Catastrophe Queen

“Like mine?” He laughed, nodding toward where his dad was standing to the side of his mom, nursing a whiskey, watching the world go by.

I giggled behind my hand. His dad was everything his mom wasn’t—quiet, sweet, and wrapped me in a big bear hug the second he’d laid eyes on me. But I sensed he had a tough interior that meant he would slaughter anyone who dared cross him or his family.

In a weird way, they were like yin and yang, fitting perfectly together.

It was apparent now as we watched them. She held everyone’s attention, telling an exciting story that included hand movements and raucous laughter from her group. He stood beside her, smiling and watching her with what could only be described as pure love.

It reminded me a lot of my parents.

A shiver ran down my spine, and I looked toward Cameron. He’d been watching me watch them, and I cocked my head as if to ask what he was looking at, but all he did was smile, shrug, and turn toward the young woman walking toward us.

She was beelining for him.

“Oh no,” he muttered.

“What?”

I swear, his hand crept an inch closer to my hip, almost as if he was gripping tighter to me.

“Cameron!” She stepped up and air-kissed him, despite his reluctance to return the gesture.

I wasn’t shocked that she was tall and blonde and incredibly pretty.

Weren’t all the thorns in your side tall, blonde, and beautiful?

She touched a hand to his arm, leaning in flirtatiously. “How are you?”

“I’m well, thank you, Rachel. Have you met my new assistant, Mallory?”

She flicked a baby-blue gaze my way. “No.”

Charming.

“I’ve been trying to call you,” she said, stepping a little closer.

Cameron responded by taking a step back. I wanted to tell him that wasn’t a good idea because we were in a corner, and there was a big-ass wall behind us that would stop his escape.

“I couldn’t get through,” Rachel continued, flicking her hair. “Did you get a new number?”

I glanced up at Cameron. He looked like he wanted to be anywhere but in that corner with her, and an idea flashed through my mind.

I held my small clutch against my body. “Excuse me, my phone is ringing. Cameron, could you hold this while I take this call?” I shoved my wine glass at him, barely giving him time to answer.

I walked away, making a big show of diving into my purse for my phone. It caught the attention of Cordelia who looked at Cameron and Rachel and then me, frowning. I waved my phone at her, making sure to show her the back, and smiled.

As soon as she turned her attention back to them, I slipped into the spacious back yard and away from a large group of expensively-dressed people to fake my call.

Plastering concern on my face, I nodded, making several ‘mm-ing’ noises and acting as though there was an emergency on the end of the line.

I could feel eyes on me from inside, so I held the phone to my collarbone as if I were protecting the call and slipped back inside. Cordelia’s eyes followed me the entire way as I sidled up to Cameron.

Rachel was even closer to him than she had been when I’d left, and I had to stifle a smile as I touched his arm.

“Excuse me for interrupting,” I said, looking between them both, absolutely not sorry at all. “Cameron, Amanda just called about a problem with a listing she needs to put up on Monday. Do you have a minute to speak to her?”

“Now?” He checked his watch. “Isn’t it a little late?”

“She said earlier she was taking some work home to get ahead. She’s on the line.” I pointed at my phone and grimaced.

He stared at me for a second. “Sure. Rachel—sorry. Have to handle this.”

He touched my upper back and guided me out into the hallway, then into another room and shut the door. Bookcases lined the wall to my left, and a desk with an expensive-looking computer was at the far end, framed by windows that looked out onto beautifully manicured gardens.

“Mom’s study,” he said, obviously seeing my confusion. “Pass the phone.”

I was still holding it to my collarbone. “Oh.” I pulled it away and looked at it before showing him the screen. “No, it’s fine. She didn’t call.” I shrugged.

“What?” He froze, staring at me, a frown creasing his brow. “What do you mean, she didn’t call?”

I shrugged again. “You looked like you wanted to be anywhere but with Rachel, so I faked the call to get you away.”

Cameron stared at me for a long moment. “You’re a genius.”

“Please, I’m a woman. Do you know how many phone calls I’ve faked to get Jade away from a guy who was hitting on her?” I rolled my eyes. “It’s literally part of the playbook. Also, you’re welcome.”