by Low, JA
After being shown into the library, only a few moments later, our mystery clients arrive. Two sets of older couples enter the room, dressed in tuxedos and ball gowns, dripping in diamonds and furs, looking utterly fabulous and keeping in theme with the grandeur of the home. Behind them is a woman, maybe in her mid-twenties, dressed in a deep red evening gown, her dark hair pulled up into a perfect French twist. She too is dripping in diamonds. With a white fur stole wrapped around her ivory shoulders, she looks like a beautiful porcelain doll.
“Miss Starr, Miss Skye,” Carlton introduces us. “This is Harvey Van Kamp and his wife, Linda, and their daughter, Isabelle, whose engagement party you have organized.”
Kimberly and I quickly look at each other, mentally checking over the party we’ve just planned. Dammit! Nowhere in the paperwork did they mention an engagement party. Fuck!
Isabelle flashes her huge diamond ring as we shake her hand. It’s utterly mesmerizing.
How the hell is she going to wear that all day? Isabelle doesn’t look like she has the strength to hold herself up, let alone a boulder on her hand.
Carlton pulls me from my thoughts again with his monotone voice. “And this is Byron, his wife, Patricia, the parents of the groom-to-be.”
We shake their hands also.
“Thank you so much for organizing everything tonight,” Mr. Van Kamp addresses us. “Sorry, we had to keep the engagement portion of tonight’s festivities a secret. We couldn’t chance the media finding out about it.”
Understandably, as we both nod our heads in agreement. Putting on our most professional smiles, while quickly calculating everything that’s been organized downstairs and how we can make it more engagement-looking, I state, “It is our pleasure.” Thanking them and giving them all a smile, I continue, “It looks like a fairy tale downstairs. We hope you’re happy with it?” Fingers crossed because I know what these East Coast princesses are like—we can’t afford to have some spoiled brat tarnishing our reputation.
Turning toward Isabelle. “And Miss Van Kamp, congratulations on your engagement. We hope we will make this a night for you and your future husband to remember.”
She nods, giving us a perfect smile. “Oh, I’ve already had a peek outside.” Oh God, I hold my breath waiting for her verdict. “It looks magical, thank you.” Phew. “My fiancé is just finishing up a business call and should be here at any moment.”
That’s when I hear his voice, strolling through the wooden doors dressed in a tuxedo, which clings to his hard body. The material is cut to perfection on him. His blond hair is slicked back, and there’s no hint of a five o’clock shadow that he was supporting earlier. His sea-green eyes twinkling as he looks at the lady in red, his fiancée.
I have to be dreaming because this can’t possibly be happening.
“Sweetheart, sorry I took so long, just finishing off some business. I promise I’m all yours tonight.” He nuzzles into her neck, affectionately.
“Darling, this is Camryn and Kimberly. They have organized our engagement party.”
The groom-to-be turns to us. His green eyes register who is standing in front of him.
Me.
The woman he spoke to only hours earlier. The woman who he told was having a horrible time on his business trip. That he missed me. Oh, and also that he loved me.
Me.
The same woman who was screaming his name as he pounded into me on his desk the night before.
Me.
The man who I had finally handed over my heart to for the first time in years. The same man who told me he was never going to let it go. The man who promised plans for a future together.
With me.
The same man who’s now standing in front of me with his fiancée wrapped in his arms. The man whose engagement party I’ve just fucking organized. My heart stops. I’ve just organized my boyfriend’s engagement party to another woman.
Harris’ face pales, realization sinking in, that his mistress is standing in front of him with his fiancée and family around him.
I could totally make his life hell.
Fuck, that noise.
I’ve worked too damn hard to throw my business away on some cheating scumbag. No, fuck him, he will not make me crumble.
Before I know it, the words are tumbling out of my mouth, “Congratulations.” I lean forward, shaking his hand, putting on the performance of a lifetime.
“I’m sorry, could you please excuse us? We have to attend to something downstairs. We will be ready for your entrance in the next hour,” Kimberly says, handling the situation.
The group all nod their heads in agreement.
My eyes never leave Harris’ as I walk out of the room.
3
Camryn
I can’t breathe.
I can not breathe.
Rushing back to the employee parking area, I am nearly hyperventilating.
Shit.
Fuck.
How the hell does this happen?
How did I not know?
“Breathe, Cammie, breathe,” Kimberly tells me, sitting me down on a plastic chair at the entrance to the catering tent. “I need a bottle of vodka, stat,” Kimberly yells at some hapless staff member who happens to be in her sights.
How stupid am I not to know my boyfriend has another woman on the side?
Or fuck! Am I the side piece? Of course, you are, she’s the one with the fucking diamond on her finger.
Six months I have been with this man. We’ve been on holidays together. We’ve spent every waking moment together when we both are not working. I never questioned his late-night business meetings or dinners. Even his weekends away. I had blind faith in him.
Damn! How could I have been so stupid?
“Here, drink this.” Kimberly shoves the bottle of alcohol into my hand. Taking a swig from the bottle, the liquor burns my throat. The burn feels good instantly, and so I take another sip, embracing the pain. I stare out over the gorgeous party Kimberly and I have planned. It’s magnificent, like a magical fairy tale. One of our finest parties to date.
