“I didn’t mean that. You know I didn’t.”

“So you admit you just said it to hurt me?” I glare at him, trying to keep my guard up.

“Yeah . . .” He looks down.

I’m so confused by him; he says he wants more, then he kisses Molly, then he tells me he loves me and takes it back, and now he is apologizing again? “Why should I forgive you—you just admitted that you did something solely to hurt me.”

“One more chance? Please, Tess. I’ll tell you everything,” he pleads. I almost believe the pain in his eyes as he looks down at me.

“I can’t, I have to go.”

“Why can’t I come with you?” he asks.

“Because . . . because I am meeting Zed there.”

I watch as his expression changes and seems to crumple before me. It takes everything in me not to comfort him. But Hardin did this to himself. Even if he actually does care, it’s too late.

“Zed? So are you guys, what . . . dating now?” His tone is full of disgust.

“No, we haven’t even talked about it. We are just . . . I don’t know, spending time together, I guess.”

“You haven’t talked about it? So if he asked you, you would?”

“I don’t know . . .” And I honestly don’t know. “He is nice and polite and he treats me well.” Why am I even explaining myself to this boy?

“Tessa, you don’t even know him, you don’t know—”

The front door shoots open and an exuberant Landon asks, “Ready?”

His eyes dart to Hardin, who for once looks unguarded and even . . . heartbroken.

I force my feet toward my car and follow Landon as he pulls out of the driveway. I can’t help but look back at Hardin, who is still on the porch, still staring back at me as I drive away.

Chapter sixty-five

Pulling into the spot next to Landon, I text Zed to tell him that I have arrived. He writes back immediately with a note to meet him at the far left corner of the field.

I tell Landon where he’ll be as he and Dakota walk up.

“Sounds good,” he says, but he seems less than thrilled.

“Who’s Zed?” Dakota asks.

“He’s my . . . friend.” He is just my friend.

“Hardin’s your boyfriend, right?” she asks.

I look over at her. She doesn’t seem to be implying anything, she just seems confused. Welcome to the club.

“No, babe.” Landon laughs. “Neither of them are.”

I laugh, too. “It’s not as bad as it sounds.”

Right as we get to where everyone is, the school band begins to play and the field becomes more and more crowded. I’m relieved when I spot Zed leaning against the fence. I point him out, and we head over there.

“Oh,” Dakota squeals as we get close. I can’t tell if she’s surprised by his tattoos and piercings, or his good looks. Maybe both.

“Hey, beautiful,” Zed says, beaming, and hugs me. I smile at him, returning the hug.

“Hi, I’m Zed. It’s nice to meet you both.” He nods toward Landon and Dakota. I know he’s met Landon before, so maybe he’s just trying to be polite.

“Have you been here long?” I ask.

“Only about ten minutes. A lot more people here than I expected.”

Landon leads the way to a less crowded area near the enormous mound of wood, and we all sit on the grass. Dakota sits between Landon’s legs and leans back against his chest. The sun is going down and the breeze is picking up. I should have worn long sleeves.

“Yeah, have you been to one of these before?” I ask Zed, who shakes his head.

“No, this isn’t my typical scene,” he says with a laugh before adding, “But I’m glad to be here tonight.”

I smile at his compliment and right then someone walks up to the central bandstand and gives us all a warm welcome on behalf of the school and the band. After a couple of minutes of rambling on, they finally count down to the lighting of the fire, and three, two, one . . . the fire ignites and swallows the mound of wood fiercely. It’s actually quite beautiful being this close to the flames, and I can tell I’ll be warm enough after all.

“So how long are you here?” Zed asks Dakota.

She frowns. “Only the weekend. I wish I could come back for the wedding next weekend.”

“What wedding?” Zed asks.

I look at Landon, who answers, “My mother’s.”

“Oh . . .” He pauses and looks down, as if thinking about something.

“What?” I ask him.

“Nothing. I’m just trying to remember who else said something about a wedding next weekend . . . Oh yeah—Hardin, I think. He was asking us what he should wear to a wedding.”

My heart stops. I hope I don’t show it on my face. So Hardin definitely still hasn’t told any of his friends that his father is the chancellor, or that he’s marrying Landon’s mother.

“Bit of a coincidence, right?” he asks.

“No, they are—” Dakota begins, but I interrupt: “Quite a coincidence, but, then, in a town this size, there are probably a few every weekend.”

Zed nods in agreement, and Landon whispers something in Dakota’s ear.

Hardin is actually considering going to the wedding?

Zed chuckles. “I can’t imagine Hardin at a wedding anyway.”

“Why not?” My tone is a little harsher than I meant it to be.

“I don’t know, because he’s Hardin. The only way to get him to go to a wedding would be if he knew he could have sex with the bridesmaids. All of them,” he says and rolls his eyes.