Chapter 25

“Everything is fine. My old friend Lola was just telling me how awful my hair looks.”

“Well, I think it looks beautiful,” Mathew said, and he surprised me even further as he reached up to stroke a stray strand of hair away from my face, his fingertips resting on my cheek for only a moment before he turned back to Lola and Pete.

“So you’re friends of Bri?” he asked before he lifted his free hand. “I’m Mathew.”

Pete glared at Mathew’s hand as though he thought it was dirty before he turned his attention to me.

“Looks like you don’t have time for your old friends anymore.” His voice was close to a growl as he gripped hold of Lola’s hand. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”

Lola, who still hadn’t taken her eyes off Mathew as if she was in a trance, barely budged an inch as Pete tried to drag her away.

“Oh, don’t leave on our account,” Mathew protested. “There’s plenty of room under the gazebo.”