He comes over to me right away. “Have you seen Sarah?”
I consider telling him what a C U Next Tuesday his fiancée is but decide against it. “I think she went to freshen up in the restroom as soon as we arrived. I’m sure she’ll join you soon.”
“You’re looking good, Cami.”
I don’t miss the way his gaze tracks down my body, nor the fact that he used my nickname. A few months ago, both of those things would’ve probably made me swoon, but not anymore. Now I just want him to know how over him I am.
“Where’s Lucas?” I ask so he’ll know where my head’s at.
He shrugs. “Dunno. So what’s the real deal with you two?”
I freeze, my entire body going tense. “What do you mean?” Oh my god, is Elijah on to me?
“He just doesn’t seem like your type, that’s all.”
I cross my arms. “And what exactly is my type? Cheating bastards?”
He runs his hand up and down my upper arm. “Come on. You’re not going to hold that against me forever, are you?”
Before I can say anything, I feel a hand run along my lower back. I smell him before I see him. Lucas.
Elijah’s hand drops from my arm.
“Everything okay here?” Lucas says over the music.
I look up at him. His gaze searches mine, then it flicks to Elijah and turns to irritation.
“Fine now that you’re here.” I wrap my arms around Lucas’s neck and pull him down for a kiss that I deepen with tongue. Not generally appropriate for an audience, but I’m laying it on thick for Elijah’s benefit.
Lucas ends up gently pushing me away, much to my disappointment.
When I turn to give Elijah a smug look, I notice Sarah has joined him and has her tongue down her fiancée’s throat. I frown, disappointed that Elijah might not have witnessed how much I’ve moved on.
When I glance at Lucas, he’s looking at me with a crease between his eyebrows. I don’t know why, since I just showed him how happy I am to see him.
Thirty-Five
Lucas
Longest fucking night of my life.
First I had to spend it sober at a bachelor party with a bunch of idiots I barely know. And then I have to watch my girlfriend frowning at her ex kissing the woman he’s going to marry.
I like to think that I have patience, but listening to Elijah try to one-up everyone’s stories for hours before we arrived at this nightclub has used it all up.
That’s why when I witness Camila’s reaction that Elijah wasn’t looking at her accosting me—something I’m sure she did for his benefit more than mine or hers—I can’t help but want to lash out. But I keep my cool by clenching my fists and inhaling deeply through my nose.
Damn, I wish I was drinking tonight.
When Sarah and Elijah pull apart, she looks at Camila slyly. Seems both women are reading from the same playbook.
“I’m heading to the bar to grab a drink,” I mutter and walk away. I don’t know if it was loud enough for any of them to hear over the pounding music or not, but I don’t wait to find out.
Instead, I head to the far end of the VIP section, where there’s a bar just for the people on this level. I don’t want to go back to the table and wait for the woman in clothes that look more like lingerie to come ask what I want.
The bartender is finishing up with someone when I approach and she looks at me with an appreciative smile, leaning in and giving me a good glimpse of her cleavage, if I wanted it. Which I don’t, so I keep my gaze eye level and ask for a beer. It’s the only thing I can have tonight if I want to be able to drive, but water or soda isn’t going to cut it.
“Why did you rush off like that?” Camila comes up beside me.
“You really don’t have any idea?” I respond without turning to look at her.
“No, did I do something wrong?” she asks.
I squeeze my eyes shut for a second. This is not how I want to spend the rest of my evening. I’m only aggravated because of earlier, and this place really isn’t my scene with the booming music and all the lights and people everywhere.
The bartender returns with my beer and slides it across the bar to me. I thank her and dig into my back pocket for my wallet, but she raises her hand.
“It’s on me.” She gives me a coy smile then travels down the bar to help another customer.
I pick up the beer and turn to face Camila, who’s giving the bartender a dirty look. Maybe I’m not the only one who’s irritated.
“So how was your evening?” I ask, trying to turn things around.
She rolls her eyes. “It was pleasant until Sarah came to talk to me.”
“She still her charming self?” I tip back my beer.
“What can I say? I seem to bring out the best in her.”
I chuckle.
“What did you guys do before you got here?” she asks.
“Mostly listened to Elijah try to one-up every story anyone told. He works pretty hard to make everyone think he’s the man, that’s for sure.”
“Are you sure he wasn’t just drunk? He tends to go on a lot when he’s drunk. I don’t think he means anything by it. Maybe it just came off like he was acting that way.”
My hand tightens around my beer bottle and I slug back some more. Listening to Camila defend her prick of an ex is too much for me. Especially when I’m only here because she’s trying to prove something. It’s only now that I’m wondering what the hell for.
“That’s probably it,” I mutter.
She doesn’t pick up on my irritation, or if she does, she ignores it.
A very drunk Amy and an almost-as-drunk Greg come up to us, and we chat with them for a bit.
I’ve long since finished my beer when Camila says, “Let’s go dance!”
She grabs my hand and drags me toward the stairs leading down to the main level. The last thing I want to do is be in the middle of a bunch of gyrating drunk people, but Amy concurs that Camila’s plan is a brilliant one, and she and Greg follow us.
