Page 590 of Manhattan Bossholes

She winked at me and headed for the door with her shoulders back. It felt like false bravado, but, as I reminded myself, the whole night was one big charade.

Even if it really didn’t feel like one.

12

FELICITY

“Ihope they send out an entire meal of just cheese,” I said as I popped a fancy little appetizer made of gruyère and caramelized onions in my mouth. “Because this is the most delicious thing I’ve ever eaten.”

Cameron chuckled and pushed the massive white plate on the table in between us toward me. “Please, take mine too.”

I paused and eyed it. “Seriously? Because if you’re expecting me to be all demure and say that I couldn’t possibly, you’re going to be in for a disappointment. All that makeover business has got me starving.”

His eyes twinkled. “Go for it. I’m enjoying your enjoyment. I’m not used to seeing someone eat with such…gusto.”

I paused with my hand hovering over the plate. “What does that mean? Are you calling me a pig?”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Felicity.” He closed his eyes briefly and let out a massive sigh. “I can’t win with you.” Cameron stared at me, more disappointed than angry. “No, Fagin, that’s not what I mean at all. What I’m saying is that I appreciate that you eat. And that you enjoy your food. Trust me, that’s a rare trait in the women I typically share meals with. It’s usually ‘sauce on the side’ and ‘no bread at the table.’ I think it’s wonderful that I can take you somewhere with great food and have you fully appreciate the experience.”

I grabbed the toast and bit it in half, feeling a little bad for putting words in his mouth. “Okay then. And yes, I love food,” I said as I chewed. “I’m not ashamed to admit it. Between the amuse…” I paused. “What did the waiter call it?”

“Amuse-bouche,” he answered.

“Right. Between that little caviar bouche thingy—which I would normally never try but was amazing—and this fancy cheese on toast appetizer, I can already tell I’m going to need to be cut out of this dress at the end of the meal.”

His eyebrow ticked up at the mention of me getting undressed, and my face went hot.

“Keep in mind we selected the chef’s tasting menu, so it could go either way. Chef Bernard has served me meals that stuffed me to the gills, and then others left me just pleasantly full.”

“Well, either way,” I pressed on. “Thank you for this.”

I gestured around the room, taking a few seconds to appreciate it. La Nuit was the most beautiful restaurant I’d ever been in, but it was not at all what I’d expected. We were seated in the window, for maximum exposure, and the wisteria ringing it was like a picture frame of purple flowers. I’d assumed Cameron would select a sleek, modern space since that seemed like his vibe, but the restaurant looked like it was out of a fairy tale. It was cozy and dimly lit, with the same purple flowers climbing the walls and ceiling all around us, like the plant was taking over and bringing the outside in. It felt like we were in someone’s private country home, with just a dozen tables scattered around the room. I could only imagine how high the checks were given the restaurant’s limited space and its tony Manhattan address. The menu didn’t have prices—which was probably for the best. I was happier not knowing.

I leaned close to Cameron and lowered my voice. “Has anyone noticed us yet?”

He nodded. “I’m sure, but people in here will be very casual about it. No staring or anything. We probably won’t even pick up on it.” He scanned the room quickly. “I see a trophy wife in the far corner who seems to be interested in us.”

I flicked my eyes toward the table in question and smiled at Cameron. “Did you ever consider she might be wishing she was me? That guy she’s with looks to be about a hundred years old.”

“I can tell the difference between a flirty stare and a curious one. I guarantee she’s in on the CamLicity hunt.”

Nerves swirled up inside of me, making my hands shake a little. That was the whole reason why we were here, but it still made me a little uneasy to think of it as a “hunt,” reminding me that we were being stalked like prey. “Why did I agree to this?”

“Hey, hey,” Cameron said in an authoritative voice. “Focus on me, remember? On us. Then you’ll be fine. We both know this is already working.”

I took a deep breath and nodded. He was right. For some reason, when I directed all of my attention to him, I felt fine.

“Now, let’s talk about something fun. Why don’t you tell me about how you and Nina met.”

“Oh, Nina.” I smiled. “She’s the best.”

“I really enjoyed getting to spend more time with her at the bar the other night, although the circumstances could’ve been better.”

Cameron’s expression darkened for a moment, probably remembering the twin nightmares of his brother’s relationship situation and Tyler’s drunkenness.

“We’ve been friends forever, basically,” I said quickly, hoping to keep him from overthinking. “We grew up near each other and started off just casual neighborhood buddies, you know, riding bikes and stuff but, we, uh,” I fumbled for words, because I didn’t want to get into the details about why we became closer. “We really started bonding when we were about ten. We began hanging out more and more, until we became inseparable. Turns out we had a lot in common. We both loved reading. The old stuff, like Nancy Drew and Anne of Green Gables, and new stuff too. We’d grab our books and climb up into the treehouse in her backyard and read for hours. And we’d talk about everything. Our dreams, which boys we liked, who we wanted to be someday.” My heart surged at the sweetness of the memories. “We grew up together, you know? We were roommates in college, and I guess we figured life was better together. At this point, she’s my sister. There’s no one in my life who has been there for me like she has.”

“That’s really special. You two are lucky to have each other.”