Page 48 of The Second Dance

“Right. Yes. Of course.”

I consider telling her I know.

She was the one who tipped off the rumors after the dance. I’m not sure who she told, but this is the way rumors work. She has a cousin she’s close with. Maybe she told her, and since Logan has no loyalty to me, she spread the story to the next person.

A secret doesn’t have to be a vicious rumor to spread. All it takes is a single spark.

There’s been enough years between that terrible time and now, it doesn’t hurt like it used to. And knowing Bo wasn’t the one who started it has eased some of that pain.

A lot of that pain, actually.

Honestly, I’m just kicking myself for missing my chance with him. Things could have been so different.

“Earth to Andy.” She bites back a grin. “That good, huh?”

I laugh, hiding behind my mug again. I set it down, fiddling with the handle. “I think I mightlikelike him.”

I expect more excitement from Whit.

But her expression falls and that fills me with dread. “Whit?”

She climbs to her feet, briskly carrying her mug to the sink.

“Whit? Talk to me. What’s with the expression?”

She shrugs. “Nothing.”

But her voice is too light. I know when she’s lying. And this isn’t nothing. “Just tell me, Whit.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Whit.”

She turns, tears in her eyes.

I’m on my feet, crossing the floor to her. My heart is racing and my stomach is turning. “What do you know?”

“It’s just… remember when I was at the bar the other day and I ran into the guys?”

I nod, unable to speak.

“Well, they were talking about you. And how you were a virgin when you slept with Bo…” She looks miserable. Each word seems to cost her. “And they knew you hadn’t had sex since.”

My mind is spinning. Shame spreads down my neck. My shoulders. How did they know any of this?

“And they made a bet, Andy.”

“What kind of bet?” My voice is low. Devoid of emotion.

“Who could get you in bed first.”

“Bo did that?”

Whit tips her head. “Maybe not? Probably not. You said he’s a good guy, right? It was Tyson and Ben. I didn’t hear Bo specifically. But now that you’ve slept together, I just worry…”

Maybe I should be panicking, but this feeling is too familiar. I’ve been through humiliation like this before. Last time, it left me in pieces. This time, I can’t quite muster up the energy to fight back. I feel steamrolled.

“That’s why Tyson and Ben wanted to go out with me?”