Devoted to Her (Dream Date Book 2) (24 page)

“Well, get used to it. I’m going to be there for you
too, home girl. That cute face looks a lot prettier with a smile.”

Amanda couldn’t help herself from smiling. She
casually looked to the side. What she saw made her expression instantly change
to shock.

“What?” Christopher asked. He followed Amanda’s line
of sight.

Nathan was sitting at a table alone, watching her.

Amanda looked almost happy while she danced with
Christopher. Nathan had been watching them almost the whole time. He’d been
careful not to let Amanda’s guards recognize him. For that, Nathan had chosen
to wear clothes no one had seen him in yet.

At one point, Amanda said something. Christopher
replied to that, and she smiled. Nathan loved when she put on that expression.
Amanda always looked even more beautiful when she smiled.

Just then, Amanda caught sight of him. Nathan tensed.
He saw the smile vanish from her lips faster than it had appeared.

Amanda looked at Christopher, talking to him. He took
her hand and led her away. Nathan felt his blood pulsing faster. He hated being
away from Amanda.

Nathan felt eyes on him. He scanned the dance floor
and saw Kellan looking at him with a stern expression. Nathan decided to ignore
it.

Looking down, Nathan touched the charm on his
keychain. He opened it, and Amanda’s happy face looked back at him. Nathan
would give anything to make her look at him that way again.

Over the next few minutes, Nathan casually looked
around the room. He saw there were plenty of college-age women there. If Amanda
wanted to be with another guy, she couldn’t begrudge Nathan that benefit.

As he searched for Amanda, a girl walked up to
Nathan’s table. He looked up at her.

“Need a dance partner?” she asked. The girl was
attractive, with curves in the right places and cute brown eyes. Her hair was
so dark brown it was almost black, and fell in waves almost down to her elbows.
She also had nice pearly brown skin. The girl was quite attractive, but not
exactly beautiful.

“It would be welcome. You’re alone too, I assume.”

The girl nodded.

“My best friend got sick.”

“I’m Nathan Ferland. What’s your name?”

“Lori. Nice to meet you, Nathan.”

The two of them shook hands.

“Should we go dance now?” Lori asked.

“Yeah.” Nathan made to stood up. Just then, a set of
footsteps sounded coming their way.

“Wait a moment!”

Nathan turned, shocked to hear the voice. He saw Erika
stopping next to him. She looked displeased.

“What are you doing here?”

Erika scoffed.

“What do you mean? I’m your girlfriend!”

Trying not to show any emotion, Nathan looked over at
Lori. She started to look embarrassed.

“I’m sorry. I guess I should go,” said Lori. She cast
a glance toward Erika before hurrying away.

“What the hell, Erika?” Nathan asked.

“Dude. If you really were in love with Amanda, why are
you so upset I frustrated your new fling?”

“I’m upset that you’re here. Are you following me
around now?”

“No. I should start doing it if just to prevent you
from making a fool of yourself. Following Amanda around isn’t going to help you.”

“That’s none of your business.”

Nathan sat down on his chair. Erika proceeded to sit
opposite him without invitation.

“I was under the impression that I dismissed you.”

Erika blanched. She chose to ignore it.

“Why don’t you just end your misery? Look at your
beloved Amanda. She looks better in Christopher’s arms. Not all lovers are
meant to be, dear.”

Nathan chuckled.

“That sounds just like us. Except for the part about
being lovers,” he said.

“Very funny,” Erika replied. “I guess I’ll leave you
alone before you blow up on me.”

“Best decision you made all week.”

Annoyed, Erika walked away. Nathan turned to look
toward where he thought Amanda was. She wasn’t anywhere that Nathan could see.
Had she seen him with Erika?

Damn. That won’t help my case.

Nathan stood up. It was time to take brash decisions.

Locating Kellan and Caldwell, Nathan walked in the
opposite direction. He didn’t want them to spot him again. Going over to the
men’s restroom, Nathan turned his jacket inside out. He could wear it both ways.
Then he put on a hat, which was unusual for him even in winter. The ensemble
altered Nathan’s appearance enough for acquaintances not to recognize him

Nathan walked back to the main part of the club. He
looked around and found Amanda sitting at a table. She was talking to Kellan.
Nathan wondered what it would take to get her away from her bodyguards. Then an
idea popped into his head.

Trying to be inconspicuous, Nathan walked around the
club. He saw Emmy at the bar buying a drink. There were a few people around
her.

Nathan walked up to Emmy. She looked at him when she
felt his presence.

“Nathan! What—”

“Shh. I’d rather avoid Amanda right now.”

Emmy didn’t look happy.

“What are you doing here?”

“I was just hanging out. May I borrow your phone? My battery
just died.”

Emmy squinted at Nathan.

“All right. Just make it quick. Get out of here before
Amanda sees us together.”

All Nathan needed was to send a quick text. He did so
and then placed a call to Ashton’s phone so that Emmy wouldn’t get more suspicious.
Nathan hung up before his friend could answer.

“Here,” said Nathan, handing the phone back to Emmy.
“There was no answer. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Nathan subtly moved around to conceal Emmy from
Amanda’s sight.

“Has Amanda snapped out of her hostility toward me?
It’s hard to live without her.”

“That’s your problem,” Emmy snapped. “You should have
never swapped her for some other girl.”

“I did not!” said Nathan. “That woman set me up.”

