln High had picked the wrong bachelor.
“Alright, alright,” Angus called into the microphone. “Settle down, kids.
We still need to announce our lovely ladies.”
The crowd quickly fell silent, but a few whispers remained as people tried
to predict whose name would be called first.
“Our first girl is none other than the captain of our cheer squad and the
captain of our hearts, Miss Laurie Wilson.”
People clapped as Laurie jumped to her feet, an unconvincing look of
shock covering her face. It didn’t take long for her to gather herself before she
skipped up onto the stage.
“Well, there’s our winner right there,” Evan said.
I couldn’t help but agree with Evan as Laurie stood next to Cole and
smiled brightly up at him. They looked perfect together.
“Girl number two also comes from our fabulous cheer squad. She’s got
the spirit, and she’s got this part, but can she win our bachelor’s heart? Give it
up for the other half of the Wilson twins, Miss Brooke Wilson.”
As the students applauded once again, Laurie’s sister made her way to the
stage, looking every inch as eager as her twin had. Brooke had always been
the quieter one of the Wilson girls, and I got along with her much better than
with Laurie. They weren’t identical, but the two girls looked scarily similar
when their bleach blonde hair was pulled back into high ponytails.
“This takes sibling rivalry to a whole new level,” Hayley murmured to
me.
“Tell me about it,” I agreed.
I slumped back in my seat as the next two names were announced. Anna
and Sally, two more cheerleaders, were called up to the stage. I was beginning
to think that Teagan had been right. We really would be watching the whole
cheer squad chase after Cole. There was no need to pay for that though when
we could just watch it in real life.
I perked up a bit as one of the girls from the basketball team, Maria, was
called up. She looked so excited, and I started to smile as I watched her take
the stage. I’d heard how friendly she was, and I’d seen her tear up a basketball
court. Of all the contestants so far, she’d be the one to get my vote. That is, if
I was planning on voting at all.
“Zoe Night,” Angus called the next name. Another surprise. Zoe
practically ran the school newspaper, and I almost wondered if she’d
somehow tricked her way into the lineup. She would do anything for a good
story, and where better to get one than from the inside of the True Love
contest?
When the next name was called the room fell silent, and only a few
pathetic claps followed the girl to the stage. I even heard a few laughs.
“Willow Clarke, everyone!” Angus cheered, trying to draw a reaction
from the crowd. “Come on up here, Willow.”
I frowned as I watched Willow approach the stage slowly. Glancing at my
friends, I saw my own confusion reflected on their faces.
Willow was in my art class. She didn’t talk much, but she was sweet
whenever we chatted. She was somewhat socially awkward and kind of kept
to herself. It seemed strange that people had voted for her, but she was
strikingly pretty, and the only thing that made her appear out of place on the
stage was the nervous look on her face. As Willow walked down the row of
contestants, I noticed a smirk spreading across Laurie’s features and she
whispered something to her sister. Something about the way Laurie was
grinning had me worried for Willow.
“What’s Laurie up to?” I murmured to Hayley.
“I overheard her talking with some of the other cheerleaders,” she replied.
“They were all talking about nominating Willow as a joke. I didn’t think they
were actually going to go through with it though.”
My stomach dropped. “Why would they do that?”
Hayley shrugged, looking as confused as I was. “Willow’s pretty shy.
They probably thought she’d hate it.”
“I hope Willow beats them,” I growled, turning back to face the stage.
“Yeah, that would certainly show Laurie,” Hayley agreed.
Willow looked so lost up on the stage. She was like a rabbit stuck in the
headlights. Her eyes were large, and she appeared to be frozen in place. I
watched as Cole gave her a reassuring smile and Willow’s lips lifted in a
small smile of her own. The gesture seemed kind, and for a brief moment I
caught a glimpse of a Cole that didn’t seem quite so awful. Knowing him
though, it was all for show. The entire school was watching him, after all.
I was analyzing the interaction so intently I didn’t hear as Angus
announced the next contestant—probably another cheerleader. But as
applause rose up from the students around me, people started turning in their
seats to look at me. Hayley slammed her elbow into my side.
“Ow!” I exclaimed, shooting her a glare.
“Get up, you idiot, he’s calling your name.”
I whipped my head around to look down at the stage, where Angus had
his hand reached out toward me. “Come on down, Madison Matthews. Don’t
pretend you don’t want to!” he said into the microphone.
My blood turned cold as I realized what was happening.
“Who on Earth would vote for me?” I grabbed Hayley’s arm, desperate
for it to be some horrible mistake. “I have a boyfriend.”
“That doesn’t matter right now, just go!” Hayley exclaimed. She
practically shoved me to the end of the aisle, and I stumbled as I started down
the first few steps. I was in a daze as I descended toward the basketball court
and the podium where the rest of the contestants were waiting.
This could not be happening.
I felt sick to my stomach at the thought of being part of the competition
and utterly bewildered as to why I had been picked.
As I looked up at the other contestants, Cole caught my eye. He was
smiling broadly at me, just like he had been with the other girls. But I could
have sworn there was a hint of smugness in his eyes. I was probably being
paranoid, but I got a bad feeling that he wasn’t quite as surprised by my
selection as I was.
I fell into place beside Willow. Up close, she looked even more terrified at
the prospect of being on the stage than I had first thought. I could feel her
trembling at my side. I wanted to reach out and squeeze her hand, but I
couldn’t do it while all the vultures in the audience were watching. I didn’t
want to draw any more attention to her if I could avoid it.
Instead, I looked across the bleachers, searching for Jake. I needed his
reassurance right now. Even just a nod of his head to tell me everything was
okay. When I finally spotted him in the crowd though, he was scowling and
refusing to look in my direction. My stomach lurched at the sight. I kept
watching him, waiting for him to turn my way, but he kept his focus on
Angus, the frown at his forehead growing more pronounced with every
minute that passed.
The next contestant to be announced was Teagan. She jumped to her feet,
and I swear I saw her clench her fist in celebration. I wondered if it was
because she liked Cole, but I also knew how much she would enjoy being on
camera. She was so bright and confident as she came to stand next to me, and
I felt a twinge of jealousy as I watched her. She’d made it look so easy to be
in front of a crowd. All I wanted was to completely disappear.
The loudest cheer of the afternoon rattled around the gym as the final
name was called and Evan began to descend the staircase. I looked down the
line to see Cole’s reaction. He was laughing and gave an exaggerated shrug of
his broad shoulders. Evan blew him a kiss and Cole playfully pretended to
catch it. The show had already started, and the students seemed to love every
second of it.
Everyone was still cheering as Evan moved to stand on the other side of
Teagan. He took a grand bow, lapping up the adoration.
“Well folks, that’s our bachelor and our ten contestants,” Angus
announced, waving a hand down the line at us. “Our very first episode will be
airing this Sunday, so don’t forget to tune in, open your hearts, open your
pockets and vote for your favorite!”
He flipped the microphone up in the air and caught it before he jumped
off the stage and handed it back to Principal Green. She dismissed the
assembly but asked all the contestants to stay behind for a briefing. As
students began to file out of the gym, I tried to catch Jake’s attention, but he
disappeared through the door in a flash. He didn’t look at me once, and I felt a
surge of disappointment and rejection in my chest.
I let out a breath and walked over to Angus. He’d gotten me into this
mess; surely he could get me out of it. We’d always gotten along well enough,
and if there was anyone who could help me out, it was him.
“Hey, Angus,” I said, as I approached.
“Hey, girl,” he said, drawing me up in a hug. Angus was a hugger. Some
people said he hugged his way to student council president and it was almost
believable.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, as he dropped his arms from around me and
noticed my expression.
I pulled him slightly aside so the others couldn’t overhear. “I can’t be a
part of this,” I said.
“What do you mean?” he asked with a frown.
“Your True Love contest,” I said. “I have a boyfriend, it wouldn’t be right
for me to compete.” Not to mention the fact that I hated the idea of fighting
for a guy’s attention, especially when said guy was such a jerk.
Angus hesitated as he considered his response. “I know you and Jake are
together, but it’s not like this is real. It’s just a bit of fun for charity. Plus,
you’ll get extra credit for taking part.”
“I understand that, but I still don’t think it’s right,” I replied, crossing my
arms over my chest.
“Look,” Angus said. “The people in our school voted for you for a reason.
They like you and they look up to you. Do you really want to let them down?”
I chewed on my lower lip. Would I really be letting the rest of the school
down if I didn’t play along?
“At the end of the day you have to remember that this is just another
charity fundraiser,” he continued. “And it’s for an excellent cause. We both
know people who lost everything in those fires last year. I know I wouldn’t be
able to sleep at night if I didn’t try to do everything in my power to help them
out and I think that this will work.”
I suddenly doubted my own convictions. I knew Angus was just trying to
make me feel guilty, but everything he was saying was true. Was I really so
selfish that I would back out because of Jake?
 “What seems to be the problem?” a voice asked behind me. I didn’t need
to turn to know it was Cole.
“Madi doesn’t want to take part in the competition,” Angus said.
I glared at him. Traitor.
Cole came to stand at my side. His eyes appeared to be filled with
concern, but I could never be sure when his expressions were genuine. “Is this
true, Madi?” he asked.
“It just doesn’t look right when I have a boyfriend,” I replied. However, I
was beginning to have doubts about whether that was a good enough reason
to back out. Angus really knew how to load on the guilt when he needed to.
Cole huffed out a breath and ran a hand through his messy hair. He
watched me carefully for several moments, his eyes calculating. I began to
feel uncomfortable under the intensity of his stare, though I’d never admit it
aloud.
“Can you give us a minute?” Cole eventually asked, glancing at Angus.
Angus nodded, leaving the two of us to talk. I really wished he’d stayed.
Cole was still staring at me with those penetrating eyes.
“I understand why you’re worried,” he said, surprising me.
“You do?”
“Yeah,” he replied. “But I know Jake trusts you and will understand if you
want to take part. If you’re willing to give it a try, I think you’d be a really
great addition to the competition.”
I’d expected him to joke around or try to goad me into committing to the
contest. A part of me even expected him to say he didn’t want me in the
competition anyway. I certainly hadn’t expected him to be supportive, and I
didn’t know how to respond. He thought I’d be a great addition? What did
that even mean?
My eyes narrowed as I considered his words further. There was no way he
could actually mean that. Knowing Cole, he probably just wanted to watch
me make a fool of myself in front of the whole school.
“Nice try, Cole,” I replied. “But is your vendetta against me really so
important that you’d drag me into this competition when it’s clearly not fair to
me or Jake.”
Cole frowned, and his eyes dropped to the ground. For a brief second I
thought he looked sad, but when he lifted his eyes again, his usual confidence
had replaced whatever ghost of an emotion had appeared in his gaze.
 “Think what you want, Matthews,” he said, before taking a step closer to
me. “But, just so you know, if you back out of this, I’m going to know it’s
because you’re scared.”
“You think a little competition scares me?” I asked.
“I know it does,” he replied.
“Well, you’re wrong.”
“Prove it,” he said.
There it was. The goading I’d initially been expecting from him. I didn’t
feel the need to prove anything to him, but I’d already begun to consider
joining the competition. I’d only been thinking of myself when my name had
first been announced, but I was starting to realize we’d be doing a lot of good
for charity. Showing Cole that I wasn’t scared would also be a bonus.
“You don’t have to prove anything,” Angus said, re-joining us and
shooting Cole a dirty look. “But if it makes you feel any better, we can script
it so Cole dismisses you in the first round,” he added. “We really want you to
be a part of it though.”
Cole frowned at him. “That doesn’t seem to be in the spirit of the
competition,” he said, his words rigid and unyielding.
“It works for me,” I said, butting in before Angus could decide to take the
offer back. I was still uncertain about the whole thing, but it felt wrong to
back out of the competition entirely. This seemed like a good alternative.
“Then we’re agreed,” Angus said with a smile.
Cole looked pissed, but I let out a breath, feeling a sense of relief. I could
take one week of this. I just hoped that Jake would understand.
 4

COLE

I t was hard to maintain a guise of happiness as Angus ran through the

logistics of the competition. My face was pretty much impassive by this
point, but at least I wasn’t showing the irritation boiling beneath my skin.
Madi had taken my words completely the wrong way when I’d tried to
convince her to stay in the contest. I honestly thought she’d be great at it and I
wanted her to stay. I’d tried to be nice, but what was the point when she just
assumed I was purposely acting like a jerk, even when I wasn’t.
I was certain that the only reason she’d agreed to stay on was because
Angus had assured her she could be the first to leave. But the more I thought
about it, the less inclined I was to give in to her wishes.
I couldn’t keep a grin from forming on my face when Angus started
describing the rules, knowing that one way or another I’d be able to find a
way around his and Madi’s arrangement.
“You guys will get an email with the filming schedule at the start of each
week,” Angus explained. “There will be a live broadcast of the selection
ceremony on Monday evenings, a single date on Thursday nights, and a group
date on Friday nights.”
They weren’t messing around with this competition, and it seemed like we
were going to be busy. If it were football season, I’d never have time to be the
bachelor.
“The show will go up on the school’s website on Sunday nights,” Angus
continued. “As soon as it airs, voting will begin and the audience can pay to
vote for their favorite contestant to stay in the competition. So, everyone,
when you’re on camera, let’s try to make things interesting! We want those
votes streaming in, and whoever gets the most audience votes will be safe
from elimination. That’s your best chance of winning the competition.”
I heard a giggle and noticed Laurie giving her sister a knowing look. I
wasn’t sure I wanted to know how she was planning to make things
interesting. The scary part was, it was only a matter of time before I found
out.
“The voting will close on Monday, right before the live ceremony,” Angus
added. “The audience’s chosen contestant will advance to the next round. Our
bachelor, Cole, will then select the rest of the contestants he wants to stay.”
I tried not to give Madi a smug look as I heard the rules. It didn’t matter
what arrangement she had with Angus; I would get the final say on who
stayed and who went.
“The competition will end the night of the formal with the bachelor and
his selected winner attending the event together. Any questions?” Angus
asked.
Madi cleared her throat and I let out a low groan, much more loudly than I
had been expecting. She whipped her head around and glared at me with her
piercing stormy eyes before turning to Angus.
“What if we have a clash with the schedule?” she asked. “I work some
nights after school and on weekends.”
Her question made me frown. I’d never heard Madi talk about a job
before, and I scanned my memory as I tried to figure out if I’d missed
something. Was she pretending to have a job just to get out of the contest?
“Any chance you can swap your shifts?” Angus asked.
Madi’s face fell. “Yeah, I can try.” It was clear she still wanted to get out
of the contest, and it was starting to annoy me. No one else was complaining.
“Who gets the single date this week?” Laurie asked, raising her voice and
drawing everyone’s attention. She gave me a confident smile as I looked at
her.
“This week we will kick off the contest with the group date on Friday
night. There will be no single date,” Angus replied. He was interrupted as the
bell rang signaling the end of school.
Willow instantly put her hand up. She seemed nervous at the thought of
speaking in front of the rest of the group and paled even further when Angus
nodded at her.
“Willow, my lady, what’s up?” Angus asked.
Her eyes flitted anxiously around the rest of the group. I could see why
she was apprehensive. Laurie was whispering something in Sally’s ear, which
caused them both to look at Willow and snigger. Willow had always been
strangely timid, and I was a little concerned that a girl like Laurie would eat
her alive in a competition like this. I’d have to chat with her and make sure
she was going to be okay.
“That’s the end-of-school bell and I can’t stay,” she said softly. “I have to
go now if I want to catch the bus.” The confession looked like it nearly killed
her to admit in front of so many people.
“No problem,” Angus replied. He had a stack of papers in his hand, and
he stepped forward to pass her one. “Just take one of these before you leave.
We need your parents to sign a release so you can take part in the
competition.”
Willow nodded before scurrying out of the room as quickly as she could.
Angus started passing the forms around to the rest of the group. “Get your
parents to sign these and bring them back tomorrow,” he said, raising his
voice to be heard over Laurie, Brooke, and Sally who had started talking.
“You can’t be in the True Love contest if you don’t get a signature.”
Madi’s eyes lit up, and I immediately knew I still had work to do if I
wanted her in the contest. I wasn’t sure why I was so determined to keep her
in the competition when she clearly didn’t want anything to do with it. A part
of me felt like it could be a chance for us to turn over a new leaf. Perhaps she
would finally remember what good friends we had once been, and realize that
I wasn’t the jerk she thought I’d become.
Once everyone had been given a permission form, Angus waved us away.
Madi didn’t hesitate as she headed for the gym door. I went to go after her,
but Laurie grabbed hold of me the second I left the gym.
“Isn’t this perfect, Cole?” she asked, linking her arm through mine and
pulling me aside. I glanced over my shoulder as Madi disappeared around the
corner. “We’re going to look so good at formal together.”
“You need to win to go to formal with me,” I replied, trying to keep the
total disdain from my voice.
“Well, obviously I’m going to win,” she scoffed. “Who else would you
pick? Are you going to take Willow to the formal?”
I’d rather go to formal with Willow than with Laurie, but I didn’t dare say
that to her. I wasn’t stupid, and Laurie would make Willow’s life a misery if I
even hinted at the fact. I definitely didn’t want that.
I disentangled my arm from her grasp. “This competition is going to be
fun,” I said, looking down at her. “But we haven’t even had the first group
date, Laurie. I’m not making any promises or guarantees to anyone.”
She pouted her lower lip out at me. It was the look she always gave when
things didn’t go her way. Another guy might have found the expression
appealing, but certainly not me. “Look, I’ve got to run. I’ll see you
tomorrow.”
I didn’t wait for her response and took off down the corridor. I needed to
catch Madi and make sure she planned to give her parents the release form.
She wasn’t at her locker when I reached it, so I headed for the car park hoping
to catch her before she left.
The parking lot was almost empty by the time I got there, so it wasn’t
hard to pick Madi out. She was standing alone, staring at the empty space
where Jake usually parked his car. Her bag was slung loosely over one
shoulder, and the wind whipped her long hair around her face, but she didn’t
move to tame it. She looked lost, and my stomach tightened when I realized
that Jake must have left without her.
“Need a ride?” I asked.
Her head jerked upwards at the sound of my voice, and her saddened eyes
met mine. She looked down at the phone she was gripping tightly in one hand
before letting out a sigh.
“He didn’t wait for me,” she murmured, instead of answering my
question. “Jake always takes me home from school.”
Usually, I would have used the opportunity to point out what a tool Jake
was, but something about the hurt look on Madi’s face made me pause.
“Maybe something came up,” I suggested instead.
She nodded, but her eyes were filled with doubt. We both knew the truth.
Jake was pissed that she’d been selected for the contest and this was her
punishment. The guy really was a selfish idiot.
“I should just call Hayley,” she said, flicking me another uncertain look.
I didn’t hesitate as I took her by the shoulders and started steering her in
the direction of my car, which was only a few spaces down. “Don’t be
stubborn Matthews, we live on the same street.”
“It will look bad if I ride with you…”
“Then hide in the back seat,” I replied with a grin.
She turned her head to meet my gaze. My hands were still on her slight
shoulders, and the movement caused a waft of her shampoo to hit me. It was a
fresh and sweet fragrance that smelled like strawberries. I resisted the
temptation to dip my head closer and get a better whiff. That wouldn’t be a
good look.
 “I’m not hiding in your back seat!” she exclaimed as she peeled my hands
from her shoulders. I immediately missed the contact.
“I get it,” I said, shrugging my shoulders. “You’re worried you won’t be
able to resist me once we’re in the confines of my truck. It wouldn’t be fair to
the other girls.”
Her eyes sparkled with annoyance. “I can resist you just fine. You’re
repulsive.”
I laughed aloud at her. “Sure I am, puddles.”
“Don’t call me that,” she growled. “We’re not six years old anymore.”
“True,” I replied. “But that doesn’t mean you’re not still obsessed with
dancing in the rain.”
Her glare grew darker, which only caused my grin to grow larger. “Would
you prefer it if I called you something else,” I said. “I can do that. How about
sweet cheeks? Or maybe honey bun? Or pumpkin?”
She was practically shaking with anger. “My name is Madison.”
“Of course it is, princess, now get in the car.” I pulled the passenger side
door open for her.
Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, and I could have sworn the
threat of violence was lurking in her eyes. “You going to punch me for
offering you a ride?” I laughed.
Her fists immediately loosened.
“Just stop coming up with excuses and get in the car. There’s no one here
to even see us right now. It will be our little secret.”
She glanced around the empty car park, and from the resigned look in her
eyes, I could tell she knew I was right. She finally let out a breath. “Fine,” she
grumbled.
I stood back and watched her climb into the truck. She seemed so small
and delicate next to the massive vehicle as she started to pull herself up into
the front seat. I was almost worried she wouldn’t make it. When she turned
and caught me looking at her, the annoyance returned to her gaze. I realized
that it was probably because it seemed like I was checking out her ass.
“You’re such a pig,” she spat at me.
“Takes one to know one, babe. Takes one to know one.” I slammed the
door shut before she could fire back at me. I smiled the whole way round to
the other side of the car. The look on her face had pretty much made my day.
 5

MADISON

T he five-mile walk home from school was beginning to look pretty good
as I sat in Cole’s car. I’d happily walk double that distance just to avoid
the smug grin that had been pasted across his face since he’d gotten behind
the wheel.
I decided that silence was the only way I could cope with the guy, so I sat
back in my seat and stared out the window, trying to pretend the boy I loathed
wasn’t sitting only inches away from me.
Watching the outside world didn’t stop me from smelling Cole though.
The car was infused with the soft scent of whatever cologne he wore. It was a
nice change from Jake’s car, which mostly smelt of dirty socks and empty fast
food containers. Every time Jake drove me to and from school, I found myself
wishing I owned a hazmat suit. That certainly wasn’t the case in Cole’s truck.
Cole also seemed like a pretty good driver. The trees weren’t passing in a
blur, and I hadn’t once had to grip the corner of my seat as he whipped around
a corner too fast. Jake, on the other hand, drove his car like he lived his life:
recklessly fast and without giving any consideration to the consequences of
his actions.
As Cole pulled up outside the front of my house, I realized we’d spent the
entire journey in silence. I turned to him and found that he was watching me
expectantly.
“Well, thanks for the ride,” I said, before turning and launching myself
from the truck. I didn’t wait to hear whatever rude remark he might respond
with.
I quickly shut the door and started toward my house. It was a relief to be
home after the day I’d had, but that small reprieve was short lived as I heard
the sound of a car door opening and closing behind me. I looked over my
shoulder as Cole rounded the front of his truck and started to follow me.
 “What are you doing?” I hissed as he walked up the hedge-lined pathway
toward me. “Your house is that way.” I pointed across the street to the
Kingston family’s home, which was a few doors down from mine.
“I’m walking you to your door, Matthews. You got a problem with that?”
he drawled.
I stood in the pathway before him, my hands on my hips. “Yeah, I kind of
do.”
He mimicked my pose, amusement playing in his eyes. “I’m just being
polite. My mother raised me right.”
“Are you saying mine didn’t?” I growled.
“That depends.”
“On…”
“Whether or not you’ll let me walk you to your door,” he replied.
“Fine,” I grumbled. I took the last few steps to the front door of my house.
“You’ve walked me to my door. Happy?”
He shrugged as he joined me on the porch, not giving any hint that he was
about to leave.
“What now?” I asked. There had to be something else considering he
hadn’t yet said goodbye.
Before he could answer, the door opened behind me. “Is that you,
Madison?” my mom asked, as she pulled the door wide. She smiled when she
found me standing there. “I thought I heard you come home.”
If I thought she looked happy to see me, Mom’s eyes practically lit up like
Christmas tree lights when they landed on Cole.
“Cole, it’s so nice to see you!” she beamed. She never looked at Jake that
way. It was bad enough that the entire school worshipped Cole; did my mom
really have to join his fan club too?
“It’s nice to see you as well, Mrs. Matthews,” he replied, smiling at her
warmly.
His pleasant expression made me want to gag. Could he be any more
fake?
“I’ve just made some cookies; would you like to come in and have
some?” she asked him.
I shot Cole a hard look. He better not say yes.
 Cole completely ignored the warning in my eyes though. “I’d love to,
Mrs. Matthews. It’s been so long since I’ve had one of your famous cookies.
They’ve always been my favorite.”
Mom started blushing, and I wanted to smack her across the back of her
head. “I think Cole actually has homework to go do,” I said, sending him
another glare.
“Nope,” he said, stepping past me as he followed my mom into the house.
“No homework at all tonight.” He turned back to look at me and winked. It
was the same wink I’d seen him use on dozens of girls before, and I refused to
be affected. At least, my mind tried to resist, but my stomach did a strange
somersault in reaction, which only made my expression grow darker.
We walked into the kitchen and Cole made himself at home, sitting at the
breakfast bar, while Mom slid the cookies out from the oven.
“Comfortable?” I asked, moving past him to stand on the other side of the
counter.
“I am,” he smiled. “Thanks for asking.” His eyes practically glittered. He
was enjoying this way too much.
“How was school?” Mom asked, glancing at me over her shoulder as she
transferred the cookies to a plate.
“Fine,” I replied.
“Don’t be modest, Madi,” Cole interrupted. “It was more than fine. You
were one of ten girls in the entire school to be selected for the True Love
dating contest.”
I scowled at him. What was he playing at?
“You’re in the contest?” Mom squealed, her focus now completely off the
cookies. From the way she asked the question it was as though she’d already
heard about it.
“Yeah, Mom, I’m in the contest,” I replied.
She gave another excited squeal. “Oh, that’s so exciting, sweetie. I can’t
wait to watch you. Who’s the bachelor?”
“Funny you should ask,” Cole replied. “I’m actually the lucky guy.”
Mom lifted her oven mitts to her face and smiled as she looked between
the two of us. “Aw, Madi. After the way Cole used to chase you around the
garden for kisses when you were kids, I knew it was only a matter of time
before he finally caught you.”
 “Mom!” I groaned. “I have a boyfriend.”
She swatted my comment away with one of her floral oven mitts. “You’re
young. You’ll have plenty of boyfriends. I can’t wait to talk with your mother,
Cole. Judy will be so excited.”
I could already see the pair of them gossiping over coffee. Our mothers
had been best friends for as long as I could remember. I think the two of them
had been planning mine and Cole’s eventual marriage since we were five.
Mom was probably more disappointed than I was when Cole and I had
stopped being friends. The realization we were in this contest together was
probably the best news she’d received all year.
“I can’t wait to tell Mom either,” Cole said with a big smile. “I just need
to remember to get her to sign the release form for the contest. I’m always
hopeless at that stuff. You should get your mom to sign yours now…” he said,
turning to me.
I frowned at him, and my mouth fell open a little with shock. It was like
he had read my mind. Ever since Angus mentioned the forms, I’d been
considering telling him that my mom had refused to let me be involved. There
would have been no arguing around that. But how did Cole know that’s what I
was planning?
“Good idea, Cole,” Mom said. “Go get your form now, Madi.” She was
looking at me with such enthusiasm that I knew I couldn’t say no.
Once Mom had scrawled her signature at the bottom of the paper, Cole
swiftly stole it off the bench top before I could grab it.
“I’m helping Angus collect them,” he said, with a knowing smile. “I’ll
take this for you and give it to him.”
I folded my arms across my chest, scowling. “Thanks, you really don’t
have to do that.”
“Oh, I insist. We wouldn’t want it getting lost.”
Seriously, how did this boy know me so well?
Mom kept smiling between the two of us like we were a love story in the
making. She was seriously delusional though, because there was absolutely
no romance between Cole and me.
“Are those cookies I smell?” a voice called down the stairs.
“Yes, Lucas, there are cookies here for you,” Mom shouted back,
suddenly remembering the cookies and placing the plate on the bench in front
of us. “Come and get them!’
 I quickly stole two cookies off the plate before Lucas arrived. Between
my brother and Cole, I felt sure they’d be gone in the blink of an eye. I
would’ve taken more if Cole hadn’t been watching. It was bad enough he’d
called me a pig once today. I didn’t need to hear it a second time.
Lucas bounded into the kitchen and grinned when he saw Cole sitting
there. Lucas was a year younger than us, but he was already about the same
size as Cole. They were both huge, and now they were together in our kitchen
it made the room feel unusually small.
“Hey, man,” Lucas said, taking the seat next to Cole. “It’s good to see you
over here.”
“It’s good to be here,” Cole replied with a smile.
“You’re not trying to cheat the competition and get in with my sister
beforehand are you?”
Cole laughed. “Shouldn’t it be the other way around?”
“Nah, Madi’s worth a million of those other girls. She’s the one who
needs impressing.”
My cheeks warmed at Lucas’ words. Since when was my not-so-little
brother so protective?
“True,” Cole agreed. “You off to training?” He nodded at the hockey
jersey Lucas was wearing. His entire life revolved around ice hockey, and I
rarely saw him because of it. Our school didn’t have a team, so he played for
a local club.
“Always,” Lucas replied, and it wasn’t far from the truth. Even when he
didn’t have practice, it seemed like Lucas was training in some way or
another. He was probably going to go pro one day.
I sometimes wished I were as talented as Lucas at something. The only
thing I even came close to being good at was art. But I didn’t show anyone
my work. It felt strange to share something so personal with others.
I let out a sad sigh as I watched the two boys devour all the cookies. I was
right to take a few for myself, as it didn’t take them long. There really was
nothing worse than having to share baked goods.
“I left a few extra in the oven for you,” Mom whispered to me.
I smiled up at her, my heart lifting. “You are most definitely the best
person in the world.”
“Yes, I know,” she replied with a grin before turning to Lucas. “Get your
things together, we’re leaving for practice in five minutes.”
 Lucas jumped from his chair as he rushed to comply. He paused by the
door though and turned back to Cole. “I’m watching you, Kingston,” he
warned. “Don’t mess around with Madi.”
“I won’t,” Cole agreed.
“Good,” Lucas said, smirking as he disappeared from the room. I frowned
as I looked after him. I’d never heard him talk about me like that before.
“It really was nice to see you here, Cole,” Mom said, hovering at the
kitchen counter for a moment. “Please remember you’re welcome here any
time.”
“Thanks, Mrs. Matthews. I will,” he replied. “And thank you for the
cookies. They really are the best.”
She nodded, a small blush warming her cheeks at his compliment, before
following my brother from the room. Cole watched her leave, and as soon as
the front door closed behind her, he turned to me with a cocky smirk spread
across his face.
“Your mom loves me.”
“My mom doesn’t know the real you,” I replied.
His smile grew broader, and he pushed off his chair, taking several steps
around the kitchen bench to come and stand before me. I had to reach my
head back to look him in the eyes, and I tried to ignore the way my stupid
heart stuttered at his closeness. He was making me nervous, but I couldn’t
understand why. It wasn’t like I was afraid of him. Maybe my pulse had
quickened because my body was readying for a fight.
He moved in closer to me, and I took a step back, jarring up against the
wall behind me. He placed one hand against the wall, just above my head, and
leaned in close. “What’s not to love?”
“You want a list?” I replied.
“Sure,” he gave me an indulgent smile. “Let’s hear your list.”
I huffed out a breath, again wishing he wasn’t so close. His proximity was
distracting me, and I was so focused on the fact he was invading my personal
space that my quick retorts were becoming sluggish.
“Well, to start with, you’re rude,” I eventually said.
“Only to you, kitten. Everyone else loves me.”
“You’re arrogant,” I continued, marking the quality off on my finger.
“I have every right to be. I’m brilliant.” He grinned.
 “You’re a man-whore.”
“You listen to too much gossip.”
I shook my head in disagreement, but I refused to be derailed. “And
you’re not as hot as you think you are.”
He laughed out loud and stood back, giving me room to breathe once
more. “Now you’re just making things up.”
I shrugged. “You just don’t do it for me.”
“Sure I don’t. I bet you have naughty thoughts about me just like all the
other girls do.”
“You’re disgusting.” I scrunched my nose up. “Every word that comes out
of your mouth is riddled with dirty undertones. I’m going to need to sanitize
the kitchen and my ears.”
He laughed; smiling at me like it was cute I thought he was a scumbag.
“Okay, you need to leave now,” I said. I didn’t like the way he was
looking at me. His smile was genuine and totally disarming, and I wanted it
nowhere near me. He needed to save it for the girls in his stupid competition.
“Aren’t you enjoying my company?” he asked.
“You barged into my house, flirted with my mom, stole my cookies and
now you’re invading my personal space. You think I enjoyed all that?” I
asked.
He paused and tilted his head as if he was thinking the question over.
“Yeah,” he replied. “I think you enjoyed all of it.”
I shook my head at him. “Get out of here, Cole.”
He laughed and lifted his hands in surrender. “Fine, I’m leaving.” He
started to move away, but before he did, he leaned in close to me once again.
“And don’t pretend you didn’t enjoy sharing your cookies with me.”
I placed my hands on his shoulders and pushed him back. “Must you
make everything sound dirty?”
He grinned down at me like my comment had made his day. “Only with
you, cookie. Only with you.”
 6

MADISON

I got out of Mom’s car and slumped my heavy bag over my shoulder. I felt
exhausted. Jake hadn’t answered any of my calls the previous evening,
and I’d been up half the night worrying about it. He hadn’t arrived to pick me
up from school, and it was lucky Mom had been running late for work, or I
wouldn’t have been able to get a ride from her either.
“Have a nice day, Madi,” Mom called out through the lowered car
window as she went to pull away. I raised a hand in reply and started heading
toward the school.
My heart was a swirling bundle of uncertainty and misery. I wasn’t
exactly sure what I’d done to make Jake upset, but I already had a bad feeling
that we weren’t going to come back from this.
I made my way straight to his locker, where I found him leaning against
the wall, surrounded by his friends. I didn’t want to talk to him in front of
them, but I didn’t feel like I was left with any choice.
“Hey,” I said, softly. I lightly touched his arm, causing him to turn.
When Jake’s eyes landed on me, I could see disappointment etched in
them and my stomach sunk. Jake was always impulsive and emotional, and
right now I could feel every bit of his unhappiness directed at me.
“Can we talk?” I asked.
He glanced over his shoulder at his friends and, for a second, I worried
that he would refuse. I breathed a silent sigh of relief when he nodded and led
me to an empty classroom.
“What’s going on?” I asked, clutching my arms around my waist as he
closed the door behind us. I felt suddenly vulnerable and apprehensive about
what he was going to say.
He let out a breath and rubbed his face as if he too had suffered a sleepless
night. “I’m sorry I haven’t spoken to you, Mads. I’m just trying to figure out
how to deal with all of this.”
“All of what?” I asked, tilting my head as I watched him.
“You know what I’m talking about,” he replied.
“I can guess, but that doesn’t mean I’m not confused.”
“What’s there to be confused about? Are you really surprised that I don’t
want my girl dating another guy in front of me.”
My brow creased at his admission. “Jake, it’s just some stupid charity
competition. It doesn’t mean anything. It’s not like I volunteered to do it.”
“Yeah, but you are doing it,” he replied, directing his words at the floor.
I walked forward, closing the gap between us. “It’s just for one week. I’ve
already spoken with Angus, and he’s going to make sure I’m voted out at the
first ceremony.”
“Really?” Jake lifted his head to look at me, a hint of hope in his eyes.
“Yes. And you would know that if you had taken me home last night like
you were supposed to. Or if you had answered my calls or picked me up this
morning.” I let out a frustrated breath. “I didn’t ask for this, and yet you’re
treating me like it’s my fault.”
He lifted a hand to cup my face. “I’m sorry, Mads. I was angry and not
thinking straight.”
“Are you still mad?” I asked.
He shook his head and brought me in for a hug. “I don’t like it, but I guess
I can handle a week of this stupidity.”
I smiled into his chest. “Thanks, Jake.”
He pulled back and looked me in the eyes. “You just have to promise me
that you won’t do anything with him. No hand holding or kisses or anything
like that.”
“I wouldn’t do that stuff with him even if they paid me,” I replied.
“You’re the only guy for me. You know that.”
He nodded, seeming happy enough with my response. Despite his warm
smile, I didn’t feel convinced he was all that happy though. There was
something in his eyes that told me he was still angry and, despite his words,
he still held the competition against me.
I wasn’t the only one who felt that way. At lunch, Hayley couldn’t stop
glancing at Jake. Meanwhile, Jake couldn’t keep his eyes off Cole, who was
at the other end of the table.
“I feel like I’m watching Bruce Banner and I’m just waiting for him to
Hulk out,” Hayley murmured, nodding in Jake’s direction.
“He’s not that bad,” I replied.
“Madi, there’s like a massive throbbing vein on his forehead,” she said. “I
really don’t like him when he’s angry, and he’s this close to turning green.”
She pinched her fingers together, indicating that she thought he was about an
inch away from losing it.
“He’s not going to turn green!”
She shrugged. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
I glanced over my shoulder at Jake. He’d barely said a word at lunch, and
Hayley was right. There was a rather large looking vein throbbing on his
forehead.
“He told me he would be okay with it for a week,” I said, turning back to
face Hayley.
“Well, it probably doesn’t help that Cole has spent the entire lunch break
looking at you,” she replied.
My eyes jerked in Cole’s direction, and again I found that Hayley was
right. He was watching me and he grinned when our eyes met. I glared at him
in return before focusing back on Hayley.
“This is going to be the longest week of my life,” I said. “Is he still
looking at me?”
Hayley laughed. “Yep. He looks really pleased with himself too.”
I squinted my eyes shut and blew out a long breath. “Why do you think
he’s so fixated on ruining my life?” I asked, opening my eyes once more.
“Dramatic much?” Haley asked, making me smile.
“Yeah, maybe a little,” I conceded. I let out a sigh. “I just want this week
to be over with already.”
She patted my arm. “It’ll be over before you know it,” she said.
I hoped she was right about that as well.