Once we reach the main floor, I lead the way since I’m the tallest and have a good line of sight to carve us out a spot on the dance floor.
Not two minutes in, I’ve already had a drink spilled on my arm, someone has stepped on my toe, and some girl dancing behind us has grabbed my ass. Good times. I didn’t enjoy this shit in college, let alone as a thirtysomething.
But the silver lining is that I get to watch Camila gyrate to the music, swinging her hips seductively with her hands over her head. Maybe this night is turning around.
She’s lost in the music for a few minutes while we dance. She could be by herself and I don’t think it would make any difference to her. It’s just her and the music. Then she opens her eyes and smiles when she sees me. Her gaze flickers over my shoulder for a second. I wonder if the woman who grabbed my ass earlier is about to do the same, but that thought is forgotten when Camila backs up into me and dances with me.
With the height of her heels, her ass is right where I want it most. She grinds against me while she dances, bringing her arms up over her head and around my neck. God, she feels so good. I have to make a concentrated effort not to get too hard, lest I have to walk off this dance floor with a tent at the front of my pants.
We get jostled by someone moving through the crowd and joining the group behind us, so I turn us to face the other direction in the hopes that we won’t get pushed around so much. As soon as I do, I spot Elijah and Sarah on the dance floor a couple groups away from us.
Is that what Camila was looking at over my shoulder? Is that why she’s dancing with me now when she was content to dance on her own at first?
It’s the last straw for me. I stop dancing and gently push Camila forward so that she’s no longer pressed against my body. She turns around with a confused look on her face.
“I’m ready to go. How about you?”
“What?” She leans in, clearly not hearing me over the music and commotion on the dance floor.
; I lean in and say directly into her ear, “Are you ready to leave?”
She frowns when she pulls back. “What’s wrong?”
Amy and Greg are still dancing, unaware of the storm brewing between Camila and me.
“Nothing. Let’s just get out of here.” I cross my arms and plant my feet apart so I don’t go flying as the people dancing around me jostle me.
She leans in and cups her hand at my ear so that I’m the only one who will hear her. “Is it because I haven’t paid you for tonight? I can write you a check when we get back to my place.”
Rage races through my veins. I feel my heartbeat in my skull, I’m so worked up. She actually thinks I’m gonna take her money for tonight now that we’re a real couple? Is she fucking kidding me?
“I don’t want your money,” I sneer into her ear.
“Then what’s wrong?” Her forehead wrinkles.
“Maybe I’m just sick of playing the part of the guy you’re suddenly enamored with every time your ex pops up.”
She pulls back and gives me a look I interpret as, “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Tell me, Camila, do you ever get tired of trying so hard to prove something to a guy who treated you like shit?”
“Why are you acting like the only time I’m happy to see you or want you is when Elijah is around?” This time she doesn’t bother to speak right into my ear.
Amy or Greg must sense something is amiss because they stop dancing and turn toward us.
“That’s not true at all,” Camila yells.
“Tell me something, if he wasn’t over there watching, would you have danced with me like that? Would you have kissed me like that when you saw me tonight?”
Tears spring to her eyes. Amy comes up to Camila’s side and puts her arm around her shoulders, asking if she’s all right.
“I’m fine,” Camila says and brushes off her arm. “We’re going to go though. Thanks for a great night.” She gives Amy a quick hug, gives Greg a small wave, then Camila stomps off through the crowd.
I barely have time to say a proper goodbye before I weave through the dance floor and finally catch up to her near the exit.
“Would you hold on a second?” I grip her arm before she goes outside.
Camila whips around with tears in her eyes. “Let’s just go!”
My stomach squeezes painfully. The last thing I wanted to do was make her upset. I just wanted her to know that I don’t enjoy being treated like an object to be paid extra attention to whenever her ex is around.
“C’mere.” I pull her into a hug, which she accepts and presses her cheek to my chest. “I don’t want to fight with you.”
She pulls away and wipes at a tear under her eye. “Me either. I’m drunk. This whole night is a mess. Can we just forget this ever happened?”
She looks at me with a wane yet hopeful smile, and I find myself unable to tell her no. Even though this is something we need to discuss. Sweeping it under the rug only ensures that it’ll build up and we’ll trip over it again. No doubt sooner than we think.
Thirty-Six
Lucas
Ever since the bachelor party, things have felt strained between Camila and me. It’s not that we’re not getting along, but the easy way we used to exist in each other’s company is gone. It’s been replaced by this feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop.
We both said some things we wish we could take back, and every time I bring it up, it’s clear she wants to act as though the party never happened. But I can’t help but feel like the longer we keep things unsaid between us, the bigger and deeper of a trench those words will stay.
“What’s wrong, bro, trouble in paradise?” Josh clenches my shoulder.
I didn’t even hear him come into my office. I need to get my head in the game. “Everything’s fine. Listen, I’ve decided on the right person for the job. Are you sure you don’t want to interview her before I make the offer? She’ll be working for all of us.”
