I think about what he said to me in the hallway of Janine’s office that day and feel my anger rise. “What about him? He’s gone, Rayne, and he’s not coming back. Not to me, anyway. I have to move on.” I think about the easy way he has with Giselle. “I’m sure he will.”

“I thought you loved him.” She looks almost like I’ve broken up with her instead of Griffon.

“I do—I did. But I also have a history with Drew. We were married once, remember? I need to find out if we’re meant to go back to that place, to be those people again.”

“But you haven’t even kissed him? This time, I mean.”

I shake my head. “Not even close.” It’s not a total lie.

“This whole thing is so insane,” Rayne says. “How was the party?”

“Interesting,” I say. I look at her eager face, and wish I could tell her everything. But I can’t, not yet. Rayne doesn’t know she’s Akhet, and telling her now would ruin the whole night. “You should see Drew’s apartment. It’s on the top of the tallest building downtown and decorated by a designer. Looks like it belongs in a magazine. It’s crazy.”

“So, are you going to go out with him again? What is he, like, twenty-five? Your parents are going to freak out.”

“He’s only twenty,” I say. “And they already did. He came by the house the other day to ask me out and they saw him on the porch. Luckily Mom was asleep on the couch by the time I got home last night, and I snuck into my room without her having a clue.”

“I take it back,” Rayne says. “I thought nothing you could do would top Kat’s leaving, but this might do it.”

“Which is why we’re not going to tell them. I have a bribe for you if you cover for me.”

“You know you don’t have to bribe me. But I’m listening.”

“Remember Portia Martin is playing tonight at the Arena?”

“Yeah. I also know that the tickets sold out in minutes. I tried to win a pair on the radio for weeks.”

“What if I told you that not only can we go to the show, but we have backstage passes?”

“No freaking way!” Rayne pushes me on the shoulder. “How did you . . . ?” She’s quiet for a second. “Did Drew get them for you?”

“Indirectly,” I say. “I sort of sat next to Portia at dinner last night. I promised her we’d come, so you can’t say no.”

“Wait, wait—you sat next to Portia Martin? She knows who I am?”

“Yep. And she said that she’ll be personally hurt if we don’t come tonight, as long as you’re feeling up to it. Drew said that he’d pick us up, but I can’t do it at my place. Can he pick us up here?”

“Um, yeah.” Rayne licks some cupcake frosting from her fingers. “Hurry up! If we’re going backstage at Portia Martin’s show, we have to start getting ready now.”

“So I’m forgiven?”

Rayne smiles at me. “There was never any question. You don’t have to resort to bribery. Although I have to say, I kind of like it when you do.”

I’m trying not to be impressed, I really am. When Drew came to get us in a Mercedes so new it still had the dealer tags on it, I tried to pretend like it was no big deal, even when Rayne leaned over and whispered to me that he was possibly the most beautiful man she’d ever seen in real life. When we were ushered into the very back of the Arena and straight into Portia’s dressing room, I acted like I did this kind of thing every day. Even when Portia leaped up off the couch and gave us all big hugs, I shrugged it off like I was just visiting a friend at her house. But now, standing just a few feet off the main stage, watching Portia up front with the lights beating down and thousands of fans screaming at her feet, I know my smile has pretty much taken over my face.