H AYLEY WASN ’ T RIGHT . The week dragged by so slowly I began to worry I’d
been caught up in some kind of time loop. No matter how much I wished the
competition would be over and done with, it seemed to trail me everywhere.
We hadn’t even started filming, but people were already chatting to me about
it in the corridor and wishing me luck. It was like they had forgotten Jake
even existed and that he was my boyfriend.
Jake, on the other hand, was starting to act like he’d forgotten that I
existed. Aside from driving me to and from school each day, we barely spent
any time together, and he hardly said a word to me when we did. I knew he
was upset, but he’d taken it to a whole new level. By the time Friday evening
rolled around, I was beginning to wonder if there would even be a
relationship left for me to save once the competition was over.
Hayley came to my house beforehand to help me get ready for the first
group date. Not that I wanted to put any effort in. I could only imagine how
Jake would react if he thought I’d tried to dress up for Cole.
“You have to wear this,” Hayley said, coming out of my closet with a
short black dress in her hand. Mom was always buying me clothes and putting
them in my room for me. The dress Hayley was holding definitely wasn’t
something I’d picked out.
“That dress would barely cover my ass,” I replied.
“Exactly.” Hayley’s eyes lit up at the thought.
“Not going to happen,” I said.
Hayley let out a frustrated huff before returning to my closet in search of
something else.
“You have so much cute stuff in here,” she called out to me. “How come
you never wear any of it?”
“Because I’m pretty sure my mom only put it in there to try and pimp me
out.”
Hayley laughed and her head appeared in the doorway. “Why would she
want to pimp you out?”
“She’s not the biggest fan of Jake,” I replied.
“Can’t say I blame the woman,” Hayley responded.
I threw a pillow at her head, but she easily snatched it out of the air before
it hit her. She poked her tongue out at me. “You know what I mean. He was so
sweet when you guys first started dating, but I just don’t think he’s like that
anymore.”
My stomach dropped at her comment. Hayley had never admitted that to
me before, and it hurt to know that she didn’t fully approve of Jake. The
problem was that I couldn’t entirely disagree with her. Not when I’d been
feeling something similar for the last few months.
I let out a sigh. “Yeah, he’s changed a lot this last year.”
Hayley slowly came out of the closet, a sad expression on her face as she
sat next to me on my bed. “Do you still love him?” she asked.
I’d told Jake I loved him dozens of times in the two years we’d been
together. I just wasn’t sure if I really knew the meaning of the word. Was the
way I felt about Jake really true love?
“I’m always going to care for him,” I replied.
She tilted her head as she watched me. “You’re meant to be madly,
stupidly, crazy about the boy. You don’t sound like you’re any of those
things.”
“I don’t, do I?” I replied.
“No,” she agreed. “So, are you going to break up with him?”
I shook my head almost immediately. “No, of course not,” I replied
instinctively. The thought of losing Jake made breathing harder. It made me
feel anxious and uncertain. I didn’t know how to be without him. How could I
break up with him?
She reached out and squeezed my hand. “It’s not fair on either of you to
stay together if you’re not happy.”
“I know,” I replied. “I just think we’re going through a rough patch at the
moment. Things will get better.”
She gave me a sad smile. “I hope so,” she said. From the way she was
looking at me, I knew she wasn’t convinced.
“Enough moping about Jake,” she said, suddenly springing up from the
bed. “We need to make you look hot for the big group date.” As she
disappeared into my closet once again, I had a bad feeling that whatever I
ended up wearing was not going to be Madi-approved.
After an hour of arguing over outfits, I managed to coax Hayley into
letting me wear a pair of jeans. They hugged my legs tightly and were nothing
like the ones I’d typically wear, but Hayley seemed happy enough. She
somehow convinced me to wear a tight top that was far too revealing, but I’d
succeeded in covering it up with a leather jacket that I could zip up to my
neck if I felt uncomfortable. I finished the outfit with cute wedged ankle boots
—the only thing the two of us agreed on unequivocally.
Hayley then helped me with my hair and makeup. We started on my hair,
curling it in big loose waves that hung loosely down my back. I wasn’t sure if
I wanted the makeup, but Hayley refused to let me leave the house without it.
The girl sure knew how to channel the aggressive nature of a cheerleader
when she needed to.
“You look so beautiful,” Mom gushed when I finally made my way
downstairs. “That Cole Kingston would be crazy not to pick you.”
Dad was standing next to her, nodding in agreement.
“Mom,” I groaned. “I don’t want Cole to pick me. I have Jake.”
“Yes, yes I know,” Mom replied. Though it sounded like she had long
forgotten Jake.
Dad gave me a hug. “Have fun tonight kiddo, and don’t forget to take
photos so I can stalk them on Instagram.” The scary part was, he wasn’t
joking.
“Dad!” I exclaimed. “And on that note, I’m leaving.”
I rushed out the door, dragging Hayley with me, not waiting to see what
other mortifying things my dad would say next.
“He can be so embarrassing,” I muttered as we walked down my
driveway.
“Really?” Hayley asked. “I think your dad’s hot.”
“Oh my gosh, you did not just say that!”
Hayley laughed and shook her head. “Totally joking, Mads. I like my boys
older, not ancient. I’m not going to go American Beauty on you. I mean,
maybe if he was twenty years younger and didn’t have such a dad-bod…”
I shoved my friend, laughing. “You’re terrible. You know that, right?”
“Yeah,” she agreed. “I’m totally going to hell.”
Hayley walked with me as we crossed the street and made our way to
Cole’s house. Angus had decided to take advantage of the fact that Cole lived
in a ridiculously nice house, by using it for the main parts of the competition.
Apparently, all of the selection ceremonies would be happening there and
some of the group dates, including the first one tonight. It definitely worked
for me, because it was only down the street.
It had been years since I’d visited the Kingston family’s home. I used to
play there all the time as a kid, but that felt like a lifetime ago. My mom still
visited Cole’s mom, but I hadn’t set foot in the house since high school
started. Not even for one of Cole’s legendary parties.
 “Well, I should probably leave you here,” Hayley said when we reached
the front gate. I glanced at her and nodded, desperately wishing for a moment
that she were in the competition with me.
“Wish me luck,” I said.
“Nah,” she grinned. “You don’t need it.”
I smiled warmly back at her, before taking a deep breath in and making
my way up to the Kingstons’ front door. I pressed the buzzer, and Cole’s mom
opened the door almost immediately. Her hair was tightly pulled back, and
she was still dressed in one of her work suits. Her eyes brightened when she
saw me, and she pulled me in for a warm hug.
“It’s so good to see you, Madison,” she said.
“You too, Mrs. Kingston,” I replied. I was surprised by her reaction, but I
didn’t mind the hug too much. Despite her formal appearance, Cole’s mom
had always been really fun, kind and she gave great hugs.
She walked me in through the entrance lobby. “I’m so glad Cole’s got you
in this contest,” she murmured to me as we walked. “I’m a bit worried some
of the girls might be in this competition for the wrong reasons. I don’t want to
see Cole get hurt.”
I smiled at how worried Cole’s mom was about her son, but I knew it was
much more likely that he would be the one breaking hearts, not the other way
around. “You don’t have to be too concerned,” I said in an attempt to reassure
her. “Some of the contestants are my friends, and I know they’d never hurt
Cole,” I replied.
“You’ve always been so sweet,” she said, a smile returning to her face.
“I’ll be secretly rooting for you.”
I laughed and shook my head. I didn’t have the heart to tell her I’d be out
before the week was through.
Mrs. Kingston led me out onto the back patio where most of the girls and
half the film club were already waiting. Laurie glared at me as I approached,
her eyes moving up and down my body as if it offended her somehow. She
turned and started whispering to her sister. Brooke’s eyes flickered in my
direction, but there wasn’t the same malice in her gaze as her twin had shown
me. She almost seemed uncomfortable as she listened to Laurie’s whispers.
I felt a wave of relief when I saw that Teagan and Evan had already
arrived.
“Looking good, Mads,” Evan said as I sat down next to him.
 “You guys look great too,” I replied.
“I know,” came Evan’s response.
“Thanks, Madi,” Teagan said. Like the rest of the girls, Teagan was
wearing a pretty dress. I probably should have listened to Hayley’s advice and
worn one too, but at least I felt comfortable, and I knew Jake couldn’t
disapprove.
Teagan was playing with the ends of her long blonde hair, just like she did
every time she was preparing to go on stage. She always looked so perfectly
calm before she performed, but this was her one tell that beneath the surface
she was actually nervous. I was surprised that our little charity show even
warranted her nerves.
“Any idea what we’re doing tonight?” I asked, trying to distract her.
Teagan shook her head. “I think we’re still waiting on Willow, but once
she gets here, the film club said we’d get started.”
I looked around the patio, taking everything in. The film club already had
three different cameras pointed at the small groups the contestants were
sitting in. Cole was nowhere to be seen, but knowing him, he was waiting to
make an entrance.
“You sure things haven’t already started?” I asked, nodding my head at
one of the film guys who had a camera pointed in our direction.
“Maybe,” Evan replied. “Hey, Brett, make sure you get my right side. It’s
my good angle.” I laughed as Brett gave him a thumbs up and continued
filming.
“I didn’t know you had a bad side,” I said to Evan.
“Oh, everyone has a bad side,” Evan replied. “Well, except for you two
girls, obviously. You’re both perfect.”
Teagan and I both smiled at his compliment, but then she shook her head
and turned to me. “You know we’re both screwed if Evan here uses his charm
on Cole?”
I laughed. “Totally,” I agreed. “No one can resist the powerful charm of
Evan Anderson.”
“It’s both a blessing and a curse,” he said, nodding seriously as if it was a
genuine struggle.
Movement caught the corner of my eye, and I looked over to see Willow
emerging from the house onto the patio. She looked so tense as her eyes
darted around the group. I quickly waved to her, grabbing her attention.
 “Willow, come sit with us,” I said.
She slowly nodded, but the anxious look in her eyes remained as she came
to sit beside me.
“I’m so glad to see I’m not the only one wearing jeans,” I said to her as
she made herself comfortable.
“Hello, what do these look like?” Evan scoffed behind me.
I waved his comment away with one hand, still focused on the girl before
me. She was glancing around nervously, and I wondered if there was a way I
could make her feel better. She didn’t have any friends in the group, and from
the way she kept stealing looks at Laurie, I had a bad feeling some people
here had already made her feel unwelcome.
“How’s your art project coming along?” I asked, trying to distract her.
“It’s fine,” she said. “I’m not very good at working with watercolors
though. I’ve had to scrap my work about six times already.” She looked down
at her hands as she answered.
“I’m sure it will come together in the end,” I said. I tried to give her an
encouraging smile, but she was still focused on her hands, which were
clasped together in her lap.
I frowned as I watched her, not entirely certain what to say. I wanted
Willow to feel at ease, but I wasn’t sure if that was possible. I was saved from
coming up with a solution when one of the girls from the film club came over
to join us.
“Hey, Skye,” I said, as she approached.
“Hi, Madison,” she replied, giving me a warm smile. “Is it okay if I hook
you guys up with microphones?” Her eyes moved between Willow and me,
seeking our approval.
“Yeah, of course,” I replied, while Willow nodded at my side. Skye was in
the year below us, but you would never guess it after seeing how at ease she
was talking with everyone. She was also sporting unicorn hair at the moment,
which looked insanely cool. I couldn’t stop staring at it while she set me up
with my microphone.
“When did you change your hair?” I asked her, still mesmerized by the
bright, pretty colors. “It looks amazing.”
Skye smiled up at me. “Last weekend. My mom wants to kill me.”
“Totally worth it,” I replied.
 “Totally,” she agreed.
Once Skye finished helping Willow with her microphone, Angus clapped
his hands together, drawing all of our attention.
“Good evening, lovely ladies,” he called, holding his hands up above his
head. Evan loudly cleared his throat and raised his eyebrows.
“And gentleman,” Angus added with a smile before bowing
apologetically at Evan. “Welcome to the very first group date of Lincoln
High’s very first True Love charity dating contest.”
Some of the girls giggled and clapped, along with some of the film club
who weren’t manning equipment. Evan simply lifted one eyebrow at me,
causing me to smother a laugh.
“Tonight’s date will be made up of several different rounds. You will be
competing against one another to gain alone time with our one and only
bachelor, Cole. But, before we begin, let’s bring him out here.”
Everyone clapped, and some of the girls started squealing again as Cole
walked out of the house and came to stand at Angus’ side. He was wearing
dark jeans and a navy button-up shirt. He had his sleeves rolled up to reveal
his forearms and the shirt clung tightly against his full chest and large biceps.
His eyes were practically sparkling as he scanned the scene in front of
him. He paused for a brief second when he caught sight of me. My eyes
narrowed slightly as he looked at me, but he quickly continued surveying the
contestants who sat before him, the corner of his mouth now raised in a smirk.
“Damn, Cole is fine,” Evan whispered to me. I couldn’t help but nod.
Who knew the jerk could look so good?
“Over to you, Cole,” Angus said. “What is the first activity you have
planned for our contestants tonight?”
The film crew was split into groups, with one camera focused on Cole’s
face while the other two were focused on the contestants. I felt really
uncomfortable as Brett focused the camera on Willow, Evan, Teagan and me.
No one else seemed to notice, as they were all watching and waiting for Cole
to speak.
Cole rubbed his hands together and smiled at everyone. “I’m looking for
someone who has a healthy appetite,” he said, his grin growing wider. “So,
for our first activity tonight, we’ll be having a donut eating contest.”
I spluttered out a laugh before raising a hand to my mouth to silence it. It
was difficult to contain myself though, especially when I caught the look on
some of the other girls’ faces.
 “Cinnamon donuts are almost impossible to eat without licking your lips,”
Cole continued. “The first eight people to finish a full donut without licking
their lips will advance to the next round tonight. The last two contestants to
finish will, unfortunately, be eliminated from the group date.”
Laurie cleared her throat and lifted her hand in the air. Angus nodded,
indicating for her to ask her question.
“I can’t eat donuts. I’m gluten intolerant,” she said.
I was pretty sure she wasn’t, but I also wasn’t about to call her on it.
“That’s okay,” Angus said. “We brought a couple of honuts for people
with intolerances.”
Evan laughed out loud. “Honuts?” he asked.
Angus smiled knowingly at the question. “Yes, a healthy donut. What did
you think I was talking about?” he asked Evan, making us all laugh.
“All right kids, please follow me. The donuts await,” Angus called.
Angus led us away from the undercover patio, where we’d all been
gathered, and further into Cole’s massive backyard. Mrs. Kingston was
obsessed with gardening, and her backyard was her pride and joy. It was
beautifully manicured, with multiple sectioned off gardens that had different
themes and secret pathways that wound through the property. I might not have
visited the Kingstons in years, but I suddenly remembered how much I loved
to explore the vast garden as a kid. I’d always thought it was magical. Plus,
Cole had a pool, which meant I had spent whole summers at his house when
we were younger.
We followed a narrow path that cut between two hedges before arriving in
a small, walled-off garden. I recognized it immediately as the place I used to
call the Beauty and the Beast garden. The cozy secret garden was covered in
blooming red roses that surrounded a perfectly trimmed square lawn. In the
middle of it all, a long table waited for us.
Ten plates of donuts were arranged along the length of the table, and I
tried not to cringe when I saw the tabletop had also been covered in hundreds
of tiny glittering hearts. I focused instead on the donuts and was already
licking my lips at the sight of them. I had decided that I wasn’t going to try to
win any of the challenges Angus set us, but the competitor inside of me
suddenly wasn’t so willing to throw in the towel. Especially not when there
were donuts involved.
I actually felt kind of excited to take part, and I found myself wondering if
it would really be so bad if I put some effort into the challenge. I could always
make sure I lost the next one. Besides, so far I’d had zero interaction with
Cole on the group date. Perhaps the True Love competition wouldn’t be so
bad after all?
Once Angus had us all lined up, he began a countdown from three. When
he shouted “go,” everyone launched on their donuts like they hadn’t eaten in
weeks. Almost immediately, I heard students from the film club yelling at the
other contestants to drop their donuts and start again for licking their lips.
I couldn’t stop giggling as I tried to make my way through mine. A thick
layer of cinnamon sugar rimmed my mouth and the temptation to wipe it
away was almost unbearable. Teagan was having the same issues as me, and
we both had tears in our eyes as we tried to control our bouts of laughter.
Evan, on the other hand, shoved the entire donut in his mouth at once and
was crowned the winner before most of us were even halfway through. He
stood next to us while he waited for us to finish, shouting words of
encouragement.
Teagan finished hers before me and punched the air with her hands in
celebration. I was still two bites away from finishing and struggling to contain
my laughter.
“You’ve got this, Madi!” Teagan shouted encouragement to me.
“Come on sugar-lips,” Evan added at her side, almost making me choke
on my mouthful of food as I laughed. I was only one bite away from
completing the challenge though, and as soon as I swallowed the final piece
of my donut, Teagan and Evan let out a cheer.
I smiled at their enthusiasm. That had to go down as one of the weirdest
experiences of my life.
I turned and focused at the rest of the competitors. I’d been so caught up
in my own donut eating that I hadn’t noticed who else was still in the race.
There were still a few girls left. Laurie’s face was wrinkled in a cringe as she
finished the last bite of her honut, while Brooke had a whole bunch of
discarded donuts in front of her and looked like she was only halfway through
her current attempt.
Anna and Zoe were both in the same boat as Brooke. They were going
through donuts like crazy and seemed to be unable to stop themselves from
licking their lips and having to start again.
I felt a twinge of disappointment when Laurie squealed as she finally
completed the challenge. The cheering from the rest of the contestants grew
louder as we watched the final three battle it out for the last place. Brooke
was already ahead, but Zoe seemed to be finally getting the hang of it and was
catching up quickly.
When Brooke had the final piece of her donut in her mouth, we all fell
silent, holding our breath as we waited for her to finish without licking the
sugar that was caked around her lips. When we finally saw her swallow, a
cheer rose up, and the contest was over. Anna and Zoe had lost.
Anna didn’t look too bothered, but Zoe looked annoyed. It didn’t take her
long to get over it though, and I soon saw her take out her notebook and start
asking some of the girls questions about the competition so far. I had to give it
to her; even in the face of defeat, she was still determined to focus on a story
for the newspaper.
Everyone was on a bit of a high after the rush of the competition. There
was laughter as people tried to wipe the sugar from their mouths and loud
chatting as people lamented over how impossible it had been to avoid licking
the sugar away.
I noticed Cole making his way from contestant to contestant,
congratulating them on making it to the next round. Each girl’s face lit up
when he focused on them, and I could practically see them melting into piles
of goo at his feet. He was hot, I got that, but I couldn’t understand his effect
on them.
I decided not to watch him. Instead, I turned my back on him and listened
as Evan replayed his glorious win.
“It’s not much of a challenge when you can stick a whole donut in your
mouth,” I told him.
Evan laughed. “Jealous?”
I went to respond but found Cole standing at my side. He smiled when he
saw that he’d caught my attention. Without hesitation, he reached out and
wiped the corner of my lips with his thumb. It lingered there for the briefest
second, and my stomach pulled tight as my skin tingled under his touch.
“You missed some,” he said, lifting his thumb to show me the sugar.
“Maybe I was saving it for later.”
He laughed and lifted his thumb to his mouth, slowly sucking the sugar
off the end of it. “Well, I guess your sugar’s mine now.” He strode off without
another word, and I scowled after him.
“How are you not swooning right now?” Evan asked, coming to stand
beside me as we watched Cole leave. He waved his hand close to his face as if
he was trying to cool off.
 I shrugged and we started after the rest of the group as we returned to the
back porch. The truth was, I kind of was swooning a little. Cole’s brief touch
against my lips had felt electric. I’d never felt anything like that with Jake
before. The feeling left me riddled with guilt though. I shouldn’t be feeling
that way and I certainly shouldn’t be reacting to Cole’s touch. So instead of
responding, I stayed silent.
 7

COLE

I could still taste the cinnamon I’d stolen from Madi’s lips, and it was doing
my head in. She didn’t seem at all affected by the way I’d lightly brushed
my thumb against her skin, but I couldn’t stop replaying the moment in my
head.
“You’re doing great, Cole,” Angus said, pulling my attention.
“Thanks,” I replied, but the word was empty. I didn’t feel like I’d done
anything to warrant his praise.
He led me inside and explained the second portion of the group date.
Speed dating. I couldn’t stop a wince from forming on my face as I cringed at
the idea.
“It’ll be fine,” Angus reassured me. “You have five minutes to talk with
each contestant. Ask them some of these questions, to get the ball rolling.”
He handed me a sheet of paper, and I tried not to laugh. I didn’t need a list
of questions to help me talk to girls, but I could tell Angus wanted me to use
his prompts to make the activity as entertaining, or as awkward, as possible.
I smiled broadly when the first contestant strutted into the room and sat
across from me, fluttering his eyelids so expertly even Laurie would have
been impressed. Evan was hamming things up for the camera. I had to give
him credit; the guy knew how to put on a show.
“So, Evan, what are you looking for in love?” I asked, taking a suggestion
from Angus’ list.
Evan swatted the question away with the flick of a hand. “I think we both
know you’re not interested in looking for love here,” he said, indicating
toward himself. “Or are you?”
I chuckled at the directness of his question. “I can’t say I’ve ever
considered dating another guy before,” I replied.
 Evan smiled. “I didn’t hear a no.”
“I feel like even if I said no, you still wouldn’t hear it,” I replied.
Evan laughed. “True. I have always loved a challenge. Keep me around
for a few weeks and maybe I can change your mind.”
I couldn’t help but admire his confidence. It was pretty clear to both of us
that I was only interested in girls, but that didn’t seem to bother him. I
suspected Evan must do really well with the guys. I wasn’t gay, but even I
was getting charmed by him.
“We’ll see,” I replied.
The next few speed dates seemed to go by in a blur. Brooke, Laurie and
Maria all flirted outrageously with me, but that’s all I could seem to
remember from my time spent with them. My date with Sally had been
slightly awkward considering we’d shared a drunken kiss at a party last year.
She’d wanted more; I hadn’t. I really didn’t see her going far in the
competition.
The speed date with Teagan was definitely more interesting than the
others. Going into it, I didn’t know much about the girl; only that she was the
lead in all the school plays and had the kind of flawless face that you only
saw on movie stars. I had expected her to be vapid, but she surprised me. She
laughed easily and was enthusiastic about everything she spoke about. I was
actually disappointed when our five minutes were up.
Talking with Willow had been surprisingly painful. It was like pulling
nails out of a coffin trying to get her to speak. She was nervous about being in
front of the cameras and that, combined with her quiet disposition, made our
chat the most boring conversation in history. She obviously didn’t want to be
involved in the competition, and I knew there was no way she was interested
in me, so I would probably have to eliminate her quickly.
Finally, my date with Madi arrived and I found myself sitting up straight
as she came to take a seat across from me. She was quiet as she looked across
the table and seemed unsure of herself. It was a look I wasn’t certain I’d seen
on her face before, and I couldn’t understand what had put it there. The
expression made me slightly anxious, and I had no idea what to say to her.
“So, Madi, what are you looking for in love?” I read the first question on
the sheet in front of me.
She snorted, like she found the question hilarious. “Don’t you mean, what
are you looking for in a date to the formal? That is the prize of this contest,
right?”
 “Are you saying I’m a prize?” I winked at her.
She shrugged, completely unaffected by the gesture. “No one said it was a
good one.”
I leaned back in my chair and folded my arms across my chest, watching
her closely. “I think you know what a great prize I am.”
“In your dreams, Kingston,” she replied.
“More like in yours.” The moment the words left my mouth I winced and
silently swore in my head as I glanced toward the cameras. I’d completely
forgotten they were there. I was meant to be romancing Madi, not bickering
with her. Angus was nodding enthusiastically at me though, and waving his
hands, urging me to continue. He was eating this up.
Madi scoffed. “Real mature, Cole. Is this how you treat all your dates? I
can see why they call you the one date wonder.”
“What, because all the girls wonder where I’ve been all their life?” I
shuddered at my own words. Did I really just say them aloud? I sounded like
such a tool.
“Oh,” Madi raised her hand to her chin in thought. “I thought it was
because they all wonder why they wasted an entire night on you when they
could have been home watching Netflix.”
I opened my mouth to respond, but Angus jumped in before I got a
chance. “That’s five minutes you guys. You can stop trying to kill each other
now.”
Madi let out a breath of relief. “Thank goodness. I’m not sure I could have
suffered another minute of that.”
“Don’t pretend you don’t love every second with me,” I replied.
“I don’t mind the final second,” she said, before spinning around and
walking back outside to join the other contestants. I’d missed the chance to
fire back at her again. I really didn’t like that she kept getting the last word in.
“So, Cole,” Angus said, taking Madi’s vacated seat. “You need to pick
your four favorite speed dates, and those contestants will advance to the final
round. Who do you want to go with?”
I scratched the side of my face as I tried to think. I did my best to
remember each of the five-minute dates, but all I could think about was Madi.
“Not Sally,” I eventually said, pushing down a shudder as a flashback
from the party hit me. “And I don’t think Willow is cut out for this.” She’d
hated speaking in front of the camera, and I didn’t think she’d forgive me if I
kept her around for more of the torture tonight.
“I was surprised I got along so well with Teagan,” I continued. “I’ve never
spoken to her one-on-one before, and she’s actually quite funny and sweet. I
think she’s a definite. Also, Evan did a good job so let’s put him through.”
“You’re keeping the guy?” Angus asked.
I shrugged. “He did a lot better than most of the others; Evan deserves to
stay.”
“Okay, who else?”
I contemplated the last few options. There wasn’t much to consider
though. Laurie wasn’t my type, but she was great on camera, and I already
knew exactly who the last girl would be. I’d known since the moment Angus
asked me who I wanted to put through. “I’ll take Laurie and Madi as the other
two.”
“You sure about that?” Angus frowned. “Madi despises you and Laurie
looked like she was about to launch herself over the table and start sucking
your blood.”
I laughed at his evaluation of the two girls. “I thought you wanted it to be
entertaining?”
“True,” Angus agreed. “And those two certainly will be. Alright, let’s go
tell them.”
Once the four contestants picked for the final round had been informed,
the film club lit the fire pit in the back garden. Angus sat us all down in the
booth surrounding it, with me in the center, Laurie and Evan on one side and
Teagan and Madi on the other. It was such a strange set-up, and I was finally
starting to realize how surreal the competition was going to be. I was
technically on a date with all four of the people next to me. I was still trying
to wrap my head around the concept, and I was pretty sure it showed. It was
like I’d forgotten how to speak and my mouth was refusing to function.
“So, Cole, are you going to roast a marshmallow for me?” Laurie purred
in my ear. She nodded at the bag Angus had placed at my feet, and I was
suddenly grateful of the distraction.
“Uh, sure.” Leaning forward, I pushed one of the marshmallows onto a
stick and hovered it over the fire. The others all followed suit, with Laurie
waiting patiently at my side for me to finish toasting hers.
When I was done, I went to hand Laurie the stick, but she shook her head,
a playful smile on her lips. “Feed it to me,” she said.
 I swallowed uncomfortably, my eyes flicking around to the others in our
group. Evan was looking at me with one eyebrow raised, while Teagan and
Madi both looked like they were going to burst out laughing. I shrugged and
tilted the end of the stick toward Laurie’s mouth. We had better get some
good donations for this.
I watched as Laurie proceeded to eat the marshmallow in what I assumed
she thought was a seductive way—licking it off the end of the stick in a slow
and tortuous manner. It was awkward, and I didn’t find it at all appealing.
Even Evan’s mouth had gone slack as he watched her. It was like we were
witnessing a terrible car accident and the two of us couldn’t seem to look
away.
I heard giggles to my side and looked over to see Teagan and Madi both
slowly picking their marshmallows off their sticks with their fingers. They
looked like they were struggling to take their eyes off Laurie’s display, and
every time they glanced over, another round of giggles would start.
“Thanks, sexy,” Laurie said, pulling my attention back to her.
“No problem,” I replied. Though that was a lie. It was a problem. What I
had just witnessed was going to give me nightmares for weeks to come.
Laurie was like one of those spiders that devoured their mates, and the closer
she got, the more she terrified me.
I needed to escape from the confines of the fire pit. I glanced at Angus,
pleading him with my eyes to provide me with an exit. He must have noticed
my desperation because he nodded.
“Okay, we’ve got some shots of the group around the fire pit,” Angus
said. “I think it would be a good idea if you take each contestant for a walk
around the garden for an intimate chat, Cole.”
“Sounds great,” I replied. I cleared my throat and turned to Madi. “Hey,
Madi, do you want to go for a walk together?”
She frowned and glanced around at the others.
“Sure?” she replied. It sounded more like an uncertain question than an
answer, but it was enough for me.
One of the camera guys walked ahead of us, taking slow steps backward
with his lens pointed directly at our faces. This was hardly intimate, but I felt
like I could breathe again after the marshmallow incident with Laurie.
The two of us were silent as we walked deeper into the back garden.
“Why don’t you both talk about the donut eating competition,” Angus
prompted us.
 I cringed. Were we really so hopeless together we needed Angus to script
our conversations? I sighed and glanced at Madi. She looked just as
unenthusiastic as I was at Angus’ suggestion, but she shrugged and nodded
for me to go ahead.
“You were great at the donut eating contest earlier,” I said. Man, that was
bad. I could almost hear Angus sigh with frustration.
Madi smiled in response though. “Baked goods are my biggest
weakness.”
She looked so cute and genuine as she said it. Why couldn’t I be more like
that in front of the camera?
“They’re mine too,” I replied. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you laugh so
hard.”
Madi smiled. “Because it was impossible. Have you actually ever tried to
eat a donut without licking your lips?”
I shook my head. “Can’t say that I have. Maybe we could have a rematch
sometime.”
“Maybe,” she grinned.
Madi paused when we reached the edge of the pool and turned to me. The
area was lit up with fairy lights that sparkled as they reflected on the dark
water. It gave the illusion of romance, but I already knew that Madi didn’t
have those feelings for me.
“Why did you pick me to go for a walk?” Madi asked. The question
surprised me, and I glanced at Angus. He was nodding happily, urging me to
answer. I turned back to Madi. Her gaze was challenging, and I could tell she
was suspicious that I’d singled her out.
The corner of my lips lifted as I smiled at her. “Maybe I want to get to
know you better.”
She huffed out a breath and shook her head. “You already know me.”
“I never said I didn’t, Matthews,” I replied. “I said I wanted to get to
know you better.”
For some reason this earned me a scowl. “Stop trying to smolder at me,
Kingston. Your seductive eyes don’t work on me.”
I laughed. I hadn’t even been trying to make eyes at her. “So, you think
my eyes are seductive, do you?” I took a step closer to her and she mimicked
the movement, taking a step backward.
 She lifted a finger and pointed it at me. “Don’t put words in my mouth.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” I captured her finger in my hand and her eyes
snapped down to where we were touching. I couldn’t be the only one feeling
the sparks between us, surely.
After a few seconds, she yanked her finger out of my grasp and I grinned.
“You’re pretty cute when you’re irritated,” I said.
“Well, you always irritate me so you must think I’m pretty cute all the
time,” she said, with a roll of her eyes.
I couldn’t help but smile at her. I loved it when she rolled her eyes at me. I
reached out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “Pretty much.”
Her eyes widened at my comment, and I could see how uncomfortable
those two little words had made her. I suddenly regretted admitting them to
her. But it was already too late, and she was freaking out.
She pushed my hand away and tried to take another step back to put some
distance between us. The only problem was, she was already standing at the
edge of the pool. Her boot caught and she started to fall backward. I reached
out to grab her, but I wasn’t fast enough. The next moment there was a loud
splash as Madi landed in the water.
She was under the surface for the briefest of seconds before she emerged,
spluttering. She was thoroughly soaked, but she still managed to look
beautiful. She looked like a girl in a swimsuit catalog, only completely
clothed. The look of horror on her face was priceless though, and I burst out
laughing before I could stop myself.
“What is wrong with you?” she screamed at me, causing me to laugh
harder.
“I’m sorry, Madi, but you should see your face,” I replied, as I tried to
catch my breath.
“You pushed me in!” she accused.
I lifted my hands and took a step back. “I did no such thing. I wasn’t even
touching you,” I replied.
“You were trying to touch me!”
“That doesn’t count as pushing! You fell in all by yourself!”
Her scowl grew darker, but it wasn’t having the effect on me that she
wanted. If anything, it only made her cuter.
“Well, will you at least help me out?” she asked, swimming to the side of
the pool.
With a giant grin spread across my face, I stepped to the edge of the water
and reached down a hand to pull her out. As soon as her hand latched onto
mine, I immediately regretted my decision. She yanked down on my arm as
hard as she could, and there was nothing I could do to stop myself falling
forward.
I fell in next her, hitting the water with a solid smack. The cold water bit
into my skin and my soaked clothes became heavy as they gripped to my
body. I came up for air with a grin still stuck to my face as I brushed my hair
off my forehead. “If you wanted company in here, all you had to do was ask,”
I said.
She had looked so triumphant after pulling me in, but the fact I wasn’t
bothered seemed to aggravate her once again. She sent a splash my way, as if
I wasn’t already soaked enough.
“Cole Kingston, you are the worst,” she said, as she started making her
way to the side of the pool.
I laughed and splashed her back. “Come on, Madi. Even you can admit
that this is fun.”
She wasn’t listening though. In one smooth movement, she pushed herself
up and climbed out of the pool. She didn’t look back, and she didn’t take any
notice of the film club’s cameras pointed at her. She was clearly pissed. I
swore under my breath and took off after her.
She was halfway back to the house by the time I caught up with her. The
camera guys were right behind me, and the rest of the contestants had all
gathered around to see what the commotion was. They all eyed our wet outfits
with curiosity.
“I’m sorry, Madi,” I said, not caring that everyone could hear me. “You
were right. It was my fault.”
She sighed and turned to look at me. I could almost sense the defeat in her
gaze. “No, it was an accident. You’re not to blame,” she replied. “I’m sorry
for pulling you in.”
I blinked. Surprised she had apologized.
“Are we done?” she asked, turning her attention to Angus. “I need to go
home and get changed.”
“Uh, yeah, that’s fine,” Angus replied. “I think we’ve got enough content
for the first episode. Why don’t we all call it a night.”
 Madi barely waited for him to finish speaking before she turned and
started collecting her things. I didn’t blame her, seeing as she was still
saturated, but I hated watching her leave without saying goodbye.
“Great start tonight,” Angus said to me, as everyone else started to pack
up.
“Thanks,” I replied. But I didn’t feel like things had gone well. As I
watched Madi disappear inside the house, my stomach twisted uncomfortably.
If Angus was going to honor Madi’s request to be voted out this week, then
I’d just messed up my one and only chance with her.
 8

MADISON

M y finger hovered over the small play button in the middle of the
screen. It was Sunday night, and the first True Love episode had just
gone live, but I wasn’t sure if I could bring myself to watch it. Instead, I took
a moment to distract myself by looking further down the screen. There were
pictures of each contestant in two rows under the video, and under each image
was a voting button. The bright blue button under my face read, “VOTE FOR
MADI - $1”. I couldn’t imagine anyone actually voting in the contest—
especially not for me. The photo they had used for my headshot didn’t give
me much chance either.
“Seriously?” I muttered to myself. It was bad enough that photo had
ended up in the yearbook. I didn’t need it to be spread any further. Couldn’t
they have trawled my Instagram for a good picture?
I let out a sigh and returned to the video at the top of the screen. I needed
to stop being so pathetic. Surely it couldn’t be that bad. Clenching my teeth
and squinting my eyes shut, I hit play.
When I peaked an eye open, I could see the video started with a montage
of Cole. There were highlights of him playing football and then a few
snapshots of him from the group date on Friday night. Some cheesy music
was playing in the background, and I could already tell how cringe-worthy the
show was going to be. Just as I was about to give in and turn it off, Angus
appeared on the screen.
“Hello and welcome to the first episode of True Love, Lincoln High’s
first-ever dating competition. I’m your host, Angus Fable.” He was standing
near the pool in Cole’s back garden with all the fairy lights glinting in the
background. I was surprised by how professional it looked. At least, I didn’t
want to tear my eyes out, but that was probably because I didn’t have to look
at Cole.
“Ten contestants will be vying for the heart of our bachelor, Cole
Kingston,” Angus explained as he grinned down the lens at the audience.
There was an excited gleam in his eye, like he couldn’t wait for us to watch it
unfold. “Each week you, the viewer, will be able to vote for the contestant
you most want to stay.” The camera narrowed on his face before he
continued. “Voting is simple. One vote costs $1 and all proceeds will be going
toward the wildfire relief appeal. This is for a really great cause folks, so
don’t forget to vote. Now, without further delay, let’s meet our contestants.”
I gasped when my face suddenly appeared on the screen, and I
immediately slammed the lid of my laptop shut. I’d already seen more than
enough, and I couldn’t bring myself to watch the embarrassing footage I knew
was coming. Boycotting the rest of the episode was more an act of self-
preservation than anything else.
My phone rang as I stood up from my desk and Hayley’s bright smile lit
up the screen.
“You fell in the pool?” Hayley squealed down the line as I accepted the
call. Unlike me, she must have been watching the show since the moment it
went live. In the time I’d delayed, she’d managed to watch the whole thing.
I let out a breath. “Yeah, it was pretty embarrassing.”
“Are you kidding me?” she replied. “That was the hottest five minutes of
T.V. I’ve ever seen!”
“Ha, ha, very funny.”
“I’m not joking. You and Cole are electric together.”
“Sure we are.”
“Don’t give me the attitude, Madi. Everyone can see the mad sexual
tension between you two.”
My face screwed up at her comment. “Hayley, you’ve got to stop saying
that. That’s not tension you’re seeing. It’s mutual dislike.”
I could almost sense her smiling on the other end. “So it was hate-kissing
that we nearly saw tonight.”
I started pretending to gag, causing her to laugh. “I’m joking, I’m joking,”
she said. “But seriously, you shouldn’t be embarrassed by the date. Even
when you fell in the pool, you looked gorgeous.”
I sighed sadly on the other end of the phone. I didn’t care about how I
looked after falling in the pool, but Hayley wouldn’t understand that.
“Thanks, Hayles,” was all I replied.
“So, give me all the dirt on what happened behind the scenes,” she said.
“Did Laurie really think eating that marshmallow off Cole’s stick was hot?”
I laughed. I’d almost forgotten about that. The episode might have been
worth watching just to see that awkward moment again. The second I’d seen
it happening on Friday, I’d distracted myself as quickly as possible with my
own roasted marshmallow. The pool incident was embarrassing, but Laurie’s
exhibition had been mortifying to watch.
“I don’t know what she was thinking,” I replied.
“Cole looked like Bambi caught in the headlights, and Evan’s eyes looked
like they were about to pop out of his head. If that boy’s ever had any
curiosity about being straight, I think Laurie just cured him of it.”
I hadn’t seen the boys’ reactions, but Hayley’s description made me smile.
Something inside me warmed at the fact that Cole didn’t appear to have been
into Laurie’s display. The way she was always throwing herself at him, I
would have thought her marshmallow-eating skills were right up his alley.
“The film club did a good job,” Hayley continued. “I thought it was just
going to be all romance, but they caught so much more than that. I nearly died
with laughter when they showed Brooke and Laurie talking after you’d fallen
in the pool.”
“Why, what did they say?” I asked.
“Laurie said she wished she’d thought of falling into the pool and Brooke
muttered that she’d be more than willing to push her in.”
I laughed. I was tempted to watch the episode after hearing that. “I always
thought Brooke just agreed with everything Laurie said.”
“Ha! You’ve clearly never seen the two of them at cheerleading practice,”
Hayley replied.
“Clearly.”
The sound of my mom calling my name drifted up the stairs and into my
room. I let out a sigh. “Mom’s calling me, I better go.”
“You think she watched the episode?” Hayley asked.
“It’s all she’s talked about all weekend. There’s no way she missed it,” I
replied. “She probably wants to analyze every minute of it.” My nose crinkled
at the thought. Could this whole experience get any worse?
“Good luck,” Hayley chimed.
“Thanks. I’ll need it.”
I took my time walking down the stairs, trying to put off dealing with my
mom’s reaction as long as possible. When I got to the kitchen and Mom was
grinning broadly, I wished we had a bigger house.
“Oh, it was fabulous, sweetie,” she said, pulling me into a hug.
“You thought it was good?” I replied with a frown, as I stepped back from
her embrace.
“I’ve already emailed the school for a copy of the recording,” she smiled.
“Mom!”
“What?”
“Anything containing any evidence of that date needs burning.”
“Don’t be silly,” Mom replied. “I thought it was charming.”
“Charming?”
“That Cole is such a sweetheart.”
I blinked, unable to comprehend what my mom was saying. “He was rude
to me.”
She shot me a knowing smile. “That’s called flirting, Madison.”
“One: ew. And two: if that were true, it would mean Cole and I have been
flirting with each other for years,” I replied. “Which we most certainly
haven’t,” I added. The idea I could be accused of flirting with Cole was just
added motivation not to speak to him for the foreseeable future.
“I think he likes you,” Mom said.
I shook my head at her. My mom was clearly just seeing what she wanted
to see.
“And I think you might like him too,” she added.
“I like Jake,” I shot back instantly. What was wrong with her?
“There’s my little superstar,” Dad’s voice came from the doorway.
My cheeks warmed as I turned to him. He had a big goofy grin on his face
and my mortification tripled.
“Dad, you did not just watch that!”
“What?” he shrugged. “Your mom made popcorn. We had our own little
viewing party. I tweeted my reactions the whole way through. You want to
see?”
He turned his phone toward me before I could object. All I could see was
the hashtag Dad had used: #MADIANDCOLE4EVA
 I pointed at my parents. “You guys are banned from viewing any more of
the show,” I said. “And why didn’t you tell me there was popcorn going?”
They both laughed at me.
“I’ll make another batch,” Mom replied.
I settled into one of the seats at the kitchen bench as Mom microwaved
another bag of popcorn. The embarrassment I felt at the thought of other
people watching the show proved to me that I was not a good fit for the
competition. At least Angus had already agreed to let me go at the first
selection ceremony on Monday evening. Just one more night and I would be
free of the True Love contest and everything would go back to normal.

W HEN I WALKED into school on Monday morning, I froze instantly. My heart

felt like it stopped beating for a few seconds, and Jake swore loudly at my
side. They were the first words I’d heard from him all morning, but right now
I didn’t care. I was freaking out.
“Vote for Cadi?” I murmured, my eyes wide as I took in the posters that
papered the walls. They were large, gaudy things with huge hearts drawn
around the words and the True Love website link at the bottom of each one. It
didn’t take a genius to know the phrase referred to Cole and me. There were
only a few of the hideous signs, but a few were far too many when you
wanted none.
“You have a couple name with him now?” Jake growled.
I shook my head, still at a loss. “I didn’t do this,” I said. “I would never
dream of it.”
“Whatever,” Jake replied, stalking away from me.
I rushed to catch up with him. “Jake, please don’t be angry. I don’t know
why anyone would put these up.”
He stopped and turned to me. “It’s a bit convenient don’t you think? I
don’t see any posters for Laurie or any of the other contestants. They picked
you for a reason.”
There was so much anger in his eyes it took my breath away. I’d never
seen Jake like this before, and I had no idea how to deal with him.
“You know it’s going to be over tonight. These posters don’t matter,” I
said, keeping my voice low so I wouldn’t be overheard.
“Yeah? And what then? I’m supposed to forget about how you flirted with
the guy for the whole episode too?”
I frowned. “I didn’t flirt with Cole.”
“That’s not what it looked like to me. And clearly everyone else agrees.”
I let out a sigh and ran my fingers through my hair. “Look, I’m sorry if the
show upset you and I’ll see what I can do about the posters. Just give me a
chance to make this right. After tonight, everything will be back to normal.”
“It better be,” Jake said before turning and marching away, leaving me
standing alone in the hallway.
I stared after him in a state of shock. The posters were surprising, but I
was in total disbelief over Jake’s reaction. Where the hell was my kind and
caring boyfriend, and who was the jerk that had taken his place?
“Great show last night,” Angus said, appearing at my side.
I nodded, but couldn’t find the strength to say anything in response. I felt
like I’d just been punched in the gut and wasn’t in the mood to talk about
True Love. My eyes were still focused on Jake, who had stopped further
down the corridor to open his locker.
“We had way more viewers than we expected,” Angus continued. “Almost
a thousand people tuned in, and we’ve already had more than 200 votes.”
The number was startling enough to tear my attention away from Jake,
and Angus was ginning broadly when I turned to look at him.
“That’s like half the school,” I said.
“I know,” he gushed, not quite realizing my reaction was more mortified
than impressed. “It looks like we’re going to have to start thinking bigger. Just
wait, we’re going to do great things with this.”
I gave him a smile, but it didn’t reach my eyes. “Well, I’m sure you will.
But I’m gone come tomorrow, remember?”
“Yeah, about that,” Angus started. “Are you sure you won’t reconsider?”
I folded my arms over my chest and stared him down. “You’re kidding
me, right?”
“No, I’m not. Haven’t you seen all the posters? Everyone loves you and
Cole together.”
“But I have a boyfriend. There is no Cole and me.”
“Alright, alright,” Angus said, failing to keep his annoyance with me out
of his voice. “I get it. I’m just trying to do the best for this charity fundraiser.”
 “I know, but you’ll just have to do it without putting my relationship at
risk.”
“Okay,” Angus finally agreed. “I understand.”
“Thanks, Angus.” The bell rang and I glanced over my shoulder toward
my locker. I was going to be late to class. “I’ve got to go,” I said, touching
Angus’ wrist in farewell before starting down the corridor.
“See you tonight, Madi,” Angus called after me. I gave him a nod and a
wave. His words troubled me though. They sounded too confident and too
happy. He’d just agreed that I would be gone tonight, but his enthusiasm had
placed a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. Why did I feel like getting out
of this competition wasn’t going to be so simple?