A giggle catches me off guard, and then another, and another.
“Cammie, are you having a breakdown?” Kimberly asks when worry lines set in.
“Kimmie, we just organized my boyfriend’s engagement party.” Taking another swig of the vodka, I can’t help but giggle again.
“I know, sweetie.” Pity is written right across her face.
“He’s not marrying me.” That realization hits me like a ton of bricks, turning my stomach, the effects instantaneous. “The life we planned…” looking up at Kimberly, “… he’s going to have it with her.” Pointing the bottle in the direction of the house, I continue, “How could I be so stupid… again, Kimmie?”
“Hey.” Kimberly kneels in front of me. “There’s nothing stupid about you. This is not your fault. Do you hear me?” she scolds. “He’s the cheating scumbag. He’s the one who’s been fucking around with two girls. He’s the one who’s been living a double life. I want to rip his balls off and shove them so far down his throat he chokes.” This makes me smile. I love her so much. “What do you want to do?” Kimberly asks. Tilting my head in confusion, she resumes, “We can have this party packed up in an hour.”
“Wait! What?”
“Babe, we don’t have to do this. We can just pack up and go.”
“And ruin our business?” My voice raises, “We’ve worked too fucking hard to let some cheating scumbag take that from us. No. The show goes on. Fuck him!”
“That’s my girl.” Kimberly wraps her arms around me, giving me a supportive embrace.
“This party is going to be the talk of the social pages. I want everyone to know that Starr and Skye Events put this on, and we fucking nailed it.”
“Cammie,” Harris calls from the darkness.
“You fucking asshole,” Kimberly screams at him. “I don’t care that you’re our client. You can fuck off.” Kimberly points her long-manicured finger at him.
She never liked Harris, always saying someone that perfect had to be hiding something, and she was right.
“It’s okay.” Grabbing her wrist, I stand and take a deep breath while squaring my shoulders. He doesn’t deserve to see me cry. Turning to face him, I hate that he looks so bloody perfect. The man was built for tuxedos, like James fucking Bond. The worst part is I know exactly what is under the tuxedo, the way my tongue used to love licking every dip and plain of his six-pack stomach. The way his strong hands used to thread through my hair as I worshipped him from my knees. The way I could tease him until he nearly blacked out with ecstasy.
But now? Now he looks like a stranger in the dark to me.
“Cammie, please let m-me explain,” his voice wavers.
“There is nothing to explain, Harris,” I state calmly. “You have a fiancée. Any other explanation is null and void.”
He takes a couple of steps forward toward me. “Baby, please. Let me explain. I don’t love her. I love you.”
The vodka turns rancid in my stomach.
How can he say that?
Here. Now. Rage bubbles to the surface, and there is no way I can keep it under control now. Picking up the bottle of vodka, I throw it at Harris. The glass bottle hurtles toward him while I mentally debate whether or not I actually want to cause him harm with the projectile, but it’s a little late now for second-guessing. He easily dodges the bottle moving to the side as it hits the gravel parking area with an unimpressive thud. The damn thing doesn’t even smash. Utterly unsatisfying.
“How dare you say those words to me!” Raising my voice at him, disgust twists around each syllable. “This is your engagement party, Harris. Your fucking engagement party.”
He stands there in shock, my words hitting him like tiny little arrows. In the six months we’ve been together, we have never fought. Never argued about anything.
It was all so easy.
Simple.
I thought it was perfect.
I was wrong.
“You have some nerve telling another woman who isn’t your fiancée that you love her at your engagement party to another woman. Who the hell are you?” My body is shaking with contained rage, which is at the point of exploding.
“Baby, please?” Harris coos, stepping closer to me. “It’s a business deal.” My lip curls in disgust. “Cammie, don’t shut me out,” he pleads.
Shut him out!
Shut. Him. Out?
The man is engaged, and I had no idea. He’s the one shutting me out.
“I should have told you earlier and explained my situation, but I didn’t want to lose you.”
“You’re a coward.” Harris’ shoulders slump. “Of course, you were going to lose me. Do you seriously think I was going to be okay with you running off and marrying some heiress? That I was okay with being your mistress?” Harris slowly steps closer to me, but I hold up my hand in front of Harris for him to stop. “Don’t you dare come anywhere near me.” The hurt on his face pierces my heart, the last bit that’s still alive. Never again. This is why you never let a man have access to your heart because they will eventually rip it out.
“I didn’t sleep with her.”
As if that makes it all okay.
“I don’t care,” I scream at him.
“So, I’ve never cheated,” he tries to reason with me.
“Don’t forget, I saw the way you walked into that room and looked at her. You may not have slept with her yet, but I think that would have changed tonight.” There’s a flash of something across his face that assures me I’m right before he schools his features again.
Why am I even standing here listening to this asshole?
Turning on my heels, I make my way toward my car. I need to get out of here. I can’t stand to look at him anymore.
“Camryn,” he calls after me.