“Uh-huh. Who do you expect me to believe, Nathan? You
or my best friend?”

Nathan looked to the side, casually glancing toward
Amanda. She was near the edge of the dance floor, saying something to Kellan.

“Moot point. Neither of you know enough about what
happened. I have a right to defend my case.”

“Amanda saw you with her own eyes. And she wasn’t the
only one. If you’re so Mr. Big-Shot Lawyer, you should know that first-hand
evidence is crucial.”

“Not if it’s fabricated.”

Emmy shook her head. Nathan used the distraction to
look to the side again. He saw Amanda walking alone outside. That was just what
he needed.

“If you excuse me, I should get going. Thanks again
for the phone. I owe you big time.” Nathan winked at Emmy before leaving. She
looked at him in bemusement.

Taking care not to let the guards spot him, Nathan
followed Amanda outside. He knew where she would be. Nathan walked around the
side of the restaurant, where he saw Amanda waiting. He went around the other
way so that she wouldn’t see him.

Nathan walked up to Amanda. She had her back to him.
When she turned, Nathan pulled her to him and kissed her. For the first few
seconds, Amanda was too surprised to push him. Then she realized who he was,
and she put her arms against his chest.

“W-what’s your problem?” Amanda asked. Nathan wouldn’t
let her push him away. The way she was responding to his kiss, he knew she’d
longed for him. Nathan had really missed kissing those luscious lips.

“I couldn’t help myself. I’m not sorry, though. You
have no idea how much I needed you.”

Amanda began to look pissed-off.

“How did you get Emmy to make me come here?”

Nathan smiled.

“I didn’t get her to do anything. She doesn’t even
know we’re here.”

Amanda shook her head.

“Well played. Emmy sent me a message, sounding all
excited, asking me to meet here. You’re a sneaky, sorry, traitorous bastard.”

“Only the first one, sweetheart. I’m not sorry I
brought you here away from your guards. I didn’t betray you like you believe.”

“Nathan, I saw you with that woman just now!”

“She’s stalking me.”

“Ha! Like you’re doing with me?”

“I want nothing to do with any woman that’s not you!
Don’t you see? I love you. No guy in his right mind would cheat on the most
beautiful woman in the world.”

“So that’s all I’m to you? A pretty girl you can show
off to anyone?”

“No!”

“If you think I’m going to let you off the hook so
easily, you’re wrong.”

“We’ve been through this before! You know that I love
you for more than just because you’re beautiful.”

“Then what were you doing kissing that woman? She’s
beautiful, too.”

“I so didn’t kiss her.”

“Don’t try to fool me. My bodyguards and I saw you
with our own eyes. No one told us anything.”

Nathan, exasperated, turned around. He shook his head,
trying to think of what more to say.

“You think that I don’t love you enough. Yet here you are
punishing me for something that you should know I didn’t do. I thought you had
faith in me.”

“What would you have done in my place? How would you
have reacted if you’d seen me kiss someone?”

“I would never have thought you started it. We both
know how often guys try to take advantage of you.”

“That’s not the point! You wouldn’t be happy with me
if you thought I was cheating on you.”

“You wouldn’t do it. Not ever.”

Amanda started to sob.

“But you would?”

“No way.”

“I don’t believe you. Especially after months of
seeing guys hit on me. You knew it would happen, but you still let it get to
you.”

“You’re my girlfriend, Amanda. It was out of my
control. What would you feel like if random girls were coming on to me all the
time?”

Amanda said nothing. She looked down at the ground in
front of her feet.

“You see! I put up with loads of guys approaching you.
Yet you can’t even handle it when
one
woman shows interest in me.”

Amanda looked at Nathan with fury.

“Go to hell! Just leave me alone.”

Nathan was unable to stop Amanda from storming away.
He kicked at thin air, annoyed.

I can’t believe how little faith she had in me.

For someone so
beautiful, Amanda could be truly insecure now and then. Nathan decided to
return to his car. He had no business lingering at the club.

Kellan was starting to worry, until Amanda returned.
When he noticed Emmy was still in the club, he found it strange. She should
have been outside with Amanda. It was a relief when Kellan saw that Amanda was
all right.

The group looked surprised when Amanda said she wanted
to return to her apartment. She looked so angry that tears glistened in her
face. Kellan wondered who had upset her that much. Not even Christopher was
able to convince Amanda to stay.

When she got back, Amanda locked herself in her
bedroom. She grabbed her iPod and put some earbuds in her ears. Amanda lay back
in bed and tried to soothe herself with music. She cried again.

The next morning, Amanda was asleep in the same
clothes from the previous night. She had fallen asleep on her side. The iPod
was no longer playing music, as the album she’d been listening to had ended.

A knock sounded on the door.

“Amanda! Are you up?”

There was no response. Emmy walked into the room.

“Aw, friend,” she said. Emmy moved toward Amanda and
took the iPod and earbuds away. She set them on the bedside table.

Emmy checked the time on the iPod. It was almost ten
in the morning. Fortunately, it was a Saturday. Emmy thought that maybe she
should let her friend rest some more. Amanda needed it.

What the hell did Nathan do to my best friend?

Walking silently, Emmy walked out of the bedroom. She
went to the kitchen, where there was a steaming cup of coffee waiting for
Amanda. She sat down at the table, picking up the book that she’d left there.