Sleeping with the Enemy (An Enemies to Lovers Collection)

“I’ll phone around,” the shop assistant picked up the phone.

“Carla, I appreciate it,” Hayley looked so sad, “but I think we should just call it all off.”

“Hayley, honey,” Drew was about to say something when Damon started coughing and spluttering.

We all turned and stared at him.

“What the…” Damon choked, “is this fire coffee?” He turned the cup to see that the logo was from Todd’s restaurant.

“Yes,” Hayley glared at Damon, “I ordered it extra spicy because I thought you’d sabotaged Carla’s dress.”

“I…” Damon coughed, “didn’t.”

“But you were indirectly responsible,” Hayley’s voice started to rise and the anger once again flashed in her eyes. “Thanks to you and your psycho ex-girlfriend, my wedding’s ruined.”

“Hayley honey, you’re not thinking rationally,” Drew tried to calm Hayley down.

“Carla was right,” Hayley said to Drew, “having Damon here was going to cause nothing but trouble.”

Damon’s eyes immediately turned to me. He looked like I’d just slapped him in the face.

“Come on, he’s my best friend,” Drew soothed Hayley. “Let’s find you some more flowers and then why don’t we cancel the evening’s events so you and I can have some alone time.”

“That sounds like a wonderful idea,” Hayley gave Drew a teary smile.

“Why don’t you two go back to the hotel?” I gave them both an encouraging smile. “I’ll cancel the evening events and track down some flowers for you.”

“Do you mind?” Hayley looked at me

“You know I don’t.” I gave her a hug.

“Thank you,” Hayley gave my hand a squeeze and Drew gave me a hug.

“I’ll help Carla,” Damon said with his phone plastered to his ear.

“I’m sorry about all the upset,” Hayley apologized to the florist.

“I understand, my dear,” the florist smiled at Hayley. “I apologize for what my assistant did. Needless to say, she’s fired.”

Hayley and Drew left, leaving me standing there wondering where the hell I was going to find the flowers Hayley wanted at such short notice.

“I found a flower farm,” Damon hung up his phone and turned to the shop assistant. “Are you still able to do the floral arrangements? I can probably find someone from the hotel to help you as a replacement for your assistant.”

“Of course,” the florist nodded. “When can you get the flowers to me?”

“Later today if I can,” Damon arranged with her. “How’d you feel about a short road trip to a friend of mine’s flower farm?” he asked me.

“As it’s for Hayley and I need to make sure you get her the correct flowers and colors,” I said, “yes, I’ll go with you.”

“Well, let’s go,” Damon ushered me out of the flower shop.

***

“Hayley had quite the meltdown,” Damon tried to make conversation as we’d been driving in silence for about fifteen minutes.

We were in the flower shop’s van because we would not be able to put all the flowers we needed in Damon’s Ferrari.

“I don’t expect you to understand how stressful organizing a wedding is for the bride,” I gave Damon a sideways glance. “These flowers are what knits everything together.”

“Okay,” Damon glanced over at me, “but they’re just flowers. Hayley was ready to call the entire wedding off.”

“Because your psycho ex-girlfriend has been trying to sabotage Hayley’s wedding!” I knew I should not have gotten so heated. “She’d also just seen her maid of honor in a huge orange dress that looked like something that should be covering a toilet roll.”

“My gran had a few of those toilet roll doily things,” Damon grinned and shuddered. “Who wants to go sit on a toilet with a barbie doll glaring daggers at you?”

“I can’t believe you,” I said as now I was a little riled up. “You think everything is just one big joke or competition.” Okay, so maybe I was more than a little riled up. “Don’t you even feel a little bit responsible for what’s happened?”

“I may look like I’m all happy-go-lucky!” Damon skidded the van to a stop at a pullover on the side of the road and switched off the car. I was a little taken aback by his sudden change in attitude. “But that’s how I cope with stress and trouble.” His eyes darkened as he turned and glared at me.

“Maybe you should find a different way of coping with it,” I said back to him, “because from this side, you seem not to take or even try to take some responsibility for your actions.”

“You know you’re also partly responsible for this,” Damon accused me.

I went quiet as the anger started to boil in my stomach.

“How am I responsible for your scorned lover?” I actually could not believe he’d just said this to me.

“In all fairness, it was you and Hayley that suggested Todd just walk away from Celeste,” Damon raised his eyebrows at me. “She blames the both of you for ruining her life with Todd.”

“Excuse me?” Now I knew I must be dreaming because this was just the most ridiculous thing I’d ever heard. “Todd had just walked in on the two of you together in Todd’s bed.” I raised my voice. I knew I shouldn’t but Damon was infuriating. How dare he try and put any of the blame for Celeste on myself or Hayley. “Once again, Drew has to go and clean up another one of your messes.”