Surprise!
Instead of answering I said, “Speaking of Dan, there he is.” I’d always found distraction to work best when nearly being caught in a lie. I expected to see Sadie with her groom-to-be, but he had an older woman on his arm who was wearing a colorful scarf on her head.
“Is that Dan’s mother?” I asked. Sadie had definitely mentioned Irene. She was being treated for breast cancer and had recently gone through a round of chemo. The doctor was uncertain of her future prospects. They had hope, but there was a possibility that this might be her last family event. It was important to both Sadie and Dan that everything go off without a hitch.
Which meant I was going to have to find a way to manage Camden Lewis and his pesky questions.
“It is. I should join them.” He stood up, started to walk away, and then stopped. “You and I should get together later and talk about our mutual responsibilities. Maybe tonight at the cocktail party?”
“Sure,” was what I actually said. What I wanted to say was, I plan on spending this entire week avoiding you, thank you very much. He seemed the naturally suspicious type and I did not need that in my life right now.
Sadie was a huge client, not only because she had five million followers on Instagram, but because she had an impressive network of fellow influencers just like her, young women who were on the cusp of getting married in the near future and might need professional bridesmaids and maids of honor. It was a fantastic opportunity for my business.
“Nice to meet you,” he said.
I nodded, not quite able to say the same. I’d developed a good instinct for people at weddings who would be an issue for me, and this guy was trouble with a capital T.
In no small part because for the first time in forever, I wanted to bend my no-mixing-business-and-pleasure rule. It was the most important rule that I had for myself, and while I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize my company or the women who worked for me, I felt a bit tempted.
Especially once I saw the smile of delight on Dan’s mother’s face at seeing Camden. Their entire interaction was so sweet. I thought of what she had gone through and resolved to do my best to ensure that she had a good time during this week. There was a bridal shower scheduled for tomorrow, and I made a mental note to sit next to Irene and do whatever I could to help her have fun.
As a camera operator nearly slammed into me, I reminded myself that Dan’s mom wasn’t the only parent I was going to need to concern myself with. Sadie’s mother and stepfather had gone through a nasty divorce and hated one another. Sadie had made a throwaway comment that her mom, Brandy, tended to get drunk and make scenes. I needed to keep an eye out.
Especially since every moment of this wedding was being broadcast live to Sadie’s Instagram account. She was a lifestyle, fashion, and travel influencer. She was giving her fans full access to all of the activities, and I heard the director sending two of the camera crew in opposite directions to prepare for Sadie’s arrival. The director wanted her to make a grand entrance at every event, wearing a different couture gown from her fashion designer sponsor.
My gaze traveled back to Camden. My brain told me he was a threat, but the rest of me had other ideas about what it’d like to do both to and with him. I figured this was obviously a sign that I needed to get out there and be dating more. I’d been so focused on building up my company that I hadn’t had time for relationships.
Maybe it was time to correct that. After this destination wedding came to an end. I averted my gaze to look out the floor-to-ceiling windows at the white sand beach, palm trees, and turquoise water in the bay just outside the hotel. I brushed my fingers against the pink-and-white floral lei around my neck. I’d always wanted to go to Hawaii, and it was living up to all of my expectations. If I closed my eyes, I could almost smell the salt air of the ocean beckoning me outside.
Despite the gorgeous scenery just a few steps from this room, I couldn’t help but look back at Camden, who was laughing, again. Somehow the joy on his face made him more attractive.
“Who is that?” Krista asked as she sidled up next to me and handed me a mimosa. I took it but didn’t drink it. I’d never been much of a drinker and so I tried to steer clear of it while I was working. Falling down drunk at a reception would have ruined my reputation.
My initial instinct was to pretend like I had no idea who she was talking about. I chided myself for being so obvious in paying attention to him. “Camden Lewis. He’s the best man.”
“I agree. He is definitely the best man here,” she said with a wink. “They should serve him up as a dish at this fancy welcome brunch.” She reached out to grab one of the sandwiches. “Seriously, look at this thing. Have you ever seen anything more perfectly cut?”