Page 66 of The Other Plan

“Hell, no!” Eric tipped her backward and kissed her, causing her to squeal with delight. “I think a joined party is even better! I missed you too.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck, her strange bouquet of lollipops clunking him in the back of the head.

“What is that?” I asked, pointing at it.

“Suck for a buck!” She grinned as she came back to sitting. “Want one?”

“I’ll take two.” I remembered how much Jenna loved sweets, and I thought it would be a nice surprise to bring back to her... not to mention watching her suck on a lollipop would make me happy too.

As I reached for my wallet, a hand brushed the back of my neck.

“Hey, Carter,” a familiar voice said, and it caused me to stiffen like a board.

I spun around in my stool to see Camilla staring back at me.

“What the hell are you doing here? I thought you weren’t coming,” I managed to utter out my stunned response at seeing her appearing so eager to see me. It wasn’t like I hadn’t run into her since the incident. I just hadn’t expected to see her here. Her father owned the office building where I leased space for my company’s suite of offices. He kept an office for his own company on the same floor as mine, and she often dropped by to see him. But after she’d flaunted herself in front of my glass windows a number of times, I’d realized she only visited because she wanted to talk to me. I’d kept it short and professional when she’d poke her head in to say hi, but I’d ended those conversations as quickly as I could.

“I wasn’t,” she said, then slid into the seat behind me. “But I decided at the last minute that I couldn’t miss Valentina’s wedding even if she’s still furious with me for what I did to you. We’ve been planning our weddings since we first met in college, and I know I screwed up, but I just had to try to smooth things over one more time. Make things right. So, I jumped on a plane today, came up here, and tracked her down. One last-ditch attempt to repair the relationships that mean everything to me.”

I looked to Valentina and caught her worried stare. “Is this okay, Carter? You’re the best man, and I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable.” She flicked her gaze to Camilla. “I mean, I’m still pissed as hell about what she did, but she’s right. She’s one of my best friends, and I can’t imagine not having her at my side on the most important day of my life.”

I’d never asked Valentina to end her relationship with Camilla over what she’d done to me, but as people who valued honesty and morals, both she and Eric had been devastated to find out Camilla could do something like that. After a blowout fight, the two women hadn’t spoken in months, and Camilla had been kicked out of the wedding party, losing her status as Maid of Honor.

“It’s fine, Valentina,” I said, still reeling from the shock of seeing Camilla. “I never asked you to end your friendship or kick her out of the wedding party. This is your wedding, and I think it’s a good thing she’s here for you.”

“Really?” Valentina asked. “I have been missing her so much this week, but I don’t want this to be weird.”

“It won’t,” I answered, quickly turning my attention to Camilla. “It’s fine that you’re here. Really. I’m good if you’re good. All that matters is that our friends have the perfect wedding. You were an important part of Valentina’s life, and it’s right that you should be here for this. Let’s all just put the past in the past and leave it there.”

“I promise I won’t cause any trouble, Carter.” Camilla’s big blue eyes glistened as she stared at me.

“You sure this is cool, man?” Eric shot a penetrating glare at Camilla.

She tucked a piece of her long, blonde hair behind her ear as she shrank from his gaze. I kept the corners of my mouth from tugging upward at his protective gesture. He’d been in my corner from the moment he’d heard the news of her betrayal, and, like any good best friend, he’d been giving her the cold shoulder ever since. Even when I’d told him it wasn’t necessary. But his support and ride-or-die mentality still warmed my heart. Hell, I’d do the same damn thing too, if roles were reversed.

“Yes. It’s seriously fine,” I answered, surprised by the truth in the words. Honestly, since the moment Jenna had crashed back into my life, any residual hurt or anger toward Camilla had just faded away. The woman standing before me—who had once meant so much to me— didn’t matter anymore. Jenna mattered and nothing or no one else. When I looked into the future, I saw Jenna there by my side.

“Thank you, Carter. You really are the best.” Valentina leaned forward and pulled me in for a hug. “Thank you.”

“Anything for you, Valentina. It’s your day. Yours and Eric’s. Now, you girls go have fun. I hope you don’t mind, but I think I’m gonna call it a night. I’ve got somewhere to be.”

Eric smirked, knowing exactly what I meant. “Yeah. Of course. Totally get it. Go have a good night, man.”

I dropped a twenty on the bar to cover my tab, then got up off my stool.

“Have fun, guys. I’ll see you tomorrow for the rehearsal.” I patted his shoulder and gave Camilla a quick glance before moving around her. “Goodnight, Camilla.”

I got to the front door and pushed it open, taking a big breath of the fresh air that didn’t smell like the perfume cloud I’d just gone through. With my car just around the corner, I started toward it, then stopped when I realized I’d had a couple too many to drive without the risk of a DUI, even though I felt totally fine. Not wanting to miss the wedding sitting in jail, I opened my phone and clicked the Uber app. After a few taps on the screen, a car was on its way.

“Carter.” Camilla’s voice cut through the silence, and I closed my eyes, wishing she’d not followed me out here. Our interaction at the bar had been... pleasant. And that felt good. Rehashing old wounds that should stay buried firmly in the past could only lead to more trouble.

I turned around, and she stood behind me, her blue eyes rimmed with tears.

“Honestly, I’m not interested in talking, Camilla. It’s fine that you’re here. Really, it is, but we’ve said everything we need to say. Just go have fun with Valentina. You’re here for her, not me.”

“I’m here for both.” She stepped toward me, but I moved away.

More pain filled her eyes as she crossed her arms around her waist.