“It’s too late, Harris. It’s over. I’ll send you your stuff.” Digging through my bag for my car keys, I state as I walk, “Don’t call me. Don’t come over. Nothing. Live your life with your new fiancée.” Stopping, I glare over my shoulder at him. “Isabelle seems lovely. She really looks like a woman in love tonight. Guess you’re fooling her as you did me.” Grabbing my keys quickly before Harris can reach me, I swing around and unlock the car door. But the door slams shut as Harris presses himself against me, his body heat seeping through my skin.
“This isn’t over, Camryn,” he tells me, his lips touching my ear.
“Don’t, Harris,” I warn as he presses himself harder against me, my hands bracing themselves against the steel for support.
His lips graze my neck. “I have no choice. My father made sure there was no way I could say, no.” Biting my lip, I hate there’s a portion of my heart that flutters at his confession. “I told him last week I wanted to marry you.”
What! No. How dare he say that.
Pushing back against him, I free myself from his grasp. I whip around and face him.
“I told him I wanted to marry Camryn Starr. This beautiful, amazing, workaholic event organizer who stole my heart the first time I set eyes on her.”
“Wait. What, did you say?”
“That I want to marry you?”
Shaking my head. “No, no. The bit where you told your dad I was an event organizer.”
The penny drops for Harris too. “No. He wouldn’t do that.” His face screws up, and he slams his hand against the car.
Folding my arms across my chest, I say, “I think your father chose my company for a specific reason.” Staring directly at Harris, I notice his shoulders slump.
“I can’t believe he did this. I knew he wanted our families to merge for the good of his business… but to hurt you like this in the process. I can’t ever forgive him for that.” Harris rakes his hand through his blond hair.
“You can tell dear old daddy, I’ve gotten the message loud and clear. I’m no longer in your life.”
“Cammie, I’ll fix this. I’ll fix us.” Cupping my face with his palms, he persists. “Please, just give me some time. I’ll give up everything for you.” His comment catches me off guard, which gives him enough time to lean down and kiss me. Harris’ kiss is desperate—he knows he has lost me, but he’s giving it one last shot at trying to convince me to stay, to maybe even manipulate me into being his side piece, all because he doesn’t love her. But he has to for the sake of the family.
What happens when he has to produce an heir?
Is it going to be an immaculate conception?
I think not.
Stupidly I kiss him back, one last time.
Harris rests his forehead against mine before he begins to speak. “I knew you still loved me.” Giving me a cocky smile, he actually thinks that his kiss is so powerful that I will simply forget all this bullshit that’s happened tonight. I move out of his grasp and to the side, which isn’t far as I’m still pressed up against my car.
“Loved. As in past tense, Harris.” The confusion on his face is kind of laughable. “You think I’m that easy that one kiss from you wipes away everything that’s happened tonight?” Harris takes a couple of steps back as if I’ve just slapped him. “That was goodbye, Harris. I was saying goodbye. Because that’s the last time you will ever have me in your life.” With that, I push forward, knocking him back, then pull open the door of my car and jump in before he can stop me. Putting the key in the ignition, the roar of my sports car comes to life.
Harris knocks on my window. I hesitate for a moment but press the button to lower the window.
“This isn’t over, Camryn. I’ll fight for us,” Harris warns me.
“Please, don’t. It’s a fight you won’t win,” I tell him. “Enjoy your night, Harris. Congratulations.” And with that, I put the car in reverse, which makes him jump out of the way before I run him over, then push my foot down on the accelerator, which kicks up the gravel, and I get the hell out of there, leaving Harris behind in my dust.
4
Camryn
“Hey, Liv
.” My greeting is hollow. I’m exhausted. Defeated. Humiliated. Lady Olivia Pearce is my sister, Ivy’s best friend back in England. She owns this gorgeous castle on the England-Scotland border that’s been in her family for like five hundred years. We’ve hired out her family home for my best friend, Vanessa’s wedding, to rock star, Christian Taylor, from Dirty Texas.
“Are you okay?” These damn tears haven’t stopped falling since arriving back in the city. “Cam, are you okay?” Olivia asks again when I don’t answer.
“Harris and I broke up.”
“Oh, babe… I’m so sorry. What happened?”
“I organized his engagement party.” Olivia falls silent on the other end of the phone.
“Um… what did you say?”
“He’s engaged to someone else.” The words stab me in the heart, thinking about it.
“What! No. How? I don’t understand.”
See, even she’s confused, so imagine how I feel?
“It was a last-minute party… the clients were particular about not wanting the media to find out that it was being held. It wasn’t until the happy couple were introduce to us by their family that I realized it was a party celebrating Harris and a girl called Isabelle’s engagement.”
Olivia gasps and falls silent, obviously processing what I’ve told her.
It takes a moment before she finally says, “What did you do?”
“I pretended I didn’t know him in front of them. I’ve worked so hard building up this business, I wasn’t going to ruin it over a guy.”
“You’re so much stronger than I would have been. I would’ve punched him in the face.” Olivia giggles.
“Believe me, I pictured it over and over in my head. But instead, Kimberly faked an emergency and got me the hell out of there. But he came after me.”
“Oh no, Cam.” Olivia gasps.
“He confessed he still loves me. That his family is forcing him to get married.”
