“Oh wow, look at you!” Katie gushed, hugging Camryn until suffocation loomed. “I’ve never seen you in turquoise before.” Camryn looked down at one of Heather’s purchases she wore, not by choice. “It looks nice on you. Makes your eyes stand out. And your hair! So cute.”
“Thank you.”
“Where’s Heather and Justin?”
Troy grabbed the suitcases and hauled them to the rear hatch.
“Back at the house, getting ready,” she answered, holding the door open.
Shana, Cade and John climbed in before Katie. John—an average-looking man of five-seven and neatly combed black hair—was more Camryn’s speed than the others. Having been Justin’s old roommate at UWM, he seemed to have nothing in common with the rest of their group. Camryn went out of her way to talk with him whenever they got together. He always seemed out of place. Like her.
She smiled at him. “How are you, John? It’s been a while.”
Troy brushed past her to get to the passenger door. “Get in the car, Cam,” he muttered.
She could feel the smile fall from her face. John looked at her. “Doing great, thanks. How’s Chicago?”
She shrugged. “I’m moving back to Milwaukee soon,” she said, shutting the door. She rounded the SUV and climbed in. Checking her rearview, she pulled out of the lane before security could think she was packing mass weapons by parking so long.
“Are you all ready for a rockin’ bachelorette and bachelor party?” Katie asked from the seat behind Troy.
Cade spoke first. “Justin and Heather made it quite clear there was to be no parties. You know that.”
Camryn smiled. Heather and Justin didn’t want the traditional extravaganza the bridal party typically tortured a couple with the night before their wedding. They just wanted a small get-together at the house with drinks and music. They thought it more fun to stay together and share the night with friends.
Katie sighed dramatically. “I know. I think it sucks. Not even a stripper! What about you, Troy? Wanna be our stripper?”
Camryn accidently veered over the yellow, dotted line before righting the car.
“Your lane is over here,” Troy said, sarcasm dripping.
Sarcasm was her angle, not his. “I know that!”
“Holy crap,” Katie said. “It’s true. I didn’t believe Justin, but it’s true. You two
are
a couple! You even fight like a couple.”
“When’s
your
wedding?” Shana joked.
Camryn didn’t veer the car this time, but she thought about it.
“I didn’t know you two were dating,” John said. “When did this happen?”
“A year ago,” Troy said, voice harsher than necessary. “Yes, it’s true, no it’s not a joke, and we’re not fighting.”
The car grew silent. Stayed silent.
Insert crickets here
.
Camryn sighed, not wanting Heather’s friends to feel bad. “It’s been a long week. We’re just…tired. Do you want to check into the hotel first, or go right to the house?”
“House,” they all agreed.
“I think Cam should walk down the aisle with Troy,” Heather said, addressing the group.
Camryn crossed her arms and glared at the grass. They’d been going at this rehearsal thing in the yard for an hour now, and still had yet to actually rehearse anything. This was, of course, after a half hour debate on why Heather and Justin weren’t having an Orthodox ceremony.
Bernice had showed the family where the aisle, chairs and altar were to be placed in the yard, an area on the east side of the house. The reception and dinner were on the west side of the house. The company they hired to bring in equipment was setting up early tomorrow morning, so they were going off of imagination for rehearsal.
Her family had no imagination.
Camryn looked at Troy. He seemed to have no opinion on how or with whom he walked down the aisle. He hadn’t said anything since the car. If one could call what he said talking. More like bitching. What was his problem anyway? He was starting to piss her off.
“I mean, Cam’s the maid of honor, and Fisher the best man,” Heather went on to say when nobody spoke up. “They were supposed to walk down together, but why not just keep the couples together?”
“Heather, whatever you want,” Camryn said, having enough. “Let’s just get on with rehearsal.”
Her mother’s hands flew to her hips. “Camryn Covic, just because you’re having some snit with Troy doesn’t mean you take it out on your sister!”
Snit?
“I only meant that the caterer will have dinner ready to go in twenty minutes. We need to get on with it. And Troy and I are not doing anything, especially snitting.”
“We most definitely are snitting,” Troy said. His mouth firmed into a thin line.
“You’re not helping, Troy.”
He looked at her from behind his sunglasses. She couldn’t see his eyes, but she was sure steel was in them.
“I knew they wouldn’t last,” Nana said.
Camryn closed her eyes before she said something she’d regret. When she opened them, Nana was twirling a flaming baton and kicking her legs like a Rockette. Just before her sequined outfit caught fire…
“Okay,” Heather said, raising her hands. “Cade and John, you walk the parents down the aisle.” Heather went on to place them in position as if they were Ken dolls. “Once they are seated, then Anna and Fisher walk down.” Anna and Fisher did as asked, then stepped off to the side of the altar. “Good. Troy and Cam.”
Cam looped her arm through Troy’s and did as asked.
“No, no,” Nana argued. “Slower. This isn’t a twelve-yard dash.”
Wanna bet? Nevertheless, both slowed down and separated at the altar.
“Now, Emily,” Heather said, “your turn. You’ll have a basket with flower petals. Just drop them as you walk down. When you get by Mommy and Daddy, stop. Okay?”
Emily nodded, acting the most adult in the group, and calmly walked down to stand in front of Anna.
Heather held Dad’s forearm and walked down to meet Justin, who was grinning like an idiot. No cold feet for that guy. It must be nice, Camryn thought. To have someone that confident in your future together by your side. Someone looking forward to the next forty years and whatever surprises life brings.
She looked at Troy, arms crossed and head down, wondering if he’d ever find someone he loved that much. Wondering if she’d have the courage to stand up here and pretend she was happy for him if the time came.
