sipped from her water glass.
“Did you talk to Cam?”
She smiled widely and happiness glittered in her eyes. “He came to my room last night. You were right, as usual. He was over the moon. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so happy.”
Suddenly the news hit me all over again. I leaned in and hugged her tight. “I’m so happy for you, Maya. I truly am.”
She pulled back and held my hand. “Thank you, Vanessa. For being a true friend, through everything. I know I haven’t been around as much lately.”
“Totally understandable. And for the record, I’m not going anywhere.”
“I want this for you too.” She gestured to the room that was alive with celebration for her and Cameron. “One day.”
I smiled and cast my gaze to the floor. I wanted that too, but I had a long way to go.
“Eli told me about Darren,” she said quietly.
I rolled my eyes, annoyed that he’d mentioned it. But among the three of us, few secrets were ever kept.
“Don’t be mad. I asked him about it. He said you didn’t really seem like yourself this morning. Is everything okay?”
I sighed. “Everything’s fine. I’m just not sure what to expect. There’s chemistry between us. No doubt about it. And he says things… Sometimes it feels like this could be more than just a fling. But it’s hard not to be guarded with him.”
“I know his reputation isn’t promising. But maybe you should give it a chance.”
She had no idea how much I wanted to, especially after my encounter with him this afternoon. Before I could say more, Cameron came up to her. He stood tall, towering above us both. She gazed up at him, stars in her eyes and glowing with love.
“Can I steal you away for a dance?” He held out his hand.
With that wordless gesture, she rose. “Of course.” She glanced back to me. “I’ll catch you later.”
I waved her off and tipped back the last of the bubbly in my glass. I was ready to make my way to the dance floor, shake these thoughts, and have some fun. The party guests were starting to loosen up, and I was too.
Diane came up beside me as I rose. “Having fun?”
“Of course. What an amazing day.”
She drifted her gaze to where Cam and Maya now danced. He was whispering something in her ear, grazing the slight swell of her belly. My heart swelled for their newfound happiness.
“Assuming you knew about the pregnancy?” Diane did a poor job of masking a grimace. “Cameron told us the news this morning. Makes sense now why they were in such a rush to get married.”
“I think marriage has been on their minds for a long time.”
“True enough. He’s been lovestruck over that girl for years. I have to admit, I never understood the infatuation.”
The way she said that girl grated over my nerves. How could she talk about Maya that way, especially on the day she became a true part of her family? This woman was cold beyond comprehension.
“I suppose they’re the only ones who really need to understand it. It’s their relationship.” I seethed under my forced politeness.
She narrowed her eyes and then relaxed. A crooked smile curved up the corner of her mouth, and she glanced over at Darren sitting at the other side of the long table set for the wedding party.
“Darren will never make that mistake. He’s not like Cameron.”
“How is that?” I couldn’t hide the edge in my tone. Somehow, the conversation was beginning to feel very personal.
What if Darren could fall in love? What if he fell in with someone like me? Would this witch still look down her nose at me the way she did Maya? What would that do to her high hopes?
“He’s never let himself get swept away.”
“Don’t you want him to be happy?”
“Believe me, marriage won’t make him happy.” With that she turned, moving swiftly in the opposite direction away from me.
Relief and rage coursed through my veins. One day someone would make Darren happy. Who cared if I entertained a little fleeting fantasy that it could
“Did you talk to Cam?”
She smiled widely and happiness glittered in her eyes. “He came to my room last night. You were right, as usual. He was over the moon. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so happy.”
Suddenly the news hit me all over again. I leaned in and hugged her tight. “I’m so happy for you, Maya. I truly am.”
She pulled back and held my hand. “Thank you, Vanessa. For being a true friend, through everything. I know I haven’t been around as much lately.”
“Totally understandable. And for the record, I’m not going anywhere.”
“I want this for you too.” She gestured to the room that was alive with celebration for her and Cameron. “One day.”
I smiled and cast my gaze to the floor. I wanted that too, but I had a long way to go.
“Eli told me about Darren,” she said quietly.
I rolled my eyes, annoyed that he’d mentioned it. But among the three of us, few secrets were ever kept.
“Don’t be mad. I asked him about it. He said you didn’t really seem like yourself this morning. Is everything okay?”
I sighed. “Everything’s fine. I’m just not sure what to expect. There’s chemistry between us. No doubt about it. And he says things… Sometimes it feels like this could be more than just a fling. But it’s hard not to be guarded with him.”
“I know his reputation isn’t promising. But maybe you should give it a chance.”
She had no idea how much I wanted to, especially after my encounter with him this afternoon. Before I could say more, Cameron came up to her. He stood tall, towering above us both. She gazed up at him, stars in her eyes and glowing with love.
“Can I steal you away for a dance?” He held out his hand.
With that wordless gesture, she rose. “Of course.” She glanced back to me. “I’ll catch you later.”
I waved her off and tipped back the last of the bubbly in my glass. I was ready to make my way to the dance floor, shake these thoughts, and have some fun. The party guests were starting to loosen up, and I was too.
Diane came up beside me as I rose. “Having fun?”
“Of course. What an amazing day.”
She drifted her gaze to where Cam and Maya now danced. He was whispering something in her ear, grazing the slight swell of her belly. My heart swelled for their newfound happiness.
“Assuming you knew about the pregnancy?” Diane did a poor job of masking a grimace. “Cameron told us the news this morning. Makes sense now why they were in such a rush to get married.”
“I think marriage has been on their minds for a long time.”
“True enough. He’s been lovestruck over that girl for years. I have to admit, I never understood the infatuation.”
The way she said that girl grated over my nerves. How could she talk about Maya that way, especially on the day she became a true part of her family? This woman was cold beyond comprehension.
“I suppose they’re the only ones who really need to understand it. It’s their relationship.” I seethed under my forced politeness.
She narrowed her eyes and then relaxed. A crooked smile curved up the corner of her mouth, and she glanced over at Darren sitting at the other side of the long table set for the wedding party.
“Darren will never make that mistake. He’s not like Cameron.”
“How is that?” I couldn’t hide the edge in my tone. Somehow, the conversation was beginning to feel very personal.
What if Darren could fall in love? What if he fell in with someone like me? Would this witch still look down her nose at me the way she did Maya? What would that do to her high hopes?
“He’s never let himself get swept away.”
“Don’t you want him to be happy?”
“Believe me, marriage won’t make him happy.” With that she turned, moving swiftly in the opposite direction away from me.
Relief and rage coursed through my veins. One day someone would make Darren happy. Who cared if I entertained a little fleeting fantasy that it could
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