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And her mother.

I’d become a very good liar, and hiding things from my friends made me feel a little sick. There was no away around that though, not really. Aaliyah was too close to Caleb, and Annabelle was his employee. Our personal life didn’t need to be anymore interwoven with them that it already was. And I was also tired of everyone being in my damn business.

Aaliyah caught my discomfort, and being the good friend she was, she drew the attention away from me. “I’ve heard the band playing tonight is amazing.”

That did the trick. Annabelle, dressed in a vintage floor-length ivory gown, launched into her impression of the first band that was being signed by Caleb’s record label. FiftySeventhStreet was an indie band, who had an eclectic sound who had the potential to be the next big thing. That’s what I’d been told. They were making their debut tonight, right alongside Callahan Records, and if I knew Caleb, they were going to be as big as he predicted. I’d yet to meet them, and was on my way to doing just that when I saw Alfie approaching me. He’d never been far from me, but the look on his face told me it wasn’t good. I immediately thought about Caleb, worrying that something might have happened to him or Braelynn. I frowned when he handed me a manila envelope.

“Someone left this for you,” he said.

That was odd.

I took it from him, and stepped away from the party to open it. Inside I found photographs, with a sticky note attached that read, You’re not the only one pretending. Jennifer xo

What the hell?

When I looked at the photographs, I realized they were taken the night Caleb made dinner. From the looks of it they were taken from a high vantage point, with a good enough camera to get clear shots of us eating, laughing, and then dancing on the terrace. I hadn’t seen these online, so how did Jennifer get them?

“Kadence.”

I spun around. Caleb was standing behind me. He looked like he’d stepped straight out of a Bond movie, with his black tux, bowtie, and slick hairstyle.

“You’re here,” I breathed. I stuck the photographs back into the envelope and had Alfie take them to the car. As much as I wanted to know more about them my attention was needed elsewhere. “It’s almost time for your speech.”

I moved to walk past him, but he grabbed my hand, and pulled me aside.

“We need to talk.”

And just like that, my blood froze in my veins.

“I don’t think this is the time or the place,” I told him between gritted teeth. If he expected me to act as if this afternoon had never happened, he was going to be disappointed.

“You should have waited for me.” Caleb spoke softly, and I couldn’t help but notice how condescending he was.

“You were busy.” I removed his hand from mine, and took a step back. “And I wasn’t going to stick around for whatever was going on between you and Natalia.” I straightened my shoulders. “I have to go check on the band.”

This time when I walked away, Caleb didn’t stop me.

Smart man.

He was finally catching on.

What I had to do next was one of the easiest decisions I’d ever made. I walked over to where Aaliyah was talking to Landon.

“I need your help, Liy.”