Lost in Paradise (Paradise Club #2)(72)

“It’s done, Cam. Tomorrow, please … can you just be there for me? Don’t wish me well or wish me harm … just turn up,” Liv asks Camryn.

My sister gets up and rushes over to where Liv is standing and pulls her into a tight hug. “I’ll be there for you. I promise,” Camryn says as Olivia breaks down.





“You okay? You’re looking pale,” I ask Olivia as we finalize getting ready for her big day. She rushes to the bathroom and proceeds to throw up her breakfast into the toilet bowl. What in the hell? “Did you eat something last night that’s upset your stomach?” I ask, but Liv doesn’t answer as she continues to throw up quite violently. Eventually, she calms and slumps against the floor knocking over the wastebasket.

What in the actual fuck!

No.

There’s no way … is there?

“Um … Liv. Do you have something to tell me?” I point to the pregnancy test on the floor. “Shit! Is the baby Axel’s?”

How far along is she?

Why did she not tell me?

Is this morning sickness.

“That’s not mine.” Olivia looks up at me horrified.

“But you just threw up.”

“Yeah, because I’m about to make the biggest mistake of my life, that’s why I’m throwing up. Not because I’m pregnant,” Liv replies sharply.

Oh. Well, damn! I probably should have thought that question out a little more before I asked it. There’s a lot to unpack this morning, and all that champagne last night is making my mind fuzzy.

“Then how the hell did that test get into your trash basket?”

Liv stills, blinks, and I can see her trying to work out who the hell left a pregnancy test in her trash bin. Then she jumps up and throws water on her face. Liv turns around and pats her face dry on the white towel, but thankfully, her mascara is waterproof and most of her makeup is still okay.

“Someone needs to answer some questions, and I’m going to find out exactly what’s going on,” Liv states angrily as she runs out the door dressed in her bathrobe and in bare feet.

Shit.

“Liv, wait … wait for me,” I call out after her.





“Holy shit! I can’t believe that went down,” Alex says as I catch up with him outside the church and explain to him why Olivia isn’t getting married today.

“I’m not staying around to watch this wedding. Good luck to those two assholes, I wish Penny and Eddie all the best. But this is all a little too fucked-up even for me. I’m off to the pub,” Camryn states as she walks away from the chapel.

Alex and I look between each other and join her—there’s no way we are staying for the ceremony either.

We find a pub across the road and take a seat at a booth with a window that overlooks the chapel. We can see people running around getting ready for the new wedding. We order food, drink, and relax.

“Right, so what’s the deal between the two of you?” my sister asks, putting Alex on the spot.

“Cam,” I assert, cursing her under my breath.

“The deal is … I’m dating Ivy. I’m developing feelings for her, and I’m happy where we are with our relationship,” Alex explains quite calmly.

“Why are the two of you not official?” Camryn turns and asks me.

“Next week is the award show. I didn’t want anything to take away from that. You know the gossip sites will have a field day when they find out I’m dating Alex. And you also know what happened last time?”

“What happened?” Alex asks cautiously.

I let out a heavy sigh. “You already know I dated Steve Holdsworth. Well, last time I was nominated for this award I won, but you won’t find that anywhere in the newspapers because that’s the day Steve joked that we were engaged, and the press went wild.” Alex’s face turns dark.

“He staged photos of himself going into a jeweler and pretended to look for engagement rings. When the paparazzi questioned him, he stated that he’d found the one. This was after he’d won that reality show ‘CEO.’ He was attempting to drum up more media attention. He was drumming up his fifteen minutes of fame.”

“Still think he rigged that show. That man is not smart enough to have won,” Camryn grumbles beside me.

“I forgot he was on that show,” Alex says while shaking his head.

“Fame went to his head. Didn’t think his ego could get any bigger, but I was wrong. So, so wrong. After that, anything to do with my business they used the words Steve Holdsworth’s fiancée or girlfriend or whatever the hell they wanted. They made it seem like I had gotten where I was because of him.”

“We all damn well know being with him made your life worse,” Camryn mumbles.

Alex reaches out and links his hand with mine, giving me support.

“Ew, you guys make me sick.” Camryn chuckles, giving us both a wide smile, meaning she loves every minute of it. “Don’t worry, Alex, I know you’re not like that moron.” Camryn grins, taking a sip of her drink.

“Unfortunately, I know the Holdsworth family all too well,” Alex adds, then he proceeds to tell Camryn all about Kevin and Claire.

“Well, damn, that’s savage.” Camryn throws back her champagne. “What I wouldn’t give to take them down a peg or two,” she adds. “Oh look, they’re married,” Camryn declares with a sneer as she points to Eddie and his new bride walking out of the chapel, and everyone excitedly throws rose petals at them as they leave. I know I’d love to be pelting them with something other than rose petals right now.