Beth had just volunteered to call a cab when the door opened and I saw them. Jared walked in with a platinum-blonde beauty. She was all of five feet four inches and clearly younger than I. Her lips were plush, snowy banks glittering under her icy blue eyes. She moved with the confidence and precision of a runway model, disregarding our table as she strode by. Her hair was board-straight, barely grazing her shoulders, and her thick bangs hung just above her eyes. A tiny diamond piercing sparkled in the crease of her left nostril. I’d never seen anything like her in real life before. She looked like punk rock Barbie with her heavy eye makeup, skin-tight clothing and knee-high boots.

Jared ignored us, too, as he followed her to the bar, and I felt something catch in my throat when he sat next to his companion.

Kim grabbed my shoulder. “Does he know you’re here?”

“I don’t think so,” I choked out.

“What’s going on?” Ryan asked, seeing our reaction to the fair-haired couple at the bar.

“That is the guy that’s been pursuing Nina,” Kim said, eyeing Jared with disgust.

Ryan looked at me and nodded in Jared’s direction. “You’re dating that guy?”

“No.” I stood up from the table. The door was just a few steps away, but I couldn’t take my eyes off of them.

Tozzi took one look at the blonde Jared was with and shook his head. Jared whispered something in his ear, slid something across the counter and the bartender walked away without further argument. The girl—and she was a girl—looked up at Jared with an annoyed expression. I was instantly angry. He had chosen to be with her and she was bored with him.

Beth stumbled back to the table. “Cab’s on its way.”

“Let’s wait outside,” Kim said, pulling me with her.

Just before I looked away, Jared raised his eyes to meet mine. I was glad that he had seen me, then he wouldn’t be so surprised at the fury I would unleash on him the next time we happened upon each other. My anger gave me the distraction I needed to turn away. I shook my head in heated disbelief that he’d shown up with such a fake looking sl—

My arm pulled in the wrong direction. “Nina, don’t go,” Jared said.

“What are you doing here with her?” Beth sneered.

I looked down at my arm and then glared up at Jared. He removed his gentle hold on me so as not to offend me further. “Just…wait a minute. It’s not what you think.”

“I don’t think anything,” I snapped.

Jared sighed. “Yes, you do. If you would just give me a moment to explain….”