H AYLEY GAVE me a ride home after school. Jake had refused to talk to me
since our argument in the morning, so I really didn’t relish the idea of another
awkwardly silent drive home with him. It helped that Hayley’s car smelt like
vanilla and she had great taste in music.
“Jake is such a jerk,” Hayley said, as we walked up the steps to my house.
I’d been worrying about his reaction to the posters the whole car trip home. I
was so upset over the entire thing that a part of me didn’t even want to go to
the selection ceremony that night.
“I know he’s upset you, but that boy has done enough damage for one
day,” Hayley continued. “This competition is supposed to be fun, and it’s your
last night as a contestant, so I think you should enjoy yourself. Tonight should
be a Jake-free night.”
I smiled at her support. I felt so lucky that I had such a good friend who
looked out for me. “But what if he sees me enjoying myself on the live
episode. Isn’t it selfish of me to even go tonight?”
“I think he’s selfish for making you feel bad for things that are beyond
your control.”
I opened the front door and Hayley walked past me and into the house.
She immediately started heading up the stairs to my room. She had spent so
much time at our house that it was almost as much hers as it was mine.
“So, no worrying about Jake tonight, huh?” I said.
“No worrying about Jake tonight,” she replied with a smile.
I followed her up the stairs, feeling a sense of relief at the decision. I
wasn’t sure if I could really push Jake from my mind for the entire evening,
but I was ready to try my best to distract myself from him. He said he
understood when I told him I was doing my best to get out of the competition.
I shouldn’t be punishing myself when he turned around and got angry with
me for it.
Hayley let herself into my room and threw herself onto my bed. “Man,
school was hectic today,” she said.
“Yeah,” I agreed, sitting next to her.
“Everyone was going crazy about the episode last night. They loved it.”
The idea that hundreds of people had watched the episode and were still
talking about it made me desperately want to hide myself under the bed
covers. The posters were bad enough, but people had also wanted to speak to
me about the show all day. I’d tried to avoid it as much as I could, but it was
hard to ignore questions when some of them came from your teachers.
“You should have seen Laurie’s face when she got to school and saw the
Cadi posters this morning,” Hayley said. “It was pretty much the highlight of
my year. People are totally shipping you and Cole together.”
“I don’t know about that,” I replied.
“Well, I do. I told you; you guys have chemistry.”
I shook my head at her. “And I told you; we hate each other.”
“Whatever,” Hayley replied. “Deny it all you want.”
“I will.”
Hayley lifted her eyes to the ceiling but smiled. “So, what time do you
have to be at Cole’s for the selection ceremony tonight?”
“At seven,” I replied.
Hayley bolted off the bed and went straight to my closet. “That doesn’t
give us much time,” she said, a hint of panic in her voice.
“We have three hours!”
“Like I said, not much time!”
I laughed and took her spot on the bed.
Hayley wasn’t kidding when she told me we didn’t have much time. She
somehow managed to fill every minute of the next three hours preparing me
for the selection ceremony. She wouldn’t let me look in the mirror as she did
my makeup, and she refused to let me argue with her over the dress she chose
for me to wear. It was far too clingy for my liking, but she refused to let me
wear anything else.
When she was finally finished dolling me up, she looked me over with a
satisfied smile.
“You can look in the mirror now,” she said.
“Finally,” I grumbled.
When I went to stand in front of the mirror, I let out a gasp. The dress
Hayley had chosen was figure hugging, but it clung to me in all the right
places, and I was surprised by how much I liked the way it looked. My
makeup was fierce, and she’d slicked my hair back in a low ponytail that
somehow managed to make me look elegant.
“Cole’s eyes are going to pop out of his head,” Hayley said, grinning at
me.
She must have sensed my discomfort because she stepped next to me and
grasped my arm in a reassuring squeeze. “That’s a good thing.”
I sighed. “I just don’t feel sure about this.”
“Madi, you used to love dressing up,” she sighed. “It used to make you so
happy when we went shopping together and you found the perfect skirt or the
perfect top. You don’t need to keep hiding behind the clothes you wear.
There’s nothing wrong with looking beautiful,” she said.
“But if I try too hard, Jake will see it and will be upset,” I whispered.
Hayley lifted a finger at me. “What did we agree about Jake?”
“No worrying about him tonight,” I said, letting out a sigh. It still didn’t
stop the niggling feeling in my stomach though as I looked at myself in the
mirror.
Hayley grabbed me by the shoulders and turned me to face her. “I think
we both know this is about more than just Jake,” she said, looking me in the
eyes. “You’ve been different ever since that hot list came out last year.”
“I haven’t,” I murmured.
Hayley lifted one eyebrow at me, not buying my denial one bit. “I think
we both know you have. I wouldn’t have been able to stop you from wearing
that dress a year ago, but now you look sick at the thought of wearing it.”
“Clothes just aren’t as important to me as they used to be,” I shrugged.
“Perhaps,” Hayley said. “But I know you, and I know that the reason
you’re uncertain about wearing that dress is because you’re worried about
what people will think of you. But you shouldn’t be. You are the sweetest
person I know, and the people at school love you because you are kind to
absolutely everyone. You’re not popular because you’re hot; you’re popular
because people actually like you.”
“I’m not concerned about that.”
“Really?” Hayley wasn’t convinced.
“I don’t know,” I replied. “Maybe a little, I guess. I just don’t want girls
calling me names again.”
“You know perfectly well Laurie started that crap after you were voted top
of the hot list, and it was only because she was jealous. You can’t let it worry
you.”
I shrugged. Neither of us knew for sure that Laurie was the one who
started it. Even if she did, it didn’t matter. Those girls said hurtful things to
me all on their own.
“Don’t hide your own light because you’re afraid of outshining others,”
Hayley continued. “People say hateful things because of their own
insecurities. You can’t let them change who you are.”
“Wow, that was deep, Hayley,” I smiled.
“I think I read it on a bumper sticker. It’s still true.”
I laughed and pulled her in for a hug. “Thanks, Hayles. You’re the best
BFF a girl could ask for.”
“Yeah, I know,” she said, with a chuckle. “But, you know I’d still be your
BFF if you rocked up in a hessian sack tonight, right?”
I laughed. “Yeah, I know.”
“And everyone else who knows you feels the same. We all love you for
who you are. But that doesn’t mean you can’t add a little extra sparkle to your
get up once in a while.”
I pulled back from our hug and I felt tears welling in my eyes.
“Don’t you dare cry on me, Madison!” she said.
I shook my head and took a deep breath to control myself. It was like
Hayley’s words had taken some of my self-doubt away. I felt lighter and freer
than I had in a long time. I’d spent so long fixated on what other people
thought of me that I’d changed who I was for them. She was right, I needed to
be myself.
“Okay, I’m good,” I said.
 “Great, because you’ve got about two minutes to get across the street.
Bonding time is over; you need to hurry!’
My eyes widened slightly. How the hell was it seven already? I didn’t give
myself too long to think it over, quickly skipping out of the room and starting
down the stairs.
“Good luck!” Hayley called. “I’ll be watching!”
My stomach dipped at her words as I remembered that tonight was going
to be aired live. I might have been more nervous, but there was one thing I
knew for sure: I was going to be eliminated tonight. And thankfully,
tomorrow when I woke up, this disaster I’d been stuck in was all going to be
over.
 9

MADISON

W hen I arrived at Cole’s house, I was suddenly glad Hayley had forced
me to make an effort. All the other contestants were milling about in
the backyard, much like they had before the group date, and they were all
dressed up. The first person I spotted was Laurie, who was wearing a racy red
outfit that had a skirt that reached the floor. It looked like it belonged at
formal rather than a school charity event. Her sister was at her side, and
Brooke’s outfit was only slightly less extravagant. It was a gorgeous black
cocktail dress that thankfully didn’t show nearly as much skin as Laurie’s.
Even Willow had dressed up for the occasion in a pretty summer dress
that had flowers all over it. She was probably the most casually dressed of all
the girls, and I caught her glancing nervously at her clothing choice more than
once.
People turned and watched me as I walked over to join the group. Laurie
and the other cheerleaders looked me up and down with judgmental eyes,
while others in the group seemed curious as they studied me. The smug
reactions on some of the girls’ faces made me question my outfit for a
moment. It was only for a second though, because I knew that Hayley would
never let me down. Her words from earlier came rushing back to me, and I
felt a wave of confidence that had me holding my head high.
“I heard about your fight with Jake this morning. How are you?” Teagan
asked as I came to stand with her and Evan.
“I’m fine,” I replied, with a tight smile. I didn’t really want to go into any
details. Tonight was not about Jake.
Evan shook his head and pulled me in for a hug anyway. “That raging
steroid of a boy doesn’t deserve you,” he said, making me laugh.
“I’m secretly rooting for Cadi anyways,” he added with a whisper in my
ear.
 I thumped him on the arm. “Evan, don’t say that!”
He grinned, mischief twinkling in his eyes.
“What about Cevan?” I asked.
“Alas, I fear that Cevan will come to an end tonight,” he said. His eyes
still sparkled with laughter. “That boy doesn’t have a gay bone in his body,
but thanks to him, I might find someone who does.”
I laughed, shaking my head in confusion. “What do you mean?”
“Apparently people at our school weren’t the only ones who watched the
first episode. I heard that some of the kids over at Westbrook have been
sharing the link around. I’ve even had a few DMs this afternoon. I may not
walk away with our bachelor, but I’m pretty certain I’m getting out of this
with one or two hot dates.”
I smiled warmly at him. “Well, if anyone deserves a hot date, it’s you.”
“I know,” he agreed.
“Well, well, well,” a voice came from behind me. “One little fight and
you’re moving on already, Madi?”
I turned to find Laurie standing there, staring at me with a smug look in
her eyes. My heart was racing, and it took everything in me not to raise my
arms across my body and shy away.
“Excuse me?”
“Well, you’re already dating one of the hottest guys in school,” Laurie
said. “What now? You’re dressing up to try and snag the hottest?”
“I’m not trying to snag anyone. I’m just here doing my part to help out
with the charity,” I replied. Thankfully, my part in all this would be over
tonight, but I wasn’t about to tell Laurie that.
She seemed so superior and sure of herself as she looked down her nose at
me, but I couldn’t help but remember Hayley’s words from earlier. That
people said mean things because they were insecure. Looking at Laurie now, I
began to wonder if perhaps that was true.
Laurie laughed. “That’s not what it looks like to me.”
Brooke suddenly appeared at her sister’s side and tugged on her arm.
“Come on, Laurie, they’re putting everyone’s microphones on now.”
Laurie shot me one last disparaging look. “That sweet little act you put on
might be fooling people now, but they’ll all see the truth by the end of this
competition. Jake deserves better than a girlfriend who’s chasing after another
guy.”
Her words felt like a slap across my face. When she saw my reaction, her
lips curved upwards in a satisfied smile and she finally allowed Brooke to pull
her away.
“That girl is such a biatch,” Teagan said, once Laurie was out of earshot.
I didn’t have a response. I couldn’t even agree. I was speechless and felt
frozen to the spot. Did people really think I didn’t care about Jake? That I was
fixated on Cole instead of my own boyfriend?
“Don’t listen to her,” Evan said. “She’s just saying hurtful things because
she’s jealous.”
Did that make Laurie’s comments any less valid though?
“Microphones, guys,” Skye said, grinning as she came over to us.
I didn’t say a word as she set mine up, and I could see my friends looking
at me with concern in their eyes. I knew that Laurie was just deliberately
trying to hurt me, but a part of me worried that what she was saying was true.
I was more than ready for my time in the True Love competition to come to
an end.
Angus clapped his hands, and everyone turned his way. “We’re going to
start the selection ceremony in a few minutes, contestants. We need you to get
lined up.”
Several of the film club rushed forward and started arranging us in
positions they’d apparently decided on earlier. I ended up standing with
Laurie, who let out a small grunt in disgust when she discovered she was next
to me. Thankfully that was the only response I received, and she didn’t
continue our conversation from earlier. I wasn’t sure I could have stayed
beside her if she came at me again.
Once we were all in place, they brought Cole out to stand before us. He
was wearing a dark navy suit that molded to his body perfectly. His hair was
combed back, though I kind of missed the messy way it usually fell across his
face. Several of the girls sighed as they looked at him, and I found I didn’t
blame them. That guy really did make a suit look good.
His eyes skimmed across the assembled contestants, and when they met
mine, he grinned. For the briefest second, his gaze lingered on my outfit, and
his eyebrows lifted slightly, like he was surprised. It was only when he looked
away that I let out a breath. There was something about the way he had stared
at me that made my stomach twist with a strange buzzing of nerves.
Angus went to stand next to Cole. “Remember, team, this show is live.
Let’s have some fun and make it a good one,” he said, addressing us all. He
then nodded at the one camera that was directly facing him and Cole. Skye
was standing right behind it.
“We’re going live in three, two, one,” she announced.
The light on the camera went red, and Angus began to speak.
“Good evening everyone, and welcome back to True Love for the show’s
first selection ceremony. I’m your host, Angus Fable, and tonight we will
watch as our bachelor selects eight contestants to continue on in his search for
true love.
“The voting has now closed, so we’ll be handing over to our bachelor,
Cole, for his selections. In true Lincoln High tradition, Cole will be handing
out pieces of his heart to the contestants he wishes to stay. For those of you
not versed in our biggest Valentine’s Day tradition, every year Lincoln High
students give their chosen Valentine a half-heart cut-out. It’s to symbolize the
fact that they are giving a piece of their heart to their Valentine and hope to
get a piece in return. There is no better way then for Cole to let the contestants
he’s chosen know they’ve got a piece of his heart.”
I smiled as Angus explained the selection process. The half-heart
Valentine’s tradition was one I’d always loved. It was a silly, but fun way of
giving each other sweet messages. I’d received one from Hayley this year that
said, “You guac my world.” We were both obsessed with avocados, so it was
a true testament of love in my books.
“I know we’ve all been dying to find out, so let’s not delay this a moment
longer,” Angus turned to Cole before he continued. “The audience has voted.
Cole, if you could please tell us who they have chosen to continue on this
journey of true love…”
Cole cleared his throat and looked over the group standing before him.
His face was a little paler than when he had first arrived and his eyes a little
wider. It almost seemed like he was nervous, which was totally unlike him.
“The first piece of my heart goes to…”
Angus handed him half of a paper heart and Cole looked down to check it.
He immediately started to smile.
“Madi.”
The blood drained from my skin and my hands started to sweat. Cole was
beaming as he looked up at me. He seemed so happy to have just called my
name. It had to be an act.
I walked forward, trying to remain calm and not give away how shocked I
was that the audience had actually voted for me; that I was still somehow
stuck in the competition. What was I supposed to do?
“Madi, will you take a piece of my heart?” Cole asked as I came to a stop
in front of him. He was still smiling at me, and it was so genuine that I found
my heart beating a little faster. I was supposed to be upset, but I actually
found myself matching his smile in return.
“I will.”
He grinned as he passed me my heart, and I walked over to stand in a
separate area that Angus was pointing to. I felt a rush of apprehension as I
walked away from him. Had I really just agreed to stay in the contest?
I knew I should have been thinking about Jake, but I couldn’t seem to get
Cole’s smile out of my mind. It had been so open and sincere, and the way it
lit up his eyes had made him even more handsome. I could totally see why he
managed to get all the girls when he had a secret weapon like that.
Once I was standing in place, I turned to face the cameras and the rest of
the participants once more. Angus was riling up the audience at home with
another suspenseful speech, while the constants all stood nervously waiting
for Cole’s next announcement. I glanced down at my heart and was surprised
to find Cole had actually written on it.
“Madi,” it read. “You donut know how much it means to me that you’re
still in the competition.”
I chuckled at the pun and looked up to find Cole still watching me. He
seemed happy with my reaction, but it was hard to tell as he looked away as
soon as Angus called on him to announce the name of the next contestant.
“Teagan,” he called, with a soft smile.
Teagan appeared shy as she nervously closed the distance between her and
Cole and looked up at him through her long lashes. Something unsaid seemed
to pass between them as he handed Teagan her heart and her mouth twitched
as she fought a grin when she accepted it.
From the way they looked at each other, it seemed like there was the
fragile beginning of a connection between them. Watching them together, I
was somewhat surprised there hadn’t been “vote for Teagan and Cole” posters
all over the school that morning. They were both gorgeous, so it seemed
natural that people would ship them together.
Laurie was called next, and it was painful to watch her bat her eyelashes
at Cole. He didn’t seem too averse to her shameless flirting, which definitely
put him down a couple of pegs in my books. I was tempted to look away as
she flung her arms around Cole’s neck and accepted her heart. Cole was
annoying as hell, but it irked me to think of him ending up with Laurie.
As Cole went to make the next announcement, I noticed Angus making
small jerking movements with his head and giving pointed looks with his
eyes. I had to smother a laugh as I realized he was attempting to direct the
actions of the film crew despite the fact he was on screen. Skye shot him a
dirty look, which seemed to stop the strange head jerking and overdramatic
eyes. Angus really needed to learn to trust his crew, but it was pretty funny
watching him struggle not to micromanage. He looked like he was busting at
the seams, and it was clearly killing him to keep quiet.
I gave a small shake of my head and focused back on the contest as Zoe’s
name was called. Brooke and Evan were the next two selected, leaving only
four contestants left standing in front of Cole. This was the part of the
competition I was going to find difficult. Willow, Anna, Maria and Sally
stood in a line, glancing at each other, wondering who was safe and who
would go.
There was already a hint of defeat in Willow’s eyes, while the others
simply looked worried. It seemed so unfair that I was selected when there
were obviously other girls who cared about the contest. I wished that I could
trade places with one of them, but it was too late for that. I certainly didn’t
envy Cole who was starting to look a little worried himself.
“Maria.” Cole called out the name with a deep breath and she stepped
forward, a relieved smile covering her face.
I didn’t watch as Cole handed Maria the heart though. Instead, my eyes
were fixated on the three girls who were still waiting. If Willow had looked
defeated before, now she looked utterly hopeless.
“Cole has only one piece of his heart left to give,” Angus announced to
the remaining contestants. It somehow made the whole situation feel even
more tense, and if a camera hadn’t been trained on my face, I probably would
have glared at him. Did he really want these girls to feel worse? “Cole, who
would you like to give the final piece of your heart to?”
Cole hesitated for several, painstakingly long seconds before he finally
spoke.
“Willow.” He said her name with a long exhale, and I felt just as relieved
as he seemed. Willow’s eyes widened with shock, and her gaze darted to the
two girls beside her. They were both giving her tight smiles, annoyance
flickering in their eyes.
“Come on, Willow, it’s okay,” Skye whispered, from behind the camera,
when Willow still hadn’t moved. She gave Willow an encouraging smile as
she beckoned for her to approach Cole. I wasn’t close with Skye, but the
gentle way she looked after Willow made me want to hug her.
Willow went to Cole to receive her heart, stumbling toward him as though
she were still stunned. I hated being in front of the camera, but it seemed to
make Willow completely lose her feet. Cole chuckled as she practically fell
into him, catching her by the arms and righting her before he handed her the
last paper heart he was holding. Willow gave him a grateful smile before
joining the rest of us.
Once she was in place, Angus turned his attention on the two girls who
had been eliminated. “I’m sorry Anna and Sally, but you have not been
chosen to continue in Cole’s search for true love.”
The girls nodded their acceptance. They seemed annoyed about their
dismissal but unwilling to display their disappointment for the camera. They
gave us all waves in farewell before traipsing after one of the film crew who
was gesturing the two of them to follow him into the house.
“There’s one more announcement before we leave tonight,” Angus said,
directing his words to one of the cameras. “Cole needs to pick his first single
date for this week. Who will it be, Cole?”
Cole looked over our group. I could have sworn his eyes were drawn
straight to mine, but I gave a small shake of my head, desperately hoping he
wouldn’t pick me. If I had any chance left of saving my relationship with
Jake, a date alone with Cole would completely shatter it. I was already
starting to worry about how Jake would react to the fact I was staying in the
competition for at least another week. It’s not like I had any choice though.
People had paid to vote for me. I couldn’t just ignore that.
A tiny crease formed between Cole’s brows as he continued looking over
the group of contestants until his gaze landed on Willow.
“Willow,” he said. “Will you go on a date with me?” The frown on his
forehead had disappeared and was replaced by a warm smile.
The rest of the room audibly gasped. But Willow was smiling as she
nodded in reply. I let out a breath of relief. I hadn’t realized how tense I’d
become in the last few moments, but I could feel my body physically relaxing
at the news I hadn’t been picked.
“Great,” Angus said, with a clap of his hands. He turned to face the
camera that was focused on him. “Well, that rounds up the selection ceremony
for this evening. Join us again on Sunday to see Willow and Cole’s first date
and the fun group date we have planned for the rest of our contestants. Good
night and we’d truly love to see you next time.”
The camera in front of him dipped to the floor, signaling that filming was
done for the night. Everyone relaxed as the film crew started to pack their
equipment away.
“Great work tonight, everyone,” Angus said, beaming as he looked
around. “Still a few little kinks to work out, but brilliant effort for the first
try.”
I definitely felt like one of the kinks, and I wondered if Angus already
knew that I was going to be the audience’s choice when he had tried to
convince me to stay in the show earlier today. He could have warned me if
that were the case.
“That’s all for this evening,” he continued. “Don’t forget to check your
emails for your next call times, but I’ll see you all later this week.”
Everyone started to leave, but I hung back, wanting to catch Cole for a
moment.
His eyes brightened when he noticed that I hadn’t left and he walked over
to stand with me as the others took off. It felt awfully quiet without everyone
else gathered on the patio. The atmosphere had been buzzing with excitement
and anticipation, but now everything felt so still.
“You look beautiful tonight, Madi,” Cole said, his voice low and his eyes
appreciative as he looked at me.
“You clean up alright yourself,” I replied.
“Was that a compliment?” he asked, raising an eyebrow at me.
“Don’t let it go to your head.”
“Too late.” He grinned, and I struggled not to smile in response. “You
know, I had a hard time focusing on anyone else tonight. But, then again, you
could have been in sweats and I would have had a hard time focusing on
anyone else.”
His confession made my smile falter for a brief second. Why did he say
that? I liked hearing it way more than I should have; just like the words on the
half-heart he gave me had made me happy in a moment when I should have
been furious.
I suddenly noticed how close he was standing; how our bodies were
almost touching and how electricity seemed to spark between them. He
opened his mouth to continue speaking, but I interrupted him before he got a
chance to say any more. My feelings toward him were becoming muddled,
and I was reacting to him in ways I hadn’t anticipated. I had enough
confusion in my life without him adding to it, so I needed him to keep his
thoughts to himself.
“So, before I leave I just wanted to say that I understand why I had to stay
in the competition,” I said, the words coming out in a rush as I cut him off. “If
the audience voted for me, I could hardly back out,” I added.
He looked confused, so I hurriedly continued. “So, yeah, I just wanted to
say that I get it and you can eliminate me next week instead.” I was rambling,
and I never rambled when I spoke with Cole.
He frowned and looked away from me. Until now, his eyes had been fixed
so intently on my own that the loss of his gaze on me left me feeling cold.
“You still want to be eliminated?” he asked.
“Well, yeah, obviously,” I replied. “I’m with Jake.”
He nodded, but there was a hint of hurt in his eyes. Uncertainty swirled
through me as I tried to understand it. But a moment later he lifted his gaze
back to meet mine and his expression turned neutral.
“No problem,” he said.
I let out a breath. “Okay, that’s great.”
“Yeah, great,” he replied. We were still standing close to one another, but
it felt like a huge void had suddenly opened up between us.
“Anyway,” he continued. “I have homework I need to get started on…”
“Right, of course, me too.” I didn’t miss the hint. It was time for me to go.
“I’ll see you at school tomorrow.”
“Yeah, see you then, Matthews.”
As I walked back to my house, I kept glancing down at the paper heart in
my hand. I was somehow still stuck in the competition, but I felt confident I
could handle another week of it. I just wasn’t so sure that Jake could.
It wasn’t Jake that I was thinking about when I went to bed that night
though. Cole’s message kept replaying in my mind. The words had been silly
and playful, but their meaning was clear. Cole wanted me in the contest, and I
was afraid to find out why.
10
 MADISON

W hen Jake came to pick me up from school the next morning, he did
not look happy. He didn’t get out to greet me as I walked toward his
car, and he didn’t glance in my direction as I opened the passenger side door
and took a seat.
I could see the tension in his shoulders clearly, and his hands gripped the
steering wheel so tightly his knuckles had turned white. He’d watched the
selection ceremony and he was upset.
“Hey, Jake,” I said, my voice hesitant.
He finally turned in my direction and the look in his eyes was enough to
stop my beating heart. They were filled with so much anger and hurt that the
breath was stolen from my lungs and I was left speechless.
“I can’t do this,” he said, the words as strained as the tension in the air
between us.
My eyes automatically glistened with tears. “I know it can’t be easy for
you,” I whispered.
“Not easy?” He thumped his hands against the wheel. “It’s torture. You
think I like listening to people rave about the two of you together? That I want
the whole school to see my girl flirting with that dick?”
“I haven’t been flirting with him—”
“Don’t lie to me,” Jake growled, cutting me off.
The anger in his voice made my blood run cold. “I would never lie to
you.”
He scoffed in response but didn’t utter a word in reply.
“Look, I know I couldn’t get out of it last night because of the audience
vote, but Cole promised I’ll be gone next week,” I said. “It’s just one more
week, and then everything will be back to normal.” As the words came out of
my mouth, my stomach dipped. I didn’t even know what normal was between
us anymore.
Jake shrugged off my explanation like he didn’t care; like the damage had
already been done.
I watched him closely, trying to understand what was going on in his
head. He was overreacting about the whole contest, but in a moment of
clarity, I could see that this was about so much more than some stupid
competition. Things had been bad between us for a while. I guess I was
finally beginning to feel the repercussions.
“Fine,” I said, my voice soft and filled with every ounce of my hurt. “You
clearly don’t trust me, even though I’ve only ever been loyal to you, and I
can’t be with someone who thinks that I would betray them.” I paused as I
tried to hold back the sob I could feel rising up in my throat. I didn’t want to
cry in front of him, but I was struggling to contain the pain that was clutching
my chest.
“That’s not who I am,” I managed to continue, “and if you think I’m like
that for even a second then you don’t know me at all and you don’t deserve
me.”
Before he could respond, I jumped out of the car and slammed the door
behind me. His car remained idling by the side of the road, but I didn’t turn as
I walked back down my driveway.
Several moments later, I heard the screech of car wheels as Jake took off
from the curb and sped away. It was only once I heard the car disappear
around the corner that I let the emotion that was building in my chest burst
out of me. Tears rushed down my cheeks and my whole body ached in agony.
I collapsed to my knees in the driveway and cradled my arms around my
body tightly. I felt completely numb and empty inside. I knew that Jake and I
had been on rocky ground for some time, but it hurt so badly to know that it
had now come to an end for good. I couldn’t picture the future without him.
I knew I had to get off the ground and go to school, but I couldn’t seem to
get my legs to comply. Mom and Dad had already left for work, and Lucas
went straight to school from hockey practice. The only option left was to
walk, but the thought of trudging all the way to school on my own made me
even more miserable.
“Madi?” a voice called from the street.
Oh no, not him.
I could hear the pounding of footsteps coming toward me as Cole raced
down my driveway.
“Not now, Cole.” I barely managed to blurt out the words between sobs.
My whole body seemed to shake as I cried.
I felt Cole’s warm hand softly press against my back, and then he lightly
took hold of my chin, lifting it so I could look him in the eyes. I’d never really
noticed the color of his eyes before. They were greenish-gold around the
center and changed to a shade of blue around the rim. There was so much
concern in them as he looked at me, far more than I ever would have expected
to see.
“You okay, buttercup?”
I gave a sad laugh at the nickname. “Have you been watching The
Princess Bride?”
“That’s inconceivable,” he said, with a smile.
My laugh was a little more genuine this time. It didn’t stop the tears that
were still welling in my eyes though.
“Shouldn’t you be at school?” I asked.
“Shouldn’t you?” he replied.
I let out a breath. Cole was still cupping my chin in his hand, and his face
felt far too close to mine. As if he sensed my thought, Cole lowered his hand
and settled onto the ground at my side. He was still watching me though, and
I knew he was desperate to find out why I was crying, but he didn’t ask the
question.
“Jake and I broke up,” I eventually whispered. It hurt so badly to say the
words out loud, and a new wave of tears threatened to cascade down my
cheeks.
Cole frowned, and a flicker of guilt entered his eyes. “Is it because of the
show?”
I shrugged. “That’s part of it, but we’ve been having problems for a while.
I guess seeing the episode last night was the final straw for him.”
“I’m sorry if it was my fault in any way,” he said. From the genuine look
in his eyes, I could tell he meant it. “Jake’s an idiot for letting you go.”
I nodded, though I wasn’t sure if I agreed.
“Come on,” he said, suddenly jumping to his feet. He held out one hand to
help me up. As I looked up at his outstretched hand, I had a weird sense of
déjà vu. It reminded me of how he’d offered out his hand to help me out of
the pool the other night, and a flicker of guilt rushed through me. I’d been so
immature to pull him in when he’d only been trying to help me.
I took his hand though, this time not yanking him down with it. His grip
was warm, and our hands seemed to fit perfectly together.
“I can’t go to school,” I said, once I was standing. I wiped my eyes and
felt thankful that I’d decided not to put makeup on this morning. It probably
didn’t stop me from looking like a mess though.
“Who said we were going to school?” Cole replied, giving me his
signature smirk. It seemed that even during sad or stressful moments it was
never far from his face.
“You want to ditch?”
His grin grew wider. “You scared of getting in trouble?”
“Is that even a question? My mom would kill me.” I folded my arms over
my chest and tried to look disapproving. I doubt I was very convincing
considering the misery I knew was etched onto my face.
“You and your boyfriend just broke up. I think she’ll understand.”
His words caused another stab of pain to run through my chest. It was
hard to hear my new reality spoken aloud, but I knew I couldn’t dwell on it.
I chewed on my lower lip as I considered my options. Cole was probably
right. I doubted Mom would force me to go to school when I was this
miserable.
“If it helps, I think our moms have been planning our wedding since the
moment you moved onto the street,” he said. “You being single and us
ditching school to spend the day together is pretty much both of their dreams
come true.”
“If I get in trouble you know I’m leaving you at the altar,” I said, with a
small smile.
A grin stretched across his whole face, and I felt slightly stunned as I
looked at it. I was so used to seeing Cole’s overconfident smirk, that when he
genuinely smiled at me, it felt like I was getting a glimpse of an entirely
different person. It was hard not to be mesmerized.
“I’ll take that to mean you’re in.”
“Yeah, I’m in,” I said, trying to pull my eyes away from his lips. “Where
are we going?”
“It’s a surprise,” he said. “Come on.”
11
 COLE

M adi seemed a little more like herself as we drove. It had nearly broken
my heart to see her crying, and I wanted to do anything I could to stop
her tears. The fact that Jake had been the cause of those tears was enough to
make me want to punch him in the face. He was an idiot for breaking up with
Madi, and I knew it wouldn’t take him long to realize. It would be less than a
week before he came crawling back to her, begging her to take him back.
I stopped myself as I felt a smile begin to spread across my face at the
thought.
“What are we doing at Peggy’s?” Madi asked as we pulled up outside my
favorite diner.
“Only getting the world’s best pancake stack,” I replied. “Come on.”
I jumped out of the truck and walked around to open her door before she
could argue. She stepped out of the cab and looked uncertain as she followed
me. “I haven’t been here in years,” she murmured. “Not since…” Her voice
drifted off and she gave me a sad glance.
She didn’t need to speak the words aloud, I knew Madi was going to say
she hadn’t been to Peggy’s since she and Jake started dating. When we had all
been friends, we’d often come together. But Jake ruined that the moment he
had decided to make Madi his own and refused to let me talk to her. I wasn’t
bothered by his threats anymore though.
“You’ve been missing out,” was all I said in response.
We took a seat at one of the booths toward the back of the room. Madi
immediately busied herself by scanning the menu. I reached over and
snatched it from her hand before she could take a proper look though. “Don’t
pretend you don’t know what you want,” I said.
She tried to grab the menu back from me, but I held it out of reach.
“Give me the menu, Cole.”
 “What, it’s not like you’re going to order anything other than the BFP?”
“Maybe I don’t feel like the big fluffy pancakes.”
“You know that’s not what the ‘f’ stands for,” I replied.
She glared at me, and it made my heart swell. Her tears were nowhere to
be seen.
Madi was saved from responding as Peggy came over. She was wearing
the same retro blue dress she always wore, and while she had a few more grey
hairs now, she still looked just the same as she had when Madi used to come
here with me.
Peggy had been using a stick to help her get around after a bad fall last
winter, but I sometimes wondered if she really needed it anymore. She rarely
leaned on it and I saw her using the stick to nudge her husband when she
wanted something far more frequently.
“Shouldn’t you kids be in school?” she asked. That was the other thing
about Peggy; she rarely kept her opinions to herself, and I could hear the clear
disapproval in her tone.
“Nah, it’s a special day,” I said.
Peggy lifted an eyebrow, like she didn’t believe me, but I gave her my
broadest smile, and she merely shook her head. “What will it be?”
“We’ll have two BFPs,” I said. “Both with extra maple, extra crushed
Oreos and one with bacon.”
I handed Peggy our menus and smiled when I caught the look on Madi’s
face. “You remembered my order,” she said.
“Duh, it’s practically the same as mine except you ruin yours it with
bacon.”
“It’s not ruined,” she replied.
“Sweet and savory should never be mixed. It’s sacrilege.” I sounded so
adamant that it drew a small laugh from her lips.
“I forgot how weird you were about mixing certain foods.”
“I forgot you were a barbarian who would mix together just about
anything.”
She suddenly smiled, and my lungs felt like they could breathe again. I
hated seeing Madi upset. Her expression only grew brighter when her
pancakes arrived. I started salivating too as I looked down at my plate. Four
huge pancakes were stacked on top of one another. Between each layer, I
could see a thick drizzling of maple syrup oozing out of the folds and
sprinkled over the top were large chunks of Oreos. Even the crispy bacon that
was draped on top of Madi’s stack was doused in maple syrup and cookie
chunks. It looked incredible.
Neither of us hesitated before we started to dig in. My first mouthful was
pure bliss, and I closed my eyes as I savored each sweet bite. It was a struggle
not to ditch my knife and fork and devour the stack with my hands.
Madi was making it difficult to fully focus on my pancakes though. She
kept making little moans of pleasure as she ate, which made my stomach
tense every time. To distract myself, I asked her the first thing that popped
into my head.
“So, did you watch the show on Sunday night?” I asked.
Madi shook her head and kept her gaze focused on her food. “What’s to
watch? I already experienced it.”
“True,” I replied. I didn’t want to talk about the fact that I had watched it.
I’d spent most of the time studying my conversations with Madi and trying to
analyze her reactions. The girl always appeared irritated with me on the
surface, but sometimes I dared to hope that maybe she felt something
different underneath.
“I just wish I’d been able to get out of it last night.”
The food in my mouth turned bland at her words, and I struggled to
swallow it down. “You still want out?”
She frowned as she looked at me. “We talked about this last night…”
“I know. I just thought that things might have changed after today.”
Her frown grew more pronounced, and her eyes grew wet with the
promise of tears. Damn it. I was meant to be fixing the problem, not making it
worse.
“Okay, I know you’re not a huge fan of being in the contest.”
“That’s an understatement,” she grumbled.
“But the main reason you wanted to leave so early was because of Jake,
and he’s not an issue anymore.” I said it as gently as I could, but that didn’t
stop the hurt from flashing across Madi’s eyes.
“Maybe you could just view the contest as a fun distraction?” I asked.
She pursed her lips as she considered my suggestion. “It’s just so
embarrassing,” she said. “You should have seen my parents the other night…”
“You should have seen mine,” I responded. “My mom spent an hour
lecturing me on the wrongs of pushing pretty girls in pools.”
Madi laughed and my heart warmed at her reaction. I wished I could make
her laugh like that more often.
“So, will you stick it out with me?”
“I’ll think about it,” she finally agreed. “But you’ll probably give me the
boot come Monday anyways.”
“Nah,” I replied. “I think you’re safe.”
We stayed at Peggy’s the whole morning talking. It was fun and easy in a
way I couldn’t have dreamed up. This was the Madison I’d missed the last
two years, and now that I had her back I couldn’t stand the thought of letting
her go again. I’d been stupid enough to allow it to happen once; I refused to
have it happen again. I just wasn’t sure if she felt the same way.
When we finally decided to leave Peggy’s, I didn’t take Madi home. I
wasn’t ready to say goodbye to her yet. Not when we were finally starting to
get along again.
When I drove past the turnoff to our street, she gave me a questioning
look.
“I have another pit stop for us,” I said.
“Where?” she asked. “If it involves more food, you can count me out. I’m
still full from breakfast.”
“It’s not food,” I replied. “But that’s the only hint you’re getting.”
Her face grew more confused as I drove beyond the edge of the suburbs
and entered the forest that bordered our town. It was a sunny day, and beneath
the trees dappled light played across the dash of my truck. I always felt like I
could breathe more easily when I was in nature, and a part of me was hoping
that Madi would feel the same.
I pulled over by the start of one of the walking trails, and Madi’s
confusion turned to horror. “We better not be hiking, Kingston. I’m wearing
wedges!” she exclaimed as I opened her door for her.
I chuckled. “Nah, we’re not going far. There’s just a place I want to show
you.”
“You promise?” she asked.
“Yes, I promise,” I replied. “Now, get those cute wedges down here so we
can get going.”
“Alright, alright,” she said as she eased herself down from my truck. Even
with wedges on Madi was short, and she barely came up to my chin in height.
I bet she’d fit perfectly under my arm, though I wasn’t game enough to try.
“This way,” I said, leading her down the dirt track and away from the
road. The path was narrow and edged by low-lying foliage on either side. It
was mostly flat though and not too difficult to walk. Even so, I kept glancing
back to Madi to check she was okay. Instead of focusing on where she was
walking, she was looking around at the beauty of the forest that surrounded
her, tilting her head to stare up at the enormous trees that towered over us.
We didn’t walk far down the track before I steered us off the path and into
the trees. We had to climb over a large fallen log, and I held out my hand to
help Madi over it. She hesitated though.
“Are you sure you know where you’re going?” she asked, peering up at
me.
“Wow, you have like zero faith in me, Matthews.”
“Not zero,” she replied. “Like 12% … on a good day.”
“And on a bad day?”
“You don’t want to know,” she replied, a small smile curving her lips.
“You’re probably right,” I agreed. “Now come on, up and over with you.”
She shook her head at me, but took hold of my hand and allowed me to
help her over the log. As she stepped onto the other side, she almost stumbled
on the uneven path and gripped my hand tighter. Madi definitely wasn’t
wearing the right shoes for our little trek, and she surprised me by keeping her
hand firmly intertwined with mine as we continued through the thick
undergrowth. I half expected her to pull away from me, but she kept hold of
me while her eyes focused down on every step she took. I knew she was only
holding my hand for support, but I wasn’t complaining. I loved the way her
hand fit in mine.
My pace grew a little quicker when I saw light through the trees in the
distance. When we reached the edge of the forest, I led Madi out onto a rocky
ledge. My heart was racing with the same excitement and awe I always felt as
I looked out at the view. Beyond the ridge we stood on, a thick carpet of
greenery stretched out below us as far as the eye could see. In the distance,
the leafy scene met a bright and endless blue sky. We were up so high it was
like being on a plane, and it felt as though the horizon went on forever.
“Whoa,” Madi murmured. She let go of my hand and moved closer to the
edge of the rock to take in the view before us. She was silent for several
minutes, but I didn’t feel the need to fill the time with talk. Sometimes,
silence was the best way to appreciate such a beautiful view.
I walked forward and sat at the edge of the rock, dangling my feet over
the edge. Any tightness in my chest always loosened when I was here, and I
hoped that Madi was experiencing the same sensation.
“This place is gorgeous,” Madi finally said, lowering herself to sit beside
me.
“Yeah,” I agreed, my gaze still fixed on the horizon. “I always come here
when I need to get away from things. It’s my thinking rock.” I hazarded a
glance at Madi and saw she was nodding, as though what I’d just said had
made total sense. I let out a small breath. I had half worried she’d think I was
a crazy person for having a thinking rock.
“What do you think about?” she asked.
“Anything, everything,” I replied. “Sometimes nothing at all.”
“And what about now?”
A flutter of nerves ran beneath my skin at her question. “I’m thinking that
I’m glad I brought you here and shared this with you.”
She smiled. “I’m glad you did too,” she replied. “Things don’t seem quite
so bad up here.”
“No,” I agreed.
We returned to our previous silence, though the world around us was far
from still. Birds chirped in the trees and a soft breeze ruffled my clothes. I
could hear Madi slowly breathing in and out, and the sound was just as
calming as the forest around us.
“I should probably get home,” Madi eventually said. I wasn’t sure how
long we’d been sitting on the rock, admiring the view, but there was
reluctance in her voice, like she didn’t want to leave. I’d finally done
something right.
I nodded and stood up, holding my hands out to help Madi up from the
ground. Once she was standing, she lingered in front of me, and despite her
words, I knew she was struggling to leave this place as much as I was.
“Well, thanks for babysitting me today,” she said, tucking a loose hair that
was being pulled by the wind behind her ear. “I’m sorry I wasn’t great
company for your day of ditching.”
I hated seeing her self-doubt and wanted to pull her in and hug away her
insecurities. I felt unsure how receptive she’d be though. Things were finally
starting to go right; I couldn’t mess them up now. So, instead, I stuck my
hands in my pockets to stop myself reaching out for her.
“Don’t be silly, you were great company,” I said, earning myself a smile.
“Now, let’s get you back to the truck, my beautiful fluffy pancake.”
I turned and walked back toward the trees before she could react. I didn’t
wait to catch the glare I knew was coming my way, but that didn’t mean I
couldn’t feel it against the back of my neck.
“I thought you said the ‘f’ doesn’t stand for fluffy,” she shouted as she
came after me.
I laughed. Today was turning out just great.
12
 MADISON

I had ten missed calls and countless text messages from Hayley when I
checked my phone. After Cole dropped me off and I walked through the
front door, my phone rang instantly with another call from her.
“Where are you?” she asked as soon as I answered.
“I ditched school today,” I replied, making my way upstairs to my room.
“I wasn’t really feeling up to it. Jake and I broke up this morning.”
“I know. I heard. I’ve been trying to get a hold of you all day. I can’t
believe he would let you go!” I had to love my best friend for sounding so
indignant on my behalf. “I’m already planning the perfect revenge.”
“Hold up, Hayles. We don’t need another revenge operation on our hands.
It’s fine.”
“No, it’s not. Jake has been going around school all day telling people
you’re a frigid tease and that’s why he had to break up with you.”
My chest tightened and I could barely breathe. How could he say that
about me? That wasn’t even close to the reason we broke up. I couldn’t
believe he’d be so cruel.
“He really said that?” I finally whispered.
“That’s what Tanner told me. Although I think we all know Jake’s only
saying that because he’s jealous. He’s absolutely vile. I refused to sit with him
and the rest of those posers at lunch.” My heart warmed at the thought of her
taking such a stand for me.
“You didn’t have to do that,” I murmured.
“Are you kidding? I would have had it out with him right in the middle of
the cafeteria if I’d come within ten feet of the guy.”
“You probably would have won too.”
 “Yeah,” she agreed. “I’ve got moxie.”
I laughed. She totally did.
“So, back to my revenge plan,” she said.
“No revenge plan!” That was the last thing I needed.
“You haven’t heard me out yet.”
“I don’t need to. Your last revenge plan totally backfired. Mr. Callahan
and Miss French are getting married.”
I shook my head at the memory. Miss French had given Hayley a C on her
math test, and Mr. Callahan had spoken to her parents about her needing
tutoring in biology. So, Hayley decided to exact revenge on the two of them.
She took Mr. Callahan’s biology mascot, a giant stuffed toy heart, and hid
it in Miss French’s desk. Then she wrote a ransom note for the heart. It was
addressed from Miss French, and the letter demanded Mr. Callahan’s phone
number in exchange for his toy. Hayley had hoped to embarrass them both,
but her plan failed miserably.
“How was I supposed to know that kidnapping Mr. Hearty would end up
being the catalyst for them falling in love?” Hayley asked. She sounded so
devastated about it that I couldn’t help but laugh.
“You seem to be doing okay,” she commented.
I let out a breath. There was an ache in my chest, and my insides felt
completely hollow, but I wasn’t falling to pieces like I might have expected.
“I guess things hadn’t been going well between Jake and me for a while,”
I explained. “It was almost like we were already broken up, only neither of us
had said the words.”
I’d cried my eyes out when Jake had forgotten to pick me up from work
the other weekend. I think in my heart I knew it was over then. The more I
thought about it, the more I felt like our breakup was actually a relief.
“I think I’m mostly sad that I’ve lost him as a friend,” I continued. “We
were never that great as a couple, but he always used to be a good friend.”
“Yeah, well, he’s banned from being your friend. Good friends don’t say
hurtful crap about each other,” Hayley responded.
“Yeah,” I agreed. I still couldn’t believe Jake had told people we broke up
because I wouldn’t have sex with him. It was so cliché.
“Madison Matthews!” my mom shouted from downstairs. I rarely heard
my mom’s aggressive tone used to call my name, and I knew it meant I was in
trouble.
“Oh crap,” I muttered into the phone.
“Your mom?” Hayley asked. I wasn’t surprised she’d heard the scream
through the phone. It had practically shaken the walls.
“Yep,” I replied. “I’m dead.”
“It was nice knowing you,” Hayley replied. “I’ll put flowers on your
grave.”
I laughed and hung up the phone before slowly making my way
downstairs. I hoped that my friend would also pick out a kick-ass inscription
for my tombstone. I was fairly certain I’d need it.

