My mouth dropped open as I stared at her. I shook my head to clear my thoughts. “Are you sure he has a video?”
She nodded her head. “I’ve seen it. He had his brother record us. He set me up.”
“Wait—I don’t understand. Grace, there has to be another reason he wants to keep dating you, not just to keep his parents off his back. And what do your grandparents, Sue and Mark, have to do with anything?”
She looked down and slowly nodded her head. “My grandfather works for the biggest law firm in Austin, Alex. He sits on some board at UT, and he is pretty powerful. He’s already talked to Mike about interning at his law firm. Mike’s parents were beyond happy, and so was Mike. He’s just using me, Alex. If I break up with him, he doesn’t get to intern at Grandpa’s law firm.”
She stood up and started pacing. “It’s all so messed up. I have to stay with him because the bastard recorded us fucking. I hate him so much, Alex. I can’t even stand to be around him, and I’m not sure I can keep pretending like this. It’s slowly killing me.”
“I thought you were going to UT just because he was going. You always talked about going to A&M, Grace, but then everything changed.”
She turned and looked at me with tears rolling down her face. “I never want my father to see that video, Alex. It would kill him. I can’t do that to my parents.”
“So, you’ll give up what you want to help this bastard?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “I have no other options.”
An idea popped into my head. A few weeks ago, I’d seen Mike flirting with Maegan when she was a bit tipsy.
“The hell we don’t.” I pulled out my phone and hit a number. “Maegan? I need you to dress slutty tonight. Yep. Show the girls like you’ve never shown them before. Make sure your phone battery is fully charged, too. I’ll explain when you get to Libby and Will’s.”
I hit End and looked at Grace. She looked confused.
“Tonight, you get your damn life back. Nobody messes with my best friend.”
I sat on the back of my tailgate, watching the girls all dance.
Colt walked over, jumped up, and sat down next to me. “Um…why is Maegan sluttin’ it up tonight?”