Page 37 of The Other Plan

She took off again, and I respected her wish and didn’t chase after her. Instead, I stood alone by the shore with my heart in my hand. The inky blackness swallowed her up, just like when she’d left me ten years ago. But this time, I wasn’t going to let her get away again. Tomorrow, I would find a way to win her heart.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

JENNA

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“Get your ass out of the car,” Cameron said from my passenger seat, where we sat parked in front of the White Gull Inn.

“No. Let’s just scratch breakfast and go home to work on the place setting holders. We have over three hundred to make.”

He pursed his lips and folded his arms across his chest. “You are such a chicken shit. Get your ass out of the car, and we’re going inside to have breakfast with the Bronson’s as planned.”

Pulling a face, I pressed my head back against the headrest. “But Carter is in there. And he knows I made up a boyfriend. I’m beyond mortified.”

“Yeah. And he didn’t care, and he almost kissed you.”

“And that’s even worse! Now I can’t stop thinking about kissing him.”

And I couldn’t. Over and over and over, I played the moment of our almost-kiss on repeat in my mind. How badly I had wanted to taste his lips again and feel the weight of his body against mine. It had been all I could do to remember my fake boyfriend and retrieve the senses the look in his eye had stolen from me.

“Quit your whining, and let’s get in there. You’ll be fine.”

“Ugh! How did he even find out?” I narrowed my eyes and looked down at my phone and the list of six attempted calls I’d made to Jo. Six unanswered calls since she was a bartender and worked late, so she never woke up before ten. Or she was up and ignoring me because she was guilty of busting me out. “It had to be Jo. I don’t know how or why she did it, but it had to be her!”

“Well, it doesn’t matter how he knows, just that he knows. And you know what? It’s a good thing! Now you two can give this whole rekindled romance thing a try.”

I turned the ignition and started the car. “Nope. Gotta go.”

“Damn it, woman!” Cameron reached over and turned off the car, then yanked the keys out. Dangling them in front of my face, he snatched them away when I reached out. “You’ll get these back after breakfast. I’m getting the Cherry-Stuffed French Toast, and nothing is getting in my way. Not even you and your dumb ass. Now, let’s go!”

He opened the door and hopped out of the car, hurrying over to my door and yanking it open.

“Ugh,” I groaned while he pulled me out. “Fine.”

“Quit being a baby. You’ve got a smoking hot, successful guy hot on your heels. There are worse things in life, sister.”

“A guy who can smash me into smithereens if things go badly again.”

“Things only went badly because you screwed up ten years ago. So, don’t screw up, and you’ll be fine. Now, chop-chop. I want some French toast.” He tapped my butt and scooted me up the walk to the elegant white building.

When we got inside, the hostess whisked us to the table where the Bronson’s and the entire wedding party sat. They saw us coming and greeted us with waves.

“Good morning, dears!” Aunt Tilly said, gesturing to the two seats left open.

Cameron quickly slid into one of the open seats, and I groaned when I saw who that left me to sit beside.

“Good morning, Jenna.” Carter rose and pulled out the chair for me.

“Morning,” I said quickly and slid into my seat.

Cameron kicked me under the table, and I looked over to catch the twinkle in his eye that put Valentina’s huge diamond to shame.

“Did you sleep well?” Carter asked as we all opened our menus.

No! I stayed up all night thinking about how mortified I am that you know I faked a boyfriend and thinking about how badly I wanted to kiss you.

Instead of saying that, I lied. “Yep. Fine.”