I T TURNED out I was wrong about my mom and I didn’t require a funeral. I
was worried Jake might need one though after I explained the breakup to my
mom. She was so livid she threatened to call his mother. It was a reaction
typical of my mom. I was mortified at the thought and somehow managed to
talk her down, but I had to love her for standing up for me.
Unfortunately, she wasn’t there to back me up and help me fight my
battles at school the next day. Seeing Jake in the corridor first thing was like a
punch to the gut. He completely ignored me as I walked by him. His gaze
slipped right by me like I didn’t exist at all.
Worse still was the way Laurie flirted with him at lunch. I’d grown used
to her behavior over the years, but it broke my heart to see him returning it. I
thought she was after Cole, but now I was beginning to wonder if she was
hedging her bets between the two boys. Either way, I couldn’t bear to watch,
so I kept my gaze fixed on my food for the rest of the lunch hour.
There was also the whole “Cadi” thing to deal with. I felt like I was in
mourning and yet people kept coming up to me in the corridors to tell me they
were rooting for Cole and me. I even had one teacher tell me how much she
wished she were young and in love again. I wasn’t even in one of her classes,
so to say it was a strange conversation was an understatement.
It was a relief to get to work on Thursday night. I rarely saw other kids
from school at the gourmet pizza restaurant I worked at during the week.
Crust was more of a weekend hangout, so I was looking forward to the few
hours where I’d be able to interact with other people without the stupid True
Love competition being brought up.
 The moment I walked in the door though, I heard a squeal of excitement.
“It’s the star of True Love,” Jazz shouted as I walked toward the staff room.
“You have to tell me everything!”
I pushed down a shudder—so much for avoiding talk of the competition
tonight. How did Jazz even know True Love existed? She was so busy with
university, or working as a server in the restaurant, I was surprised she had
time to bother herself with a high school dating contest.
“You watched the show on Sunday?”
“Obvi. One of the girls in my dorm has a sister in the competition so we
all watched it together, but I had no idea you were in it! Why didn’t you tell
me?”
“I wasn’t sure you’d be interested,” I replied. Jazz may be in university,
but sometimes she made me feel older than her.
“Of course I am,” she gushed. “And I totally voted for you. You and Cole
are so adorable together.”
“You didn’t have to do that,” I murmured.
“Ah, yeah I did. We need to make sure that Laurie girl doesn’t sink her
claws in him. Poor Cole doesn’t deserve that.”
I shook my head at her. “Do you even know Cole?”
“Nope, but I wouldn’t mind getting to know him. If you know what I
mean,” she said, wriggling her eyebrows at me.
“I’m not sure that Cole could keep up with you,” I laughed. Jazz was
incredibly beautiful. Her thick black hair and large, chocolate eyes always
mesmerized guys when they came into the restaurant. She was also renowned
for being a serial dater.
“What? I can’t help it if I get bored quickly,” she replied.
“How many dates so far this week?”
“Three,” she replied, with a shrug. She spoke so openly about it and I had
to give her credit. Jazz really owned her single status.
I dropped my bag off in the staff room before joining Jazz back in the
kitchen. She was flirting with Abe, one of the kitchen hands. He stared at her
adoringly, but I knew nothing would come of it. Jazz was a firm believer in
not dating co-workers. I think it was her only rule.
“So how is that delicious boy toy of yours going?” Jazz asked, ditching
Abe and joining me as I walked back through to the restaurant.
 “Are you talking about Jake?” I asked. “We broke up.”
Jazz grinned brightly. “So you can date Cole then,” she said, as if that
were the obvious next step.
“I could…but that doesn’t mean I want to.”
She ignored my comment. “Don’t be silly, of course you do. He’s yummy.
And if it doesn’t work out, there are plenty of other guys on the football
team.” She sounded serious, like it was a perfectly natural thing to date the
entire team. It made me seriously wonder about what she was like at high
school.
“Please don’t tell me you dated the entire football team,” I said.
“Well, not all of them at the same time, obviously,” she replied. “There
were only a few overlaps…”
I held up a hand as she went to continue. “I really don’t want to know.”
And I didn’t. It was bad enough that she went into excruciating detail about
her dates every week.
“But—“
I gave her a look, warning her not to continue. Thankfully I was saved
from the sordid particulars of her relationship with the football team as a
family walked through the front doors.
“We’ll talk later,” she said as she walked off to greet the customers.
Apparently, I wasn’t saved after all.
Jazz was still chatting with the family when the next lot of customers
walked in. My eyes widened as I caught sight of the group. As if by reflex, I
dropped to the ground behind the bar. I took several deep breaths in to try and
calm my racing heart.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I groaned, as I ran a hand through my hair.
It was kids from school. But not just any kids. It was the film club
walking in with their cameras, and Cole and Willow were trailing in behind
them.
I’d forgotten their single date was tonight. I couldn’t believe this was
happening.
A head popped over the top of the counter and I nearly screamed. “Madi,
there are customers here,” Jazz said, a wicked smile on her face.
“Yeah, I know,” I replied. “I’m not serving them.”
“They’re sitting in your section…” She glanced over her shoulder, licking
her lips. “That Cole is even hotter in person than on film. On second thought,
maybe I will serve them.”
A small wave of jealousy fluttered through me. Jazz got any guy she ever
set her eyes on. I jumped up and received a knowing look from Jazz.
“Change your mind?” she asked coyly.
I glared at her, making her laugh. “It’s okay to like him, Madi,” she said.
“I don’t like him,” I hissed.
Jazz was talking way too loudly and at risk of getting Cole and Willow’s
attention. Luckily they were seated in one of the booths at the far end of the
restaurant and seemed pretty content talking with one another. Cole’s eyes
didn’t stray from Willow as they spoke, and I experienced a strange pang in
my gut as I watched the two of them.
“Uh huh,” Jazz replied, in an annoyingly cocky tone.
I shot her another foul look. “Why don’t you seem surprised that they’re
here?”
Her grin grew larger. “Oh, didn’t I tell you they were coming in?”
“Clearly not.”
“I can’t believe I forgot,” she tittered. “We got a call last night from the
film club to see if it was okay to film here.”
I pointed my finger at her. “You are pure evil.”
“And you are letting our customers wait…”
“Alright, alright, I’m going,” I said.
I took in a deep breath before I started making my way across the room.
There were just two cameras focused on the date tonight, and Angus was
seated with the rest of the film club at a booth directly across from Willow
and Cole. With the cameras and the crew practically hovering over the date
there looked to be little chance for romance.
I tried not to glare at Angus as I neared. This whole thing felt like a set-
up. He was constantly asking me about my work schedule to make sure I was
able to take part in the contest, and he knew perfectly well I was rostered to
work tonight. I would definitely be having words with him later.
I approached Willow and Cole’s booth. My body was tense, and I felt an
unusual bought of nerves as I drew close. I wasn’t sure why I was freaking
out so much. I’d never cared who Cole dated before, and I shouldn’t care
now. I guess I’d started seeing him a little differently after we ditched school
together on Tuesday. He hadn’t behaved like the cold-hearted jerk I was so
used to dealing with. He was more like the boy I had once been friends with,
and I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed having him in my life.
“Hey guys, what can I get for you?” I asked, using the cheerful tone I
adopted when serving. It didn’t sound as genuine as normal, but I hoped I was
the only one who could notice. One of the cameras was right up in my face,
which may have accounted for at least some of the awkwardness in my voice.
Cole’s head jerked up at my question, and his eyes grew wide with
surprise. He looked like his brain was failing to compute how I was standing
in front of him.
“You work here, Madi?” he asked. His voice was hesitant, and he seemed
unsure of himself. I guess I wasn’t the only one Angus had blindsided with
the date tonight.
“Yup,” I replied, popping the p. “Do you guys want some drinks to start?”
“Oh, err, yeah,” Cole replied. He rubbed the back of his neck and his eyes
moved to look at Willow. His gaze softened as he stared at her and my
stomach tensed in response.
“What would you like, Will?” he asked.
Will? He called her by a nickname. A nickname I hadn’t known existed
until it left his lips.
“Just a glass of water is fine,” she said, smiling up at me. Her smile was
so open and pretty. There was no pretense to it, unlike so many of the other
girls I knew.
“I’ll have water too,” Cole said, not taking his eyes off Willow.
“Sure thing.” I retreated to the kitchen without waiting to see if they
wanted anything else.
As I crossed the restaurant floor, I sensed someone following me closely
like a shadow.
“Madi,” Angus called.
I turned and frowned when I saw he’d followed me into the staff only
area. “You can’t be back here,” I replied, shooing him back toward the
restaurant.
“I’ll only be a second,” he said.
I let out an exasperated breath. “What is it?”
“I think we need to do that scene again,” he replied. “But next time I want
you to be more surprised and upset to see Cole here on a date with Willow.”
Anger riled up inside me. “You want me to what?”
“Well, I think that we could really play up the love story between you two
if you would just—”
I cut him off with a scowl. “No, Angus. I’m not going to manipulate the
situation into something it’s not. I’m at work, and you’re not my boss. So take
your ideas back out into the restaurant and keep them to yourself.”
He opened his mouth to try and argue back.
“Don’t make me throw you and your film crew out of here,” I warned.
“Fine,” Angus grumbled. “But just so you know, you’re missing out on an
excellent opportunity to grow the interest in our show.”
He gave me a disappointed look before turning and heading back to the
main restaurant. It took me several minutes to calm down before I went back
out there myself.
When I brought the water to the table, Cole still didn’t look at me. He
murmured a, “thank you,” but didn’t make eye contact when he said it. It was
so unlike him. Even when he’d been dating girls before, he’d always made
time to try and irritate me.
“Are you guys ready to order your food?” I asked. As far as I was
concerned, the sooner they ate and left the better. I knew Angus wanted to get
a reaction out of me, but I was determined not to give him any material to
work with. I would do my job and treat them just like everyone else.
“We’ll have a large Mr. Beefy and a small Little Miss Veggie,” Cole
responded. It was obvious who wanted which pizza considering the sizes and
the fact Willow was a vegetarian.
I jotted down the order and tried not to smirk at Cole’s choice of pizza. I
always felt like people’s pizza choices said a lot about their personality. Cole
had pretty much chosen the jock of all pizzas. It was hardly surprising.
“What’s so funny?” he asked.
I looked up and found him watching my lips. “Nothing,” I responded,
quickly. I’d barely even been smiling.
“No, clearly something about our order is making you laugh,” he
continued.
“It’s nothing you’d be interested in,” I replied. I walked off before Cole
could continue to press me, but I could feel his gaze on me as I walked across
the restaurant.
“Want me to coat his pizza in hot sauce?” Jazz asked, peering over her
shoulder in Cole’s direction as I came to stand next to her.
“Why would I want you to do that?”
“Because he’s looking way too comfortable with his date,” she said. “I
think we should make things interesting. Spice them up a little, you know.”
I followed Jazz’s gaze toward Cole and Willow. They did appear awfully
comfortable with each other. I’d never seen them exchange two words before,
and yet they seemed to be talking easily enough. They actually looked happy
to be there, which I hadn’t really expected.
I was especially surprised by Willow. She was usually so nervous around
people and had been terrified in front of the cameras so far. How was it that
Cole of all people could put her at ease?
I focused on Jazz once more. “No hot-saucing the food, Jazz,” I warned. I
could already imagine the commotion that would unfold because of it. It
would probably make Angus’ night.
Jazz looked back at me and let out a sad sigh. “You used to be fun.”
“Don’t lie,” I replied, with a grin. “We both know I was never fun.”
“True,” she agreed with a smirk. “Fine, I’ll leave the sabotage for now.
But I won’t be able to control my actions if he goes in for a kiss.”
I laughed, but my stomach also dropped at her words. I had thought it was
sweet of Cole to choose Willow for this date, but did I really want him to kiss
her?
I glanced in his direction and found Cole was looking at me. He lifted one
eyebrow when our eyes met. There was a questioning look in his gaze that I
couldn’t seem to understand. He was probably just wondering where his pizza
was. I looked away quickly and disappeared into the kitchen. I wasn’t sure I
wanted to know what Cole was wondering.
I somehow managed to keep my interactions with Cole and Willow to a
minimum for the rest of the evening. I kept things entirely professional when
dealing with them, which I’m sure annoyed Angus. I knew he was after
drama, but I refused to pretend to be someone I wasn’t.
When the two of them finally left, thankfully taking the film club with
them, I felt like I could breathe again. Their presence had seemed to steal all
of the oxygen from the room, and I’d been struggling to fill my lungs during
the couple of hours they’d been in the restaurant.
 Unfortunately, Angus hung back for a few minutes once everyone else
had gone. He was frowning, and when I saw him beckoning me from the
door, I had a bad feeling that whatever he wanted to talk to me about wasn’t
pleasant.
“I’m disappointed you weren’t more willing to help us out tonight,”
Angus told me as I reached him.
I gave him a shrug. “That’s not what I signed up for. I’m sorry, Angus.”
He nodded to indicate he was listening, but his eyes were calculating as he
watched me, and I could tell he already had his comeback prepared.
“I understand,” he said. “But I think you too need to understand, Madi.
The audience needs someone to root for, and at the moment they are rooting
for you. I thought I could help make you the star of this show—the sweetheart
of the True Love contest. I’m beginning to wonder if I was wrong though. It
seems you’re just going to let them down.”
I frowned at him, completely lost for words. On what Earth did Angus
ever believe that I wanted that sort of attention and pressure? I was meant to
be eliminated on Monday, and I was hoping and expecting to be gone by next
week.
As he watched my reaction, he nodded once more. “Yes, I can see that
maybe Teagan would be a better choice. Well, anyway, I’ll see you at school
tomorrow.”
With that, he turned and left the restaurant, and I was left standing by the
door wondering what the hell had just happened. He’d been talking with me
calmly enough, but his words had felt threatening. What he was threatening
exactly had me confused though. Was he trying to tell me he was going to
manipulate the audience to vote for Teagan if I didn’t start to do whatever he
asked?
I wasn’t sure if I wanted to figure out the answer to that, so I returned to
work, trying to push my talk with Angus as far as possible from my mind.
The rest of my shift flew by afterward, and I was let off early when the
restaurant quietened down for the evening. I said my goodbyes to Jazz and the
kitchen guys and made my way outside. The evening was cool, and I put my
jacket on as I left the restaurant. It was dark outside, and I stood by the front
window bathed in the restaurant’s warm light as I pulled out my phone to call
my mom.
“Need a lift?” a voice called.
I practically jumped out of my skin, dropping my phone as I looked up.
Cole stood there, leaning against his truck, which was parked by the curb a
little way down the road from me.
“Dammit, Cole!” I exclaimed as I bent down to pick my phone up.
Thankfully the screen wasn’t cracked. “You nearly scared me half to death.”
He pushed off the car and walked toward me. I half expected to find the
film club following closely, but the street behind him was empty and it looked
like he was alone.
“What are you doing here?” I asked. He came to stand in front of me and I
caught a whiff of his cologne. It was subtle but enticing, and nothing like the
cheap spray can scents most of the boys at school wore. It was bad enough
that he was unfairly hot; why did he also have to smell good?
“I thought you might like a ride home,” he said.
I frowned. “How did you know when I would finish work?”
“I didn’t,” he replied with a shrug.
“So you’ve been waiting out here in the dark like a total weirdo?”
He laughed awkwardly and rubbed the back of his neck like he was
suddenly uncomfortable. “I’d been going more for chivalrous knight in
shining armor, but when you put it like that…”
I smiled. “I’m only joking. I would love a ride. Mom’s always so busy
driving Lucas around, I don’t really like asking her unless I’m desperate.”
“Is that why you walked home in the rain when Jake forgot to pick you up
from work a couple of weekends ago?” he asked.
“You heard about that, huh?” I asked, receiving a nod in response. “Mom
and Dad were at an away game that night with Lucas. There was no way
they’d have been able to get back in time to pick me up.”
“Oh,” he replied. There was a flicker of concern in his eyes, like he was
worried about me even though the incident had been nearly two weeks ago.
We started walking to his truck, his arm brushing lightly against mine as
he kept pace beside me. When we reached the car, he opened the door for me
and I jumped in, giving him a small smile in thanks.
Cole’s scent seemed to fill the cab, and as I breathed it in I found myself
wondering what Willow had thought of it. Had he even given her a lift home
or had they arrived at the restaurant separately. I immediately pushed the
thoughts from my mind. What had happened between them tonight was none
of my business.
 “Why don’t you have your license?” Cole asked as he got in and started
the car.
“I do,” I said. “But I’m saving up for my own car.”
“Your parents won’t buy you one?” he asked.
“No,” I replied. “I mean, they probably would if I hounded them enough.
But I think they want me to learn to save. I don’t mind my job, and it feels
good to know I’m saving my money for something important. I’ve always
managed okay without a car anyways.”
He gave me a warm smile. “I think that’s great you’re going to buy your
own car.”
“Thanks,” I said, smiling in return. It was such a small thing to say, but it
meant the world to me. Hayley thought the whole thing was crazy. My parents
could easily afford to buy me a car. She didn’t seem to understand how
important it had become that I did it myself.
“I hope tonight didn’t feel too awkward for you,” Cole said, interrupting
my train of thought.
I glanced at him and tried to figure out his expression. He seemed relaxed,
but his fingers were tapping against the wheel as he drove.
“Tonight was fine. You and Willow make a cute couple.”
He swallowed and then frowned slightly. “I don’t see Willow that way,”
he said.
I tilted my head as I continued to watch him. Was he telling the truth? The
two of them had seemed so comfortable around one another. Perhaps he just
saw her as a friend.
“If that’s true, I hope you’re not leading her on…” I said.
He let out a laugh. “Nah, Willow and I are on the same page. Trust me.”
I still couldn’t tell if he was lying or not, so I decided not to push him on
the subject.
“Did you really not know I worked at Crust?” I asked, trying not to focus
on Cole’s potential feelings toward Willow.
“I had no idea,” he replied. “Angus suggested it for the date tonight and I
didn’t think twice. Their pizzas are awesome.”
“Yeah, they’re pretty good,” I agreed.
We both fell silent. I was still analyzing what Cole had said about Willow
in my mind. I wasn’t supposed to care, but I couldn’t seem to look past it.
“Do you know what we’re doing for the group date tomorrow night?” I
asked as he pulled into our street.
Cole grinned at the question and stopped out the front of my house.
Neither of us moved to get out of the car though. “You know I can’t discuss
that with you,” he replied.
“Come on. Just a hint?”
His smile grew broader. “Dress warmly. That’s all I’m going to tell you.”
“Hmm.” I tapped my fingers over my lips as I considered what his cryptic
little clue could mean.
“I think you’ll like it,” he added. He pulled his focus from the road ahead
and looked over at me with bright eyes. There was such an earnest openness
to his gaze and I found my heart beating faster.
“And if I don’t?” I asked.
“Well, I’ll have to make it up to you then. Won’t I?”
I went to respond, but I forgot what I wanted to say as his eyes dipped to
look at my lips. He suddenly seemed so close, and the cab felt smaller than it
had before. His scent was everywhere around me, and I felt like I was in some
kind of Cole-induced haze.
A part of me wanted to lean into him, but another part of me wanted to
open the door and run. I didn’t know why I was reacting this way to him. The
only thing I knew was that I shouldn’t be feeling like this about anyone. Not
so soon after Jake and I split up. And definitely not toward Cole Kingston.
I blinked, and the slight movement seemed to clear the haze from my
mind. “I should get inside,” I said.
He nodded, but I could see a flicker of disappointment in his eyes as they
met mine once more.
“Thanks for the ride,” I said.
“Anytime, Madi,” he replied. His voice was deep and rough, and the way
he said my name sent shivers running down my spine.
I swallowed and gave Cole a stiff smile before getting out of his truck. I
hurried away from it, trying to avoid the confusing and unwanted feelings I’d
just experienced. No amount of distance seemed to dispel them though. And
even once I was inside my house, I could still feel the echo of the temptation
I’d felt to kiss him.
He was my enemy, right? I suddenly wasn’t so sure.
13
 COLE

I stood in the middle of the rink grinning as the eight remaining True Love
contestants made their way onto the ice. Most of the girls were wobbling
and clinging to one another as they edged their way across the rink. Evan
seemed relatively comfortable, and Madi looked right at home on the ice as
she skated toward me with ease. She was the only one who’d chosen to wear
ice hockey skates instead of figure skates, and she used them to good effect as
she slid to a stop before me, grinning just as widely as I was.
“Why do I feel like I have an unfair advantage on tonight’s date?” she
asked.
“Because you do,” I replied, lowering my voice to a mock whisper.
I’d pretty much had to beg Angus for skating to be the next group date.
Madi had always been just as good on the ice as her brother, and Lucas was
on his way to becoming a pro. The three of us had played ice hockey together
for a couple of seasons when we were younger, but while Madi could skate,
she seemed completely unable to handle the contact of the sport. She gave up
once it became clear she was never going to be able to give as good as she
got. Her mom had begged her to change to figure skating, but Madi didn’t
take to the idea.
I wasn’t bad at hockey, but I didn’t love the ice like the Matthews kids
did. I hung up my skates once I found football instead.
Angus and the film crew were standing on the ice in sneakers. They all
looked distinctly uncomfortable, especially the boys who were manning the
cameras. They were gripping the equipment tightly and moving with
awkwardly slow slide-steps. They looked terrified that they might slip and
break their precious electronics. It was probably a valid concern, to be honest.
Angus stood next to me, and he cleared his throat as the rest of the
contestants joined us.
 “Welcome to tonight’s group date,” he announced, smiling broadly at the
group before him as the cameras scanned the scene. “As you can see, you will
be skating tonight, which begs the question: will you glide gracefully into true
love or will you slip and fall off Cole’s radar?”
I lifted an eyebrow. Where was Angus coming up with this stuff?
“We’ll have a few fun competitions a bit later,” he continued. “But, for
now, why don’t you all get comfortable on the ice.”
Brooke and Laurie both looked horrified at the idea, and I swear Brett was
grinning as he focused his camera on the two girls. It was like he couldn’t
wait to see which one of them would fall first. The rest of the group were all
chatting excitedly, and from the eager way the other contestants were eyeing
the ice, it looked like they were ready to give skating a try. Music came on
over the loudspeakers, and a few of the more confident contestants in the
group started to slowly skate around the edge of the rink.
Madi was one of the first to skate away, and I found myself watching her
as she glided across the ice. She was sticking close to Evan and holding
Teagan’s hand to keep the girl steady. I wanted to try and catch up with them,
but I hesitated. Should I really be chasing her down when she’d skated off
without a backward glance?
“Hey Cole, I’ve never actually skated before. Do you mind giving me a
hand?” I turned to find Zoe standing at my side, looking up at me with
hopeful eyes. We’d only just begun but her glasses were already slightly
skewed.
I could see Laurie shooting a deadly look her way, but Zoe didn’t notice.
Zoe was one of those people who never seemed to care what others thought
about her.
“Sure,” I said. I took her hand and slowly started to help her skate,
keeping close to the wall surrounding the rink. Zoe hadn’t been kidding when
she said she’d never been on the ice before. She nearly stacked it several
times as we made our way around, and she couldn’t stop staring at her feet. It
was lucky I was holding her hand or she would have landed on her ass
already.
“How are you enjoying the competition?” Zoe asked once we had an
uneasy rhythm going.
“Is this contestant Zoe or reporter Zoe asking?” I replied.
Zoe laughed. It was a deep rumbling sound that echoed from her chest and
completely at odds with the small girl next to me. “Can it be both?” she
asked.
“Nope. No comment then.”
Her laugh rang out through the air again. I didn’t know Zoe well, but she
had always seemed so serious. Right now though she seemed quite relaxed,
despite her skating struggles, and she appeared to be enjoying herself.
“How about I ask you a question,” I said.
“Shoot,” she replied.
“Are you in this competition for a story or because you’re looking for true
love?”
She slowly let out a sigh. “Both, always both.”
Her response confused me, and as she looked up at me she must have seen
the questioning look in my gaze because she continued.
“I can never seem to ignore the journalist in me,” she explained. “I live
and breathe the stuff. So, even though I might have other intentions, there’s
always a part of me that’s internally taking notes in case it might make a good
article.”
“Sounds exhausting,” I said.
She shook her head. “Nah, I love it.”
“So, if I bared my soul to you right now, would it make this week’s school
paper?” I asked.
“Of course,” she replied. “I would probably be able to get that story in the
Lincoln Gazette.”
“The local paper? Really?”
“Yeah,” Zoe continued. “I’m doing an internship there, and I’ve heard a
few of the reporters talking about the show this week. The charity, the drama,
the romance—people are taking notice.”
I laughed nervously. I couldn’t believe the show was spreading so far
beyond the school.
“I’m not sure if I want my secrets printed in the local paper,” I said.
“Remind me to keep all conversations with you as bland as possible.”
“Careful,” she replied. “If they’re too bland, I’ll be reporting that our
bachelor is boring.”
I shook my head at her. “There’s no winning with you is there?”
 She grinned, appearing to take that as a compliment.
A loud bout of laughter pulled my attention and I looked over to see Madi,
Teagan and Evan all piled on the ice together. Their arms and legs were all
intertwined, and they were laughing with such carefree ease as they attempted
to right themselves that I felt a twinge of jealousy.
Out of the corner of my eye I caught sight of Angus signaling me from
where he was standing behind one of the cameras. He was making a strange,
winding motion with his hands and I got the impression he was annoyed I’d
spent so long with Zoe. When he saw he had my attention, he pointed at Zoe
and made a cutting motion against his throat. Subtle.
“I should probably see how everyone else is getting on,” I said, easing
Zoe’s hand from my grasp.
She nodded, looking toward Madi and her friends. Zoe’s eyes were
calculating as she watched them, and I wondered what she was thinking. If I’d
gleaned anything from Zoe during our chat, she was probably thinking about
a story.
“I’ll be watching,” Zoe said, focusing on me once more.
I got the feeling she was only partially joking, but still she made me smile.
“Let me know if journo Zoe ever goes on holiday. I think I could like the Zoe
she left behind.”
“And I think we both know that even if journo Zoe went on holiday, there
would still be a certain girl consuming your attention,” she replied, her eyes
moving pointedly in Madi’s direction.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, skating backward as I
started to part ways with her.
She lifted one eyebrow at me and smiled. “I think you do, Cole
Kingston,” she called after me. I shrugged playfully and turned to keep
skating. Zoe was far more perceptive than I’d thought, and the last thing I
wanted to do was admit she was right.
Madi was up on her feet once more and helping her friends to stand as I
started skating toward them. She was smiling brightly and seemed so happy to
be out on the ice. It warmed me inside to know I’d helped put that smile on
her face.
I had almost reached Madi when a body slammed into me. I fell
backward, landing hard on the ice with Laurie tumbling on top of me. The air
rushed from my lungs and I groaned as I started to feel the impact of the fall
pounding in my chest.
 Laurie was looking down at me, her eyes big and filled with worry. “I’m
so sorry, Cole, I was completely out of control,” she said, lifting a hand and
running it down my cheek. “Are you okay?”
I eased her off me so I could breathe. Pain ripped through my chest and
back, and I wanted to let out a series of curses, but I knew the cameras were
watching us. “‘I’ll be fine. Are you hurt?”
Even though Laurie was no longer pressed down on my chest, she still
leaned over my face, fluttering her eyelashes at me. “I think I’m okay,” she
said. “But I’m more worried about you. Can I do anything to make you feel
better?” Her voice was thick with innuendo, and it made me feel very
awkward considering I could see a camera hovering nearby.
“Just give me a moment to catch my breath,” I said. “You go on ahead and
get up. Make sure you’re not hurt.”
She huffed out an irritated breath but did as I asked. I’d clearly messed up
somehow, but I wasn’t sure what I’d done wrong. Perhaps she’d wanted more
time together lying on the ice. It wasn’t exactly romantic when I was in so
much pain.
My whole body ached as I pushed myself up. Pretty much everyone on
the rink was looking at me with concern in their eyes. Everyone but Madi it
seemed.
She was standing not far from me, grinning from ear to ear as she watched
me struggle to stand. Did she really derive so much satisfaction from seeing
me hurt? I found it hard to believe. Once I was up on my feet again, she
skated toward me.
“I thought you could skate, Kingston,” she said, still grinning as she
glided across the ice in a circle around me.
Laurie had already skated off and I was glad for a few seconds alone with
Madi.
I shrugged at her comment. “I was taken by surprise.”
“You were just sacked by a girl who’s half your body weight,” she replied.
“What will all the boys on your football team think of that?”
“That Laurie’s far stronger than she looks,” I replied.
Madi laughed. “Yes, I’m sure that’s exactly what they’ll think.” She
started skating backward as we talked. Her movements were so smooth and
fluid. I’d forgotten what a beautiful skater Madi was.
“Well, Laurie may have taken you down, but it looks like you’ll live,” she
said, before she turned and skated off without me.
I half considered chasing after her, but I noticed Angus waving me down
again. He was behind a different camera now, and as soon as he caught my
eye he started pointing over at Maria and Willow, gesturing for me to skate
with them. The two girls were struggling almost as much as Zoe had. I
wanted to go after Madi, but I knew I needed to follow Angus’ directions.
Still, I couldn’t stop myself from glancing after Madi as I went to join the
girls. I knew I couldn’t pay her more attention than the others while the
cameras were watching, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t hard.
After a few more laps, Angus called us all into the middle of the rink.
“So, tonight you will all be racing for some one-on-one time with Cole,”
Angus said. “If you feel like your relationship with him is skating on thin ice,
this is your chance to solidify your bond. So, do not underestimate how
important this challenge is.”
I tried not to cringe at his commentary. I swore it was getting worse as the
night wore on. Some of the girls were lapping it up though and looked eager
to compete.
“For the first race, you will be skating from one end of the rink to the
other,” Angus continued. “The first four to cross the finish line will be
through to round two. The last four will be eliminated for the night.”
I watched the contestants as they reacted to the news. Several were
glancing uneasily at Madi, while Laurie had her arms crossed over her chest
and was shooting Angus a death glare. Everyone knew Madi was the best
skater by a long way.
Madi also looked uncomfortable at the thought. Her eyes were nervously
flickering between the other competitors and her lower lip was gripped firmly
between her teeth.
I quickly decided I needed to say something before anyone voiced their
concerns out loud. “We’ll make the first round a pairs race,” I stammered,
pausing for a brief second as I tried to figure out how I could make it work. I
suddenly remembered they kept small plastic sleds in the shop out front, and I
had an idea. “Each pair has to take one turn pulling a sled with their partner
on it around the rink before they swap. The first two pairs to complete two
laps around the rink win.”
Angus flicked an annoyed look at me, but I shrugged. I knew if I didn’t
make the race fairer there was every chance Madi wouldn’t compete at all.
“I’ll go with Madi!” Laurie yelled, clumsily staggering her way over to
Madi and linking arms with her. Madi gave only the barest hint of a frown in
response but didn’t object to being Laurie’s partner.
“Yes, everyone pair up,” Angus said. “We’ll start the race in a few
minutes.” He turned and told one of the film guys to go find some sleds.
I stood back and watched as they arranged the competition. Laurie hadn’t
let go of Madi’s arm since the moment she’d announced they were partners
and was ready to tell anyone who asked that they were about to blitz the field.
An air of excitement and anticipation filled the rink as the bright red plastic
sleds were carried onto the ice.
“Good suggestion on the sleds,” Angus said, patting my shoulder as he
came to stand at my side. “They add an element of danger the race didn’t
have. Should make for some excellent viewing.”
He walked off to join the contestants before I could respond. I felt deflated
as I watched him leave. Putting the contestants in danger was the last thing I
wanted, but considering some of them struggled to skate on their own I could
see how adding a sled and a partner to the mix was asking for trouble. I knew
there was no putting Angus off the idea now though.
“All right, contestants, one of you needs to be on the sled, while the other
will be pulling it,” Angus called out. “Once you have completed one lap, you
will swap places. I want you all lined up and ready to go on my whistle.”
Madi looked distinctly uncertain as she followed Angus’ directions and
sat on her sled while Laurie took the reins. Her eyes were wary, and she
couldn’t seem to tear them away from Laurie as she teetered uneasily on her
skates. Laurie had already knocked me over tonight; I guessed that Madi
thought she was going to be next. I really hoped she wouldn’t be.
“Remember, contestants, this might be your last chance with Cole. Skate
like your relationship depends on it!” Angus’ voice boomed across the ice.
“Now, on your marks…get set…go!”
Shouts and screams echoed across the rink as partners started yelling
directions at each other. The slap and scrape of skates clashed against the ice
as everyone took off.
Evan was pulling Teagan, while Maria was pulling Zoe, and the two pairs
shot out in front of the other teams quickly. Laurie barely made it a meter
before she stumbled to her knees, and Brooke wasn’t doing much better as
she attempted to pull Willow along.
There was a look of determination in Laurie’s eyes though. Even though
she kept falling down, she continued to pick herself back up and push herself
harder as she attempted to catch the two pairs ahead of her. Evan fell into a
comfortable rhythm as he drew ahead of everyone else. Teagan was clapping
him and cheering brightly as he crossed the halfway mark in the lead.
Brooke didn’t seem to share the same resolve as her sister and had pretty
much given up after a series of falls. It didn’t matter that Willow was sweetly
encouraging her. Brooke simply sat on the ice, refusing to continue.
By the time Evan finished his lap and went to swap with Teagan, he had
extended his lead even further. Teagan wasn’t a great skater, but I knew she’d
have to really mess things up not to win at this point. She was almost halfway
around the rink by the time Maria swapped with Zoe, and three-quarters of
the way around by the time Laurie finally passed the starting point and
swapped with Madi.
My heart skipped a beat as Madi took the reins of the sled. The others had
a huge head start on her, but Madi could move like lightning on the ice when
she wanted to. She took off like a horse out of the gates, skating down the
rink with so much speed it was like she wasn’t pulling anything behind her. I
held my breath as I watched her move.
She overtook Zoe quickly and her eyes narrowed as she saw Teagan up
ahead. When it came to skating, Madi was competitive as hell and I grinned
as I saw her racing after Teagan.
“Go Teags, she’s catching up!” Evan called.
“You’ve got her, Madi!” Laurie shouted with glee.
Teagan glanced over her shoulder, her eyes widening when she saw Madi
streaking toward her. She was close to the finish line but Madi was too fast.
Teagan tried to skate quicker, but Madi overtook her in a blur of motion and
cruised through the finish line with a massive smile on her face.
I jumped up and briefly punched the air before quickly pulling back my
hand in case anyone noticed. Laurie clapped excitedly, pushing up from her
sled to give Madi a high five. Teagan pulled Evan across the finish line
shortly after them. They may have come second, but they were both smiling
broadly. Madi raced over to give them hugs, crashing into the two of them
and nearly pulling them to the ground.
“You guys did so well!” she exclaimed as she pulled back from hugging
them.
“Us?” Teagan asked. “What about you?”
“Damn girl, you are fast,” Evan added.
“You would be too if you grew up being chased around the ice by your
demon brother,” she replied.
Evan took hold of Madi’s shoulder and eyed her seriously. “If your
brother’s a demon then sign me up for hell. He is one hot boy.”
She shook her head at him, her nose crinkled in a cringe. “Evan, please
don’t say how hot my brother is. His ego is already way too big from hockey,
we don’t need to add good looks into the equation.”
Evan laughed and gave a shrug. “I cannot help but speak the truth.”
“And here I thought you only had eyes for me,” I said, grinning at Evan as
I joined them.
“Give me the final piece of your heart and maybe I’ll consider limiting my
scope of vision to you,” Evan replied with a coy smile.
The guy was good at flirting, I had to give him that.
“So we have our four finalists,” Angus said, waving a hand at Evan, Madi,
Teagan and Laurie. “For our final round we’ll be playing a little game I like to
call Catch-a-Bach. Our bachelor, Cole, will have this handkerchief tucked
loosely into the back of his pants. The first contestant to capture it gets a date
alone with Cole.”
“I guess we should just give the date to Madi,” Laurie said, her lip curling
in annoyance.
Madi glanced over at her with wide and concerned eyes. She was chewing
on her lower lip, and again I found myself worried she was going to back out.
Her gaze flickered to Angus though as he countered Laurie’s comment.
“You forget, Laurie, our bachelor will have his skates on too. This is as
much a game of strategy as it is speed.”
That seemed to quieten Laurie and Angus gave the group a satisfied smile.
“Remember contestants, our bachelor isn’t easy to get. If you want to
catch him, you’re going to have to be up for the chase.”
I felt a smile creep onto my lips, actually enjoying one of Angus’ lines for
once. I certainly hoped Madi was listening.
Angus passed me a large handkerchief and I went about tucking it in the
back of my pants so it hung down my backside, long enough that it would be
easy for the contestants to yank out.
Angus leaned in close. “Make ‘em work for it,” he murmured before he
turned back to the contestants, a broad fake smile plastered on his lips once
more. “Okay everyone, to your places.”
 The contestants followed Angus toward a starting line at the other end of
the rink.
“I hope you’re faster than you look, Kingston,” Madi said as she skated
past me. There was a wicked glint in her eye, and I got the feeling she was
looking forward to chasing me down.
“You saying you want to catch me, Matthews?” I asked.
“I’m saying I want to win. You can take that to mean what you like.” She
gave me a wink before skating off.
I stared after her, my heart thudding a whole lot faster than it had been a
moment before.
“You ready, Cole?” Skye asked as she approached me.
I glanced at her but didn’t respond. All I could think about was Madi’s
cheeky response and her wink.
Was I ready for Madi to catch me?
“Cole?” Skye repeated.
“Yeah,” I said, coughing to clear my suddenly dry throat. “Let’s get this
started. I’m ready to be caught.”
14
 MADISON

L aurie, Evan, Teagan and I all stood next to one another at the far end of
the rink. Our shoulders were brushing and our skates were lined up
along a blue line that streaked across the ice. Cole was at the opposite end,
and I could see him grinning as he watched us across the distance. He looked
so calm about the fact he was about to be chased by a group of people trying
to win a date with him. It was a little demeaning when I thought about it, but I
was too damn competitive to refuse to take part.
“I’ve got no chance,” Teagan murmured from beside me. She was eyeing
the gap between Cole and us, as though that in itself was insurmountable, let
alone actually catching our bachelor.
“You’ll do fine,” I said.
“Easy enough for you to say,” Laurie hissed from the other side of me.
Yeah, I was really missing my personal space right about now.
Angus stood in the center of the rink. There was one camera trained on his
face, while another lens was pointed toward us. The third one was focused on
Cole, although I imagined that once the competition started the film crew’s
careful set-up would probably turn to mayhem.
“Everyone ready?” Angus called, his gaze checking on each contestant
before he glanced over his shoulder at Cole. Everyone nodded in return.
“On your marks,” Angus shouted, a wild grin lighting his face with
excitement. “Get set,” he boomed.
“Go!”
I took off as quickly as I could, but my left skate immediately slammed
into something hard and I was thrown forward. I flew through the air, unable
to control myself, before falling swiftly toward the ground. My knees and my
arms crashed hard against the ice, and I slid along it before coming to a stop. I
swore under my breath and groaned as I went to push myself back up again.
 My palms and knees burnt hot from the impact, and my limbs felt weak as
I struggled to push myself off the ice. It was a bad fall, but I’d had worse. At
least I hadn’t had too much momentum at the time.
People were shouting loudly from the other end of the rink, but I couldn’t
tell whether they were cheering at the game or angry about something.
“Madi, are you okay?” Teagan asked, taking my arm and helping me to
my feet.
I looked up at her, confused about what she was still doing beside me.
“What are you doing? Get back in the game!”
“Not until I know you’re okay,” she replied.
“I’m fine,” I replied. “Now go!’
Teagan didn’t move though. “Laurie tripped you,” she growled.
“Are you kidding me?”
“She’s not. I saw her put her skate out,” Evan added. “This isn’t the
freaking Hunger Games, Laurie,” he shouted across the rink.
“Evan?” I turned as I realized he was there with me too. “Why aren’t you
guys chasing Cole?”
“We weren’t just going to leave you lying on the ice,” Teagan said.
I couldn’t believe the two of them had stopped to help me, but I wasn’t
surprised to hear that Laurie had cheated. I looked ahead to find she was
about halfway down the rink. She was closing in on Cole, who seemed to be
about to meet her in the middle. He was skating quickly down the center of
the ice, a frown creasing his brow and his eyes focused on me.
Laurie launched herself toward him as he neared, but Cole easily dodged
around her before continuing to close in on the three of us. It was almost
comical how swiftly he managed to dart past her floundering arms.
“Laurie hasn’t won yet,” I murmured, looking between my two friends.
“I think it’s only fair if you beat her to our man,” Evan replied.
I grinned. “It would seem appropriate given the circumstances,” I agreed.
“Are you hurt?” Cole called out, as he neared. He stopped a short distance
away. He wasn’t close enough that I could steal the bright red piece of
material hanging from his pants, but he hadn’t put enough distance between
us that I couldn’t attempt to catch him either.
“I think I’ll be fine,” I called back to him. “You ready to hand over your
hanky?”
“This old thing?” He flicked the red material at his side. “No, I think I’ll
keep it.” He smiled, and there was a hint of relief to his expression, as if were
a weight off his shoulders that I wasn’t too injured to joke with him.
Laurie started to close in on him once again, and Cole glanced over his
shoulder as he heard the scrape of her skates behind him. With Cole distracted
for a brief moment, I took off toward him.
He quickly noticed I was coming though. He shot me a smirk and started
to skate away. Cole was better than I remembered on the ice, but I was faster,
and I could feel myself gaining on him.
The ice slid smoothly beneath my skates as I powered across the rink.
Skating had always felt as natural as breathing to me, and I found myself
grinning wider as I continued to build momentum.
I was practically flying I was going so fast, every second inching closer
and closer to Cole. When he neared the far end of the rink, he slid to a stop
and turned. His eyes were determined as he watched the distance between us
growing smaller. I knew he was waiting for me to draw close enough so he
could dodge around me. He had to wait until the last second so I couldn’t alter
my trajectory and catch him.
What he wasn’t counting on was the fact that I wasn’t afraid to continue
toward him at full speed. I surged toward him faster, not giving him a chance
to try and outwit me.
I was almost to him when he started to move. He accelerated too slowly
though, and I collided with his chest, throwing the two of us to the ground. A
pair of arms wrapped around my waist as we slammed into the ice.
I clenched my eyes shut as I felt the impact. It was hard but not nearly as
bad for me as I suspected it had been for Cole.
“Geez, Matthews,” Cole wheezed. “Are you trying to kill me?”
I slowly blinked my eyes open and found my face hovered right over his. I
was looking directly into his eyes. They were more blue than green today and
were filled with concern. His hands still gripped my waist, and I was pressed
firmly against the hard planes of his chest. I’d never been this close to Cole
before, and I found myself not wanting to move away.
“Did I hurt you?” I asked.
He shook his head. “Nah, I’m pretty big and strong, if you haven’t
noticed. No injuries here. How about you?”
 “I’m fine,” I replied, still staring into his eyes. I knew I should be trying to
get up again, but I also couldn’t seem to drag myself away.
The sound of clapping brought reality crashing back to me though, and I
finally pulled my eyes away from Cole in time to see Angus and the film crew
approaching.
I blinked and quickly shook my head as I went to roll off Cole and
scramble to my feet. For a moment I’d completely forgotten anyone else was
there. As we both stood up, I found Cole’s red handkerchief lying on the ice
beside us. I picked it up and passed it to him.
“I guess I won,” I said.
He looked down at the handkerchief and smiled. “You do realize that
means you have to spend some time alone with me, right?” he asked, with a
laugh.
“I’m sure I’ll survive,” I replied.
He smiled and lowered his lips to my ear, his hands lightly touching my
waist as he drew near. “Don’t lie,” he murmured. “You know you can’t wait.”
His words caused my stomach to drop and my heart to flutter rapidly.
Before I could respond, Angus came up beside us, and Cole pulled away. I
almost missed his touch but resisted the temptation to reach out and stop him.
“No broken bones?” Angus asked. He almost sounded disappointed, like
he wanted one of us to be injured.
“We’re both fine,” Cole replied, and I nodded my agreement.
I couldn’t seem to look Cole in the eyes after his whispered words, so I
was glad of the distraction Angus brought.
“Congratulations on a great win, Madi,” Angus said. He directed his
comment more at the nearest camera than at me.
“Thanks,” I replied with a tight smile. I wasn’t sure I’d have called what
happened a great win. There was no mention of Laurie’s cheating, and Angus
clearly wasn’t concerned about the fact I had been close to injuring myself.
I looked past Angus to find Laurie scowling at me while Teagan and Evan
both talked with her. Their expressions were angry, and their motions were
exaggerated. They kept pointing in my direction as they spoke, so I got the
feeling they were having serious words with Laurie about what she did to me.
Brett had his camera focused on the whole interaction, so I had a bad
feeling the drama would end up on the show come Sunday night. Skye went
over to calm them down. As they listened to her, she started directing them
off the ice along with the rest of the contestants who had stayed to watch the
last challenge. Teagan caught my eye as she was leaving and gave me a small
wave and mouthed, “good luck.”
“Thanks,” I mouthed back at her. I was probably going to need it.
“So, what now?” I asked, focusing back on Angus.
It wasn’t Angus who replied though. Cole reached out and took my hand
in his. “Now we have our one-on-one date,” he said. I was surprised by how
warmly he was looking at me. He seemed happy I’d been the one to catch
him, and that I was the one he wanted to spend some alone time with.
Not that we were really alone. One of the film club guys stood only a
couple of feet from us with his camera, and Angus was whispering in his ear
from beside him. I could see Brett fixing his camera on us from further down
the rink, while Skye and some of the other members of the club watched from
the sidelines. It was easy to forget the cameras were filming when the crew
had to split their time between multiple contestants. But when it was just Cole
and me, and all the cameras were trained on us, it made me feel like some
kind of strange attraction in a zoo.
Cole started skating toward the center of the rink, pulling me along beside
him.
“What are we doing?” I asked, trying to push the cameras from my mind.
“I thought we’d have a little competition,” he said.
“Haven’t we had enough of those for one night?” I replied.
He laughed and shook his head. “You’ll like this one. It’s a shootout.”
“And why would I want to do that?” I asked. “I happen to like having an
unblemished record against you.”
“We haven’t played in years…”
“That doesn’t change the fact you’ve never beaten me in a shootout,” I
responded.
“Well, what if we made it interesting?” he asked, wiggling his eyebrows at
me.
“I’m listening,” I murmured, making him grin.
“If you win, I’ll give you a kiss.”
It took me a brief second to digest the idea. I quickly laughed to cover
how nervous Cole’s suggestion made me feel. I took my hand out of his and
turned to skate backward as I looked at him. “That’s not much of a prize.”
 “Fine,” he replied. “What would you like?”
I rolled my lips as I thought it over. I definitely wasn’t asking for a kiss. I
was pretty confident I would win, so I wanted to make this worth it. “If I win,
I get to ask one favor of you, and you have to do it.”
“Within reason,” he said, swallowing. He must have seen the evil glint in
my eye.
“Who decides if it’s reasonable?”
“Angus can,” he said, without missing a beat.
“Fine,” I replied. “If I win I get one favor within reason.”
“And if I win you have to kiss me.”
I purposely screwed up my nose at him, though my heart started to race.
Why did he keep suggesting that?
“Afraid I’m going to win?” he teased.
“Nope. You look awfully shaky on your skates. I’m guessing you haven’t
practiced in a while…” He didn’t look shaky at all, but I had managed to
catch him just before, so I wasn’t too concerned.
“Maybe it’s an act,” he replied.
I laughed. “It’s a very convincing one.”
“So, are we doing this?” he asked.
I looked him over one last time. The boy had never gotten a puck past me
before, and I liked the idea of him owing me one. I also liked the idea of
having something to lord over him.
“Let’s do this,” I agreed.
We skated back over to where Skye was stationed by the rink entrance.
She had a stick, goalie gear and a puck for us. I couldn’t imagine Cole doing
this activity with any of the other contestants. It felt like he’d planned the
whole group date around me, and I wasn’t sure whether to be impressed or
nervous.
“So, is this a best of three situation?” I asked as Cole started to suit up.
“No,” he replied. “Sudden death. First one to score wins.”
“Sounds good to me. I’d hate to have to embarrass you three times in a
row.”
“You wish, Matthews,” he replied.
 I took the stick and puck, skating out into the center of the ice as Cole
went to position himself in front of the goal. It had been a long time since I’d
played hockey. I’d never been a great shot, not like my brother, but at least I’d
always been better than Cole. This should be easy enough. I just needed to
stay focused.
“Anytime now, Gretzky,” Cole shouted at me.
I scowled at him across the rink, making him chuckle, but I didn’t hesitate
as I started to leisurely make my way down the ice toward him. The stick felt
like an extension of my arm, just like it always had, and the puck was well
within my control as I set myself up to take the shot.
Boys like Cole always went for the big shot, but I’d always had more luck
with tricky maneuvering. I didn’t take my focus off of him as I continued to
close in. He watched me warily too, his eyes tracking my every movement as
I got closer and closer.
With a sudden burst of speed, I raced forward. I saw my opening and slid
to a stop as I took the shot. The puck blurred as it slid across the ice directly
toward the gap. Cole was far quicker than I remembered though, and his pad
came down on the puck, blocking it. I’d missed.
“No!” I groaned, placing my head against my stick. The move had been so
close to working.
Cole pulled off his helmet. “One step closer to my kiss,” he said with a
broad grin.
I wrinkled my nose at the comment and moved to take the helmet from
him. “Still have to make the shot,” I replied.
“There’s no way I’m missing.”
“There’s no way I’m letting you score.”
A deep chuckle rumbled from his chest. “I think you secretly want me to
though.”
I took the helmet and slammed it down on my head. “In your dreams,
Kingston.”
He laughed and skated away with the puck, readying himself to take his
shot. He looked good on the ice. His skill was nowhere close to my brother’s,
but Cole wasn’t bad. The thought of my brother had me clenching my teeth.
He’d never let me hear the end of it if I let Cole win our little contest.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d defended the goal. I used to practice
with Lucas all the time. I was nowhere near good enough to play against him
these days though.
As Cole lined himself up and slowly started skating toward me, I found
my stomach tensing. I watched the puck darting back and forth as Cole
dribbled it down the ice. My breath caught in my throat as I waited for him to
take his shot. This was supposed to be a fun date, but instead I felt like I’d
been thrown into a battle to the death. I couldn’t let Cole win this.
When he lifted his stick to take the shot, I started to move in the direction
he was swinging, but it was a fake. A second later he darted forward,
swerving the puck around me and using the backside of his stick to sink the
shot.
My heart dropped as I saw the puck go over the line and hit the net. Cole
let out a cheer and I turned to face him as he spun around on the ice in
celebration, his hands raised above his head.
“What the hell was that?” I yelled, pulling the helmet from my head and
dropping it on the ice.
“I believe that was me winning,” Cole replied, unable to keep the smile
off his face.
My eyes narrowed on him. Cole was always fire and brawn when it came
to hockey. That shot was nothing like him. “Where did you learn to shoot like
that?” I asked, refusing to back down.
“I may have had a lesson with Lucas the other night,” he replied.
I gasped. “You cheated!”
“No, I won fair and square,” he laughed.
“I want a rematch.”
“Nobody likes a sore loser, puddles.”
I scowled at him, making his grin grow larger. He skated in toward me so
he was standing directly in front of me.
“You ready to pucker up?” he asked.
He was so damn cocky, and puckering up was the last thing I wanted to
do.
“Fine,” I growled, making his eyes light up brightly. “But you have to
close your eyes.”
“Whatever floats your boat,” he replied, before immediately shutting his
eyes.
 I smiled as I watched him standing there. I closed the distance between us,
placing my hands on his firm chest as I lifted myself to get closer to his face.
He shuddered under my touch, which made my stomach tighten. I had wanted
revenge on him, but that one small response had me questioning everything.
Did Cole really want me to kiss him? Or was this all just one big game to
him?
Deciding it was the latter; I followed through on my plan. I lifted my lips
toward his cheek and, with one swift movement, I ran my tongue up the side
of his face. As his eyes flew open, I darted backward and skated away,
grinning as I took in his reaction. He seemed stunned for a brief moment
before his eyes grew bright with humor.
“That wasn’t a kiss,” he called after me.
I smiled at his response. “I agreed to a kiss if you won, Kingston. I never
told you what kind of kiss. It’s not my fault if you don’t like my puppy
kisses.”
I turned my back on him and skated to the edge of the rink where the rest
of the film club was waiting with amused looks in their eyes. Cole’s laughter
followed me as I made my way off the ice.
“That kiss doesn’t count! I’m holding you to that, Matthews,” I heard him
yell. My stomach dipped with anticipation. I wasn’t sure if it was a promise or
a threat. I think it was a little of both.
15
 MADISON

