LIAM

I swirl the ice around my glass, trying to focus on Wesley's story about the fangirl who pounced on him when he walked into Starbucks this morning. But I can't keep my eyes from flicking to the door.

This is one of my last opportunities to spend time with all three of my best friends. After Cipher wraps this summer, we'll be lucky to be in the same time zone, let alone the same city. I should be soaking up every second, not obsessing about whether or not the girl I'm pretending to date is going to show up.

The remixed pop music grates on my nerves as I check my phone for what must be the hundredth time. Nothing.

I sent Ada the details for the party earlier. I got one word in reply.

Okay.

That barely qualifies as a response. She could've at least confirmed she was coming instead of leaving me to sit and wonder like a jackass. I shove my cell back in my pocket, but my gaze darts over to the door again.

"Waiting for someone?" Ariani eyes me suspiciously.

"No," I say too quickly.

"You sure?" Faye asks. "You're watching that door pretty closely."

"Oh my God. It's that picture girl, isn't it?" Wes laughs, clapping his hands together. "Man, I thought you had to worry about her getting attached. Maybe it's the other way around."

"Don't be an idiot." I glance up at the rainbow-colored lights that decorate the huge ceiling, shaking my head. "She said she'd be here. I don't trust her wandering around with that camera of hers."

"And how did her name get on the list I wonder." Ariani shoves my shoulder.

"I had to invite her. There's going to be a mob of paps waiting out front. I need them to photograph us together."

Ackerman still hasn't returned Ruby's calls about the audition for Where There's Smoke. I'm starting to think it's a lost cause, but Julian keeps promising me the paparazzi girlfriend act is doing wonders for my public opinion and that Ackerman will come around soon.

"Uh-huh. I'm sure that's the only reason." Ariani smirks, twirling her hair between her fingers.

I feel Faye's eyes on me and glance over. She gives me a meaningful grin.

"Don't start," I mutter.

"I didn't say a word." She holds up her hands then leans in, dropping her voice. "But you know it would be okay if you did like her, right? You've got to let people in sometimes, Li."

I have plenty of reasons for shutting people out, and I'd have to be a complete moron to trust a pap of all people.

I look away, glancing around the room. Intricate crystal chandeliers hang above the tables. People are already filling the dance floor, which slowly rotates beneath them.

Faye sets a hand on my arm. "You can relax now. Your girl's here."

"She isn't my—" I start to say, but my mouth goes dry as my eyes lock on Ada.

She's wearing a gold dress that hugs her gentle curves and makes her suntanned skin glow. Her hair is down in big, wild waves. She tugs at the hem of her skirt like she's uncomfortable, drawing my eyes down to those long legs. I swallow.

For a moment, I forget what she is. I forget that my friends are watching me and that this girl is supposed to be my sworn enemy. All I see is Ada, and she looks damn good.

She scans the room, teeth catching at her bottom lip like she's nervous. Then her eyes find mine and a small smile curls the edges of her mouth.

My heart forgets how to beat, thumping out a confused cadence that becomes more erratic each second I sit here, staring at her.

Ada gives me an awkward little wave, looking unsure about whether she should come over here or not. Elodie is with her, mouth agape as she stares around the room, no doubt starstruck. Some of the biggest celebrities in the city are here tonight.

"Daaamn." Wesley turns around in his seat, looking Ada up and down. "If you seriously aren't interested, I'll be more than happy to take that girl off your hands."

His comment bothers me more than it should, but I ignore him, getting to my feet. "I'll be right back."

The smell of expensive liquor lingers in the air, and I can feel every eye in the room on the two of us as I close the distance.

"Here I thought you didn't own more than one shirt, but look at you." Ada's eyes rove over the button-down I'm wearing. Her grin is almost flirtatious.

I scrape a hand through my hair, laughing to hide the unexpected sensations her smile detonates. "Is that your way of telling me I look good, Ace?"

"Is that your way of fishing for a compliment, Superstar?"

"Definitely." Okay, maybe I'm flirting back a little, but it's not like I have much choice. With everyone watching us, I've got to keep up the act.

"Well, then you look good." Ada's voice sounds so sincere, it knocks me sideways.

"You look good too." I stare into those mind-blowing hazel eyes, and it's like someone gut checked me. Elodie's contemplating the two of us, wearing the same suspicious expression Faye was. Our performance must be convincing if even our friends have bought into it. Hell, there are moments I almost fall for it myself.

"How are you, Elodie?" I ask.

"Fabulous." Her eyes skate over the room. "This place is amaze-balls. Thanks for inviting us."

"My pleasure." I reach for Ada's hand. As soon as her skin makes contact with mine, honest-to-God tingles climb up my arm.

I nod back toward the table. "Come officially meet my friends."

* * *

"So what's being a paparazzi like?" Ariani asks Ada, who's sitting next to me but leaning as far away as possible.

Ada flushes. I'm sure talking about work would be weird if you were a photog in a room of celebrities. I don't have it in me to feel bad for her though.

She might look all kinds of gorgeous, but it doesn't change the fact that she exploits people's personal lives for a living. I wish I understood why she does it. The more time I spend with her, the harder it is for me to reconcile what she does with the girl I see glimpses of when we're together.