Father Wieland, the Hortons’ three hundred pound Irish priest, cleared his throat. He proceeded to summarize the ceremony, then directed Katie and Shana where to stand for their readings. Emily sat down by Cam’s feet, having had her fill of rehearsal.
She couldn’t blame her. By the time all was said and done, Camryn was ready to hop a plane back to Milwaukee. Alone.
“Wait? What?” Katie asked, holding the back door open and staring at Heather. “Oh no. You can’t sleep in the same room. That’s bad luck!”
“I don’t believe in bad luck.”
Of course Heather didn’t. The only thing in her life that could constitute bad luck was a broken fingernail.
“Heather, the groom can’t see the bride before the wedding,” Katie insisted, following the others into the house.
Heather smiled. “We’re staying in the same house. How do you propose a way around that?”
Troy placed his sunglasses on top of his head as they entered the dining room. “I’ll bunk in Justin’s room. Heather can sleep with Cam in ours.”
Camryn stared at Troy. She wanted to talk to him alone tonight, find out what was going on. That wouldn’t be possible if he slept in the other room. He stared at the china in front of him, refusing to look at her.
Everyone sat at the table. Nana pointed at Camryn. “He doesn’t even want to sleep with you now. You lost a good one here. Hope you’re happy, missy.”
Camryn dropped her head in her hands. “Everything’s fine, Nana.”
Nana huffed in disbelief. Kuma Viola wouldn’t let her off so easy. “Then why are you fighting? You two broke up, didn’t you? Way to ruin the wedding, guys.”
Justin kept staring between Camryn and Troy. “Look, Troy’s helping us out by sleeping in our room, okay. Tradition is tradition, like Katie said. All couples fight. It’s obvious Troy loves her…”
From next to her, Troy placed his palms on the table and stood. “Camryn, a word in private, please.”
“Now?”
He took her arm and tugged her out of the chair. “Yes, now.” He wove them around the dining room table, through the kitchen, and into the library. He kicked the door shut.
“I can’t do this,” he muttered, for the most part, seemingly to himself. He ran a hand over his hair, dislodging his sunglasses. He stared at them in his hand, then pocketed them.
“Can’t do what?”
“This,” he shouted, pointing between the two of them.
Yeah, even her fake boyfriend couldn’t stand her after a few days. She’d definitely cry over that later. “I’m sorry, Troy. I never should’ve asked you to do this. I didn’t think things would…”
“That’s not what I meant.” Impatience waned. “Look, this morning…”
“Troy, you have to stop this. I’m sorry for what I did. I really am. And though this has to be about more than my note, we can discuss that later. You have to pretend…
we
just have to get through the next two days, and you can be free of me…”
“What if I don’t want to be free of you?”
Her gaze shot to his. He didn’t look mad, frustrated maybe, but not mad. She watched his Adam’s apple bob, his gaze focused at her feet. She’d never known Troy not to look someone in the eye.
“What does that mean?”
Frustration drained to a blank, unreadable expression. Her heart thumped, then died, waiting for him to explain. Because that sounded an awful lot like…
“Never mind. Forget it.” He glanced around the room, then back to her feet. “I’ll try harder. Let’s go back in by the others.”
If he felt anything for her, he shouldn’t have to try.
He made his way to the door, but she stepped in front of him. “I would never do anything to hurt you. You know that, don’t you? Tell me you do. If nothing else, Troy, we’re friends. What I did this morning was my way of saying that.” His eyes slammed closed, so she cupped his cheeks, forcing him to look at her. “And I won’t ever tell a soul the things you told me. What happened to you wasn’t your fault…”
Jerking away, he paced the room. “Now isn’t the time for this.”
“Yes, it is,” she argued, because he wasn’t staying in her room tonight, and his defenses were back up. Once home, they wouldn’t ever have an opportunity like this for her to say these things. They’d go back to their lives as if this week never happened. “What your father did wasn’t your fault. And no matter how mad you get at me, no matter how hard you push because I know the truth, I’ll always be here.”
He turned his back on her to stare out the window. He was shutting her out, like he did everything else that resembled importance. He had his moments taking things seriously, but Troy had his limit. Apparently, he’d reached it. She wished, and not for the first time, that she’d done more for him growing up. Maybe he wouldn’t hate the world. Maybe he’d live and thrive, instead of putting on a damn good show for everyone else’s benefit. Maybe if she had, he’d know how special he was.
Riddled with guilt, she waited a full minute before reaching for the doorknob.
“Don’t,” he said before she could walk out.
She turned, and from across the room, he looked like that ten-year-old boy who got dumped on their doorstep. Scared, hopeful and ashamed. The years hadn’t changed him after all.
He stepped closer. “I’m not angry with you, I’m angry at myself. The things I said to you in the car…”
“Forget it, Troy.”
“No,” he ground out, marching right up to her and grabbing her wrists. “There was no excuse for that. You deserve better. Someone will do better with you than I can. Just…promise me you’ll let him love you the right way, Cam. With candlelight and roses and…”
“The list again,” she growled, tugging her wrists free, her heart shattering with every damn syllable uttered from his lips. How dare he? Trying to tell her how to love someone else. As if he knew how. As if she could ever feel about some other man the way she felt about him.
Her jaw dropped.
Oh no
.
“That’s right, Cam. I have a couple more things on the list for you, then the last item you must do yourself at home.” He paused, looking seemingly through her, not at her. “You have to fall in love. True, real, crazy love that you can’t live without.”
She almost laughed at the irony. He did all this to show her what his version of love was, just so she would fall in love with some man she may or may not have met yet. When all along it was him she’d fallen for.
They were both idiots.
“Whatever you say, Troy.”
Before he could mutter anything else to kill her slowly, she turned the knob and walked out. He waited a few seconds and followed. When they neared the dining room, he grabbed her hand and squeezed.
The family was halfway through their salad when they sat down to join them.