H ayley was buzzing when she picked me up for school on Monday. She
was chatty at the best of times, but right now my best friend was talking
like she’d smashed back three energy drinks before arriving at my house.
“You’ve got to slow down, Hayles,” I said, laughing as she flicked me an
annoyed glance. “I can’t understand a word you’re saying.”
“I’m asking if you’ve checked your Instagram today?” she spoke each
word purposefully slow to ensure I could hear.
“Because…”
“Because you gained like five thousand followers last night!”
“What?” I exclaimed. I grabbed my phone out and opened the app. My
eyes widened and my hands started shaking as I checked my page.
“That can’t be right,” I muttered. “I hardly ever post anything.”
“It’s totally right,” Hayley replied. “Everyone’s been watching the
competition. You should see how many people like your Cadi Facebook
page.”
“I don’t have a Cadi Facebook page,” I said.
Hayley shrugged. “Apparently you do now.”
I sat back in my chair with a frown on my face as I scrolled through my
new follower notifications. There were so many people I didn’t even know. I
didn’t recognize any of their faces. Since when was this competition being
watched by people outside of the school?
“Hayley, who are these people?” I asked as I continued to scroll. “They’re
not from school.”
“Well, that’s not so strange,” she replied. “Word is spreading about how
great the contest is, and everyone is watching. I was talking to my hairdresser
about it at the weekend, and she was so excited that I’m your friend. You, girl,
are famous.”
I liked most things that my best friend had to say, but that was not one of
them. I didn’t want these people following me, and I definitely didn’t want to
be famous.
“You and Cole could not get any hotter,” Hayley continued. “Please tell
me that he followed you home on Friday, climbed up the tree at the side of
your house, banged on your bedroom window and demanded that kiss from
you!”
I laughed, putting my phone away. “You have a seriously active
imagination.”
“Or it’s been way too long between boys. I swear I’m going through the
biggest dry spell of my life right now. I’m living vicariously through you, so
you’ve got to tell me all the details!”
My hands twisted nervously in my lap. “I’m sure you saw it all last night
on the show,” I replied.
Hayley instantly slammed on the breaks, bringing the car to a screeching
halt in the middle of the road. “Please tell me you didn’t miss last night’s
episode too!” she cried, turning off the car and staring at me with a look of
shock on her face.
“Hayley, there are cars behind us,” I said, turning in my seat to look out
the back window as the drivers began honking their horns at us.
“Go around!” Hayley yelled, waving a hand out the window before
turning back to me. “I swear I’m not moving this car again until you tell me
you watched the episode last night.”
“Well, I guess we’re not going to school today then.”
“Are you serious?” Her voice went up an octave.
“What? I don’t like watching myself on film. I hate hearing my own
voice. It’s weird.”
Hayley shook her head at me. “Only you could think that.”
“Plus, I already experienced the whole ordeal. I really don’t want to have
to go through the torture again.”
She snorted at me. “Yeah, it looked like you were having such a horrible
time on Friday night.”
I felt a smile trying to creep onto my face as I thought back to the group
date. I couldn’t argue with Hayley; Friday had been surprisingly fun, aside
from the fact that Laurie had tried to take me out. I had the biggest bruises on
my knees from the fall I took, and they still hurt like hell.
“Okay, it wasn’t all awful,” I admitted. “Can you keep driving now?”
A smug smile formed on Hayley’s lips. “I knew you liked him.”
I raised my hand and pointed a finger at her. “I never said I liked him.”
“You don’t have to, it’s written all over your love-struck face.”
“It is not!”
“Tell you what, admit you like Cole and I’ll keep driving to school,” she
said.
I turned my darkest glare on her. “I’m not going to lie to you to get you to
keep driving.”
Another horn blared from one of the cars trapped behind us, but Hayley
was completely unbothered. “We’ve got Mr. Randall first period, and he loves
me. I’m in no rush,” she said, sitting back in her seat as she made herself
comfortable.
“Hayley, you know Cole and I hate each other. We have for years. He
drives me crazy.”
She didn’t respond but simply smiled as if she was waiting for me to
continue. It was clear she needed more convincing.
“He’s rude, and he always says inappropriate things. I swear his mind
lives in the gutter,” I continued. “He goes out of his way to annoy me!’
I let out a breath when it was clear my words weren’t going to sway her. I
wasn’t so sure they were convincing me either. Cole had been different these
last few weeks, and he wasn’t nearly as rude or annoying. It was hard to argue
that I hated him when it didn’t feel true anymore.
“Look,” I said. “Even if I did like Cole, it doesn’t mean he likes me back.
He’s got a whole group of people throwing themselves at him right now. He’ll
probably eliminate me tonight.”
“Yeah, right,” Hayley said with a shake of her head. She started the car
and continued our journey to school.
“But I didn’t admit to liking him.”
“Maybe not out loud,” she said, turning and giving me a knowing smile.
Her words silenced me and I could feel myself frowning as I considered
them. I didn’t say another word to her the rest of the drive to school. I did
come to a conclusion though: Hayley had no idea what she was talking about.
It seemed like every eye in the school was focused on me as Hayley and I
got out of the car. The stares continued to follow us as we made our way
across the parking lot and up the steps to school. I strongly suspected people
were only watching me because of the show, but it made me uncomfortable
and I wished they would stop.
“Madi, great episode last night,” a girl said to me as we entered school.
“Oh, thanks,” I replied.
“Go Cadi!” one of the football guys hooted from her side.
Other students shouted similar messages of support and enthusiastic
congratulations as I continued down the corridor. There were countless more
“Cadi” posters dotting the walls today, and everyone I encountered was
smiling as they passed me.
“I told you! You’re famous!” Hayley squealed. She was practically
bouncing at my side. “They love you!”
I swallowed and tried to remain calm, but I clearly didn’t share her
enthusiasm.
“Don’t look so glum,” Hayley said. “Is it really so upsetting that people
like you?”
“I just don’t love the attention, but you’re right I shouldn’t let everyone’s
support upset me.” I shook my head and laughed at how much I was
overreacting. People cheering for me was a good thing, even if I did find it
slightly overwhelming.
“You shouldn’t,” she agreed, linking her arm with mine.
As we continued down the corridor, I began to feel a little better about the
attention. I didn’t exactly want it, but at least it all seemed positive. Perhaps I
really could handle this competition.
The two of us slowed when we saw people up ahead gathered around my
locker. Hayley kept to my side as we moved through them. But I stopped,
frozen to the spot, when I finally set eyes on what they were all there to see.
Words were scrawled across every part of my locker in black permanent
marker. Horrible words. Words that made tears gather in my eyes and my
whole body start to shake. I couldn’t stop staring at the two largest ones in
particular.
Slut.
 Tease.
I swallowed, trying to take a deep breath and remain calm, but the air was
caught in my lungs and my chest felt tight. I could feel people crowding
around me, and I felt suffocated by their presence. I clutched my arms around
me as I tried to block them out. I could hear them whispering though, and I
could hear their laughs. Had one of them done this? Had several of them?
Were the things they had written true? Was this who people really thought I
was?
Hayley bristled at my side. “Will you stop staring?” she yelled at all the
kids gathered around us. “Put that phone down or I will break it!”
A tear ran down my cheek, and Hayley grabbed my arm, pulling me to the
nearest bathroom. As soon as we were inside, she hugged me tightly.
“I’m going to find out who did this,” she said. “And I am going to make
them wish they had never existed.”
“You don’t have to do that,” I murmured.
She pulled back from our hug and looked me in the eye. “Uh, yeah, I do.
Nobody messes with my bestie.”
“They’re just words,” I said.
“I don’t care. They made you cry, so they’re not just words.” She shook
her head, her eyes still wide as though she too was reeling from what had
happened. “If it makes you feel any better, I doubt the culprit is going to
graduate. They spelled fake with a y.”
I let out a small laugh and rubbed some of the tears away from my cheek.
“Why would someone do something so horrible?” I asked.
“They’re obviously jealous,” she said.
“Because of the competition?”
“Yeah,” she replied, with a nod. “You and Cole are really cute together.”
“Maybe it was Jake,” I said, barely whispering the guess aloud. “We only
broke up last week. He must be upset if it looks like I’m already moving on.”
“Jake’s pretty self-involved and can be a total jerk, but I don’t think he’d
write crap on your locker,” Hayley responded.
“He spread rumors about me last week though,” I said.
“Yeah,” Hayley agreed. “So, I guess we can’t completely rule the guy
out.”
 I let out a sigh. I wished I’d never been a part of the True Love
competition. I hadn’t wanted to do it in the first place, and it felt like every
week it was making my life worse.
“Madi?” a boy’s voice called into the bathroom. I turned to find Cole
standing at the entrance.
“Cole, this is the girls’ bathroom. You can’t be in here.”
“Does it look like I care?” he asked, striding across the distance between
us. He grasped my arms tightly and looked deeply into my eyes. “Are you
okay?”
“I take it you saw my locker,” I responded.
“Yeah,” he said, through gritted teeth. There was so much anger in his
eyes that I felt breathless. “And I’m going to find out who did this and make
them pay.”
“You gotta line up buddy,” Hayley said from behind me. “I’m making
them pay first.”
Cole’s eyes flicked over my shoulder and he nodded. “As long as I get a
piece of them that’s fine by me.”
I shook my head at the two of them and took a step back. “You guys don’t
need to go defend my honor. It’s fine. This will all blow over soon. You’ll
see.”
I didn’t wait to hear them disagree with me and walked from the bathroom
before they could get a word out in response. There was no point planning
revenge on someone who in all honesty would probably never be found.
I went to my locker, ignoring the eyes watching me and the cruel words
scrawled across the door, and grabbed my books and went to class. As I sat
down at my desk, people still watched me. They whispered amongst one
another, and though I couldn’t hear their words, I knew they were all talking
about me. I hated the attention, especially knowing what they all thought of
me.
I was the tease who wouldn’t put out.
I was the slut who jumped from dating one guy to another.
I’d been through this with the hot list, and I couldn’t do it again. I couldn’t
handle the pressure of these people’s expectations, and I couldn’t deal with
the weight of their judgment.
The spotlight I was suddenly under again was too much to cope with. So I
was left with no choice. I had to get out of the True Love contest, now more
than ever.
16
 COLE

“Y ou’re not going to believe this,” Angus said, drawing up a chair and
sitting beside me.
I was barely listening though. My eyes were searching the cafeteria for
Madi, but I couldn’t see her anywhere. Even Hayley was nowhere to be
found. The two of them hadn’t been sitting at our table at lunch since Madi
and Jake broke things off. They’d spent most of their lunch breaks with
Teagan and some of the other drama kids, but today they were notably absent.
I suspected it had something to do with the insults that had been written
across Madi’s locker. My teeth clenched as I tried to control the rage that
boiled up inside me as I remembered the words. Madi was none of the things
that had been written there, but I’d seen how quickly she believed them. How
fast she’d begun to pull inside her shell again.
I’d only had two classes with her today, but it made me sick to see how
much she had changed in the few hours since the start of the day. I’d seen her
arrive at school, and she’d been smiling as people congratulated her for the
ice skating episode. She’d practically received a hero’s welcome as she’d
walked down the corridor. Everyone who watched the show loved her. And so
they should; she was the best thing about True Love.
Watching the episode had made my heart beat faster and put a stupid grin
on my face. I’d replayed the moment when Madi crashed into me and we fell
onto the ice several times. The camera had zoomed in on our faces as she lay
on me, and the way she had looked at me was so intense that it made my
stomach clench tightly as I relived it. I could still remember the way she’d felt
in my arms. The moment had felt magical. Watching it back made me so
excited to see her again, and I was certain that anyone watching the episode
could only love Madi more as it progressed.
Then those words had appeared on her locker. Those stupid words. And it
was like a dark shadow had been cast across Madi’s light. By fourth period,
she was hunched over her desk and not responding to any questions. Her hair
had been draped over her face, and the bright girl I knew had disappeared.
She’d reacted in a similar way last year when the hot list came out. I’d
watched, unable to do anything as she’d changed herself so that no one would
pay her any attention. It had broken my heart to see her do that to herself
once. I wasn’t going to let it happen again.
“Cole?” Angus said, jerking my attention back to him.
“What is it?” My voice sounded every ounce as grumpy as I felt.
“We had nearly fifty thousand views last night,” he replied.
“What?” I shook my head, my focus now entirely on Angus.
“We had fifty thousand views. Our charity show has gone viral.” Angus
was grinning from ear to ear. “The local news even contacted the school this
morning about doing a piece on it.”
I frowned. All I could think about was how this would affect Madi. Would
it upset her further knowing how many people had been watching us?
“Cole?” Angus snapped his fingers in front of my face.
“Sorry, what?”
“I said you’re famous, man.”
“Right.” Like I cared about that.
“We’re going to need to meet after school to discuss tonight.”
“What about it?”
Angus’ enthusiasm waned. It seemed like he was only just beginning to
get that I wasn’t as happy as he was about the show’s success. “We need to
come up with a game plan to keep people watching. We’ll have to be smart
about who you eliminate from now on.”
“I thought I got to choose,” I replied.
“Well, you do,” Angus said. “But we should still talk about it. We don’t
want you getting rid of anyone who has high entertainment value.” Angus’
eyes flicked in Laurie’s direction and I sighed. She was the last person I
wanted to keep around after the stunt she had pulled on Friday night.
“I’m not keeping her,” I hissed, only loud enough for Angus to hear.
“Look, she doesn’t need to be your final choice,” Angus said. “But she’s
one of the most interesting people to watch.”
 “So?”
“So, I thought you were doing this to help raise money for the fire
victims. The more entertaining the show, the more donations we receive.”
I scowled at Angus. We’d always gotten along fine, but right now he was
pushing me close to the edge. “I’ll think about it,” I said.
Angus grinned and slapped me on the shoulder, like he’d gotten what he
wanted. “You do that,” he said. He stood from his chair and looked down at
me. “I’ll be at your house early tonight to discuss the ceremony and the dates
for this week.”
“Whatever.” I turned from him and scanned the room to see if Madi had
appeared while I’d been distracted. She still wasn’t in the cafeteria though,
and the longer I went without seeing her, the angrier I became. I was going to
kill whoever was behind the graffiti on her locker.
My gaze flickered to Jake. He was eating his lunch; or trying to. It looked
a little tricky as Laurie threw herself at him. She was currently pawing at his
arm and looking up at him like he was the only guy in the world. At least, she
was until she caught me watching and sent a wink my way.
I ignored her, but Jake didn’t seem to mind her attention. He actually
looked like he was enjoying it, and I was somewhat glad that Madi wasn’t
around to see her ex-boyfriend behaving that way.
I watched Jake, hoping to see any hint of guilt or remorse, but he seemed
completely at ease as he sat at the table. I wanted it to be him. I wanted an
excuse to prove to Madi that Jake wasn’t good enough for her. I couldn’t
imagine him writing those things on her locker though. He was an idiot, and
Madi could do better, but he wasn’t that vindictive or cruel.
“What’s crawled up your ass?” Tanner asked, taking a seat next to me. “I
haven’t seen you look this pissed since we lost that game to Westbrook last
season.”
“I’m fine,” I said bluntly, not wanting to admit the reasons I was in such a
bad mood. Tanner was still watching me closely though so I stuffed another
forkful of food in my mouth in the hopes he’d leave me alone.
“You’re angry about Madi’s locker this morning, right?” he asked.
Clearly, he didn’t get the hint that I didn’t want to talk. Although he was
probably just too stubborn to care.
“Yeah,” I finally caved. “Any chance you know who did it?”
“Nah, I’ve got no idea,” Tanner said, leaning back in his chair. “Not cool,
though. Not cool.”
 “Yeah,” I agreed, scowling down into my bowl of spaghetti.
Tanner patted me on the back. “I’ll ask around; see if we can find the
culprit.”
“Thanks, man,” I said, looking over at him. Knowing Tanner, he’d
probably have it figured out by the end of the day. As I looked at him, I
noticed Teagan get up from her table on the other side of the cafeteria. She
looked like she was on a mission as she hurried to the exit.
“I’ll catch you later, Tanner,” I said, before pushing up from my chair and
taking off after Teagan.
“Hey,” I called, catching up with her.
“Oh, hey Cole,” she replied, smiling at me. She always looked angelic,
but her smile was what really knocked guys out.
“I was hoping you might know where Madi is. I didn’t see her at lunch,” I
said.
She gave a small and genuine laugh. “I thought that might be why you
couldn’t keep your eyes off our table today. Evan was convinced that maybe
his charms were starting to work on you.”
“Ah, I might have to have a talk with Evan. I don’t want to break his
heart.”
“I’m fairly certain he knows you’re only into girls; he just likes a
challenge,” she said. “Besides, you’re not really his type.”
“Well, now I’m the one who’s heartbroken,” I replied.
She shook her head, a smile still on her lips.
“So, do you know where Madi is?” I asked.
“I think she went to the art room to work on her project.”
I let out a breath of relief. “Thanks, Teagan,” I replied, already walking
off in the direction of the art room. “I’ll see you tonight,” I shouted back over
my shoulder as I left the cafeteria.
The art room was at the far side of the building. I’d never taken any art
classes, and it took me a couple of tries before I found the right room. The
lights were off and the room was dim, with only sunlight streaming in through
the far window.
There were easels with large paintings scattered around the place, and it
took me a moment before I spotted Madi in the corner of the room. She was
seated with her back to the door, working a brush over her painting. I slowly
made my way toward her and stopped when I caught sight of the piece she
was working on.
It was incredible. The canvas was a wash of blues and whites with a lone
hockey player in the center of it. Madi had somehow managed to capture the
player’s movement perfectly as they went to take a shot.
“That looks awesome,” I said softly.
Madi jumped from her stool, her paintbrush dropping to the ground. She
had her hands pressed to her chest as she turned around to face me. “Didn’t
your mother ever tell you not to sneak up on people!” she exclaimed.
“I was hardly sneaking,” I replied, crossing my arms over my chest.
She shook her head. “No, I’m pretty certain that since you haven’t
managed to annoy me to death yet, now you’re working on scaring me.”
I smiled. “Nah, I need you around to keep my big ego in check.”
“True,” she replied, with a smile that matched mine. It didn’t quite reach
her eyes though, and I knew she was still upset after this morning.
“I wanted to check on you,” I said, pulling a stool up next to hers.
“Well, as you can see, I’m fine,” she replied, turning back to her work.
She didn’t look fine. Not one bit. Her face was paler than usual, and there
was an emptiness to her eyes that even her smiles couldn’t erase. I reached
out and took her hand in mine.
“You can’t let those words on your locker get to you,” I said.
“I’m not,” she replied.
I waved my free hand around the art room. “You never come in here at
lunch.”
She shrugged. “Is it so bad I wanted some time to myself today?”
“No, I’m just worried. I don’t like seeing you upset.”
She nodded, her eyes focused on her canvas. “I’m trying not to be.”
We both knew she was failing.
She let out a breath and faced me once more. “I don’t think I can be a part
of the competition anymore.”
My insides clenched and I tried to remain calm. “Why not?”
“I just don’t want all this drama in my life. I talked to Angus today, and he
said that after last night we’ve already raised triple our goal for the charity.
You guys don’t need me.”
“I need you,” I said without thought. It was the truth.
She swallowed, and her teeth took hold of her lower lip as she returned
my gaze. “You don’t need me,” she finally said.
“What if I do?”
“I’m sure you can handle a couple of dates without me there to hold your
hand.”
I let out a sigh. She didn’t get it. Either that or she didn’t feel the same.
She just wanted to be friends and nothing more.
“You really don’t want to be a part of the competition anymore?” I asked.
She nodded, and I sighed again. It was hard to hide my disappointment.
“Okay, if the audience doesn’t vote for you, I’ll eliminate you tonight if that’s
what you want.”
“It’s what I want,” she said.
I slowly stood to leave but paused. “Just so you know, I think you’re
making the wrong decision. People are always going to find someone to talk
about, but what they say are just their opinions, not fact. We both know those
things that were written on your locker weren’t true. You can’t keep allowing
other people’s opinions to influence how you feel about yourself.”
I took a deep breath before I continued. “You’re beautiful inside and out,
Madi. I just wish you could see it for yourself.”
She wasn’t looking at me. Her eyes were on her canvas, and it was
impossible to know what she was thinking. She let out a breath and faced me,
but her eyes still didn’t meet mine.
“It’s easier to believe the bad stuff than the good,” she murmured. She
turned back to her canvas once more, and I knew that was my cue to leave.
It broke my heart to see her so sad though. I wanted to fix things for her
so badly. The problem was, I couldn’t miraculously make her feel better. She
needed to be the one to realize that she was worth so much more than the
nasty things that people said. She needed to start believing in herself, but she
was the only one who could do that. I just wondered if there was something I
could do to help kick start it.
17
 MADISON

I didn’t want to dress up for the selection ceremony on Monday night like I
had for the last one. I still wore a nice enough dress, but I couldn’t bring
myself to wear anything that could be seen as even remotely slutty.
It was kind of sad to arrive at Cole’s house knowing that I would be
eliminated tonight. It was what I wanted, but a part of me felt like I was
giving up; that I was surrendering to the people who wanted me to fail. It was
for the best though. At least, I hoped it was.
I barely listened as Angus reeled off his introduction for the camera. I
must’ve looked pretty miserable because Skye kept shooting me concerned
glances and trying to get me to smile. All the other contestants were watching
Cole with hopeful eyes. I knew that mine were filled with resignation though.
When I glanced at Cole, I found that he was watching me too. He tried to
give me a reassuring smile, but his lips remained tense and the smile lacked
any warmth. He obviously wasn’t happy, but he wanted to do the right thing
by me. I had to be grateful to him for that.
Angus handed him the first heart for the night, and the room started to
buzz with nervous excitement. The contestants became still at my side, and all
eyes were narrowed on that one heart-shaped piece of paper. The audience’s
pick.
I had a feeling that Willow would be the one to be selected. She’d seemed
so much more comfortable in front of the camera during her single date with
Cole last week. I already knew how sweet she was, and I got the feeling that
the audience would have discovered it during the episode too. I’d even
overheard multiple people at school today talking about how cute the date had
been and how they’d voted for her.
The moment Cole looked down at the heart his eyes snapped up to meet
mine, and my stomach dropped.
 “Madi.” He whispered my name. There was dread in his eyes, and I could
see how sorry he was to have to call on me. I wanted to be angry with him,
but it wasn’t his fault. The audience had voted for me to stay, so he didn’t
have a choice.
I slowly walked up and stood before him.
“Madi, will you take a piece of my heart?” he asked. He looked so
nervous and sad as he said it, like he was just as upset as I was.
I nodded and took the piece of paper he offered out to me. I couldn’t
pretend to be excited in the way I knew Angus wanted, and he was practically
glaring at me as I walked past him to take my place.
Once I was in position, I turned to face the cameras and tried to make my
face a mask. I didn’t want to seem ungrateful for the audience votes. Cole
caught my eye and gave a subtle nod toward the paper in my hand.
I glanced down at it and was surprised to find he’d written me another
note.
“Madi, I’m not sure if you’ll get this tonight,” the note started. “But I
prepared this card just in case the audience picked you again. If you are
holding it now, then know that I understand why you don’t want to be in this
competition. I would willingly let you go if that would make you happy. But
you also need to know that you’re always going to miss the shot you never
take. I haven’t given up on taking my shot with you.”
I smiled up at him, and his eyes brightened as a smile slowly started
forming on his lips in return. We only shared a brief moment before he had to
continue announcing the other contestants, but it left me feeling better about
being selected. His reassurance made me feel like I could face another week
of whispers in the school corridors because I wasn’t in this alone. I felt a
flicker of hope for the first time that day, and I knew it had everything to do
with the boy standing before me.
Watching him hand hearts to the others brought me a little more down to
Earth though. Cole would still essentially be dating five other people after
tonight. Yes, he’d written me a sweet note, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t
doing things equally as sweet for everyone else.
As I watched the way his face lit up as he gave a heart to Teagan, I found
myself feeling very confused. I couldn’t deny the sparks I’d begun to feel
whenever I was close to him. But there was every chance he was feeling those
sparks with other girls as well.
Cole continued handing out hearts until only Maria, Zoe and Brooke were
left. There was a tense moment as Cole held up the last heart and looked
between the three girls. Their expressions turned to stone as they waited for
him to announce the final contender. This was the part of the show I hated the
most. The seconds dragged out, and I could sense the torment the girls were
going through.
When Cole finally called out a name it was like the air had suddenly
rushed back into the room and everyone could breathe again. Zoe was his
final choice. She walked up to receive her heart with a look of relief in her
eyes. He appeared happy to give it to her, but it was clear from the way he
kept sending worried glances toward the eliminated girls that he also felt
guilty.
“Maria and Brooke,” Angus said, stepping forward. “I’m sorry, but
neither of you has been selected to continue in Cole’s search for true love.
You have both been eliminated from the competition.”
Brett walked forward, focusing his camera on the two girls as he captured
their reactions. Maria didn’t seem too bothered and gave a small shrug, but I
could see how annoyed Brooke was to have been taken out of contention. She
was frowning and kept sending irritated glances toward her sister, as if it irked
her that Laurie remained while she was being eliminated.
Cole’s choices weren’t too surprising seeing as he’d barely spent any time
with Brooke or Maria on the group dates. It was so hard to know where his
head was at though, and I wondered which one he’d been planning to keep. I
knew that he’d agreed for me to take one of those two places, and I couldn’t
help but feel like I didn’t deserve to still be in the contest.
“Now it’s time for Cole to announce who will be joining him on this
week’s single date,” Angus said. My fingers twitched at my sides as Cole’s
eyes roamed over the group of contestants before him. He barely even looked
at me though. I didn’t know whether to feel upset or relieved. I’d told him I
wanted to play no more part in the contest, and I still felt apprehensive about
the increased spotlight a single date would bring.
“Laurie,” Cole announced, giving the girl a big smile.
My heart skipped a beat and my mouth dropped open slightly. Laurie? He
picked Laurie of all people? I couldn’t stop myself from turning to look at her.
There was a smug smile gracing her features, and she appeared thoroughly
pleased with herself.
I couldn’t stop the hurt and confusion from furrowing my brow as Laurie
sashayed toward Cole and threw her arms around his neck. “Thanks for
picking me, hot stuff. I’m going to show you the night of your life,” Laurie
said.
I had to suppress a gag. Why couldn’t Cole see how fake Laurie was?
There were so many other lovely people still in the competition, and I
couldn’t understand why he hadn’t picked someone like Teagan, who was
incredibly beautiful both inside and out. I wasn’t jealous. At least, I didn’t
think it was jealousy I was feeling. It was more like disappointment.
Once Angus wrapped up filming for the night, I made a quick exit. I knew
Laurie would relish the opportunity to gloat about her upcoming date with
Cole, and I didn’t want to hang around to hear it.
I was almost at my front doorstep when I heard my name being shouted
from across the street. I slowly turned and was surprised to find Cole chasing
after me.
“Shouldn’t you be finishing up with the others?” I asked, not even
bothering to disguise my confusion.
“Angus has it under control,” Cole replied. “I just wanted to explain
things to you.”
“What’s to explain?” I asked with a shrug. “The audience picked me; it’s
not your fault I’m in this for another week. You can get rid of me next
ceremony.”
He frowned, like he was confused about what I was saying, before he
suddenly shook his head. “I actually wanted to talk to you about Laurie.”
“Oh, what about her?”
He dug his hands into his back pockets, and his gaze dropped to the
ground for a second. “I just wanted to explain why I chose her tonight.”
My heart sped up as he spoke. I was desperate to know his reasons but
also feared his answer. Was he hinting that Laurie wasn’t the person he
wanted to pick, or was he about to open up and tell me about his feelings for
her? I didn’t know either way, and I wasn’t sure I could handle the latter.
“Cole, you don’t have to explain yourself to me,” I said. “It’s fine that you
chose Laurie, really.”
His eyes darted up to look into mine and a flicker of confusion ran
through them. “You’re okay with it?” he asked.
“Sure,” I shrugged again. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
He rubbed the back of his neck with one hand, his gaze still fraught with
uncertainty. “I just thought that after Friday… And then you smiled when you
read my note… I just wanted to check that you weren’t sad I didn’t pick you.”
I frowned, not really sure what he was trying to get at. The one thing I did
know was that I definitely didn’t want him thinking I was jealous.
“Not at all,” I replied. “You know I want out of the competition anyway.”
Ugh. The words were like some horrid sticky, chewy candy in my mouth.
They tasted horrible, were impossible to spit out and all I wanted was to just
swallow them.
“So, you’re not upset?”
“Of course not,” I said with a laugh. I was such a liar. “Laurie seems to
really like you. I think you guys will have a great time together.”
I needed to tape my mouth closed. Why was I saying this crap to him? I
didn’t think he’d have a good time with Laurie at all. In fact, the small devil
sitting on my shoulder hoped they had a horrible time.
“Yeah, I guess,” he agreed.
There was so much going on beneath the surface of his cool expression. I
could see it in his eyes, though I had no clue what he was thinking. I often
found it hard to know what the hell was going on in that head of his.
“Anyway, I should probably get inside,” I said, jerking my thumb in the
direction of the house. I needed to get away from him before I said something
else stupid.
“It’s been a pretty long day.”
“Yeah, it has,” Cole agreed. “I’ll leave you to it.” He turned and walked
back across the street without so much as a goodbye. I frowned after him,
trying to understand what had gone wrong. He’d chosen Laurie for the date,
and yet I felt like he was angry with me.
I rubbed my eyes tiredly and went into the house. Why did I feel like I had
just made everything worse?

W HEN H AYLEY and I arrived at school the next morning, there was a
“Channel Five News” van parked by the front entrance and a gathering of
students milling around it. I’d never seen a news truck at school before, and I
searched the crowd for the source of the excitement. In the middle of it all, I
saw the local news anchor standing in front of a camera.
“Is that Peggy Walton?” Hayley gasped as we got out of her car.
 “Yeah, I think so,” I replied. The blonde reporter that had been gracing my
TV screen every night for the last ten years was stunning in real life. She also
seemed much taller than I expected.
She was standing on the front steps of the school interviewing Angus,
with Cole and Laurie paired up at his side. Laurie had her arm tucked into
Cole’s, and they looked like the picture perfect couple as they smiled for the
news camera.
I couldn’t seem to tear my eyes away as I watched the two of them
snuggling before the camera crew and the crowd of kids. Angus was doing
most of the talking, while Laurie kept sneaking loving glances at Cole.
“Any chance you feel like bailing on school?” I asked.
“I can’t, I have a Spanish quiz first up,” Hayley replied. “Sorry, Mads.”
I waved her comment away with one hand. “I’m only joking.” I wasn’t,
but she didn’t need to know that.
“Hey, Madi.” I turned to find Jake getting out of the car next to us. I had
been so absorbed by the spectacle in front of the school, I hadn’t even heard
the car pull up.
“Hey, Jake,” I replied, my gaze drifting back toward Cole. I couldn’t seem
to tear my eyes away.
“You got a minute?” Jake asked.
I glanced at Hayley. She looked at me as if she was checking whether or
not I wanted her to stay, so I gave her a small shake of my head. I could
handle Jake myself. She nodded and started toward the school.
“Sure,” I said, turning back to look at Jake. “What’s up?”
“I just wanted to see how you were doing.” He shifted his backpack on his
shoulder and tilted his head like he was concerned. “I heard about your locker
yesterday.”
“Like you care,” I replied, with a shake of my head. This was the first
time he’d spoken to me since we’d broken up. He wasn’t exactly my favorite
person anymore and, after the rumors he’d spread, it was pretty clear I wasn’t
his either.
“How can you say that?” he replied. “I know we’re broken up, but that
doesn’t mean I stopped caring about you.”
“Yeah, well, you sure have a way of showing it,” I muttered.
“What does that mean?” he asked.
 “Just that, if you cared about me, you wouldn’t be spreading rumors about
how I wouldn’t put out for you,” I replied.
He frowned and glanced around like he was worried we’d be overheard.
“I didn’t spread those rumors,” he said. “I would never disrespect you like
that.”
“So it was the tooth fairy telling the whole school I was frigid? Damn, I
should’ve guessed.”
He lifted an eyebrow and shook his head. “Look, I don’t know how that
rumor spread, but I would never tell anyone that was the reason for us
breaking up. I really care about you.”
“Well, who was it then?” I asked.
“I have no idea,” he replied. “But I’ve been telling everyone it’s not true.
I’ve been saying we broke up because we’d just grown apart.”
As I looked into his eyes, I found myself believing him. Jake never liked
to outright lie, and when he did, he wasn’t very good at it. I could tell he was
being honest. He could be a bit of an idiot sometimes, but he wasn’t mean-
spirited.
“Okay, fine, I believe you,” I said.
Jake smiled at me like he’d really needed to hear me say the words. “You
always were the best. I’ve missed you, Mads.”
I nodded. I wasn’t quite ready to admit I’d missed him too. Jake and I
hadn’t been a great couple, but it was like there was a massive void in my life
without him in it.
“Do you think we could try to be friends?” he asked. There was so much
hope in his eyes, and it seemed like he really wanted to try. It felt far too soon
for any sort of friendship for me though.
“I’m not sure I’m quite there yet,” I replied. “But I think we could be
eventually.”
“I can wait for eventually,” he said.
I turned back to look at the school and was relieved to find that the TV
crew was now packing down and Cole and Laurie were nowhere to be seen.
The crowd had also dispersed and I could see the school’s front doors, which
had been obstructed by excited students when I first arrived.
I let out a breath. “Well, it looks like you’ve already started on being a
good friend. You’ve stalled us enough that I won’t need to fight my way into
school,” I said, nodding toward the empty parking lot.
 “How about I do another good friend duty and walk you to your locker?”
he asked.
I swallowed. I’d avoided my locker all of yesterday. I wasn’t sure if I was
ready to face it again so soon. I couldn’t stay away from it for the rest of the
year though. I took in one big deep breath.
“Sure, let’s go.”
It was with some reluctance I walked into school at Jake’s side. I was
amazed at how much distance had grown between us after such a short time. I
felt different since we’d broken up, but he also felt different to me too. I
found I was glad for his presence though. At least I wouldn’t have to face my
locker alone.
My pace slowed as we neared my locker and I found myself wanting to
squint my eyes shut and continue right past it. I resisted the temptation
though, knowing that I couldn’t go another day without any of my books.
I shuddered to a stop as my locker came fully into view, and my hands
lifted to my mouth as I gasped. The locker was clean. Shock raced through
me, and I stayed cemented to the spot as I took in the shiny surface that was
now free of any graffiti.
“Who?” I whispered. “How?”
I shook my head, still trying to believe that the insulting names were
really gone. They’d been cleaned off so thoroughly it was like they’d never
been there at all. Relieved tears welled in my eyes and I started smiling as I
walked toward the locker.
“I heard Cole stayed late after school and cleaned it,” Jake said, from
where he stood beside me.
“What?” I glanced at Jake, not sure I had heard him correctly.
“He must really like you,” he added. It looked like it nearly killed him to
say aloud, and there was a frown on his face, as if his own words had upset
him. Maybe he wasn’t quite as over our breakup as he thought?
I was too busy thinking about my locker though to focus on that. My heart
was doing a strange flutter as I looked back at it.
“He really cleaned it?” I murmured.
“Apparently.”
I touched the cold metal, still not quite able to believe the horrible words
were gone.
 “Well, I should get to class. I’ll see you around,” Jake said.
“See you, Jake,” I replied, my gaze still focused on my locker.
Having it clean didn’t take the hurt away, but it made me feel like I could
begin to move past it.
I gathered my books and walked to class, relieved that a huge weight had
been lifted off my shoulders. As I walked into my English class, I caught
sight of Cole and grinned. I no longer cared about seeing him canoodling with
Laurie for the cameras. I didn’t even care that there had been a heap of
“#Laurole” posters dotting the corridors. It was a silly couple name anyway.
All I seemed to care about was the fact that Cole had done something so kind,
without even taking the credit for it; that he was as good on the inside as I’d
been beginning to suspect.
“Hey,” I said in greeting, as I sat in my usual seat diagonally in front of
him.
“Matthews,” he replied.
I swiveled in my chair so I was facing him. I opened my mouth to speak,
but before I got a chance, the teacher entered the room and called for
everyone to be silent. I begrudgingly turned to face the front of the room.
Instead of listening to Mr. Smith, I tore a piece of paper out of my
notebook and started to write.
“I heard what you did with my locker. You don’t know how much it
means to me! Thank you!!!!!!!”
I folded the piece of paper and waited for Mr. Randall to start writing on
the whiteboard before I passed it back to Cole. As he took the paper, our
fingers brushed for the briefest of seconds, making my skin tingle. I was so
surprised by the sensation I almost dropped the note.
I glanced over my shoulder at him as he read my words and my heart
fluttered when he smiled. He glanced up at me, the small smile transforming
into a beaming grin when he caught my eye. His whole face was lit up as he
dipped his head back down and focused on the page and wrote a response.
Mr. Randall started speaking again, and I begrudgingly turned away from
Cole and faced the front of the room. He was explaining our next assignment,
but I really wasn’t listening. All I could focus on was what message Cole was
about to send me.
Seconds after Mr. Randall turned to start scribbling on the whiteboard, a
small ball of paper landed on my desk. I smiled and began to unravel it. Once
it was pressed flat, I realized Cole had torn it in the shape of half a heart. The
edges were uneven and the paper scrunched, but I far preferred it to the ones
I’d received in the selection ceremonies. I glanced over my shoulder at him.
“A piece of your heart?” I mouthed at him.
He grinned but shook his head and nodded at the heart, indicating for me
to flip it over. I did as he asked and found a message was written on the other
side.
“I’d do anything to put that smile back on your face.”
It was such a simple sentence, but it was the sweetest thing anyone had
ever said to me. I read it over several times, and each time my heart swelled a
little bigger. I looked at Cole and smiled, hoping he could see how much his
words meant to me.
He was already watching me, and I found myself trapped in his stare as
our eyes met. The look we exchanged was intense, and a torrent of feelings
seemed to rise up within me. Feelings I never thought I’d have for him, but
ones I found I could no longer deny.
The realization hit me like a slap across the face. I liked Cole Kingston. I
turned from him quickly, suddenly worried that my feelings were clearly
etched across my features and he would realize my dirty little secret.
I didn’t just want one of the pieces of his heart—I wanted them all.
18
 COLE

