Wright that Got Away (Wright)

I laughed, silenced my phone, and pulled away to live in the moment. “Wow, Campbell.”

“Yeah. I might have had some help. I wanted it to feel like me, but I had no idea where to start. English recommended the designer. She normally works in New York but came out for my house.”

“It’s incredible.”

“Thanks. I’m pleased. English is coming in tomorrow. Have you decided what you want to do?”

I had been thinking a lot about what I wanted. We could continue to keep our relationship a secret. But I was done with that. I was tired of living in the shadows. I didn’t want anyone to think that Campbell was on the market still. He was mine. And I knew that it would come with consequences for the world to know that, but I was ready.

I glanced over at him with a coy smile. “I have.”

“And?” He arched an eyebrow.

“I’m tired of hiding. We lived our entire last relationship without anyone knowing. I don’t want that a second time.”

“You know it will be…complicated?”

I nodded. “Yes. Complicated with you is better than simple or easy with anyone else.”

He smiled then. A real, uninhibited smile that said I had said exactly the right thing. “Good. I hoped you’d say that.”

I stepped up to the full set of glass windows along the back wall and admired the rectangular pool set into the hill just below eye level. But the real beauty was the endless Hollywood Hills on display. It was a treasure.

Campbell wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me in close. “I dreamed about you being here.”

I turned in his embrace and laughed. “No you didn’t. You never thought we’d ever talk again.”

“That’s why it was a dream,” he said, bumping his nose gently against mine. “I never thought it would be a reality.”

“And now that it is?”

“I don’t ever want to wake up.”

Then he kissed me, and we both forgot the entire world existed.

30

Blaire

English showed up at Campbell’s house the next morning. She was relatively tall with stick-straight blonde hair and wore a white suit that screamed powerful woman.

“You must be Blaire!”

“That’s me.”

“I’m so happy to finally meet you. I hope you and Campbell don’t mind that I brought my fiancé with me. He wanted to see the famed Hills.” She whispered behind her hand, “He’s so New York.”

I laughed. I had also never seen the Hollywood Hills. So, I understood what her fiancé must be feeling. Though I was clearly a Texas girl through and through. “I don’t mind. I’m sure Campbell won’t either.”

“All right.” She turned around and yelled, “Court Kensington, get your ass over here.”

The passenger door popped open, and one of the hottest guys I had ever seen in my entire life stepped out of the car. My eyes rounded, and I had to keep my jaw from dropping. He was nearly six and a half feet tall with striking good looks, piercing blue eyes, and a suit that molded to his body. His stride looked more like a predator come to feast on his prey. And like you would be happy to let him do so. I had friends with money. I was dating a bona fide rockstar. But I’d never seen anything like Court Kensington.

English laughed when she saw my expression. “Oh yeah, he kind of has that effect on people. It’s the old, old money, I think. They drink the Kool-Aid.”

Court straightened his suit and then held his hand out. “Hello, I’m Court. Thank you for allowing me to interrupt your meeting.”

I shook his hand and stared practically straight up. He was over a foot taller than me and gorgeous. Like, good for English! “No problem. Come on in.”

Campbell appeared then in a pair of jeans and an old band shirt. “English! Hey, you made it!” They hugged like old friends, and then Campbell shook Court’s hand. “Heard so much about you. Excited for you’re finally tying the knot.”

Court smiled, and I saw the depths of his affection for English in that one look. “We’re looking forward to it. Aren’t we, honey?”

English shot him a look. “It’s not fair that your brother eloped, and so now, I have to do the giant New York wedding thing. I already had the giant LA wedding. This one should be small. Can’t we be like Penn and Natalie?”

“Please don’t ever say that again.”

English snickered and winked at me.

“Plus, my mother would kill me,” he explained to the two of us.

“She’s the mayor of New York City,” English filled in.

I gaped. “Oh, that Kensington.”

He grimaced. “Yes, that Kensington.”

“Well, I’m sure it’s going to be beautiful.”

English smiled, and the fight left her. “It really is. Y’all should come!”

Court rolled his eyes. “Don’t overwhelm her. She met you one minute ago.”

“But seriously, there’s going to be, like, hundreds of people. You could definitely come.” Campbell and I glanced at each other, and then English laughed. “You know, once we get all of this worked out.” She gestured between us. “Speaking of, where should we sit? I am ready with a plan. If I can clean up Court Kensington’s mess of a reputation, I can do anything.”