The Paid Bridesmaid(42)

He made a face, but she either didn’t see it or didn’t care. “He was pretty normal. He read comic books and played video games. He was also terrible with girls.”

“Really?” I asked, delighted.

“Untrue,” he retorted, and his denial made me giggle.

Irene smiled, as amused as I felt. “What was the name of that girl that you had the huge crush on? Lara Croft?”

“Lara Croft?” I repeated. “The video game character with the really big . . .” My eyes drifted to Irene and I shifted to, “. . . desire to raid tombs?”

“You know that game?” he asked.

“You weren’t the only kid with a PlayStation.”

Shaking his head at me, he turned back to Irene. “The girl you’re thinking of was Laura Hoff. And she didn’t give me the time of day.”

“It sounds like she was exceptionally stupid.” The words were out of my mouth before I could even consider whether it was wise to speak.

“Why would you say that?” he asked.

Um, because she wasn’t smart enough to date you? I kept it to myself.

“I don’t like to speak badly about other women, but she was not very bright,” Irene agreed with me. At least someone else in the room got it. “He didn’t figure out he preferred smart women until he got into college. Then after he graduated he got so busy . . .” She let her voice trail off with a sigh.

Camden pointed at Irene’s lei. “She’s got a flower backward. Why aren’t you telling her she’s doing it wrong?”

“Now who’s changing the subject?” I asked him. “Irene can do whatever she wants and it is perfect.”

“Yeah, you weren’t saying that ten minutes ago,” he grumbled and I wanted to laugh again.

“Tell me more,” I invited her, and it was all I needed to get her talking. She didn’t explain their situation any further, but told me stories about Camden and Dan growing up, like how they got caught stealing gum from a store when they were twelve and how Dan’s father had marched them back to the store to apologize. He’d made them promise they’d never be dishonest again.

It made me more than a little uncomfortable.

We got around to Dan’s wedding, and how happy she was. “I’ve been trying to get them both married off. One down, one to go. I need some grandchildren.”

“You should meet my mom,” I told her.

“I’m not old enough to get married,” he said and I did not mock him, which I thought was very big of me considering that he thought it was hilarious when my mom was doing it to me.

“Twenty-seven is plenty old,” Irene disagreed with him. “I was twenty when I got married and look how happy I was.”

“Back in the olden days,” was his reply.

Not able to resist piling on him, just a little, I said, “Were those the days you got your phone from?”

Irene’s whole face lit up in agreement. “Isn’t that little flip phone just awful? He never sends me pictures like Dan does. And he doesn’t have the Tweeter or Instagram.”

“You should definitely get an account on Tweeter,” I told him with a wink of my own.

He chuckled and said, “You first.”

The rest of the afternoon passed that way—the three of us laughing and talking. I didn’t get any more details about Camden’s life growing up, but I noticed that as the hours flew by, that fear I’d felt earlier had totally passed. I was feeling peaceful. Happy.

I finished up my last lei, and was grateful for the help. I never would have gotten them all done on time without them.

A knock on the door prevented me from saying as much. Camden answered it, and it was Dan.

“My mom said she was here?” he said, sounding confused. He walked into the room, spotted me, then simmered with obvious annoyance.

Was he mad that we’d put his mom to work? I wouldn’t have blamed him if that was the case.

“What’s going on?” he asked. Definitely irritated.

Camden crossed his arms. “Nothing that’s any of your business.”

Dan frowned at him and reached for his mom. “Come on. We need to do some photos with just the mothers.”

I stood up. “Do you need my help?” Would Brandy need to be wrangled?

“Considering you’re not my or Sadie’s mom, no.” Dan’s reaction surprised me. He’d been nothing but nice to me so far.

I wondered if Sadie had told him the truth about our arrangement and it had made him mad. If he was angry that we were lying to everyone he loved.

Dan helped Irene up, putting her hand on the crook of his arm. I thanked her for her help and she waved to me over her shoulder.

“Any time, dear.”

They left and I was alone with Camden.

“What was that about? With Dan?” I asked—and whether I was trying to distract Camden or myself, I wasn’t sure.

“Dan told us last night he doesn’t want any of his groomsmen trying to hook up with the bridesmaids.”

Since that was my plan as well, I silently agreed with him. “Why did he decide that?” And what was Dan going to do about Mary-Ellen, who seemed totally dedicated to finding someone to have a fling with?

“I think he’s trying to limit the drama.”