S omething seemed to shift between Madi and me that week. I thought we

had a moment after she read my note in English class and turned to stare
into my eyes. Electricity had practically sparked between us, and I had
wanted nothing more than to close the distance between us and kiss her. From
the way she’d been looking at me, it was clear she wanted the same thing too.
At least, that’s what I’d thought at the time.
But then her eyes had briefly widened, and she’d turned away from me.
She’d been avoiding me ever since, and I wasn’t sure what I’d done wrong.
By the time lunch arrived on Thursday, I was starting to get worried.
“The way you keep staring at Madi is starting to get creepy,” Tanner said,
as he sat down next to me at our table. She was sitting with Teagan again
today, and I was beginning to think we’d lost her to the drama table forever.
I slowly drew my eyes away from her and gave my friend a shove. Tanner
barely moved though. The guy was built like a house.
“I’m not staring.” I tried to make myself sound convincing, but I was
concerned I’d made myself too obvious.
Tanner laughed. “You definitely were. You’ve been doing it all week.”
“Maybe I’m looking at Teagan,” I replied, trying to hide my
embarrassment. Madi was often wedged between Teagan and Hayley, so it
wasn’t impossible that I could have been looking at one of the other two.
“Or Evan,” Tanner added.
“You know I’m not looking at him,” I replied.
“Do I?” Tanner asked. “He’s still in the competition.”
“Yeah, because I like him a whole lot more than some of the other chicks
who have been in it.”
 Tanner lifted an eyebrow at me.
“Not like that,” I growled.
Tanner grinned. “I’m just messing with you about Evan. I’m serious about
you being a creeper though. You’ve really got to pull back on that.”
My shoulders slouched as I sat back in my chair and crossed my arms
over my chest. “Madi’s been avoiding me all week,” I finally admitted.
“Do you think she’s upset about you picking Laurie for your date?”
Tanner asked.
“She told me it was fine,” I shrugged. “In fact, she didn’t really seem to
care at all.” I’d tried to explain that she was the one I wanted on the date with
me, but she wasn’t bothered about not being selected. She actually seemed
happy I’d picked Laurie. Things went so well during the group date at the ice
rink; I couldn’t understand why Madi didn’t want a repeat of it.
“You sure?” Tanner asked.
I shrugged again. It’s not like I could read Madi’s mind, but she’d made
her feelings pretty clear. “Madi seemed fine earlier this week. She was really
happy when she found out I fixed her locker, and we were passing cute notes
and everything. Then she suddenly started ignoring me.”
“Are you sure your note wasn’t sleazy rather than cute? You know girls
don’t like that crap.”
I didn’t answer. There was no way I was going into the details of what my
note to Madi said. My words had been from the heart and, though Tanner was
my best friend, there was no way I was revealing them to him.
“It wasn’t sleazy,” I replied. I huffed out a breath and glanced toward
Madi’s table once more. My gaze had barely landed on her when I felt a firm
smack against the back of my head.
“Repeat after me: I am not a creeper,” Tanner said.
“I am not a creeper.”
Tanner grinned. “Great, now act like it.”
I shifted on my chair so I was firmly faced away from Madi. “Better?”
“Much,” Tanner said.
“Any news on who vandalized Madi’s locker?” I asked.
“Do you remember how to talk about anything other than that girl?” he
laughed.
 “Sure, let’s talk about you and Stacy instead,” I said, with an evil grin. I
knew that Tanner and Stacy were currently in the off portion of their on-again,
off-again relationship, and I knew how much he hated talking about her when
they were “off.”
“No news on the vandal,” Tanner said, flashing me a look of annoyance.
He was too easy sometimes.
“How does no one know?” I asked.
Before he replied, Tanner took a bite of his burger, almost devouring it in
one mouthful. I thought I was an animal when it came to stuffing myself with
food, but Tanner was a beast.
“It happened before anyone got to school and no one’s been bragging
about it. I guess they saw how upset everyone else at school was and didn’t
want to be the bad guy.”
“Yeah,” I agreed. Madi got along with everyone, so anyone trying to bully
her was definitely going to come across as the bad guy in the situation. Not
that Madi would believe the fact that most of the people around her had her
back. Judging by all the votes she was receiving from True Love audiences,
even people outside the school loved Madi. I didn’t understand why she failed
to see how great everyone thought she was.
“I’ll still keep my feelers out though,” Tanner added.
“Thanks, man.” I hoped Tanner would come up with something soon.
Even though the words had been removed from Madi’s locker, it still left an
angry pit in my stomach whenever I thought about it. I wasn’t going to feel
better until I’d found out who’d done it and brought them to justice.
“You ready for your date tonight?” Tanner asked.
“Don’t remind me,” I muttered. I looked over at Laurie who was flirting
outrageously with Skip today. The poor guy looked like he didn’t know what
had hit him. He was one of the quieter guys on the football team, and I never
saw him going out of his way to talk to girls. He clearly didn’t know what to
do with all of Laurie’s attention. I almost felt sorry for him.
Tanner chuckled. “What are you guys doing?”
“Well, I was going to try and convince Angus that he should let me take
her to the movies. I thought it would be great because then I wouldn’t have to
speak to her, but then I remembered that Laurie struggles to keep her hands to
herself in broad daylight—I can only imagine the horrors I’d experience in a
darkened theatre.”
“Yeah,” Tanner laughed. “Good call. So, what then?”
 “No idea. Angus pretty much decides all of that stuff,” I said, before
taking a bite of my own burger. Our cafeteria was known for its lousy
cooking, but the food today wasn’t so bad.
“You trust him to plan your date?” Tanner asked.
“More like I don’t really have a choice, and in Laurie’s case, I’d rather
him plan it than me. He’s the whole reason behind the Laurie date anyway.”
“Yeah, that was pretty cruel of him to force your hand like that,” Tanner
replied.
“It’s fine,” I said. “Besides, Madi wanted out this week, it’s not like I
could have taken her on a date. She never would have forgiven me.”
“And it’s probably a good thing too, seeing how she’s not talking to you
now.”
“That would have been awkward,” I agreed.
The end of lunch bell rang, and I stuffed the remnants of my burger in my
mouth as I stood to go to class.
“Well, good luck tonight,” Tanner said, as we walked toward the doors. “I
have a feeling you’re going to need it.”
I had the same feeling too.

I STARTED TO SERIOUSLY DOUBT A NGUS ’ ability to run the True Love

operation when I arrived for my date with Laurie on Thursday night. I wasn’t
sure what I’d done to make him hate me so much, but I quickly realized the
date wasn’t just going to be awkward — it was going to be mortifying.
“I am not getting in that,” I said, pointing at the horse-drawn carriage.
“Come on Coley, it’ll be fun,” Laurie said.
I groaned. “Please don’t call me that.”
“Geez, you’re such a grouch,” she said, before looking over at Angus.
“Angus, tell him he needs to be nice to me. We’re supposed to be on a date.”
Angus didn’t say anything, but he gave me a look that told me he agreed
with Laurie.
“Sorry, Laurie,” I said with a sigh. “I’m just upset about the horse. I’ll be
nice, but please don’t call me that ridiculous name.”
 “Anything for you, babe,” she purred, linking her arm with mine.
Letting out another heavy sigh, I walked Laurie toward the carriage. I
helped her up the steps, but before I could follow, Angus pulled me aside.
“You need to make more of an effort to look like you’re into her,” he said,
keeping his voice low.
I grunted in response. I didn’t know how to tell Angus that would be
impossible because I liked someone else.
“And I think it would be a great idea if you guys kissed at the end of the
date.”
I placed a hand on his chest. “Hold it right there,” I replied. “I will not be
kissing Laurie. There’s no chance of that happening.”
“It’s just a little kiss,” Angus tried to argue.
“It is never just a small kiss with her. One kiss and she’ll be planning the
names of our children.” Surely he’d heard about the Dave fiasco last year? He
and Laurie made out at a party just once, and I’m pretty sure she’s been
sleeping with a lock of his hair under her pillow ever since.
“I’m sure she’s not that bad.”
“You kiss her then,” I replied.
Angus wouldn’t be put off though. “Look, Cole; can’t you take one for the
team. This is for charity.”
“No,” I replied. “And if you ask me again, I’m walking away from this
whole competition.”
“Fine,” Angus said. “No kiss, but play nice.” He sent me off with one
annoyed flick of his wrists.
I took a moment to compose myself before I returned to the carriage and
joined Laurie. She was sitting across the back seat, and Brett was sitting
directly opposite her with his camera. There was barely a foot separating
them. I’d always found it quite easy to forget the guys were filming during the
dates, but it was going to be impossible with the camera jammed right in our
faces.
“There you are,” Laurie said, with a smile. “I missed you.”
“I was gone for two seconds, Laurie.”
“Two seconds too long,” she replied.
I lifted my head to the sky. Kill me now. I took a deep breath before I
lowered my gaze. This night could not end fast enough.
Unfortunately, the night seemed to have other ideas. The ride through the
park went painfully slowly, and Laurie chatted incessantly. I couldn’t repeat
one word she said because I was too busy wondering what it would have been
like if Madi was on the date with me instead. I imagined she would have
laughed when she saw the horse and carriage, but she’d still have been eager
to make the most of it. I wished it were her seated next to me. If I had to be
subjected to a horse and carriage ride, I wanted it to be with someone I liked.
There was nothing I hated more than being fake, and that was exactly how I
was feeling now.
I knew Angus had been hoping the date would come across as romantic,
but it was nothing like that. I felt uncomfortable sitting next to Laurie and
awkward so close to the camera. I especially felt sorry for Brett. If I felt
awkward on the date, I could only imagine what he was feeling as our silent
third wheel.
It was sweet relief when the carriage ride finally ended, but I quickly
discovered the torture wasn’t over. Angus had planned a candlelit picnic
dinner in the park.
Laurie squealed for the camera when she saw the spread, really warming
into her role as the perfect True Love date. She grabbed my hand, pulling me
over to the rug, making sure to snuggle in nice and close to me as we sat
down.
I was starting to feel claustrophobic as the dinner wore on. Inch by inch,
Laurie drew closer to me until she was more on me than she was on the picnic
rug. She also kept on insisting on feeding me food, and I could barely
stomach a bite. The whole thing made me feel sick. I had thought the True
Love competition would be a little fun for a great cause, but Laurie made me
wish I had never agreed to take part.
She finally let out a sigh and pulled back from me. “You’re not enjoying
this, are you?” she said.
Her expression was usually so carefully crafted, displaying only the
emotions she wanted to portray. But right now, her lips were downcast, and
her eyes were wide and sad. She looked surprisingly vulnerable, and I
suddenly realized what a complete dick I’d been acting toward her.
“I’m sorry, Laurie,” I said. “I haven’t been a very good date.”
“No,” she murmured in agreement. She looked up at me and gave a small
shrug. “It’s not like I blame you. I can come on a little strong sometimes.”
 “Just a little?” I asked
“Okay, maybe a lot.” She laughed softly but shook her head before she
continued. “I just don’t know how to act around guys. None of them ever
seem interested in getting to know me. They only want me because I’m a
cheerleader, so I sometimes feel like my looks are all I have to work with, you
know?”
I shook my head, not liking that she thought so little of herself. “Don’t say
that. You’re not just a pretty face. You’re funny and confident. And yes,
you’re a cheerleader, but cheerleading’s not easy. I’ve seen how hard you
work at it.”
I found it tough to be saying these things to Laurie of all people, but I
could see how much she needed the reassurance. Her eyes were beginning to
light up like she was drinking my every word in and savoring it.
“You’ve got dedication and determination,” I continued, “which is a pretty
fierce combination. You need to believe in yourself a little more. You’re
actually pretty cool when you’re not trying so hard.”
“You really think so?” she murmured. She was staring at me with such a
genuine look of hope on her face that I was taken aback. I was so used to her
giving me flirtatious smiles and laughing at my jokes, even though the
amusement never reached her eyes. I suddenly realized I didn’t really know
the girl before me. She was different from the persona she put on at school, I
just wished she believed in herself enough to be that person all the time. I
hadn’t been lying before; she wasn’t half bad when she wasn’t trying so hard.
“I know so,” I said.
She smiled up at me. “Thanks, Cole,” she said. “I really needed to hear
that.” She placed her arms around my shoulders and hugged me. It wasn’t the
same showy embrace Laurie usually gave when she was in front of a crowd.
There was a vulnerability to it that I hadn’t expected. I let out a sigh as I
hugged her in return.
When she went to pull away, she kept her hands on my shoulders. She
skimmed her cheek against the side of my face and, before I realized what
was happening, her lips were pressed on mine. It only lasted for the briefest of
seconds, and I jerked away before Laurie could deepen the kiss. She didn’t
seem to notice the wild look in my eyes as she smiled up at me.
“Maybe this date isn’t so bad after all,” she said.
“Laurie, why would you…” I was about to submit to my anger and tell her
off for kissing me, but I caught sight of Angus behind one of the cameras
giving me two thumbs up. My heart sunk as I remembered the cameras were
watching. Laurie’s kiss would be all over the screen come Sunday and
everyone, including Madi, would see what just happened.
“Why would I what?” Laurie asked, tilting her head as she looked at me.
I let out a breath, knowing I couldn’t bring myself to say what I’d planned
to tell her. I couldn’t humiliate her in front of the cameras, even if I was angry
she’d kissed me. “I just wanted to say, thank you for putting up with me
tonight.”
“It was a chore,” she said, with a grin. “But I won’t hold it against you.”
“Thanks,” I said with a chuckle.
Apparently, Angus was satisfied with the performance because after the
kiss he quickly called an end to the date.
“That was brilliant,” Angus said to me, once Laurie had left and the crew
was packing up. “All that stuff you were saying to Laurie is going to make the
viewers melt. You’re a natural at this.”
I shook my head at him. “I wasn’t pretending.”
“I know,” he grinned. “Hence why I said you’re a natural. People are
going to be so torn when they see that you might be starting to like Laurie
instead of Madi. Good job on getting that kiss in, by the way. I knew you
were a team player.”
“Is this all just some game to you?” I asked. I was struggling to keep my
tone calm.
“Cole, this is a show, and we’re garnering quite the following. It’s not a
game, but we are in the industry of entertaining people.”
I scowled at Angus. He sounded so conceited, and I was starting to worry
about him. He was growing more interested in how many viewers the show
had than how much money it was raising for charity.
“Just remember why we’re doing this,” I grumbled, before walking back
to my car. The competition was making Angus lose his grip on reality, and I
felt like it was beginning to make me lose my mind too. In what world would
I ever let Laurie get away with kissing me? I was still seething over the fact it
had happened, but I also kept thinking about Madi. How would she react
when she saw the episode?
I didn’t want it to upset her, but a part of me was worried she wouldn’t
care at all. Whatever her reaction, I just hoped it didn’t mess things up
between us. I finally felt like we might have a chance together, and I didn’t
want us to end before we’d even begun.
19
 MADISON

I had barely made it to my locker in the morning when I was greeted with
news of Laurie and Cole’s date the previous night. It hadn’t even appeared
on the website yet, but apparently people already knew what had gone down.
“Did you hear?” Evan said, coming to stand beside me as I opened my
locker door.
I fished around the back of it for my history book as I looked at him.
“Hear about what?” I asked.
“Laurie and Cole made out on their date last night.” He watched me
carefully as he waited for my reaction.
I turned to my locker as my hand grasped the thick textbook I was after. I
gripped onto it tightly but didn’t pull it out as I gave myself a moment to try
and breathe. Evan’s news had stolen the breath from my lungs, and my
stomach sank as a heavy feeling took root in it. Finally, I gave the book a
yank to release it from under the other texts.
“They did?” I asked, trying to keep my voice neutral.
“Yeah, I thought I’d tell you before one of Laurie’s minions came to
gloat.”
I grabbed another book out of my locker before I responded. I was
struggling to remain calm in front of Evan, but my insides were in total
turmoil. I’d finally admitted to myself that I liked the guy, and he goes off
with Laurie of all people.
I felt Evan’s arm at my back. “Are you okay?” he asked.
“Sure,” I replied, giving him a tight smile. He was looking at me like my
reassurance didn’t fool him, so I quickly turned the question around on him
before he probed too deeply. “Are you okay?” I nudged him with my arm.
“Well, my heart is clearly broken. It may take me many moons to put it
back together again.” He winked at me, drawing out a pathetic laugh. It
sounded more like a choking noise, and I hoped he didn’t notice.
“Actually,” he continued. “I think Cole will be the one with a broken
heart. I met someone.”
“You did?” My question lacked its usual enthusiasm; I couldn’t seem to
get Cole and Laurie out of my mind. I felt like I was being a bad friend, so I
tried my best to focus my whole attention on him.
“Yeah, it was when we were at the ice arena last weekend.”
“Who was it?” I asked. The place had been closed for a couple of hours
while we’d been filming, so it’s not like there had been anyone around.
“Do you remember the hot guy who organized our skates?”
“Um…”
“The one who kind of looked like Thor?” he prompted.
“Oh, him. He was kind of hard to miss, Evan.”
“He was, wasn’t he?” Evan grinned. “We’re going on a date tomorrow.”
“That’s great!” I gave him a smile, but it lacked any warmth. I clutched
my books in tighter to my chest, wishing I were better at pretending
everything was okay when it really didn’t feel like it was. I felt like an echo of
my usual self, and I hoped that Evan couldn’t see how affected I was by the
news of Cole and Laurie kissing.
“I know,” Evan gushed, clearly excited by his date. “I only wish I didn’t
have to do our group date with Cole tonight or we could have met up
tonight.”
Evan wasn’t the only one who didn’t want to go on the group date with
Cole anymore. I let a sigh slip out as I considered how painful tonight would
be. It was bad enough hearing about Cole and Laurie kissing. I wasn’t sure
that I was ready to witness it.
“It’ll be okay,” Evan said, as if he sensed my apprehension.
“Will it though?” I asked.
He linked his arm through mine as we started to walk to history. “I suspect
that Cole Kingston likes you every bit as much as you like him,” he said.
I shook my head. “I don’t like him like that.”
Evan paused and looked at me. “I think we both know that you do, but I
understand if you’re not ready to say it out loud. I’m totally here for when
you decide you need a wingman to help you get the guy though.”
“Thanks, Evan, you’re the best.”
“I really am,” he agreed.
I didn’t have any classes with Cole on Fridays, and I couldn’t decide if it
was a good or a bad thing that I might not see him. A couple of weeks ago I
wouldn’t have cared that Cole and Laurie had kissed, but we’d come such a
long way in that time, and I found that the news hurt. I decided it was
probably for the best that I avoided him. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the same
luck with Laurie.
I’d somehow managed to go the whole school day without seeing either
one of them. But, just after the final bell, I spotted Laurie and her friends
coming down the corridor toward me.
I felt like a rabbit in the headlights as Laurie’s eyes met mine and lit with
glee. I half considered turning and running away, but I couldn’t bring myself
to hide from whatever confrontation was coming. I knew I would have to face
her another time, and if I didn’t do it now, Laurie would feel she’d won.
“You may as well give up now, Madi. Cole’s as good as mine,” Laurie
said. Sally and Brooke were both standing behind her like bodyguards
protecting their mob boss. Not that Laurie needed any back up when she
picked a battle.
I merely shook my head at her. Getting into a fight with Laurie was the
last thing I wanted. I didn’t fancy my chances. If only Hayley were with me.
She was the fire in our dynamic duo and would have no problem putting
Laurie in her place—head cheerleader or not.
“He’s such an amazing kisser,” she gloated. “Not that you would know.
The closest you’ll ever get to his lips is watching our incredible kiss this
Sunday.”
I went to walk past her, but Laurie grabbed my arm tightly, her nails
digging into my skin. She stepped in close, lowering her lips to my ear. “Tell
me you give up,” she said.
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me,” Laurie murmured darkly. “Tell me he’s mine or a few
words on your locker will be the least of your worries.”
I jerked back from her and looked her in the eyes. “That was you?”
“I never said that.” She smiled, but there was no friendliness in the
expression. It was 100% cruel.
 My heart was racing though, and I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that
it was her. I felt a wave of relief as I spotted Hayley coming toward me down
the corridor. Laurie followed my gaze and immediately dropped my arm. I
guess she didn’t want an audience, or at least not one that wasn’t afraid to
fight back.
“Remember what I’ve said,” Laurie warned before turning her back on me
and sauntering away. Her threat was clear. Leave Cole alone or else…
Brooke and Sally went to follow. Sally was giggling, like what she’d just
witnessed was highly entertaining. But Brook paused as she went to leave.
Her cheeks were flushed and there was a sad look in her eyes. She looked like
she wanted to say something, but she sighed and turned to follow her friends.
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Hayley said, as she came up to me.
I realized I was shaking after my encounter with Laurie, so it didn’t
surprise me that the blood had also rushed from my face. I wasn’t sure if it
was anger or sadness I was feeling though. It felt like a mixture of both.
“I’ve been speaking to Laurie,” I replied, “which is far more terrifying
than seeing a ghost.”
Hayley frowned and glanced over her shoulder in the direction Laurie had
disappeared. “What did she want?”
I repeated my conversation with Laurie to Hayley as we slowly started to
make our way out to her car. When I finished, I had to physically grab hold of
Hayley’s arm to stop her from racing back into the school.
“Please don’t make a scene,” I pleaded with her.
“But she threatened you!”
“I know,” I agreed. “But Laurie’s my problem. Will you let me deal with
her?”
Hayley let out a sigh and nodded, but she grumbled the rest of the way to
the car. It was only once we were driving home that she started speaking to
me again.
“So, are you going to tell me your plan for dealing with Laurie, or do I
have to beg?” Hayley asked.
I had hoped she’d drop it, but apparently not.
“You don’t have to beg,” I replied. “I just plan to keep my distance until
this whole competition is over. I’m sure that once Laurie’s got Cole all to
herself she’ll be as right as rain.”
 “Well that’s the stupidest suggestion ever,” Hayley said. “You can’t let her
win.”
“I’m not,” I replied.
“Sounds like you are to me.”
I frowned at her. Sometimes it was really hard having a best friend who
always told you exactly what they thought. I kind of wished, just for once,
that she would lie to me and say my plan sounded great and it would all work
out in the end.
“I’m not,” I repeated.
Hayley suddenly jerked the car to a stop in the middle of the street and
someone laid on their horn behind us.
“Hayley!” I hated when she did this, but it wasn’t the first time, and I
knew she’d only start driving again once she’d said her piece.
“Look,” Hayley said, turning to face me. “If keeping your distance from
Cole is what you really want, then go for it. But if there is even the smallest
chance you like him, then it’s not fair to either of you if you hold back
because you’re scared of pissing Laurie off. We both know she’s only ever
after whichever jock is the most popular at the time. As soon as this
competition is over, Laurie will drop Cole like a hotcake.”
“Okay, okay, I hear you,” I said, glancing at the car behind us as it honked
again. “If I say I’ll think about what you’ve said, will you start driving
again?”
Hayley watched me closely. She must have believed I’d taken her advice
on board because she nodded and started driving again like nothing had
happened.
I let out a breath as the car took off. I swear, one of these days the person
in the car behind her was going to get out and come after her with a baseball
bat. She really needed to stop doing that.

T HE GROUP DATE that night was minigolf; a sport I was usually not bad at
when I was focused. I couldn’t seem to get the ball to go where I wanted it
tonight though—that’s if I hit the ball at all. Whenever I lined myself up for a
shot, everything felt wrong. And I swear that each time I went to hit the ball,
Laurie’s annoying laugh would ring out and throw me off my game.
At least I wasn’t the only one who struggled. Willow was also taking her
time getting around the course. The winner of our little tournament would be
going for ice cream with Cole at the end, but I was pretty sure it wouldn’t be
either of us.
Teagan was surprisingly good at the game and was quick to pull ahead of
everyone, much to Laurie’s disgust. When it was clear that Laurie wouldn’t be
winning any alone time with our bachelor, she started focusing less on the
game and more on flirting with Cole.
She appeared to be having a great night, which only seemed to get better
as a group of kids I didn’t recognize walked up to her and Cole and asked if
they could take a selfie with them.
“Of course we can,” Laurie gushed. “Come on, Cole.”
“Sure, no problem,” he agreed.
I watched on as the group arranged themselves. It was moments like this
when I realized just how big our little competition had become. It wasn’t just
our school involved now. Thousands of people were watching. Even the
barista at my local coffee shop had told me he was cheering for me. I wasn’t a
fan of the attention, but Laurie certainly loved it.
Cole and Laurie were in the center of the group, all cozied up to one
another. They smiled warmly for the camera, looking every bit the perfect
couple. I tried not to be jealous, I really did. But I could feel the green
monster swirling inside of me, and I had to turn away. I focused instead on the
golf ball I was somehow meant to hit into a small hole at the base of a
windmill.
“Is it just me, or is it super uncomfortable watching Laurie throw herself
at Cole?” Willow asked me.
Hearing Willow be so opinionated made me utter a muffled laugh.
“It’s not just you; it’s weird,” I replied. The two of us had been playing
our own game at the back of the group. Every time I looked at Cole my
stomach dipped, and I still wasn’t sure what to do about it. I still liked him,
but I was upset after finding out about his kiss with Laurie. I knew it was all
part of the competition, but I didn’t know how to make my feelings
understand that. It felt far safer to keep my distance.
“I really don’t like her,” Willow added. “I hope Cole doesn’t end up with
her.”
She sounded completely sincere. “Do you…” I frowned as I tried to
gather my thoughts. “Do you like Cole?”
Willow lifted her brows and turned to me, a broad smile on her face. “Of
course I do,” she said.
“Oh,” I replied. She was so happy to admit it. Did he feel the same for her
in return? I hadn’t sensed any romantic vibes between the two of them, but
maybe I was wrong.
“But not like that!” Willow said, laughing at my reaction. I wasn’t really
sure what was so funny though.
“You know he’s my cousin, right?”
I stopped trying to line up my golf ball and turned to her. “What?”
Willow’s grin grew wider. I swear I’d never seen her face so animated
before. “We’re cousins. I thought you knew that.”
“No. Was I supposed to? Who else knows?”
“No one really, but Cole’s mom and dad brought you to some of our
family functions when we were little. We met at least a handful of times.”
“Huh,” I responded. “You have a good memory.” The last time I’d gone to
a family event with the Kingstons must have been years ago. I could barely
remember any of them, let alone who else was there.
“More like I have a cousin who never shuts up about you.”
My eyes darted to hers, and I tried to figure out if she was telling the truth.
I wasn’t sure if I wanted to know though, so I didn’t press her.
“Isn’t it weird being on a dating show with your cousin?” I asked.
“Not really,” she replied. “No one at school knows we’re related and Cole
begged me to stay once we were both nominated. I couldn’t say no to him.”
“Why did he beg you?” I asked.
“Because Cole doesn’t want to date a bunch of people,” she said.
“But he wanted to be the bachelor.”
“Did he?” Willow said. “He just got voted in like you and I did.”
“Then why is he still doing it?”
“There’s obviously something keeping him here,” she said, flashing me
another wide smile.
I fell silent as I tried to understand what Willow was hinting at with the
way her eyes were glinting at me.
“How’s it going back here?” Cole asked, breaking my train of thought as
he walked over. Brett was following him closely with a camera. It had been a
relief to hang with Willow for most of the night without the lens focused on
us.
“Well, I don’t think either of us is going pro anytime soon,” Willow said.
I wanted to smile at her joke, but I was still processing what she had said
before. Was I the girl Cole wanted? It didn’t make any sense. I wasn’t even
single when this contest started, he’d kissed one of the others, and he hadn’t
asked me on one date. Willow must have been mistaken.
“Maybe you both need some help,” he suggested. He glanced at me, but it
was only for the briefest of seconds. He didn’t even meet my eyes.
Laurie called out Cole’s name, pleading for him to come back over.
“Just a sec,” he called over his shoulder.
“You should go to her,” I said. “I’m pretty sure we’re both lost causes
back here, so there’s no point wasting your time with us.”
He looked at me, and this time our eyes locked. I couldn’t tell if he was
reluctant to return to Laurie, or hesitant to speak with me. There was
definitely something he was holding back though. I just wished I knew what it
was.
“Cole!” Laurie moaned. The sound was so annoying I wanted to pull off
my ears and chuck them at her head. Cole must have felt the same because I
saw him visibly wince.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay and give you some pointers?” he
asked.
I could see Laurie tapping her foot with her arms crossed as she waited for
him. She was scowling in my direction, and it seemed like I was getting the
blame for every second she was parted from him.
“You go,” I said.
He nodded, but I swore there was a hint of disappointment in his eyes as
he turned to leave.
“She doesn’t deserve him,” Willow murmured to me.
I couldn’t have agreed more.
20
 MADISON

I t was no surprise that Teagan ended up winning minigolf on Friday. The

girl was miles ahead of the rest of us. It had been hard to watch her walk
off with Cole as they went on their date. Teagan was such a great person, and
I felt a wave of worry rush through me as they departed. It’s not like I didn’t
want her to have fun. I was just terrified that Cole would realize how amazing
she was. How much better she was than me.
I found myself tempted to watch the show on Sunday night. A sadistic
part of me wanted to see Cole’s kiss with Laurie, and I was wondering how
his night ended up with Teagan. I sat in front of the computer, my mouse
hovering over the play button.
I squinted my eyes shut as I pressed play, only peeking them open when I
heard the intro music begin to play. The opening credits consisted of a
montage of shots that blended together dates and moments from the show so
far. Each shot flashed across the screen for a second before moving onto the
next.
There were sweet smiles from Cole and happy laughs from contestants.
They showed Evan stuffing an entire doughnut into his mouth, then Willow
shyly offering Cole a bite of her pizza. They even showed the moment when
I’d fallen on Cole on the ice. A part of me wanted to pause on the video
because the moment looked so different on film, but I was too anxious and
nervous about the upcoming episode to do it. The montage ended as a cursive
“True Love” logo was scrawled across the screen.
“Good evening and welcome to tonight’s episode of True Love,” Angus
said, beaming down into the camera lens. “And boy do we have an episode
for you this evening.”
The shot cut away from Angus, and a red background appeared with the
words “coming up on tonight’s episode…” written across it. I swallowed as I
waited for the first preview to show. My palms were sweating, and I found
myself wishing I hadn’t eaten dinner earlier. It was sitting uncomfortably in
my stomach, which was tensing as I prepared for the worst.
Footage of Teagan sinking a winning shot came on screen. She threw her
arms and golf club up in the air as the group around her squealed in
celebration. The next moment shown was Cole and Laurie sitting in a horse-
drawn carriage. Then it flicked to them having a romantic picnic.
I tensed in my chair. They were looking into each other’s eyes so sweetly
that it felt like a dagger to my chest. Was this the moment when they kissed?
It was dark, and Laurie and Cole were on a rug with candles all around them.
Their faces were close and their bodies were pressed against each other. It
was anguish to watch them, but I couldn’t look away. I waited to see their lips
touch, but the clip suddenly ended and Angus’ face returned to the screen
before anything happened. I may not have seen the kiss, but I already knew
that must have been the moment.
I slammed the lid of my laptop shut, my hands trembling as I hugged my
knees to my chest. A part of me was hoping that Laurie had been lying. That I
would watch the show and there would be no connection between her and
Cole. And there would be no kiss. I’d been foolishly hoping it for days, and I
felt like an idiot.
My phone screen lit up with a call from Hayley, but for once I didn’t
answer. I didn’t want to be given a breakdown analysis of what she’d
watched. It hurt enough to know what had happened and to see the moments
leading up to it; I didn’t want her to paint me a full picture.
I was so desperate to avoid hearing about the episode that on Monday
morning, I had Mom call the school and tell them I was feeling sick. I knew
I’d have to face Cole and everyone else that night, but the weekend hadn’t
given me enough time to gather my thoughts. I was upset and confused by
Cole’s kiss with Laurie, and I didn’t know where to begin when it came to
deciding what to do about my own feelings for Cole.
Liking Cole had hit me unawares. It was like a summer rainstorm; sudden
and intense, appearing completely out of nowhere. I was still trying to catch
up with the feelings, which was hard to do when I was worried he liked
someone else. Trying to fit them into the messed up situation we were in was
like trying to solve a Rubik’s cube—impossible for someone like me who’d
never tried it before.
I’d never felt this way toward Jake. His smiles hadn’t hit me in the
stomach, and his words hadn’t lifted my spirits. We’d been friends, but there
had never been the crazy connection I felt with Cole between Jake and me.
 By the time I arrived at Cole’s house for the selection ceremony on
Monday night, I was a bit of a mess. I had hoped that taking the day to clear
my thoughts would make things better, but I only felt more confused.
It was drizzling with the lightest misting of rain as I approached the front
door. I usually hated the rain, but it seemed to match my mood this evening.
Rather than the usual spot out in the backyard, they were hosting the
ceremony in the Kingstons’ living room tonight. When I entered the room,
everyone was already there and gathered around as they waited for Cole to
come out.
Evan had his back to me and was telling Teagan how cute her date with
Cole had been on Friday night. The sickness in my stomach intensified as I
listened.
According to Evan, Teagan had gotten ice cream on her nose and Cole
had wiped it off for her. Cole had done a similar thing to me when I had
cinnamon on the edge of my mouth on the first group date, and it had made
my heart race. Did he do things like that with everyone? Had he made
Teagan’s heart race too?
I didn’t want to get involved with the conversation, so I went to wait with
Willow, who was standing alone. Still, Evan’s voice carried, and it was a
relief when he started talking about his own Saturday night date.
“I heard you were sick today. Are you feeling any better?” Willow asked.
“Not really,” I replied. I felt just as confused as I had this morning. Worse,
even. My feelings were a mess, but one thing was becoming abundantly clear.
Even though Cole had kissed Laurie, and even though he’d had an amazing
date with Teagan, I still liked him. I was hurting because I wanted it to be me
he shared those moments with, and that would never happen if I were
eliminated from the contest.
It was then that I realized I didn’t want to leave the competition anymore.
In fact, I was now dreading the thought of being eliminated. But Cole didn’t
know that. He still thought I wanted out.
I swore under my breath and my cheeks grew flushed with worry as my
pulse started to quicken.
“What was that?” Willow asked.
“I have to find Cole,” I said. The words were barely out of my mouth
when Skye walked up to us.
“I need to get you guys in position,” she said to Willow and me, nodding
her head toward where the other contestants were starting to line up.
 “I need a moment,” I said, turning and looking for any sign of Cole. He
was nowhere to be seen though. He hadn’t come out for the ceremony yet,
which meant I still had a chance to find him before it was too late.
“Sorry, Madi, there’s no time,” Skye replied. “The cameras are going live
in less than a minute.”
“I’m sure you can talk to him later,” Willow murmured. “Come on.” She
took hold of my wrist and started guiding me toward the others. I let her pull
me along, but I was still hoping that Cole would appear before the episode
went live so I could tell him I wanted to stay.
Feelings of dread started amassing in my stomach as I watched the
doorway and still there was no sign of Cole. Skye gave us a thirty-second
warning, and I could feel my hope slipping away with each and every second
that passed.
When the two of us were arranged in line with the other contestants, I
resigned myself to the fact that I had no chance of talking to Cole before the
ceremony began. My shoulders slumped with the knowledge. I tried to keep
the disappointment from showing on my face, but I could feel my sadness
brimming in my eyes.
“What do you need with Cole?” Willow murmured, as we waited for the
signal that the cameras were live.
I shook my head. It was too late and no longer mattered. A sudden pelting
of rain started hitting the roof loudly. It almost seemed fitting that a storm
should coincide with my own tumultuous elimination from the show.
“We’re going live in three, two, one,” Skye announced, before nodding
her head at Angus. In the blink of an eye, Angus’ serious expression
transformed. He grinned widely at the camera pointed at him and launched
into his introductory spiel. His one-on-ones with the camera had been
growing longer each week, and I suspected he was enjoying the increased
attention True Love was getting. He sounded somewhat reluctant when he
reached the end of his monologue and announced Cole’s entrance.
Cole looked so handsome as he strode out to stand at Angus’ side. He
usually seemed so confident in himself, but tonight he appeared slightly
nervous. His gaze swept across the group and lingered on mine for a second.
His eyes became more intense, and it felt like he was trying to tell me
something with them, but Angus started speaking and Cole looked away
before I could figure it out.
“We’ll start by announcing the audience pick for the week,” he said,
turning to face Cole.
My body went still as I watched Cole reach for the first heart. I’d never
wanted to win the audience vote, but I was suddenly desperate to hear Cole
calling my name. If the viewers hadn’t voted for me this time, I knew I would
be gone, and I wasn’t ready to give up. Not now.
Cole picked up the first half-heart cut out. “The first piece of my heart
goes to Laurie.”
The warmth rushed from my skin as I heard the words, and I couldn’t look
away as Laurie bounded forward to receive her heart. Their kiss must have
really been something for the audience to choose her. But it wasn’t the kiss
that had me worried; it was the realization I would now be eliminated that
made me suddenly feel queasy. I felt like I was going to throw up.
“Teagan.” Cole announced the first of his personal selections.
If there had been any warmth left in my skin, it was now gone. I felt ice
cold as I watched Teagan walk forward to receive her heart. The two of them
exchanged such warm smiles that I felt like I’d just been dealt a physical blow
to my chest. Cole was going to end up with one of these other girls, and I
could only blame myself.
I felt a hand grab mine and give it a squeeze. I looked at Evan who was
standing beside me. He gave me an encouraging smile, like everything was
going to be all right. But I wasn’t sure if it was.
“There are only four contestants left,” Angus said. “Cole, with just two
choices remaining, who would you like to continue on your journey to find
true love?”
Cole’s eyes roamed over all of us, but it felt like his gaze passed right by
me. His eyes finally settled on Willow. As he called out her name, my heart
sank.
There was only Evan, Zoe and me left now. I wanted to cry. I’d been so
stupid to insist on leaving the contest. I’d continually thrown it in Cole’s face.
And now I was finally going to get what I thought I wanted and I wasn’t sure
if my heart could take it.
This wasn’t just a contest for a date to the dance anymore. It had become
more than just raising money for charity. I wanted to stay, and I wanted to
fight for a chance to be with Cole. But that decision was no longer in my
hands.
“Cole, you only have one more piece of your heart left to give tonight.
Who is your final choice to stay?” Angus asked.
 Cole wasn’t looking at me, which I knew was a bad sign. In fact, he was
looking everywhere but at me. A part of me just wished he would say a name
already, but another part of me hoped he never opened his mouth to make the
announcement.
“Madi,” he finally said.
I blinked, not quite sure I’d heard him right. He hadn’t looked my way as
he spoke my name; had I really heard him correctly? I glanced at Evan who
was nodding for me to go over to Cole.
I should’ve been happy, but instead I felt confused. I was frowning as I
closed the distance that separated me from Cole. He still hadn’t looked me in
the eyes, and I couldn’t understand why he was avoiding me. I could barely
work out my own thoughts, so it wasn’t really a big surprise that I had no idea
what Cole’s were.
“Madi, will you accept a piece of my heart?” he asked. Finally, he looked
into my eyes. I was surprised by the amount of turmoil and emotion in them.
He seemed so unsure, so nervous. The pit in my stomach dropped further. He
didn’t want to hand me the heart. My eyes flickered in Angus’ direction. Was
he forcing Cole’s hand?
“Madi?” Cole prompted, pulling my gaze back to him.
I couldn’t bring myself to speak, so I merely nodded and took the heart-
shaped piece of paper he held out to me and walked over to the others. As I
went to stand with them, I glanced down at the heart and found Cole had
written a message on it again.
“I know your heart’s not in this, but mine is, and I’m hoping it’s big
enough for the two of us.”
I frowned at the words and looked up at him. He was watching me
closely; waiting for some kind of signal I’d read his note. I didn’t know what
to make of it though. He seemed unhappy to have selected me, but this note
indicated the opposite.
Cole glanced away from me as Angus began to speak, and I suddenly felt
like I could breathe properly again. Being stared down by him was like being
caught in an emotional vacuum.
“Evan and Zoe, I’m afraid that neither of you have been selected to
continue in Cole’s search for true love,” Angus stated. “You have both been
eliminated.”
The two of them nodded, giving the rest of us contestants a wave as they
followed one of the film club members from the room. Evan paused by Cole
as he went to leave. “If things don’t work out with the girls, Cole…” he said,
lifting a hand to his ear like a telephone. “Call me,” he mouthed, earning a
laugh from everyone in the room.
Angus waited for Evan to leave and the laughs to settle before he
continued. “There will be no single date this week,” he announced. “Instead,
the group date this Friday night will be an overnight activity.”
“What do you think that means?” Teagan whispered at my side.
I shrugged, hoping that Angus knew what he was doing. A thunderclap
roared overhead, and the lights in Cole’s house flickered.
“And on that note, we’ll be calling it a night,” Angus said, focusing on the
camera lens once more. “Don’t forget to watch next Sunday night, folks. It’s
our final group date, and you’re going to love the mysterious location we’ll be
taking our contestants. We’re on the home stretch now, and with just four
contestants left, you’re going to want to stick around and see them battle it out
to the finish! Good night!”
The camera finally dipped down, and Angus clapped before going around
the room to congratulate everyone.
As the others began to pack up and leave, I looked down at my note again,
trying to figure it out. I needed to talk to Cole and ask him what he meant.
When I looked up again though, I could see he was chatting with Laurie. I
wasn’t sure if I could watch the two of them together, so I made a quick and
quiet exit. The note would have to wait.
The rain was heavy as I left the house and lightning streaked brightly
across the sky. I was glad I didn’t have to walk far to get home.
“Madi, wait up,” Cole yelled, as I was halfway across the street.
I turned and watched as he ran out to meet me. He had taken his suit
jacket off, and the white material of his shirt was quickly becoming soaked. It
clung to his skin like a second layer, showing off his muscles.
“What is it, Cole?” I had to raise my voice to be heard over the rain as the
downpour grew heavier.
“I need to speak with you,” he said, stopping to stand before me.
“Now?” I lifted my hands and pointed to the rain swirling around us.
Already my hair was drenched, and I was feeling cold despite the humidity
that clung to the air.
“Yes, now,” he replied.
I hesitated. I wanted to speak with him too, but he’d been distant with me
in the ceremony, and I was suddenly scared of what he wanted with me.
“Please,” Cole begged. He took hold of my hand, drawing me close to
him.
His fingers lightly gripped mine, and his eyes were swirling and storming
with emotions more potent than the weather around us. His gaze held me in
place, and I was as powerless to leave him as I was to stop the storm. “Can we
at least get out of this rain?”
He shook his head at me as he finally let go of his grasp on my hand.
“Don’t pretend you don’t love the rain, puddles.”
His use of my nickname and the loss of contact between us brought me
out of the daze I’d fallen into. I shot him a scowl. “Fine, what do you want?”
He chuckled darkly under his breath as his gaze dropped to my lips.
“What do I want?” It seemed like he was asking the question to himself, but
he quickly shook his head, as if he was clearing his mind of whatever he had
been thinking. He focused his eyes back on mine. “I want to tell you that I’m
sorry. I know I’ve upset you by keeping you in the contest.”
“You think I’m angry at you for that?”
“Well, yeah…” His voice trailed off and he frowned. “That’s not why
you’re upset?”
I took a small step backward from him, hesitating as I tried to come up
with a response. He mimicked my step though, keeping close to me.
“Well?” he prompted. Rain was running down his face, and every emotion
he was feeling was laid bare in his eyes. He was curious and confused, but he
wasn’t the only one. My mind was in a state of chaos.
I looked away from him and out into the stormy night as I tried to line up
my thoughts. My feelings were like a messed up bundle of yarn, and my mind
was just as muddled.
“Madi … if there’s something I’ve done.”
My eyes flicked back to look at his.
“You’re right. There is something you’ve done,” I admitted.
He slowly nodded, his lips tensed and a trace of unease entered his eyes.
“What?” he whispered, like he wasn’t sure he actually wanted to know.
“You changed,” I replied. “You were supposed to be my enemy, and then
you went and started acting differently.”
“And you’re angry at me for that?”
 “Yeah, I am,” I replied, folding my arms across my chest as my confusion
and annoyance with him swirled stronger inside of me. “I’m angry that you
went and reminded me of the sweet guy who was once my friend. I’m upset
because you forced your way back into my life. And I’m confused as hell
because you made me have feelings for you. Feelings that I’m not supposed
to have; feelings that make me crazy because I’m stuck in some stupid contest
where I’m not the only one who’s dating you. So, yeah, you’re the reason I’m
upset.”
His eyes grew wide at my confession, and his face was blank. Several
moments passed and he didn’t respond. I’d pretty much laid my heart bare to
him and he didn’t have a word for me.
I took a breath before I finally gave up waiting for an answer and walked
away. I was embarrassed by my revelation and wasn’t going to stick around if
Cole didn’t feel even slightly the same in return. He couldn’t even find the
words to turn me down.
I’d only taken a couple of steps away from him when he called after me.
“You owe me a kiss!” he shouted through the rain.
I paused where I was standing and slowly turned to face him. “You think
I’m going to kiss you after I told you all of that and you said nothing in
return?” I shouted back at him.
He closed the distance between us with powerful strides. “No,” he said,
stopping before me, only a millimeter away. “I think you’re going to kiss me
because I can’t stop thinking about you. Because you drive me crazy too. But
mostly because you’ve been stealing pieces of my heart since the moment we
met and it’s about time you gave me some of yours in return.”
All of my responses left me as I stared at him. His words warmed me;
they broke me; they pulled me apart and put me back together again. His eyes
stared so deeply into mine as he waited for me to process what he had said.
“You like me?” I asked, still not quite able to believe it even after all he’d
said.
“Madi, I’m crazy about you, and only you could be blind enough not to
see it.”
The words had barely left his mouth when I closed the small distance
between us and pressed my lips against his. Cole responded by reaching out
and taking hold of my waist. He pulled me to him so I was enveloped in his
arms and deepened the kiss so that I felt the tingle from my lips to my toes.
The kiss was every bit as heartfelt and passionate as Cole’s words had
been, and I felt every fiery emotion buzzing through my skin at his touch. His
lips were warm despite the cold water that ran down our faces, and his body
was hot as it pressed against mine.
My heart raced as we clung to one another. The weather was raging
around us, and I felt like we were at the intense epicenter of the storm. I was
feeling every strike of lightning and every boom of thunder deep in my chest,
and I never wanted the downpour to cease.
When Cole finally pulled away from me, I felt changed. He had come and
claimed a huge piece of my heart, and I wasn’t sure if I was ever getting it
back. He lifted a hand to cup my face and stared into my eyes. A cyclone
could have touched down beside us and I don’t think either one of us would
have noticed.
“I don’t ever want to stop doing that,” he said.
I smiled up at him, a feeling of elation and warmth still rushing through
me after our kiss. “That could make life super awkward. Nobody likes too
much PDA.”
He laughed, and the sound hit me in the gut. It was deep and filled with so
much affection and happiness. Wow, I loved it when he laughed like that.
He shook his head at me. “I didn’t mean literally all the time.”
“I should hope not,” I replied.
“Just most of it,” he added.
A shiver ran down my spine as a breeze of wind swept against us. Despite
the warmth of Cole’s body next to mine, my clothes were fully saturated from
the rain and they clung uncomfortably to my skin.
As if he had only just noticed the rain, Cole’s eyes clouded with worry.
“Madi, you’re soaked,” he said.
“Well, yeah, some idiot insisted on talking in the rain.”
He didn’t laugh at my joke though. Instead, he dropped his hands from my
cheeks and took my hand in his. “Come on. I’ll walk you home.”
I simply nodded in reply. When we reached my front doorstep, Cole
turned to me, his face far more serious than it had been before.
“I don’t know if I can continue with the competition,” he said.
“What?” It was the last thing I expected him to say.
“I can’t date other girls when I know the way you feel about me. It isn’t
right.” I couldn’t deny that I enjoyed hearing him say those words, and my
heart swelled as he spoke, but I already knew he couldn’t leave the contest—
as much as I might like it.
“But you’re the bachelor. Can you even quit?” I asked.
“Sure…” he said, though I could hear the doubt in his voice.
“What about the charity and everyone who’s been voting?” I asked.
“Well, we’ve already reached the goal,” he replied.
“Yes, but you’d be letting people down…”
The realization seemed to deflate him, and he let out a long breath.
“You’re right,” he said. “Plus, I can’t imagine Angus agreeing to let me go.”
I didn’t want to be right. This was one time I’d quite happily be wrong.
“So, if you can’t leave the contest, what are we going to do about us?” I
asked.
“I really like you saying that,” Cole said, with a grin. “Us.”
“I’m serious, Cole. What are we going to do?”
“Right, that,” he said, suddenly thoughtful. He lifted a hand to grip the
back of his neck as he contemplated it. “I guess we can’t really date until the
contest is over.”
“Yeah, that’s what I figured.”
“It’s just until next weekend, so it’s not too long,” Cole said, though his
face gave the impression he felt like it was forever. “We just have to get
through the group date on Friday night and then two single dates with the
final two next week.”
I frowned as I considered the obstacles that lay ahead of us, but he gave
my hand a reassuring squeeze. “It’s going to be you and Willow in the final
two. And she’s my cousin, you know that, right?”
I nodded. It did make me feel better knowing that Cole’s only other single
date would be with his cousin.
“So, we’re just keeping this a secret until next weekend?” I said.
“Only until next weekend,” he agreed. “But I can’t pretend to be
interested in the other girls. Angus will just have to deal.”
“So, you’re not interested in Laurie or Teagan?” I sounded nervous, and
my chest grew tight as I waited for him to answer. I wasn’t even sure why I’d
asked him about them.
 He lifted an eyebrow. “Madi, were you even here for the last few minutes
of our life?”
The look of total disapproval on his face made me laugh “Okay, okay, you
only like me.”
“Damn straight, I only like you,” he replied.
His words made my heart flutter. Every moment I spent with Cole, I could
feel myself falling in deeper.
Man, I was in trouble.
21
 COLE

