“I got caught up in the excitement of the event. I mean, really, that’s a compliment to your skills as a publicist.”
When she gives me an awkward smile, I think I throw up in my mouth a little, but I keep my expression neutral, still willing to hear her out.
Since I don’t say anything, she presses on.
“The idea of marrying a multimillionaire, and not to mention that he’s hot and British, I just couldn’t let all that pass without at least trying. I hope you understand that.”
Now I’m just starting to get mad. Not once has she said she’s sorry. These are all flimsy excuses.
I take a deep breath, making sure my voice is calm and in control. “I have work to get done, Anna. Is there a point to all of this?”
She shifts her weight from one high-heeled foot to the other. “I just wanted to make sure you’re not mad.”
At this, I almost laugh. And not because it’s funny, no. I’m talking a full-on maniacal Disney-villain laugh, because she’s clearly insane.
“Mad?” I rise from my desk. “Let’s see. You deserted me at a work event to try and pick up a guy. A guy, despite all the mitigating factors, you knew I had feelings for. So, no. Mad doesn’t even begin to cover it.”
Her mouth opens and she takes a step back.
“I’m not simply mad. I’m furious at your behavior, disappointed at your lack of apology, and quite honestly, floored that you had the gall to show up here today asking if I was mad. We’re done, Anna. And not only that, but we’re done working together too.”
“You’re firing me!” she cries, her voice rising in disbelief.
“No, I’m not firing you. That was Olivia’s call. It turns out, when you want to keep a job, you should, I don’t know, do what you were hired for and not flake out on the people who are counting on you.” I’ve crossed the room so I’m now standing directly in front of her with my hands on my hips. “Good-bye, Anna.”
With an annoyed huff, she spins on her heel and storms away, making a disgruntled noise as she goes.
I heave in a breath, my knees trembling despite how composed I might have seemed.
Just then Sterling rounds the corner, his hands moving lazily together and apart in a slow clap. “That was bloody brilliant.”
My mouth twitches in a smile. It actually felt damn good standing up for myself. I don’t relish the idea of losing a friend, but as the saying goes, with friends like that, who needs enemies?
Anna and I have been close since elementary school, though these last few years we’ve grown apart. Somehow, I know life will go on and we’ll each lick our wounds and eventually get over it. Hell, maybe we’ll even laugh over this someday over cocktails, but I doubt it.
But I don’t have time to reflect on what just went down with Anna. Because Sterling is standing before me in a tailored black suit looking mouthwateringly, soul-crushingly, chest-achingly beautiful.
Stay strong, Camryn.
“Did you need something?”
“Aye. I came by to speak with you about Saturday.” He’s breathless like he ran the whole way here. And maybe he did. His office is across town.
My gaze drifts down to the red and green folders he’s holding at his side.
Unlike Anna, he’s not here to make amends. He’s simply trying to follow up on our project—the shared goal we had of getting him married off. It seems he’s made his selections. The green folder is for those women he’d like another date with, and the red one holds the turndowns. It seems he followed directions well.
As hard as the words are to say, I force them out. “Come on in.”
I head back to my desk, sliding into the rolling leather chair while Sterling takes the seat across from me. He sets both folders on my desk. The red one is about five inches thick, bursting with head shots. The green folder looks like it could be empty for all I know.
“I tried to reach you all weekend,” he says, his voice soft.
I press my lips together, trying not to say something that involves the words fuck and you. Be professional, Camryn. Just get through this.
“I’ll get this handled.” I reach for the green folder but Sterling flattens his palm against it, holding it in place.
“I just don’t understand what happened,” he says.
Inhaling deeply through my nose, I try to calm down. But after dealing with Anna, my tolerance for bullshit is practically nonexistent.
“What happened was I’m an idiot. I have a job to do, and I let my emotions get in the way of that. It won’t happen again.” My tone is cold, and if I could pat myself on the back for sounding so aloof, I would.
Sterling’s eyes are dark, stormy, and conflicted. “I was falling for you.”
“And see, that’s where I call bullshit. I saw you and that girl Rebecca. Your ex.”
His dark brows draw together, and his perfectly kissable lips part as his expression changes to one of confusion. “What exactly did you see?”
What did I see, exactly? “There was a dress on the floor. And I heard moans.”
He nods, not denying it.
“Why didn’t you just admit to me from the start that you weren’t over your ex?”
“I had no idea you saw that. The only thing I knew is that your friend Anna threw herself at me, and then you were gone.”
I look down at my hands. “I saw, Sterling. And then I left, because I just couldn’t do it anymore.”