The Paid Bridesmaid(35)

It kind of felt like I’d ruined everything.

“So . . . ,” he said, “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow at that party Dan and Sadie are throwing.”

“I can’t believe they won’t tell us what it is,” I grumbled, pulling the covers up to my ears. I didn’t care for surprises. “They owe us.”

“Definitely. I mean, you just threw up half a cake in an attempt to make them happy.”

I smiled slightly underneath my covers. “I guess it wasn’t all bad. Frosting tastes the same coming up as it does going down.”

“I did not need to know that,” he said, sounding grossed out. “I’m taking that as my cue to exit.”

“Wait.” I pulled the blanket higher so that it covered my eyes. “Would you mind staying until I fall asleep?”

I couldn’t have explained what made me ask, but I meant it. It wasn’t like I could blame the rum this time—I had definitely purged all of it, along with most of my internal organs. This was just me. I did want him to stay. I craved that feeling he gave me, the one that I was looked after and things would be fine, to stay until I was asleep.

There was a long pause and I almost risked looking at him but was too chicken.

Finally he said, “Sure.”

I let out a long breath as he turned out the lights. I heard him settle into the armchair that was situated by the foot of my bed.

“Good night, Rachel.”

“Good night, Camden.”

I closed my eyes and let out a deep breath, comforted by him being close by. Just one thing left to say before I lost my courage.

“Camden?”

“Yeah?”

“My middle name is Marie.”





CHAPTER TWELVE


I woke up the next morning with a pounding headache and a fuzzy tongue. It was like something had crawled in my mouth and died. I let out a groan before pushing the covers off my face. I turned to my side and grabbed the aspirin and water and swallowed both.

In that moment, all of last night came rushing back to me.

Camden.

I looked at the armchair, but he was gone. The only sign I had that he’d even been here was the water and medicine. It was almost like I’d imagined the entire interaction. There was a hazy filter over my memories of last night.

Until there wasn’t.

I sat up in bed and gritted my teeth at the jolt of pain that shot through my head. I thought of all the things I’d told Camden, how he’d seen me deposit daiquiris and cake into my toilet. I mentally scrolled through my memories, trying to see if I’d told him too much.

I’d for sure told him that he smelled good and was hot, and I’d attempted to kiss him. All totally humiliating, but I let out a sigh of relief when I realized that I hadn’t told him the truth about my relationship with Sadie. So I’d shamed myself in such a way that I never wanted to see him again, but at least I hadn’t broken the NDA.

It was like I’d become this totally different version of myself. A flirtier, freer, ready-to-spill-her-guts (both metaphorically and literally) kind of woman. I hadn’t recognized myself.

What was I going to say when I saw Camden again? Because despite me wanting to hide in this hotel room for the next three days, that wouldn’t be possible.

My phone rang and I had to get up, letting out another moan. My skull felt like it was trying to push my brain out the top of my head. I had dropped my purse on my way to the bathroom and I found it in the small hallway. I reached inside and grabbed my phone.

A New York number I didn’t recognize was calling me.

My heart started thudding in time to my headache. It had to be Camden. Because outside of my parents, my employees, and my clients, nobody else had this number. I had created a contact for every number that had ever called me.

I didn’t answer. I brought my phone back to bed and plugged it into the charger since it was nearly dead.

It stopped ringing and I felt oddly disappointed. I wondered if he’d call back.

Ugh. I had to get a grip on myself. This couldn’t happen. I wouldn’t let it. There was too much at stake here. I had people to protect. I did not need to dial the number to see if it was actually him.

When I looked at my missed calls, I saw that the same number had called two other times this morning and I’d managed to sleep through both of them.

Which wasn’t surprising. I could sleep through just about anything. When everyone else complained about not being able to sleep with all the noise in New York, I honestly had no idea what they were talking about. Which also had its disadvantages. There could be a four-alarm fire in my apartment building and I wouldn’t know.

Just like how I had no idea what time Camden had left. What had possessed me to ask him to stay? How had I let everything get so upside down?

I glanced at the time on my phone and realized it was almost noon. I had slept for so long. It was unlike me. I wondered what else I had missed.

As I scrolled through my notifications I saw that one of the missed calls was from Desiree, my employee working for the New Jersey bridezilla. I called her back and quickly determined that things were spiraling out of control there and she wanted to know if I could come to the wedding. They weren’t sure they could manage.

The only way I could swing that would be to get on a red-eye directly after Sadie and Dan’s wedding reception. Once the newlyweds had left for the evening, I’d ask Mandy to help Brandy get back to her room and my responsibilities would be over.