I couldn’t keep the stupid grin from my face at school. Madi Matthews
liked me. She actually liked me. It almost felt like Monday night was a
dream. But when I saw her beaming at me from her locker first thing in the
morning, I knew that I hadn’t made it up.
“Hey, muffin,” I said, walking up beside her.
“I thought I told you not to call me pet names,” she replied. She didn’t
seem genuinely annoyed though, and her face lit up when I brought out an
actual muffin from behind my back.
“But I will totally reconsider if that muffin is for me,” she said, her eyes
growing wide.
I laughed as I handed it to her. “Sure is. I stopped by the bakery this
morning to grab some breakfast and thought you might like it.”
“You thought right.” She took a bite and let out a small groan. “Raspberry
and white chocolate is my favorite,” she said.
I couldn’t work out how Madi managed to make eating look so cute.
She took another bite before looking up at me. “If baked goods are a part
of dating Cole Kingston, I can’t wait until this contest is over.”
“It’s all part of the package, raindrop,” I replied.
She lifted her eyes up to the ceiling but shook her head and laughed. My
nicknames were growing on her. There was nothing I wanted more than to
rest my arm over her shoulders and walk her to class, but I knew I couldn’t do
that when so many people were watching.
Just until the end of next week, I reminded myself.
I struggled not to sit with Madi when lunchtime came. She was still at
another table with Hayley and Teagan, while I was stuck with my usual
group. I wanted to abandon them for the drama table, but I knew I couldn’t do
that yet.
“I thought we talked about you being a creeper,” Tanner said.
I laughed and looked away from Madi. It was a welcome change that my
stares weren’t one-sided anymore. I often found her looking back at me, and
whenever she caught my eye, she’d smile and blush before looking away. If
anyone was watching us closely enough, they’d probably figure out our secret
straight away.
Tanner looked like he suspected something as I turned back to our table.
He had raised one eyebrow at me, and there was an annoying smirk lifting the
corner of his lips.
“Do I need to host an intervention?” he asked.
“Probably,” I muttered, making him laugh.
He gave me a firm slap on the back. I knew it was supposed to be friendly,
but it felt a little more like someone slamming a cement brick against my
spine. “Dude, you’ve got to make her work for it.”
“I’m not sure you’re the best person to give dating advice,” I said.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Tanner replied.
“Do I need to say her name out loud?”
Tanner scowled at me, which drastically improved my mood. “Stacy and I
are doing great right now, if you have to know.”
I couldn’t stop myself from grinning. “Since when?”
“Since Saturday.”
“I give it a week.”
“Come on, be generous.”
“I was,” I said with a shrug. From the dark look Tanner was giving me, I
could tell he didn’t agree.
“I’m only joking about…” my voice trailed off as I felt a set of hands on
my shoulders. They were light and delicate, and my heart leaped at the
thought of Madi, but then I caught a whiff of overbearing perfume.
“Hey, Cole,” Laurie purred in my ear.
I pulled her hands off my shoulders and turned to face her. I couldn’t stop
the disappointment from showing on my face that it wasn’t Madi standing in
front of me.
 “Hey, Laurie,” I said.
She folded her arms over her chest and pouted when she caught my
expression. “I would have thought you’d be a bit happier to see your favorite
True Love girl,” she said.
“Just because the audience picked you this week doesn’t mean I have.” I
needed to be firm with her. Laurie and I were getting on a little better since
our date, but I didn’t want her getting the wrong idea about us. Especially not
when things were finally starting to go well between Madi and me.
“Don’t be silly,” she replied. “Everyone loves us together, and they can
see what amazing chemistry we have. You’ve got to stop denying it.”
I had no idea what the viewers thought they saw because in the episode I
watched we had absolutely no chemistry whatsoever. The date between us
was awkward at best, though I guess it hadn’t looked quite so bad on the
show. Angus had edited the footage together to make us seem far more
intimate than we were.
I caught sight of Tanner pressing his lips together in a weak attempt to
silence a laugh. I really hated my best friend right now. He was supposed to
be saving me, not relishing in my discomfort.
“Was there a reason you came over here?” I asked. There was no way I
was going anywhere near her chemistry comment.
“Oh,” she perked up, “I wanted to ask you about Friday’s date. Any idea
what we’re doing?”
“No idea,” I replied. “You’ll have to talk to Angus.”
“Are you sure you don’t know? I need to plan my outfit.” She started
twisting a long piece of hair around one finger. I wondered if she thought it
was appealing. I turned away from her, glancing in Madi’s direction. She
wasn’t watching me, and I hoped that Laurie left before she noticed her
standing with me. I didn’t want anything upsetting her unnecessarily.
“Cole?” Laurie prompted.
“Yes, I’m sure,” I replied, as I faced her once more.
“There’s Angus now,” Tanner said, pointing across the cafeteria. “Looks
like he’s headed out. You better run if you want to catch him.”
Laurie looked dispirited as Tanner finished speaking. I had a feeling the
date was just an excuse to talk to me, but she could hardly say that now.
“Oh, yeah, I better run. I’ll see you later, Cole.”
 As she walked away, I felt a rush of tension leave my body.
“You owe me one,” Tanner said.
“I do,” I agreed. I felt like I owed him more than just one for saving me
from Laurie. Maybe Tanner wasn’t such a bad best friend after all.
I sought Angus out myself when I finished classes for the day. He was
walking to his car, so it was lucky I managed to catch him before he left
school.
“So, what’s the big and brilliant date you have planned for Friday?” I
asked, falling into step beside him.
Angus glanced around the parking lot like he was worried people would
be listening in. There wasn’t another student for at least twenty yards, so I
wasn’t too sure what he was so paranoid about.
With another concerned glance around him, he leaned in close to my ear.
“We’re camping,” he whispered to me.
“We are?”
“Yes, it’s going to be great,” Angus replied. “I’ll send the film club up to
the site on Friday afternoon to start setting up, and we’ll get the date going
once it’s dark. The fans are going to love it!”
“How about the girls?” I asked with a laugh. I couldn’t picture any of
them being particularly excited about a night in the outdoors.
Angus shrugged. “If they hate it, it will make for better television.”
I slapped him on the shoulder. “You need to sort out your priorities,” I
said, with a shake of my head.
“What?” He stared back at me with a blank face. He really didn’t get how
skewed his thinking had become as the show got more and more popular, but
he would never listen to a lecture about it from me.
“Just tell me where I need to be and when,” I said.
“I’m sending an email to everyone,” Angus replied. “The details will all
be there.”
“Okay.”
Angus paused beside me as I reached my truck. “Remember, it’s going to
be the last group date. It’s our last chance to really thrill the audience before
they vote for the final time. Our viewer numbers are getting bigger and
bigger, and we could raise a lot of money this week. We have to make it
good.”
 “So, no pressure,” I said.
“None at all,” Angus answered. “It’s going to be great, you’ll see.” He
walked away with an excited spring in his step.
“Can’t wait,” I called after him. The truth was, Angus’ pep talk actually
had me dreading the night.

A NGUS HAD CHOSEN a site in the national park that was about twenty minutes
drive from town. My dad used to take me camping in a similar spot as a kid,
but we hadn’t done it in years.
As soon as I heard the news of the location, I offered to give Madi a ride
there. She insisted on going with Willow and Teagan though. It was probably
a good idea since the two of us arriving together would have raised some
eyebrows.
It was growing harder and harder not to show Madi affection in public. It
was like a form of torture. We wanted to be together, but we couldn’t until
after next weekend. It didn’t stop us from trading secret smiles though, and it
certainly didn’t stop me from talking to her whenever I got the chance. Still, it
wasn’t enough, and I couldn’t wait for the True Love contest to be over.
By the time I arrived at the campsite on Friday night, the film club guys
had already set up all of the tents. I was a bit disappointed because pitching
the tent was always half the fun. They hadn’t got the fire started though, so I
set about gathering some wood. The evening air was already growing crisp,
and we were definitely going to need the warmth.
When I got back to the campsite, the girls had all arrived. Willow, Teagan
and Madi were all rugged up in sweaters with heavy jackets slung over their
arms, while Laurie was wearing something that was probably more
appropriate for a nightclub. Her tight jeans and sparkly top weren’t even
slightly suitable for camping. It was barely dark and I could already see
goosebumps on her exposed arms. I hoped she’d packed something warmer or
she was going to freeze.
The film club trained their cameras on us almost immediately. Out here in
the woods, the cameras felt so unnatural, and it was harder than ever to ignore
them. It was like the film club had gone on safari and we were the high
attraction animals.
I walked over and gave each of the girls a hug. My arms probably lingered
a little too long on Madi. I doubt anyone noticed, but I was starting to care
less and less about whether people found out. I hadn’t felt her in my arms
since Monday night, and I’d forgotten how perfectly she fit within my grasp. I
think she might have missed my hugs too because she seemed to struggle to
pull away.
Skye called out to the girls, directing them over to the tent they were
sharing. The girls started toward her, but Madi hovered at my side. After our
hug, she didn’t seem ready to leave me yet. I didn’t want her to go either.
“You coming, Madi?” Teagan called over her shoulder, as the other girls
walked toward the tent.
Madi hesitated but gave me a brief smile before jogging to catch up with
Laurie, Willow and Teagan. I watched as she disappeared into the large tent
behind the others. The four of them were bunking together while I had a
smaller tent for myself. The film club was also camping with us, but they’d
set their tents up a little further away so they wouldn’t be in shot.
While the girls were busy dropping off their bags, I started on the fire. It
didn’t take me long to get it going. It seemed I still remembered all the
survival 101 lessons my dad had given me back in the day. But, then again,
Angus had provided plenty of matches and paper.
Madi was the first one out of the tent. She was dressed in leggings and a
big puffy jacket swamped her upper body. It was probably big enough to fit
me, and I suspected she’d borrowed it from her brother. She looked really
cute in it.
“So this is camping, huh?” she said as she joined me by the fire. The
warm glow of the fire lit her face and she rubbed her hands, putting them
closer to the flames for warmth.
“Please don’t tell me you’ve never been before.”
“Does sleeping in a tent in Hayley’s backyard count?”
“No.”
“Then no, I’ve never been camping before,” she replied with a grin. “But I
think I might like it. It’s so peaceful out here.”
The words had barely left her mouth when a squeal echoed from within
the girls’ tent.
“Get it off! Get it off!” Laurie’s voice reverberated through the trees.
“So much for peaceful,” Madi muttered, making me laugh.
Laurie came stumbling out of the tent, her hands raking through her hair
and shaking her head like crazy. Willow followed after her, trying to stop
herself from laughing.
“There was a bug,” Willow said, holding out her hands to try and calm
Laurie. “It’s gone now.”
“That was no bug,” Laurie replied, pulling herself upright again. She’d
completely messed up her hair, which had been perfectly straight just minutes
before. “That was like something out of the Middle Ages.”
I spluttered out a laugh and shook my head. Did Laurie even know when
the Middle Ages were?
“Are you trying to say it was like a dinosaur?” Willow asked. “Because
that was a little before the Middle Ages…” Somehow, she spoke with a
straight face.
Laurie shot Willow a glare. “It was big. Okay?”
Willow lifted her hands up in defense. “I know, it was huge. I saw it.”
Laurie nodded, like she felt content she was understood. She walked
toward the fire and started rubbing her arms. It didn’t take a genius to see how
cold she was. I couldn’t understand why she wasn’t wearing a jacket. All the
other girls were dressed for a night of camping. How had Laurie missed the
memo?
“It’s cold out here,” Laurie said as she came to stand beside me.
I wasn’t surprised. “Why don’t you put a jacket on then?”
“Because I didn’t bring one.”
“You didn’t bring a jacket camping?” Madi asked. “Angus told us to pack
one in the email.”
“Like anyone got to the end of that list. Not all of us are as perfect as you,
Madi,” Laurie spat in reply.
Madi frowned but didn’t fight back. I didn’t blame her. There was no
winning when it came to a fight with Laurie. Even if you won the argument,
you usually wished you’d lost.
“Maybe I can borrow your jacket, Cole?” Laurie said, looking up at me.
“You’re such a big guy, I’m sure you don’t feel the cold like me.”
Giving her my jacket was the last thing I wanted to do because then I’d be
the one who was cold. But I couldn’t exactly say no in front of the cameras. I
didn’t want to look like a total dick.
I grunted and took my jacket off, passing it to her. Thankfully, I had
another sweater in my tent. Plus, it wasn’t nearly as cold as Laurie made it out
to be after a few minutes sitting by the fire.
Laurie snuggled herself into the jacket, and all I could think about was
how many times I’d have to clean it before her intrusive smelling perfume
was gone.
“Alright, team,” Angus said, coming to stand before us. “As you can see,
tonight’s group date is camping. We’re going to be playing a few campfire
games to start off the evening before Cole gets a little alone time with a lady
of his choosing.”
My heart skipped a beat. Angus hadn’t mentioned anything about his
plans for the evening until now. It wasn’t hard to guess who I would be
choosing for alone time though. Madi gave me a small smile as I glanced in
her direction. I really loved being on the receiving end of those smiles. The
night suddenly didn’t seem so bad.
“First game for the night is truth or dare,” Angus announced, to several
groans from the girls.
“Seriously, Angus? What are we, twelve?” Teagan asked.
He shrugged off her question. “So if everyone can take a seat by the fire,
we’ll go around the circle, starting with Cole. And remember to make it
interesting. No playing it safe.”
In my mind, I was groaning as much as the girls were. It was one thing to
play this game at a party when we were younger, but it was something else
entirely in front of cameras.
I was seated between Willow and Teagan. I would have liked to be next to
Madi, but at least I got a good view of her across the fire. We waited for the
camera guys to get into position with their tripods before I got the nod to
begin.
I turned to Willow, who was sitting on my left. “Truth or dare?” I asked.
Willow chewed on her lower lip for a brief moment before answering.
“Truth,” she muttered, somewhat reluctantly.
I sat back in my camping chair as I considered what to ask before
grinning. “What is the strangest place you have peed?”
“Behind a tree about ten minutes ago,” she replied with a scowl.
I laughed. “Sorry Will,” I mouthed at her.
She shrugged and looked to the person sitting on her left, Laurie.
“Truth or dare, Laurie?” Willow asked.
 “Dare,” came Laurie’s immediate response.
Willow tapped her fingers against her lips as she considered her dare. She
then smiled. “Dance for everyone without music for one minute.”
“Like that’s a chore,” Laurie replied with a smug smile. She stood up and
started dancing before a timer had even been set. Laurie was a cheerleader, so
she knew how to move and was completely comfortable in her body. Almost
too comfortable, it seemed. Her dance moves were far from innocent, and I
could see a couple of the film club looking a little hot under the collar as they
watched on.
It became especially uncomfortable when she started dancing toward me.
Her eyes didn’t leave mine as she ran her hands up and down her body,
stopping right in front of me like she was putting on a private show. I wanted
to close my eyes and pretend it wasn’t happening, but I knew I couldn’t when
the cameras were rolling. Laurie grinned when she noticed how
uncomfortable she was making me. I kept glancing away from her, which
only seemed to encourage her more.
“I think that’s been a minute,” Madi finally announced.
Laurie’s dancing slowly came to a stop, and she flipped her hair over her
shoulder, giving me a confident smile before returning to her seat once more.
She had enjoyed that dare way too much.
“So, truth or dare, Madi?” Laurie asked, sounding suddenly bored.
“Dare,” Madi replied, surprising me. I had assumed she wouldn’t want to
take the risk of letting Laurie come up with her dare. Perhaps she was more
afraid of whatever truth might be uncovered though. I didn’t blame her.
“I dare you to swap clothes with me,” Laurie said.
“Seriously?” Madi frowned, with a quick glance toward the cameras.
Laurie shrugged. “You playing this game or not?” she asked.
“I don’t think you can put the girls stripping on the show, Angus,” I said,
chiming in.
Angus slowly nodded, thinking it over. “You’re right. I don’t think it
would go down well with Principal Green. Laurie, pick another dare.”
Madi sent me a grateful look, but Laurie looked annoyed. “If you don’t
want to do my dare, Madi, you need to do a truth instead,” she said.
“Fine, truth,” Madi said.
The answer brought a smug smile to Laurie’s face. “Truth: were you in
love with Cole before you and Jake broke up or was it only after?”
Madi’s eyes widened, and I gripped the arm of my chair as I waited for
her to respond. The question wasn’t fair, but I wanted to know the answer.
“I’m not in love with Cole,” she whispered. A small part of me withered
inside at her answer. I knew it was way too soon to be saying things like that
about each other, and that she couldn’t talk about us in front of the others, but
her denial still hurt.
“Okay,” Laurie replied. “Maybe not love, but like. Did you like Cole
before you and Jake broke up? Were you playing the both of them at the same
time?”
Madi stood and glared down at Laurie. “How can you even ask that?”
Laurie stood and met her eye for eye. “Because it’s clear you don’t care
about either guy.”
“What?” Madi responded.
“You just want to be with whichever guy gives you the highest profile.”
“That’s not true,” Madi replied. “We broke up because we didn’t make
sense as a couple anymore.”
“Or was it because you felt like you made sense with a more popular
guy?”
“That’s enough, Laurie,” I said, standing up.
Laurie glanced at me. She didn’t look finished—not by a long shot—but
she relaxed when she saw my irritated expression and gave me a sweet smile.
“Sorry, Coley, I was only playing.”
It was hardly just playing, but as long as she stopped, I didn’t care what
she called it. I took in a deep breath before slowly blowing it out.
“Tonight is supposed to be fun. I won’t have any fighting. The next person
who starts a fight is eliminated. Okay?”
The two girls slowly nodded.
“Angus,” I said, turning to him. “Next game. Now.”
Laurie huffed out a breath before resuming her seat. Madi looked like she
wanted to run away rather than sit back down again, but she slowly returned
to her chair.
We went on to play a game of “would you rather” and followed that up
with charades. Thankfully, neither of the games had as much potential for
drama as truth or dare. There was no more bickering or fighting, and I began
to forget about the incident between Madi and Laurie. Angus must have felt it
was becoming too dull though, because he pulled me aside halfway through a
game of telephone.
“I want you to pick one girl to take away for some alone time,” he said.
I nodded, and my eyes automatically drifted toward Madi.
“Not Madi,” Angus said, watching me closely.
“Why not?” I asked, my gaze shooting back to meet his.
“Because the audience already like her and we need them to start
worrying that she’s in trouble so they’ll spend more money on votes. I want
you to pick Teagan.”
I frowned at him. “That’s messed up, Angus.”
“Whatever,” he replied. “Just make it happen.”
I grumbled the whole way back to the campfire. Angus was forcing my
hand simply to garner votes, and I didn’t like the feeling of being
manipulated, or the feeling of manipulating the girls. As soon as I got back, I
announced Teagan as my selection.
I wasn’t watching Teagan’s reaction though. It was Madi who kept my
attention. I could see her deflate as I announced another girl’s name. I kept
trying to tell her with my eyes that Teagan wasn’t my choice. She seemed to
understand because she gave me a nod, but I still wasn’t sure if she was
convinced.
Teagan seemed confused as we walked off for our date.
“Why did you pick me?” she whispered, glancing over her shoulder at
Brett who was still readying his camera to start filming.
“I thought we’d have a nice time,” I said, smiling and trying not to let my
face reveal the lie.
Teagan frowned in response though. “You’d make a terrible actor, Cole.
Anyone with eyes can see you like Madi.”
My shoulders slouched and I let out a breath. “Am I that obvious?”
“Ah, yes,” she replied.
“I’m sorry, Teagan,” I said. I felt like I was letting her down. A part of me
worried she’d be upset that I’d asked her on a date when it wasn’t for real.
She waved my apology away though. “Don’t worry about me,” she said.
“But why did you pick me when you should have asked Madi?”
“Angus,” was my one-word response.
“Ah.”
We both fell silent as Brett lifted his camera in our direction and Angus
approached, ushering us toward a small clearing where a second campfire had
been made. There was a delicious looking cheese board by the fire and a
telescope just beyond it that I assumed Angus wanted us to use for some
romantic stargazing. I felt painfully awkward having to be on the date after
everything I’d just admitted to Teagan.
She took it all well though and laughed when she caught my expression.
“It’s just cheese and a picnic rug, Cole,” she said, walking over and
settling herself down by the fire. She popped a piece of cheese in her mouth
as if to prove her point.
I laughed and went to join her. “You okay with just cheese and a picnic
rug?” I asked.
“Just cheese and a picnic rug is my favorite,” she replied.
I let out a breath and chuckled with relief. I’d been worried I’d hurt
Teagan’s feelings, but it seemed she was okay with just being friends. I
relaxed and allowed myself to enjoy the date. For most of it, I even forgot the
cameras were there.
By the time Teagan and I finished on our date, it was growing late. The
night had been surprisingly fun, and I was actually sad for it to end. Most of
the time it had felt less like a forced group date and more like hanging out
with friends.
When Teagan and I returned to the others, I hugged each of the girls
goodnight before making my way to my tent. I made sure that Madi was the
last hug.
“I’m sorry about Teagan,” I whispered into her hair. “Angus didn’t give
me a choice.”
I felt her nod against my chest, and when she looked back up she was
smiling. “Just one more week,” she whispered before leaving me and
returning to her tent.
After telling Angus and the film crew goodnight, I retired to my own tent.
For a short while I could hear whispers from the girls, but before too long
they quietened and the whole world became silent. The tent was surprisingly
warm, and I quickly felt exhaustion making my eyelids heavy. Madi had been
right earlier; it was peaceful out here.

T HE SOUND of my tent zipper tugged me from my sleep. I dismissed the noise

for a moment, but then I sensed someone entering the tent. Before I knew
what was happening, I felt them lie down next to me and press themselves up
against me.
My eyes flew open and I jerked up in my sleeping bag. It was dark, but
there was no mistaking Laurie’s bleach blonde hair at my side.
“What the hell, Laurie?” I growled, shuffling myself away from her.
“What’s wrong, Cole?” she asked.
“You’re what’s wrong. What are you doing in here?”
“I couldn’t sleep.”
As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I noticed that Laurie was only
wearing thin scraps of underwear. I immediately grabbed the shirt I’d been
wearing earlier from on top of my bag and threw it at her. “Would you put this
on?”
Laurie held my shirt in her hand but made no move to put it on. “Don’t
pretend you want me to cover up,” she replied, tossing my shirt to the other
side of the tent. “Stop trying to deny how you feel about me.”
She tried to lean toward me, to trail her fingers down my bare chest, but I
grabbed her wrist, firmly holding her at arm’s length. “Laurie, I’m not
interested in you like that.”
“Stop lying,” she said. She tried to close the gap between us and give me a
kiss, but I was determined to keep my distance.
“I’m not lying.” It didn’t seem to matter what I said; my words weren’t
translating in her head. I may as well have been speaking Spanish for all the
good it was doing me.
I stood up, kicking myself free of my sleeping bag before I started pulling
Laurie from the tent. If words weren’t going to work, actions were going to
have to. I needed this girl away from me. Thankfully, Laurie didn’t fight my
pull, and she allowed me to lead her out of the tent.
The moment I emerged, I wished I’d never woken up. Madi was making
her way out of her own tent, and she smiled at me sweetly when she caught
sight of me. Her face completely dropped though, and her smile was replaced
by a look of devastation as Laurie came out of the tent behind me and stopped
at my side.
I was so concerned about Madi’s reaction that I didn’t even notice Laurie
draping herself all over me. All I could do was look into Madi’s eyes. There
was so much hurt in them, it practically broke my heart.
Madi tore her gaze from me and darted back into the tent.
“Madi!” I yelled. I yanked Laurie’s hand from where it was placed on my
chest and charged across the camp to her tent.
I could already hear her waking the other girls.
“Teagan, Willow, I have to leave,” Madi murmured.
They muttered tired and groggy sounding responses.
The tent zipped open and Madi stormed out with her clothes and sleeping
bag in a loose bundle in her hands.
“Get out of my way, Cole.”
I shook my head and took hold of her arms. “This isn’t what it looks like,”
I said.
Madi’s gaze flickered over to Laurie, who was still standing in her
underwear by my tent, before her gaze turned to my bare chest. Why hadn’t I
worn a shirt to bed?
“Let go of me, Cole,” she said through gritted teeth.
I couldn’t let go though; not until she understood. There were tears
welling in her eyes, and the sight of them shattered whatever remnants of my
heart were left. “Madi—”
“I don’t want to hear it, Cole. Just let me go.”
I let out a defeated breath. “Okay.”
My hands dropped to my side and she moved swiftly past me. I couldn’t
just let her walk off alone though. I couldn’t let her leave. I hurried to keep up
with her as she stumbled through the darkness to get to the car.
“Please don’t leave like this,” I begged. “Let me explain. Or if you won’t
let me explain, just wait until morning to leave. I don’t want you driving
when you’re upset.”
She came to a sudden stop and turned to me. “Do you think I’m an idiot?”
she asked. “Is that why you’ve been leading me on? Saying all those sweet
things to me? Was this some kind of sick game to you?”
“You know that’s not true,” I replied. “I care about you so much. I would
do anything for you.”
“Anything but give up your man-whoring ways, right?”
I pushed a hand through my hair, gripping the ends of it in frustration.
“Nothing happened,” I said.
“And why her?” she asked, completely ignoring my response. “Of all the
girls you could have picked, why did it have to be the one who is set on
tormenting me?”
I didn’t like the way her lip trembled when she spoke about Laurie, and
for a moment I forgot that we were even fighting. “What are you talking
about?”
“Don’t pretend you don’t know that she was behind the graffiti on my
locker. I’m sure you were all having a great big laugh at me over that one.”
“What?” I shouted. I was suddenly torn between trying to make Madi feel
better and storming back to camp to confront Laurie. I had begun to think she
was a just a little misunderstood. Clearly, I was wrong. That girl was a
psycho.
“I honestly had no idea she did that. I don’t want anything to do with
Laurie. You’re the only person I like; why can’t you believe that?”
“Because they’re only words, Cole. And as much as I want to believe
them, I can’t accept them when your actions don’t back them up. I’m done
being toyed with and I’m done with this competition. I hope you and Laurie
have a great time at the formal together. You two deserve each other.”
With that, she turned and continued toward the car. I started to go after her
but felt a hand grab my arm. Willow was standing behind me, and Teagan
jogged past me after Madi. They both had all of their belongings bundled in
their arms.
“Madi, wait up!” Teagan called, chasing after her. Teagan barely looked at
me as she passed. I guess she must have seen Laurie in her underwear too.
“What have you done?” Willow asked, stopping at my side.
She shook her head at me, disappointment playing in her eyes. Even my
cousin thought I was a complete tool.
“I didn’t do anything,” I whispered.
Willow sighed and gave a small nod, as if there was a chance she believed
me. “It doesn’t look like nothing though,” she said.
I heard panted breaths behind me and turned to see Angus running toward
us, half-dressed and puffing with a camera cradled in one hand. He grinned at
Willow, nodding for her to go on.
Willow frowned at him though, a disgusted look in her eyes, before she
turned to follow the other two girls without looking back. As soon as she
disappeared from view, I shouted into the darkness in frustration and punched
the closest tree.
Unfortunately, the tree won our brief battle, and I let out another frustrated
groan as I cradled my hand to my chest and sunk to the ground. My hand was
throbbing in pain, but it was nothing compared to the agony in my chest.
“What happened, Cole? How are you feeling?” Angus asked, pointing his
camera in my face.
“If you don’t take that thing away from me, I will break it,” I growled.
Angus must have seen how serious I was because he immediately started
to back away. I closed my eyes and my head sunk down to my chest. I didn’t
know how to fix this. I wasn’t sure if it was even possible to make things right
with Madi again. She had no idea how much she meant to me; how much she
had meant to me for all these years.
If there was one thing I knew about myself though, it was that I wasn’t a
quitter and I would do everything in my power to get her back no matter what
it took. I stood up and started back to camp. I was going to win Madi back; I
just needed to figure out how.
22
 MADISON

I was shaking in the passenger seat of the car as Teagan drove us away from
the campsite. Tears were streaming down my face, and I kept rubbing
them away with the sleeve of my sweater. Dawn was approaching and the
edges of the horizon were beginning to brighten, but it was still dark outside
and there was nothing appealing about the thought of a new day. All I wanted
was to remain in the darkness of night. It seemed safer here; more concealed
from the ugly truths I had witnessed in the woods.
“I just don’t believe it,” Willow said. It was the fifth time she’d repeated
the phrase, and each time she sounded just as shocked. “Cole isn’t like that.”
“Yeah, it doesn’t seem like him,” Teagan said. She kept darting concerned
looks my way. I guess she hadn’t realized just how much I liked the guy.
“Seriously, are you okay, Madi?” Teagan asked.
I nodded, but it was hard to lie when my tears were giving me away.
“You know, for someone so pretty you sure are a sore sight when you
cry,” Teagan said. “I knew you had to have a fault somewhere.”
I gave a small laugh. She wasn’t the first person to tell me I was an ugly
crier, and she probably wouldn’t be the last. My face seemed to swell
whenever I cried and everything went red. It looked more like I’d been in a
fistfight.
“You should never cry. Like, ever,” Teagan added.
I uttered another laugh through my tears. I appreciated her trying to make
me smile, but it didn’t seem to lessen the pain of Cole’s betrayal. I shouldn’t
be so upset. We hadn’t even begun to date. I guess I just fell for him so hard
and so fast, I didn’t realize how deep I’d gone.
“You really liked him, huh?” Teagan continued.
I nodded, and the pain in my heart flared up again. “I thought he liked me
too,” I murmured.
Why couldn’t Cole and I have just continued trading insults like all good
enemies did? Why did he have to go and make me like him? I was almost
angrier with him for doing that than I was at him for fooling around with
Laurie.
Teagan shook her head as she turned her gaze back onto the open road
before us. “Laurie is such a nightmare.”
“Agreed,” came Willow’s response from the back seat. She moved
forward and leaned on the center console. “So, are you going to stay in the
competition?” she asked, looking up at me.
“No. I can’t,” I replied.
“And you shouldn’t have to,” said Teagan. “Talk to Angus. I’m sure he’ll
understand.”
“Have you met Angus?” I asked. “He doesn’t exactly take no for an
answer.”
Teagan shrugged. “Well, if he refuses you, you can tell him I quit too.”
“And me,” Willow added.
I sighed and nodded. Trying to convince Angus to let me out of the show
a week before it ended was the last thing I felt like doing, but there was no
way I was staying.
“He’ll understand,” Willow said. “He has too.”
I hoped she was right.

“M ADI , it’s just one more week,” Angus said. “And it’s for charity.”
I was standing on his front doorstep, trying to convince him to let me
leave the show. He couldn’t seem to understand why I was so desperate to
quit though. His charity argument was beginning to feel really old. It was how
he’d roped me into the contest in the first place, and he’d already raised more
than double the amount of funds he had targeted. I wasn’t going to be guilt-
tripped anymore. I was also beginning to suspect Angus cared more about the
number of viewers than the money they were raising.
“To be honest Angus, this whole experience has been pretty horrible for
me. You told me I would be eliminated at the first ceremony, but instead I’ve
been stuck in this competition for weeks. I lost my boyfriend, I’ve had people
call me names and then I had to deal with that crap Cole pulled last night. I’m
done.”
“Please don’t do this,” he said. “We have thousands and thousands of
people invested in the outcome. We will lose a lot of money in donations on
Sunday night if people can’t vote for you.”
I lifted a hand to silence him. “This isn’t a discussion. This is a courtesy
call. Like I said, I’m done.”
Angus huffed out a breath and leaned against his doorway. “Let me edit
the footage to make the audience less likely to vote for you come Sunday,” he
said. “Just give me one last ceremony for Cole to eliminate you.”
“Does it look like I’m willing to come to one last ceremony?” I waved a
hand at my face, which was still red and blotchy from crying earlier. “And
why would I want you to make me look bad so people don’t vote?” I felt like
I might start crying again if Angus kept pushing me.
“Please don’t cry,” he said. He actually looked fearful at the prospect. I’d
heard some guys couldn’t cope with crying girls, but I’d never actually
encountered one.
“Will crying get me out of the contest?”
Angus blew out another breath. “Look, I’ll try to make things work
without you,” he said. “But if I can’t, I’m going to need you to be at the
ceremony on Monday.”
“Then you better make things work,” I replied.
I didn’t feel much better after leaving Angus’ house. I thought I could
relieve myself of the massive weight that was crushing my chest by telling
him I was quitting the competition. But it just felt like the pressure was now
teetering on my shoulders instead.
Angus may have agreed to try and get me out of the contest, but I didn’t
feel like I could trust him. What did make me feel better was the realization
that he didn’t control me. He couldn’t force me to attend the selection
ceremony. So, for his sake, I hoped he could make things work without me.
Hayley spent the rest of the weekend plying me with copious amounts of
ice cream. I think she was convinced that if she put enough ice cream in my
body, it would start to fill the empty hollow Cole had carved out of my heart.
When the ice cream didn’t seem to make me feel better, Hayley just stuck to
her theory and fed me more. Apparently, she just hadn’t given me enough.
When Sunday night arrived, and it was time for the show to air, Hayley
sat us both down for a Riverdale marathon. I was surprised she didn’t want to
witness what Cole had done for herself, but she had decided to boycott the
remainder of the show with me. I really loved my best friend.
Unfortunately, Hayley couldn’t hold my hand for every minute of the next
week. I’d barely been in school for five minutes on Monday when Cole
sought me out.
“Hey,” he said, as I walked away from my locker.
I didn’t make eye contact with him. How could I when every time I
looked at him I was struck by the image of him and Laurie half naked? I kept
walking, hoping he would disappear if I pretended he wasn’t there.
“Madi, can we talk?” I could sense him following me from a safe
distance.
“Leave me alone,” I said, still refusing to look at him.
“I can’t,” he replied. “How can I let go of the best thing that’s ever
happened to me?”
His words made me stop. They were somewhat cliché, but I couldn’t just
ignore them. I slowly turned to look at him and I was shocked when I saw the
boy before me. Cole had dark rings under his eyes, his hair was messy, and
his clothes looked crinkled, as though he’d slept in them. He looked utterly
wrecked, but I wasn’t going to let myself feel any sympathy for him. I just
wished my heart agreed with my head, because I couldn’t seem to stop it from
clenching with worry.
I had planned to fire some scathing remark at him, but I just didn’t have it
in me. “Look, I’m really upset by what happened and I don’t feel ready to talk
to you. I’ll only say something I’ll regret or something that will hurt you. Can
I please just have some space?”
Cole took a step back from me and nodded. Just asking for space looked
like it had hurt him enough.
“Whatever you want, Madi. All I’ve ever wanted was for you to be
happy,” he replied.
My stomach lurched at his comment. They weren’t the words of a guy
who was interested in another girl. But I couldn’t give myself room to hope
that maybe I was mistaken.
“I have to get to class.” I hurried away from him before he could respond.
I could feel him staring after me, and as I went to turn the corner, I hazarded a
glance back.
Cole stood exactly where I’d left him, looking completely broken by our
encounter. I knew my heart was aching after losing him, and seeing him now I
began to wonder if maybe his heart was aching too.
23
 COLE