Josh’s forehead furrows. “Nah, man. I trust your judgment better than my own.”
“All right.” I push a hand through my hair.
I need to figure this shit out with Camila. It’s a total mind fuck for me and echoes the reason I didn’t want to get involved with someone in the first place—it’s a distraction. But I am involved now, and I’ve already fallen for her, so I need to fix it.
“You sure everything is okay?” Josh asks.
Before I get a chance to answer, Travis walks in the room. “Everything is not okay.” We both turn our attention to him as he says, “We have a major problem.”
“What is it?” I ask in a monotone voice. Part of me doesn’t even want to know what it is. I presently have enough problems to deal with.
“The hall for the anniversary party just called to let me know that they double-booked us. They thought we’d requested the party for this weekend, so when the cake company called to make arrangements to deliver the cake there next weekend, someone realized their error.”
“Are you fucking serious?” Josh says, hands clenched at his sides.
“You’ve gotta be shittin’ me.” I stand from my desk chair.
Travis shakes his head. “’Fraid not. It’s this Saturday or we don’t have a place to have the party.” He scowls.
“Unbelievable.” Josh throws his hands up.
“What are we gonna do?” Travis asks.
“I guess we’re gonna have a party this weekend.” I let my hands rest on my hips. “We’ll have to call everyone we’ve invited and let them know, let the caterers know, and figure out how we’re going to get Grams and Gramps there now that the story of us taking them for dinner next Saturday on their actual anniversary won’t fly.”
“Maybe we can tell them we have to reschedule for some reason. Say Travis is going out of town,” Josh says.
“Yeah, that might work. You mentioned that you might take some vacation time to go fishing in Wyoming. We can say you’re doing that,” I agree.
“I am gonna be doing that, by the way. I’m leaving after the bachelor auction.”
If we didn’t have a shit ton of stuff to do right now to make sure this party still happens, I’d make a crack at his expense, but I let it ride. “Yeah, okay. Let’s split up the invite list and make sure we get a hold of everyone. Travis, you call the bakery to see if they can make the cake happen this weekend, and I’ll talk to the caterers.”
“Didn’t you have that wedding to go to with Camila this weekend?” Travis asks.
My stomach sinks. Damn it. How the hell did I forget?
“Shit, yeah.” I push my hand through my hair and sigh. “I’ll worry about that later. For now, let’s make some calls before we head out.”
My brothers both give me wary looks.
“I said I’d handle it with Camila. Stop looking at me like that.”
“Just don’t fuck it up. We like her,” Josh says before he leaves.
Travis levels me with a stare and turns to go as well.
Once I’m alone, I push the heels of my hands into my eyes. This is gonna be a major problem for Camila and me, I already know it. But there’s nothing I can do about that right now. I need to concentrate on revamping all the plans for my grandparents’ party and deal with Camila later.
I’ll admit—I’m avoiding the inevitable here.
Thirty-Seven
Camila
Lucas invited me over to his place for dinner tonight. I was surprised to see the text message on my phone this afternoon. Since the bachelor party, things have felt different between us. Not strained exactly… but different. I wish I hadn’t drunk so much that night. If I’d been sober and hadn’t let Sarah get under my skin, Lucas and I wouldn’t have fought because I wouldn’t have been trying so hard to prove how happy I am. The irony is that I was truly as happy as I was pretending to be.
But I’m going to take the fact that he wants to make me a nice dinner as an olive branch and a chance to put the whole mess behind us.
“How was your day?” I ask, sitting at his kitchen island opposite him while he cuts up some veggies.
He cringes.
“That bad?” I take a small sip of the wine he poured me—my favorite.
“I was gonna save this until later, but it’s eating me up inside, so I’ll just get it out of the way.”
My wine glass stops halfway from my mouth and hovers over the counter. Lucas’s words make me tense. I swallow hard and set the glass on the quartz counter. “What is it?”
I feel sick to my stomach already and bile rises up my throat. I know in my heart this isn’t going to be the same as when Elijah had something to tell me or when my mom told me that my dad was probably never coming back, but my body doesn’t get the memo.
“Well… I’ve got good news and bad news. Which do you want first?” He pauses chopping the carrot, setting down the knife and meeting my eyes.
“Good news,” I practically whisper. I’d rather hear the good thing first, then maybe I can keep it in mind when he tells me the bad news.
“All right. The good news is that I offered Isla MacKinnon the job and she agreed to take it. She wants to give her current job four weeks’ notice, which is longer than I’d like, but I think she’s worth waiting for.”
I relax a little and lean back into the seat. “Oh, that’s great.”
He smiles at me, but there’s a note of sadness in it. Like he knows what’s to come will ruin his good news. “Thanks again for helping me with the hiring process. Couldn’t have done it without you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“Now for the bad news…” His gaze says he’s sorry before the words even tumble out of his mouth. “Travis got a call today, and the hall we’re having my grandparents’ anniversary party at somehow double-booked the place, so we had to change the date.”
My forehead wrinkles. “Oh, well, yeah, that is bad news. But I can help you with whatever you need to move things around. When’s the new date?”
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