"I don't have much experience," Ada admits. Her hand drifts to the star-shaped charm of her necklace. "But it's intense. The rush when you get a perfect shot is crazy. I mean, you're out there literally chasing your dream every day, so each picture is a huge deal. But the other photogs can be...competitive." She frowns and brushes her fingers over her elbow, which I notice is still scraped raw.

Just thinking about that asshole outside Nosh the other day has my hands bunching into fists beneath the table. For some reason, the idea of Ada working with guys like that everyday doesn't sit quite right with me.

"That sounds really interesting." Faye smiles warmly at her.

"It can be. When I'm not getting blasted with green juice anyway." Ada glares teasingly at me.

"Hey, that wasn't mine. You couldn't pay me to drink that stuff. I'm strictly a coffee guy."

"I respect that." Ada nods approvingly.

"What do you do, Elodie?" Faye asks.

Elodie's watching Wesley, but he's so busy checking out the girls at the next table, he isn't paying the slightest attention to our conversation—or to Elodie.

Her eyes snap to Faye's, and she smiles, recovering some of her effervescence. "I'm a barista."

"Well, that's perfect. Li, maybe you and Ada could go get coffee sometime?" Ariani grins into her neon blue cocktail. I frown at her.

Mercifully, Faye changes the subject.

"So, Ada, those pictures you took of us at Nosh the other day were incredible. You're talented."

"Well, it's easy to get great shots of people who're so photogenic," Ada says, looking embarrassed.

"You have to tell us though," Ariani leans toward Ada, smirking conspiratorially, "how'd you get our boy here to go play paparazzi for the day."

Ada laughs and starts telling them about our ride on the subway and trying to teach me how to use a camera. She's smiling as she talks, and I can't keep myself from staring at her lips, which are coated in a pink gloss that looks like it would taste like strawberries. And then I'm thinking about how those lips felt beneath mine last night. Supple, soft, and so goddamn sexy.

It takes me a beat to notice Ada's stopped talking and is looking at me like she's waiting for me to say something.

"Yeah, it was...uh, great. I'm going to get us some drinks." I shove my chair back, jumping up from the table, wanting to put some space between us so I can pull my shit together. "What can I get for you?"

"I'll take a Cosmopolitan." Elodie raises a hand. "I'm embracing my inner Carrie Bradshaw."

"Um, same?" Ada says like it's a question. She seems confused by my sudden desire to get away from the table. She isn't the only one.

What the fuck is my problem?

"Are they going to let you order alcohol here?" Ada's forehead puckers.

"Perks of being famous. The bartenders are only too happy to forget to card us. We're good for business." Ariani explains. "We'll take one too please." She looks up at me and gestures between herself and Faye.

"You got it. Wes, give me a hand?"

"Sure?" Wesley shoots me a bewildered look but follows.

"What the hell was that about?" he asks when we get up to the bar.

I scrub a hand over my face and sigh. "I don't know, man. Faking a relationship with that girl is more complicated than I thought it would be."

Wes barks out a laugh. "If you pretend to date a girl who looks like that, then yeah."

My phone vibrates. "I'm glad this is all so entertaining for you," I mutter as I pull it out of my pocket. When I see the text, the floor drops out from beneath my feet. It's my dad.

Jack: Rough month. Gonna need more cash, kid.

My jaw tightens, and I grind my teeth. I just gave him money. How could he possibly need more?

Me: I sent you money last week.

I watch the three dots blink on the screen as my dad slowly replies. I'm sure he's already drunk.

"Everything all right?" Wes is watching me, an uncharacteristically serious expression on his face.

I shake my head. "My dad texted me."

Wesley frowns, biting his lip like he's trying to keep from saying something. My friends are the only people who know about what happened with my dad last year. Well, besides Mia. I'm too humiliated to tell anyone else. Not even Ruby and Julian. I don't want people to know what a loser my dad is. I can't stand the idea of everyone comparing me to him, and I sure as hell don't want them pitying me.

Besides, everyone would rather believe his lies than listen to me tell my side of the story. That's how things work in this business.

My cell finally buzzes with a response.

Jack: I can go talk to the paps instead. They'd give me plenty of cash for the things I have to say.

My vision blurs, and it takes all the self-control I possess not to smash my phone against the bar. I want to tell him to get a damn job and leave me alone. But if he sells his bullshit stories to the press, it could cost me my future. I have no choice but to keep paying him.

Me: I'll send the money tomorrow.

Jack: Gotta be cash.

I can't think of a single reason he'd need actual cash that isn't illegal. Feeling a headache starting, I knead a spot above my eyebrow with my fingers.

Me: Why?

Jack: I owe some guys is all. Fuckin' bank has limits on how much they'll let me take out.

I want to ask what he owes these guys for. Gambling? Something worse? But the less I know, the better.

Me: I'll bring it by on Monday.

I turn off my phone, feeling like I've got a pair of Wesley's dumbbells strapped around my neck.

"Oh, shit," Wes says.

I pinch the bridge of my nose. "What?"

"I know you've got a lot going on right now, but I think you might need to go handle that situation." Wes jerks his chin toward our table.

I turn to see Mia and her gang of B-list groupies swarming the table. Mia's grinning at Ada, and there's a glint in her eyes that's all too familiar.