I didn’t want to be dramatic, but it felt like I was having the worst week of
my life. The episode on Sunday night was brutal, and I was still thinking
about it as I slumped into my usual seat at lunch on Monday.
I knew Angus had filmed my reaction to Madi leaving the campsite, but I
hadn’t expected him to show it. It was pretty hard to watch as I broke down in
the middle of the woods. Nobody wants to see themselves that wrecked on
film.
The footage had reminded me of some kind of raw live-action
documentary. Angus had filmed as he ran through the woods, and the sound
of shouting could be heard in the distance.
“Something’s going on,” he said to the camera, pointing the lens in his
own direction as he ran. “I can hear some of the contestants shouting. I think
there’s been some sort of fight.”
When the camera finally caught up with us, the spotlight shone on
Willow’s angry face before she turned and stormed away. Then Angus
focused the lens on me as I slammed my fist into the tree.
Thankfully, Angus had decided to take my threat about breaking the
camera out of the final edit. He wanted drama and he wanted angst, but
apparently he still wanted people to somewhat like me.
He’d left the whole episode up in the air. As the show ended, he walked
away from the scene and spoke to the camera once more. “Tune in next time
to see the fallout from True Love’s dramatic camping trip,” he said. “And
don’t forget to vote. Any one of your favorite contestants could be Cole’s next
pick to leave. We don’t know who he was fighting with, but we do know that
he has strong connections with all four of the girls and we don’t want him to
eliminate your favorite before they get a chance to make up!”
I was really beginning to feel like Angus lived for the drama the contest
was causing.
I had hoped that school wouldn’t be too difficult today, but everyone was
asking me what had happened. They wanted to know why I looked so
distraught, what the fight was all about and who it had been with. I just
shrugged off all their questions or told them to ask the girls themselves.
I tried to speak with Madi, but she totally shot me down. I couldn’t blame
her. The whole thing had looked terrible. I just didn’t know what to do to fix
things.
As I sat at the lunch table, I couldn’t stop myself from constantly glancing
at Madi. She didn’t look my way at all though. I kept waiting for her to lift
her beautiful eyes and catch me watching. But her gaze was firmly locked on
her tray of food. Not that she was eating. I didn’t see her touch her food at all.
“What happened on Friday night?” Tanner asked as he came to sit beside
me. I let out a long and pained breath as I tore my eyes away from Madi and
focused on him. “There was a misunderstanding,” I replied, glancing down to
the other end of the table where Laurie was seated. I wasn’t sure if I could
dislike the girl any more than I already did. But seeing her there flirting with
Jake made my blood boil.
“What kind of misunderstanding?” Tanner asked.
“The kind that Madi will probably never forgive me for.” I didn’t really
want to repeat the details of what happened in the cafeteria. I’d have to tell
Tanner when we were somewhere more private.
Tanner must have understood how I felt because he didn’t press me any
further. “She’ll come around,” he said.
But I shook my head. “I don’t even know how to begin to fix things. She
won’t talk to me.”
“Maybe give her some time. Sometimes things don’t seem so bad when
we’ve had a few days to think them over. I’m sure she’ll realize that whatever
happened was just a mistake.”
“And if she doesn’t?”
Tanner grinned at me. “You’re Cole Kingston. You’ve helped us win some
impossible games before, and you’ll figure out a way to win her back too.”
I really wished I shared his confidence, but it felt like I was in a game
where we were down by fifty points in the fourth quarter and there was
absolutely no coming back.
W HEN THE SELECTION ceremony came around that night, I was prepared to
beg Madi to stay in the competition with me. I no longer cared that the
cameras were watching. I needed that girl in my life like I needed air to
breathe.
Just before the show went to air, Angus pulled me aside. “Madi’s not
coming tonight,” he said.
“What do you mean?”
“She’s not taking part in the competition anymore. She’s pulled out,” he
explained.
“And you’re only telling me now?” I raised my voice, but I couldn’t help
it. I was panicking. “How could you let her go?”
“I didn’t let her,” he replied. “I called her tonight to tell her she had to
come, but she wouldn’t budge. She won’t listen to reason, so I’m going to
announce she’s sick and she’ll need to be one of your eliminations.”
“Right.” I paced away from him, blowing out a frustrated breath. “Who
am I supposed to pick then?” I didn’t want to pick any of the girls. There was
only one I wanted, and apparently she was no longer an option.
“Eliminate Madi, of course, and Willow,” Angus replied. “She gets the
fewest votes.”
“And if I don’t want to?”
“Just stop being difficult, Cole. We’re about to go live in five minutes.”
I swore. I couldn’t accept the decision to eliminate Madi in five years, let
alone five minutes. Especially not while I was still trying to get her back.
When I walked out to meet the three remaining girls, my stomach
dropped. Seeing them waiting there for me felt so wrong. The only one who
looked happy to see me was Laurie. Willow and Teagan were both glaring at
me like I was the devil. There was a distinct gap between the pair of them and
Laurie, and it was clear they were just as angry as I was after her performance
on Friday night.
Right before we started filming, Angus whispered the audience’s pick in
my ear and I froze. It was Laurie. My eyes widened as I turned to Angus. “I
can’t pick her,” I said.
“You have to,” he whispered back. “We had over one hundred thousand
people watching last night. Don’t let them down.”
 I wanted to argue back, but Skye started counting down.
“Going live in three, two, one…”
As I stared at the camera, I wondered if the many thousands of viewers
could see my fear. Could they tell that I was freaking out? That I felt
physically ill at the thought of saying anyone’s name aloud other than Madi’s?
“Welcome everyone. We are in the final week of Cole’s search for true
love and this is the last selection ceremony before he picks his date for the
formal,” Angus said. His fake smile was plastered to his face as he eyed the
camera, and his words felt just as disingenuous. How could this really be a
search for my true love, if the girl I loved wasn’t even here?
“After the eventful episode last night, we know you’re all desperate to
hear the selections for this evening,” Angus continued. “Unfortunately, one of
your favorites, Madi, is out sick tonight. But we promise she’ll be better for
Saturday night if she gets selected to continue. So, let’s get right to it. Cole,
who was the audience choice for tonight?”
I held two half-heart pieces of paper in my hands, and I kept shuffling
them one over the other as I stared at the girls. Looking at Laurie, I knew I
couldn’t announce her name. If I wanted any chance to be with Madi, I
couldn’t pick Laurie even if she was the audience’s choice. Not when she was
behind all the horrible names on Madi’s locker and especially not after what
happened on Friday night.
“Cole?” Angus prompted.
I could feel sweat beading on my forehead. There was so much pressure
to please the audience, but every part of this felt wrong. I knew the True Love
competition was supposed to have been a bit of fun, but it had become very
real to me. My feelings for Madi were the truest thing I’d ever experienced,
and I couldn’t betray those feelings for anything.
My hand scrunched up the little hearts as it squeezed into a fist. “I’m not
doing this,” I said. “I’m sorry, girls, but I can’t send any of you home
tonight.”
Not so much as a breath sounded in the room and shocked expressions
spread across everyone’s faces. The girls all looked between one another,
while the camera crew were all shooting Angus concerned looks.
“Err, Cole,” Angus said. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” He still
looked stunned by my announcement, and I could hear the uncertainty in his
voice.
“Yes, I’m sure,” I replied, still focused on the girls before me. “Girls, all
four of you are still in the competition. I will still be selecting one of you as
my date for formal, but that decision will be made at the formal this
weekend.”
With that, I strode away without looking back.
“Well, wasn’t that a shock, folks?” Angus said, his voice slightly more
confident now. “After that, you’ll definitely need to tune in to our broadcast
this Saturday night. We’ll be filming live from the Lincoln High formal where
all will be revealed, and Cole will make his final decision. I know I’m
excited, and I hope you are too!”
Angus wrapped things up for the camera quickly, but he came straight
after me as soon as the filming was done.
“What the hell was that, Cole?” he yelled. “You can’t do that!”
I shook my head. “I can, and I just did.”
“This is because of Madi, isn’t it?”
I nodded since there was no point denying it.
Angus looked at me like I was pathetic. “I don’t think Madi will be going
to the formal this weekend…”
I scowled at him. “Don’t worry about her. I’ve got a plan. It’s all going to
work out.”
Angus looked at me like I was crazy, but he was left without a choice. The
damage had already been done.
“We’ll be talking about this tomorrow,” he said. “And your plan better be
brilliant.” Or else, his eyes added.
He didn’t need to convince me though, and I thoroughly agreed with him.
I no longer cared about the contest, but my plan needed to be brilliant or there
would be no winning Madi back. And that was all I cared about at this point.
This was my last chance, and I needed it to work.
24
 MADISON

“C ole refused to eliminate any of the girls last night,” Hayley said
when I got in her car on Tuesday morning.
I frowned and focused intently on securing my seatbelt. I could feel
Hayley’s eyes on me as she waited for a response, but I was still trying to
process what she’d said. What did that even mean? I wasn’t sure whether to
be happy or sad.
“Madi?” Hayley reached out and grabbed my arm when I failed to reply.
“I thought you were boycotting the rest of the contest,” I said, finally
meeting her gaze.
“Think of it more as recon,” she said. “I was gathering intel so neither of
us would be completely blindsided at school today.”
I didn’t mind that she’d watched the show; I just wasn’t sure if I was
ready to hear what happened in the latest episode. It was tough to avoid True
Love talk at school though, so I guess Hayley had a point.
“So, what happened?” I asked, resigning myself to the fact I’d find out
one way or another.
“Cole had the hearts in his hand and was standing there ready to announce
who the audience had selected when he scrunched them up and told the
cameras he was refusing to choose. He told the girls that they were all still in
the competition and that he would be making his final selection on Saturday
at the dance.”
“Wait, so he’s not taking one of the girls to the formal?” I asked.
Hayley shrugged. “They didn’t exactly go into the details of what was
planned. They said they’d be filming it live, so I guess we’ll find out at the
dance on Saturday. You should have seen the look on Angus’ face. He
obviously wasn’t expecting it.”
 I bit my lower lip as I tried to figure out how to tell Hayley I wouldn’t be
going to the formal. Knowing her, she’d probably stop the car and refuse to
keep driving me to school until I agreed to go. I couldn’t keep it from her
though, and I didn’t like to lie.
“I’m not going on Saturday,” I blurted out in a rush.
Hayley just laughed. “Of course you are. You got a dress weeks ago.”
“I was going with Jake back then,” I replied. “I just don’t feel up to it after
everything that’s happened.”
“Don’t be silly, of course you’re still going,” Hayley replied. “It would be
like dress cruelty to buy an outfit that hot only to leave it abandoned in your
closet.”
I shook my head at her, a smile playing on my lips. Only Hayley could
believe an unworn dress was unfair on the garment. It didn’t change how I felt
though. But before I could try to argue, Hayley continued.
“Look, I know you’re going through a tough time right now. But you’re
my best friend and I want you to be happy. We’ll have fun at the formal, just
you and me, and it will help take your mind off the whole Cole thing. We can
go stag together, and if you’re miserable, we’ll leave, go back to your house,
eat our body weight in ice cream and finish that season of Riverdale. What do
you think?”
“That you’re a pretty awesome friend.”
Hayley smiled. “I know. Does that mean you’re in?”
“How can I say no when the backup date is with ice cream?”
Hayley let out a little whoop in excitement. “Yes, girl. We are going to
have so much fun. Although how ice cream is what convinced you and not
cute boys on Riverdale, I’ll never understand.”
When we entered the school, my day seemed to turn around a little more.
Everyone had been watching me yesterday, but today they were all so focused
on Cole’s surprise announcement at the selection ceremony last night that I
was barely noticed. It was really nice to be old news, though a couple of
people did stop me in the hallway to tell me they still hoped that Cole and I
would work out.
I was moving between classes when I somehow found myself trailing
behind Laurie. She was with Brooke and Sally who were walking on either
side of her and lapping up her every word. I considered slowing down so I
didn’t have to share the same air with them, but then I was instinctively drawn
closer when I heard what they were talking about.
 “How do you even know your name was on the audience card?” Sally
asked. Her voice was lowered, like she was worried about being overheard.
“Because I convinced Angus to put it there, obviously,” Laurie replied,
flicking her long ponytail over her shoulder as she looked at her friend.
“And you think he did it?” Brooke slowly asked.
Laurie gave a little laugh. “He did it the previous week; why wouldn’t he
do it this week?” She looked between the two of them before she continued.
“Angus just wants a good show and more money raised. It didn’t take much
to convince him that the viewers are watching because of me, and not the
other girls.”
“But who really won the audience vote?” asked Brooke.
“Madi, of course,” Laurie snapped. “They must only be voting for her out
of pity. But she has quit the show now anyway, so who cares.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, and I couldn’t stop myself from
calling out from behind Laurie.
“You cheated to stay in the competition?” I asked.
Laurie swiftly turned and her eyes narrowed on me. “Speak of the devil.
I’d hardly call it cheating.”
“What would you call it then?”
She folded her arms over her chest, a smug smile forming on her lips.
“Good television,” she replied. “You almost ruined the show, and I saved it.”
I shook my head at her. “It’s a charity dating contest, Laurie. It’s pretty
sad you felt the need to cheat.”
Laurie laughed. “This coming from Miss Unfortunate herself? What’s
your sob story this week? Oh yeah, that’s right. Cole wants me not you.”
“Laurie…” Brooke warned.
“Shut it, B,” Laurie hissed.
Brooke took her sister’s arm though and yanked her around so they were
facing each other. “Madi doesn’t deserve any more of your crap, so I think
you need to be the one to shut it. You know the kind of hell she went through
last year after you spread all those rumors about her because of the list. Then
you went and destroyed her locker. Hasn’t she had enough?”
Laurie stood, her mouth wide as she stared at her twin. Brooke had always
seemed to follow along with whatever Laurie wanted, but I guess she’d
finally had enough.
As her words started to sink in, I felt the blood rush from my skin. “You
were behind all those names I was called last year?” I asked. I felt cold and
dizzy, like I was losing touch with reality. Hayley had always suspected that
Laurie was the one who encouraged the girls to call me names after the list
came out.
“Now look what you’ve done,” Laurie barked at her sister. But Brooke
walked away from her and came to stand at my side.
“Come on, Madi, let’s get out of here,” Brooke murmured.
I paused though and set my eyes on Laurie. She was looking down her
nose at me, not an ounce of remorse in her eyes. I wanted to run away, but I
knew I had to say what I was thinking or I’d regret it later.
“Brooke’s right. I’ve never done anything to you, and I don’t deserve your
crap,” I started. I took a deep breath in before I continued. “I could plot my
revenge or try to fight you over all the things you’ve done to me, but the truth
is that I no longer care what you think or what whispers you spread through
the school. If there is one thing I have begun to realize over these last few
weeks, it’s that I don’t need anyone else’s approval. And I certainly don’t
need yours.”
I let out a breath, feeling suddenly lighter. Laurie seemed surprised I’d
fought back, but she also looked ready to start hurling more fury and vitriol at
me.
“You ready?” Brooke asked.
I nodded and let her guide me away from Laurie before she could
continue to flare the argument. It was only once we started to move away that
I noticed a crowd had formed. Some kids had their camera phones out, and I
could hear angry whispers about Laurie cheating on True Love. I tried to
ignore it all though, because right now it wasn’t my problem.
“What class do you have now?” Brooke asked once we’d moved to
another corridor.
“Art,” I replied. “But I’m almost done with my current project, so it won’t
matter if I’m a little late.”
Brooke nodded and glanced back the way we had come.
“Thank you for standing up for me,” I said.
Brooke let out an uneasy laugh. “I’m sure I’ll wake up tomorrow and all
my lipsticks will be broken, but it felt good to finally put my sister in her
place.”
“I’m sorry if I put you in an awkward position,” I said.
She waved my apology off though. “Nah, Laurie needed a bit of a reality
check, and I really am fed up with all the mean things she does.” Brooke tilted
her head as she looked at me, as though she was considering something. She
then gave a little nod as if her mind were made up before she spoke again.
“You know that nothing happened between Laurie and Cole on the camping
trip, right?”
“It didn’t look like nothing,” I said.
Brooke lifted her eyes to the ceiling like I was an idiot. “My sister is a
master of manipulation. She can make almost any situation look the way she
wants it.”
“She was in her underwear and Cole was shirtless,” I murmured.
Brooke shrugged. “I only know what Laurie told me the next day,” she
replied. “She was all pissy when she got home because Cole had rejected her
yet again. You don’t have to believe me, but maybe you should talk to Cole
and hear him out?”
My stomach was doing flips as I listened to her. I so badly wanted to
believe what she said, but I wasn’t sure if I was brave enough to risk my heart
with Cole one more time.
“I’ve got to get to class,” Brooke said.
I touched her arm, causing her to pause and look at me. “Why are you
telling me this?” I asked.
“Because unbeknownst to Laurie, I’m team Cadi,” Brooke replied with a
grin before walking off.
I stood there watching her walk away, with far too many emotions racing
through me. Maybe Brooke was right and I should talk to Cole and give him a
chance to explain. But I knew I couldn’t do it while the competition was still
on. My heart couldn’t take it if I had to watch him choose someone else, but
could I handle it if Cole was innocent and I had wrongly pushed him away?
I didn’t know what the right answer was or what option I should take.
Things would all calm down once the competition was over, so perhaps
waiting to talk to Cole would be best. I set off toward art feeling a little more
confident that I was making the right call.
I just hoped that when we finally talked it wasn’t too late.
25
 COLE

T anner’s eyes were bright as he came to sit in his usual seat beside me in
math. He had a look about him that made me suspicious before he’d
even opened his mouth.
“What is it?” I asked. I knew something was up.
“Massive catfight in the corridor,” he said. “Madi and Laurie were really
sticking it to each other.”
I stood up before he’d even finished the sentence, but Tanner jerked me
back down into my chair before I could run off.
“What the hell?” I growled at him.
Tanner shook his head at me. “It was just an argument, no one got hurt.
And, if I’m honest, I think Madi definitely won the war of words. Don’t
worry, your little puddles will be fine.”
I scowled at him, wishing I’d never told him some of the stupid
nicknames I’d given Madi to rile her up.
“So what happened?” I asked, trying to keep my cool.
“I only caught the end of it,” he said. “But it sounded like they were
fighting over you. Then Brooke snapped at her sister and defended Madi
before Madi put Laurie in her place. Then she and Brooke walked off into the
sunset together.”
A smile quickly spread across my face. As much as I was worried about
Madi, I couldn’t help but be proud of her for standing up for herself.
“I asked a few people around me about what they’d overheard,” Tanner
continued. “Did you know Laurie convinced a whole heap of guys and girls to
harass Madi last year?”
“What?” My smile was now firmly gone. How had I not heard that?
 “Yeah it briefly came up in their fight, I knew Madi had a bit of trouble
after the list, but I hadn’t realized it was something Laurie instigated.”
“Me neither,” I replied. My grip tightened on my desk as I tried to control
my anger. I wanted to hunt Laurie down and tell her exactly what I was
feeling.
“But there’s more,” Tanner continued. “Apparently, Laurie has been
rigging the vote for True Love.”
“What?” I nearly jumped out of my seat again, but Tanner gripped my
shoulder before I could launch myself from my chair. “How?”
“She convinced Angus to make her the audience’s pick the last two
weeks.”
“Surely he wouldn’t do that…”
Tanner shrugged. “I only know what I heard,” he replied.
“I’m going to kill him,” I growled, making Tanner chuckle.
“Dude, you need to calm down. After Sunday’s episode, people are going
to think you have rage issues.”
“Maybe I do,” I replied.
“Nah, you’re too much of a softie at heart,” he said, tapping his massive
hand against my chest.
I shoved Tanner away from me, making him laugh.
I let out a breath as I considered everything my friend had just told me.
“It’s not going to be pretty, but I need to deal with Laurie.”
Tanner leaned closer, and his eagerness made me grin. “What are you
thinking?”
“You’ll see at lunch.”
Tanner nodded and held his fist out for a bump. “I’ll be sure to get to the
cafeteria early,” he replied as I bumped my fist against his. “I’ll bring
popcorn.”
I shook my head at him. I hoped it wasn’t going to be that dramatic. But
knowing Laurie, it probably would be.

T HE CAFETERIA WAS PACKED by the time I made it to lunch. The first thing I
did when I entered the room was look for Madi. I was doing it almost
instinctively now, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to think clearly until I’d
spotted her. She was seated with her friends and I let out a breath. I relaxed
briefly, but then remembered I still had Laurie to deal with.
I didn’t bother with the lunch line today. Instead, I headed straight for our
table. Tanner hadn’t been kidding about the popcorn. I actually laughed when
I saw him seated there with a bowl full. I wasn’t sure where he could have
gotten it, but the guy was damn resourceful.
Laurie was sitting next to Jake today—no surprises there. Though Jake
didn’t seem quite as receptive to her flirtatious advances as he had in the last
couple of weeks. In fact, he appeared to be ignoring her completely.
Laurie didn’t seem ruffled by his lack of attention, or by whatever had
gone on in the corridor with Madi earlier. Despite Tanner’s hopes, I didn’t
actually want to make a scene with her. I just needed to talk to her and clear
the air.
She smiled up at me seductively as I approached, her hands quickly
moving from where they were on Jake’s arm.
“Hey, Cole,” she said.
“Hey, can we go outside for a talk?”
She lifted one eyebrow at me, and a look of concern spread across her
face, as if she could sense danger. “We can talk here. Why don’t you take a
seat,” she said, indicating the free chair beside her.
I crossed my arms over my chest. “I’d rather talk to you in private.”
Her face transformed as I spoke, becoming hard and defiant. It was like
she could read my mind, and she knew I was there to confront her about
Madi. Tanner was right, she wasn’t afraid of making a scene.
She waved a hand at the people around us. “Whatever you have to say,
they’ll all find out eventually. What is it you want to talk about?”
She definitely wanted to make a scene. It was like she knew she was
going down, and she wanted to take me with her. People already had their
phones out and pointed in our direction. Whatever was said now was probably
going out to everyone who watched True Love. I was beyond tempering my
words for the camera though. Everyone needed to know the truth.
“I heard what you did to Madi,” I said. “All of it.”
The room went quiet, and I could sense people shuffling in their chairs as
they turned to watch Laurie and me. Tension rippled through the air, and it
felt like everyone was holding their breaths as they waited to hear her
response.
“And?” she asked.
“And I think you need to apologize.”
Laurie laughed. “I’m the victim in all of this. I think Madi needs to be the
one apologizing to me. She wrongfully accused me of cheating. I’m a lot of
things, but I’m not a cheat.”
“I don’t know much about the cheating, Laurie, but I’m sure if we review
the True Love voting the last couple of weeks the truth will come to light.”
Her face paled at my comment and her eyes narrowed.
“But the voting is the least of my worries right now,” I continued. “If you
don’t make things right with Madi, then I’m afraid I don’t want anything to
do with you.”
“Fine by me, Cole,” she replied.
She went to turn back to the table, but I wasn’t giving up so easily.
“That means you need to find somewhere else to sit at lunch,” I said. I
knew it was a low blow, but Laurie was playing dirty, and it seemed I was
going to have to get a little muddy too.
Laurie’s eyes flashed with anger as she looked over her shoulder at me.
“This table doesn’t belong to you. You can’t just banish me from it,” she said.
“I think I just did.”
She spun around to face Jake. “Surely you don’t agree with this, Jake?”
Jake shifted uncomfortably in his chair as Laurie turned her attention on
him. “Actually, I do agree with Cole,” he said. “I heard what you did, and it
isn’t right.”
Laurie scowled. “So, you’re picking your ex-girlfriend over me?”
“I’m not picking anyone,” Jake replied with a sigh. “Just apologize to her,
Laurie.”
I realized my mouth was hanging open as I stared between the two of
them and I quickly shut it. No way did I ever think Jake of all people would
have had my back.
Laurie slammed her hands down on the table and pushed herself to stand.
“Fine, whatever, you guys can have your stupid table.” She looked around at
the rest of our friends who were still seated. “Come on guys, we can start a
new table.”
 Tanner choked on a piece of popcorn as he tried not to laugh while the rest
of our friends lowered their heads and became thoroughly interested in the
plates of food in front of them. Not one of them was looking at Laurie or me.
I placed a hand on Laurie’s shoulder. “I think you’ll find that our friends
feel the same way as Jake and me.”
Laurie shook my hand off her shoulder and stalked away from the table
without looking back.
“You’re welcome back here once you’ve done the right thing!” Tanner
called after her. Everyone around the table gasped, or laughed, as Laurie gave
him the finger over her shoulder as she walked.
“Or not,” he added with a shrug.
It wasn’t until Laurie left the cafeteria that sound seemed to return to the
room. My talk with Laurie hadn’t gone down how I wanted it to. I hadn’t
wanted it to be so public, and I had hoped she’d be reasonable enough to
realize that she needed to apologize to Madi. Banishing her from our table
had seemed like such a petty punishment, but I couldn’t think of another way
to try and convince her to do the right thing on the fly. There was nothing I
could do about it now though.
I sat next to Tanner and stole a handful of his popcorn. “You just had to
have the last word, didn’t you?” I said.
Tanner grinned. “What? I couldn’t let you take all the glory.”
I shook my head. “I didn’t want to embarrass her. I just wanted her to do
the right thing.”
“Oh well,” Tanner shrugged. “She’ll come around eventually. I give it a
couple of days before she realizes that she needs to do a 180 on the attitude.”
“I give it a week,” I said. “Laurie is stubborn.”
“True,” Tanner agreed.
I glanced over toward Madi’s table, hoping to see her reaction. Her face
was turned from me though as she talked with Hayley, and I wished I could
hear what they were saying.
“So, creeper,” Tanner elbowed me in the side. “What are we going to do
about your other little problem?”
“What, Madi?” I asked, receiving a nod in reply. “I already told you, I’ve
got it under control.” I had already formulated a plan in my head, but my
voice was filled with doubt. The truth was, I was nervous my idea wouldn’t
be enough.
 Tanner gave me an encouraging smile. “You’ll convince her.”
“Or die trying,” I grumbled in reply.
I was leaving the cafeteria when I felt a hand at my elbow. I turned
swiftly, my heart jumping at the hope that it was Madi. It wasn’t Madi, but I
wasn’t exactly disappointed to see Hayley standing there smiling at me. That
had to be a good sign.
She pulled me aside so that other people could pass. “That was a good
thing you did in there, Cole,” she said.
“Did Madi hear?” I asked.
Her smile grew larger. “Yeah, she heard.”
“And?”
“And she still isn’t sure if she should trust you.”
“Right.” My shoulders sagged as her words deflated me. I hadn’t cornered
Laurie in the hopes that Madi would hear and forgive me. I’d done it because
it was the right thing to do. Still, it was disappointing that it hadn’t made a
difference.
“Hey,” Hayley said, smacking my arm. “Don’t look so crushed.”
“But you just said—”
“I said she wasn’t sure,” she added, cutting me off. “Which means she can
be convinced…”
“You really think there’s still a chance?” I didn’t even dare to hope. I
hadn’t received any positive signals in my short interactions with Madi since
the camping incident.
“Yeah, I do. And I’m her best friend, so if I can’t call it, then nobody can.”
I didn’t want to believe her in case it wasn’t true, but my stupid heart
wouldn’t listen to me. It felt like it had started beating for the first time in
days.
“Look,” Hayley continued. “After everything I’ve seen and heard, it
seems clear to me that there’s more to what happened on Friday night than
what Madi saw. I don’t think she’s willing to admit it, but I reckon she’s
beginning to realize that as well. I mean, a girl shouldn’t have to cheat her
way to the final round of a dating competition if she’s sleeping with the guy,
right?”
“Right,” I agreed.
 “So, what’s the plan?” she asked.
“Do you think you can get her to the formal on Saturday night?”
She smiled. “Already all over it, my friend. She’ll be there.”
“Okay, great.”
“What then?” she asked.
Getting Madi to the formal was one thing, but once she was there, it was
all down to me. I had to convince her I was the right guy for her.
“Just get her to the formal,” I said. “Then watch me win back my girl.”
26
 MADISON

T here was something distinctly depressing about getting ready for a

formal that you knew was only going to bring you heartbreak. I almost
backed out of it entirely during the lead up to the night, but I knew I couldn’t
let Hayley down.
When the front doorbell rang, announcing Hayley’s arrival at my house, I
knew any hope I still held of avoiding the formal was gone. I opened the front
door for my best friend but froze when I saw it wasn’t Hayley standing on the
porch.
“What are you doing here, Laurie?” I asked. Laurie was dressed in a long
silver gown, with her hair and makeup all perfectly done. She was clearly
ready for formal, but I couldn’t understand why she was at my house. I
looked past her, almost expecting to find cameras filming the two of us.
Surely this was either part of the True Love contest or some bizarre hidden
camera show.
When I focused back on Laurie, I saw that her hands were fidgeting and
there was a nervous expression on her face. “Can I talk to you for a sec?” she
asked.
I wanted to refuse, but she looked so worried that I found myself nodding
and joining her on the front porch instead.
“What is it?” I asked.
Laurie let out a breath before she started. “I wanted to apologize for my
behavior.”
My eyebrows shot up. “You do?” I glanced around my front yard again.
Yeah, I definitely felt like I was being pranked.
When I faced Laurie once more, I could see her nodding her head at me.
She looked genuinely apologetic, but I had so little trust in her that I wasn’t
sure whether I could believe her.
 “Look,” she said. “The truth is, I’ve been jealous of you for a long time.”
She couldn’t meet my eyes, and I could see it pained her to say the words out
loud.
I frowned at her revelation, my confusion and surprise leaving me
speechless. I definitely wasn’t expecting her to say that, but she seemed so
embarrassed that I found I believed her.
“But the reason I’ve been so mean to you for the last couple of years is
because I’ve been in love with Jake for as long as I can remember,” she
continued.
“You have?”
“Yes,” she replied, a light blush coloring her cheeks. “I hated seeing the
two of you together, so I did some things I’m not very proud of.”
“But I thought you liked Cole,” I said, shaking my head as I tried to figure
her out.
Laurie gave a little laugh. “I was just using Cole and the competition to
try and make Jake jealous. Cole can’t stand me.”
“So, the other night at the campsite…”
“Nothing happened,” Laurie said with a shrug. “I knew Cole would kick
me out of his tent and I planned for Angus to be there waiting with a camera.
He was all for the idea when I suggested it, but when I got out of the tent, he
wasn’t there. All that effort and Angus missed it. I still can’t believe he only
caught the aftermath.”
“You know what you did isn’t normal, right?”
Laurie nodded. “Sometimes we do stupid things for love.”
My eyes were wide as I looked at her. I couldn’t decide if it was crazy or
sweet that she’d done so much to get Jake’s attention. I settled on mostly
crazy.
A car honked from the street and Laurie’s expression perked up.
“Anyway, my ride’s clearly getting restless. I’m glad we’ve got that sorted.”
She smiled at me and walked toward the car idling on the side of the road.
“I’ll see you at the dance,” she called out, sending me a wave over her
shoulder as she got into the car.
I shook my head as I watched her drive away. She hadn’t even asked for
my forgiveness, but that was Laurie for you. I found I wasn’t angry with her
anymore though. The things she did were pretty messed up, but I guess they
made a strange kind of sense to her. More importantly, I felt lighter than ever
before because I finally knew the truth. There was nothing between Cole and
Laurie.
Hayley’s car pulled up in my driveway, and as she got out, she glanced
over her shoulder in the direction Laurie’s car had gone. “Was that Laurie?”
she asked.
“Sure was,” I said, as she started down the driveway toward me.
“What was she doing here?”
“She was apologizing,” I replied, walking to meet her halfway.
“What?” Hayley stumbled forward slightly in her heels as she heard the
words.
“Careful there,” I laughed. “You need those two feet for dancing tonight.”
Hayley shrugged. “I’m not sure if there will even be a dance. Isn’t Laurie
apologizing like the first stage of the apocalypse?”
I laughed. “Come on; let’s get in your car. I’ll tell you about it on the way
to school.”
After finally recovering from the shock of Laurie’s apology, Hayley was
remarkably unsurprised by the explanations behind her actions. She’d
apparently seen Laurie checking Jake out plenty of times before, so it wasn’t
news to her that she was interested in him. She was surprised by Laurie’s
claim of love though. Hayley figured someone needed a heart to feel love and
strongly still believed that Laurie was sorely lacking in that department.
It wasn’t until we were almost at school that I saw the kind of stunned
reaction I’d been expecting from Hayley.
“I told you Laurie apologizing was the first stage of the apocalypse!” she
screamed, as we took the turnoff to school.
There were cars, TV trucks and people absolutely everywhere on the
street outside the school’s front entrance. It was like nothing I had seen at a
school event before. The bustling crowd was more like the kind you would
expect outside a rock concert or at a crime scene. I could see the flashing
lights of cop cars up ahead, and we were stuck in a line of cars that wound up
toward the school’s front doors.
“Who are all these people?” I whispered.
“I don’t know,” Hayley replied. “Do you think everything’s okay?”
It was then that I spotted the first #Cadi poster.
I swore under my breath.
 “What?” Hayley asked.
“I think these people are here for the final of the competition,” I replied.
“No,” she whispered in disbelief before looking at the gathering with
fresh eyes. She then started bouncing up and down on her seat. “Madi, they’re
here for the final. They’re here for you!” Hayley squealed.
I shook my head though. “How can they be?” I asked. “I’m not in the
contest anymore.”
“And obviously they don’t care! Have you seen how many posters there
are supporting you?”
I slumped in my seat, feeling utterly speechless. Hayley was right. There
were so many posters with my name on them. Some signs were simple, with
my name and Cole’s circled in a heart. Others were covered in glitter
pronouncing, “Madi and Cole 4 Eva.” It seemed like the posters were
everywhere I looked, and tears started welling in my eyes. I may have quit the
competition, but it meant so much to see that people cared about me.
“Do not cry!” Hayley told me. “You’ll ruin your makeup.”
“Sorry,” I said, quickly wiping my eyes and checking my face in the
mirror. It was hard not to shed a tear though.
“Maybe they don’t realize you’re not in it,” Hayley said, as the sounds of
people cheering for Cadi reached our ears.
“What do you mean?”
“Angus allowed people to vote for you Sunday night and he never said
you’d been eliminated on Monday. He just said you were sick and couldn’t
make the ceremony.”
“What?”
“And then Cole said none of the contestants were eliminated,” she
continued. “So, as far as the viewers are concerned, you still have a chance to
win.”
I sat back in my seat and allowed her words to sink in. I liked hearing
Hayley say I still had a chance, and I wished it was true. I knew it couldn’t be
possible though, because I had taken myself out of the contest.
Hayley slowed her car as we reached the police officer manning the
entrance to the school. She lowered her window for him.
“Can I please have your names?” the officer asked, his gaze focused on a
clipboard in front of him.
 “Hayley Lawson and Madison Matthews,” Hayley responded.
The officer’s eyes lifted from his clipboard and briefly flicked to mine.
“Go ahead girls,” he said. “And good luck tonight, Madi, we’re all rooting for
you,” he added.
Hayley burst out laughing as we drove off. “Even the police force is
enamored by Cadi,” she said.
“Don’t say that!” I replied, slapping my hand against her arm. I was
beyond mortified, but I also felt guilty. So many people were supporting me,
but they didn’t even know I was out of the contest. I felt like I had let them
down. Mostly, I felt like I had let Cole and myself down. I should have
believed him when he told me nothing happened with Laurie and I felt so
angry with myself.
We parked close to the school gym, got out of the car and started making
our way toward it. I wondered if Cole was already inside. I knew from all the
gossip at school this week that he’d be selecting his final contestant live at the
formal. I still didn’t know how Hayley expected me to watch it. I was both
dreading the moment and also desperate to find out who Cole’s final choice
would be.
“Madi?” Hayley came to a halt several steps ahead of me and turned to
face me. I hadn’t even realized I’d stopped walking as we’d neared the gym.
She closed the distance between us. “Don’t get upset now. I promised you that
this evening would be all about fun. Don’t make a liar out of me.”
“Sorry,” I said, holding my hands up like I was being held at gunpoint.
Hayley laughed and shook her head at me. “Apology accepted. Let’s get
inside and dance already.”
She grabbed my hand and dragged me into the gym. It was done up with
fairy lights and shining stars hanging from the ceiling and loose balloons
flitting across the floor. We had arrived late, so the dance floor was already
packed.
Hayley didn’t hesitate as she pulled me into the midst of it all. I wasn’t
sure if I felt like dancing yet, but it was better than moping by the sidelines. I
felt like people were glancing my way as we walked onto the dance floor, but
when I said as much to Hayley she laughed and told me it was just because I
looked hot in gold.
I didn’t think it was that though. After we began dancing the stares started
to lessen, but I couldn’t seem to stop the nerves I felt fluttering through my
entire body as I waited for Cole’s announcement to come.
 The nerves only grew stronger as the night continued. I kept glancing up
at the stage, and my stomach dropped with fear every time I saw movement
up there. I hadn’t spotted anyone from True Love yet, but I knew it was only a
matter of time. Despite my best efforts, I was struggling to enjoy the dance. It
felt like a countdown to certain heartbreak, and the longer I stayed the worse I
felt.
“What’s wrong?” Hayley asked, catching sight of my face.
I shook my head, trying to stop the tears from gathering in my eyes. I
didn’t even know who Cole was going to pick and already I was a mess. How
was I going to handle it when he stood up on stage and announced his True
Love choice? Nothing may have happened between him and Laurie, but that
didn’t mean I wouldn’t be devastated if he picked her or Teagan.
“Maybe we should go home and grab that tub of ice cream,” I said.
Hayley immediately came over and took hold of my arm. “Please don’t
get upset. You’re supposed to be having fun.”
I tried to nod, but the motion just wouldn’t come.
“Look, the moment Cole arrives and makes his announcement I give you
full permission to break down if you need to. But until then, you can’t let him
ruin your formal. Let’s just have some fun!”
This time the nod came more easily. Hayley was right. I needed to focus
on enjoying my night. Cole hadn’t made his choice yet, and I could be
worrying over nothing. He could pick Willow, for all I knew, which would
prove he had no romantic interest in any of the contestants. The competition
wasn’t over, but I was acting like it had already come to an end.
“You’re right,” I said, smiling at Hayley. “I’ll try to be less dramatic.”
“Promises, promises,” she said with a smile. I laughed along with her,
feeling suddenly grateful for my friend.
We had only just started to dance again when the music was cut off mid-
song. Everyone on the dance floor came to a standstill and turned to the stage
as Angus jumped up to grab the microphone. He was joined by the rest of the
film club and their cameras, which made my stomach drop. It felt like the
beginning of the end.
“Welcome, welcome,” Angus shouted to the room.
Everyone cheered except for me.
“I know you are all at the start of a roaring great night, but before we
really get this party started, we have a bit of an announcement to make.”
 I felt overwhelmed with worry and quickly decided I didn’t need to be
here to watch Cole’s revelation. I started to walk away, but Hayley grabbed
hold of my arm, cementing me firmly in place.
“You aren’t going anywhere,” she said.
“But…” My excuses drifted away as she gave me a judgmental look; the
kind that promised bodily harm and injury if I tried to walk away.
“Fine,” I grumbled. I hoped Hayley had some tissues in her bag because I
was convinced I would need them once the announcement was made.
“So, without further delay, I give you the final episode of True Love!”
Angus roared. The crowd started screaming, clapping and wolf whistling in
response.
To my surprise, a large projector screen descended from the ceiling above
the stage and covered the back wall. Cole’s face lit up the screen, and my
heart leaped as I watched him smile directly at the camera. There was a
cheekiness to his eyes, and he looked so damn handsome that it actually hurt
just to watch him up there.
“I thought this was supposed to be live,” I murmured to Hayley. She
simply smiled and raised a finger to her lips to indicate for me to be quiet
before turning back to focus on the screen.
“I have a confession to make,” Cole said. “And I feel really terrible about
admitting this, but you guys all voted for the wrong bachelor.”
Mutters of confusion and a few gasps rippled around the room as he
spoke, but I found myself more intrigued than surprised. Why wasn’t Cole
here in person? Where was the girl flinging her arms around his neck and
kissing him as he told her she was the one he had picked?
“You see, a bachelor is supposed to be someone who is unattached. And
yeah, I might be single, but the reason I’m the wrong guy is the fact that my
heart has actually been attached to someone for a very long time.” He gave an
embarrassed laugh, pushing a hand through his hair. “Far longer than I should
probably admit on this video.”
Movement in front of me caught my attention, and I looked away from the
screen as a girl in an elegant blue dress walked up and handed me a piece of
paper. I frowned and took it from her. It had been cut into the shape of half a
heart, just like the ones we’d used on the show. As I looked at the heart, I saw
the word “kind” was written on it in the same messy scrawl that Cole used.
My heart immediately started beating faster as I tried to figure out what was
going on.
 “Although I loved this girl, there was a problem.” Cole continued. “I
could only ever admire her from a distance.”
My view of the screen was obstructed again as another girl walked up and
handed me a paper heart. This one had the word “funny” written on it, and my
heart seemed to skip a beat.
“What’s happening?” I whispered to Hayley.
“Just wait,” she replied.
“This girl had a boyfriend for a long time,” Cole continued. “So as much
as I wanted to be with her, I knew I couldn’t because she was happy and that
was all that mattered.”
Another girl approached and handed me another paper heart. The word
“friendly” was written on it. Barely a second had passed before a guy in a
smart suit stepped forward and gave me one more. “Likes pancakes,” it said,
making me laugh softly.
“But then the two of them broke up, and I finally had my shot.” Cole’s
voice still echoed from the speakers around the gym. “I thought this
competition might bring us closer together, but instead it’s pulled us further
apart.”
As I listened, I realized that everyone in the room had turned away from
the screen to face me. One by one, students stepped out from the crowd and
handed me paper hearts. There were too many now to read all the words that
were written on them, and I was starting to struggle to hold them as they
began to pile up in my hands. Tanner winked as he walked up and placed a
heart on my head. Jake followed right after him and gave me a warm smile as
he placed another heart on top of the already massive pile I was cradling.
“Good luck,” he whispered before stepping back. I stared at him, shocked
that he was taking part in whatever was going on.
The crowd parted in front of me, and I saw all the True Love contestants
standing in a line. They too walked towards me one by one. Evan kissed me
on the cheek as he handed me a heart, and Brooke gave my wrist a comforting
squeeze as she added hers to my pile.
Teagan, Willow and Laurie were the final people to approach me. All
three of the girls were beaming as they placed three more hearts onto the pile.
I looked at them with wide eyes, trying to understand what it all meant, but
they merely gave me knowing smiles in reply.
“I have a message for that girl.” Cole’s voice drew my attention back up
to the screen. “I need you to know, that whatever you think happened on the
camping trip never did. I don’t have any proof, but I’m really hoping that my
word is enough.”
My heart was now beating faster than I had ever experienced before. I
could barely keep up with Cole’s speech and the words that covered the hearts
I still held. But the words didn’t seem to matter anymore, because I already
knew deep down exactly how he felt about me, and how I felt about him.
The video suddenly stopped playing, but I could still hear Cole’s voice.
“Because the truth is…” My gaze darted from the blank screen to the
stage. Cole was standing up there in his suit, looking at me as he spoke into
the microphone. “The truth is,” he repeated. “I could never truly give out any
pieces of my heart, because one girl already had them all in the palms of her
hands.”
I glanced down at all the heart-shaped pieces of paper I was holding and
tears started forming in my eyes. The crowd parted around me, and when I
looked back up, Cole was making his way toward me. He was smiling so
widely, and I could feel every ounce of his love and hope in the way his bright
eyes watched me.
“Madison Matthews,” he said, coming to stand in front of me. “You’ve
got all the pieces of my heart. Can a guy like me hope to get one or two of
yours in return?”
I didn’t have adequate words to answer him. How could anyone respond
to something so beautiful with a simple yes? Instead, I tossed the pile of paper
hearts into the air and launched into his arms, putting all of my emotions into
one epic kiss. I could feel Cole grinning against my lips, and I knew, even
without a word, that he understood exactly how I felt. As our kiss deepened, I
felt the paper hearts raining down on us, like a calmer version of the storm
that had raged around us during our first-ever kiss, and I breathed a sigh of
happiness.
The roaring sound of clapping and whistling eventually broke through our
blissful moment, and I pulled back from Cole. The whole school was cheering
us on, and I felt my cheeks warming. I heard a loud snap from above me and
looked up to find more tiny red hearts fluttering through the air around us as
they fell from the ceiling like confetti.
“You didn’t answer my question,” Cole said, still unable to wipe the grin
from his face. The crowd was still cheering around us, but he didn’t seem to
care.
“I thought my kiss was the answer,” I replied.
 “I want to hear the words, puddles.”
I laughed and shook my head at him. “Fine. You, Cole Kingston, may
have one or two pieces of my heart.”
“And what if I want them all?” he asked, as the music started up again and
the people around us resumed their dancing.
“Well, you’re going to have to work for them. I don’t just give out pieces
of my heart to anyone,” I replied.
The corner of his lips lifted in a cheeky smile. “I guess I’ll have to just
steal them then.”
I rolled my eyes at him. “You really were the wrong guy to be the
bachelor.”
“Maybe, but I’m the perfect guy for you,” he said, before finally closing
the distance between us again and giving me another kiss that set my heart,
skin and soul ablaze.
There was no arguing with that.

The End

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ALSO BY ALEXANDRA MOODY
The Liftsal Guardians Series
The Liftsal Guardians
The Brakys’ Lair
The Oblivion Stone
The Rift War

The ARC series

Tainted
Talented
Fractured
Destined
 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ALEXANDRA MOODY is an Australian author. She studied Law and Commerce in her hometown,
Adelaide, before going on to spend several years living abroad in Canada and the UK. She is a serious
dog-lover, avid snowboarder and has a love/hate relationship with the gym.

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For more information:

www.alexandramoody.com
info@alexandramoody.com