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“We actually went to high school together.”
“So, you have experience with him leaving.”
“I guess I do,” I admitted. “But it’s not the same.”
He looked skeptical. “I don’t want to push this, but he lives in LA. He’s going to be on tour. You know what that’s like?”
“Yes.”
Because I remembered exactly the one night I’d ended up backstage at a Cosmere concert. There had been girls on top of girls, all scrambling for Campbell’s inebriated attention.
“I don’t want you to get hurt, is all. I’m looking out for you.”
“This is different,” I told him.
“I hope it is, for your sake.”
Nate and I were close, and I could see where he would think the worst. That Campbell was just using me while he was in town. The way that Santi was using Eve. Her eyes were wide open that their relationship would end the minute he returned to LA. My eyes were not like that. I didn’t want to lose Campbell a second time. But no one, let alone Nate, knew that we’d even had a relationship before.
“Look, keep this to yourself, but we were together in high school,” I told him.
He arched an eyebrow. “It’s been a long time since high school.”
I shook my head. “No, Nate. Like ‘I See the Real You’ was written for me.”
His eyes widened as he realized what that meant. “Well, no wonder that video looked so good.”
“Yeah,” I said with a laugh, pushing my hair behind my ear. “We were each other’s worlds. It finally feels like the universe has aligned for us again. It’s not the same. I promise.”
He nodded. “All right. Well, I said my piece anyway. I hope he doesn’t fuck it all up.”
“Yeah. Me too.”
“Blaire,” Honey said, making me jump. I’d completely forgotten she was there. “Can I send the videographer home?”
I put my hand to my heart. “Sure. Thanks, Honey.”
“Also, Campbell texted.” She waved my phone at me. “I didn’t look at it.”
“Thanks.” I took the phone from Honey and checked the message as she headed toward the videographer. “He’s on his way.”
Nate arched an eyebrow. “I guess that’s my cue.”
But there was Campbell Abbey, striding down the street in black jeans, a white T-shirt, and Ray-Bans. His hands were shoved into his pockets, and he looked off in the distance.
I didn’t run and throw my arms around him like I wanted to. We were in public, and there were a lot of cameras around. I didn’t need the world to know about us before we were quite ready for them to.
He stopped in front of us, pulling off his shades. “Hey.”
I bit my lip. “Hey.”
“You must be Nate.” Campbell offered him his hand.
Nate glanced at me once and then put his hand in Campbell’s. They shook a little longer and more forceful than was strictly necessary.
“I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Same,” Nate said. “Blaire was just saying how you’re leaving in two weeks.”
I rolled my eyes. “Nate, don’t be a dick.”
He laughed. “I want to make sure he’s going to take care of you.”
“Again, I can take care of myself.”
“And, yes,” Campbell said, “I plan to.”
Nate shrugged. “If you say so.”
“Y’all should chill,” I said with an eye roll.
Campbell smiled then and looked like he was fighting not to kiss me. “All right. All right.”
Nate nodded, ruffling my hair. “I’m going to head back home. Let’s do this again soon.”
“Sure.” I fixed my hair. “I’ll send you a text.”
“Sounds good.” He tilted his head at Campbell. “Nice to meet you. Blaire’s special, so…take good care of her.”
“Will do.”
Campbell watched him walk away, and I smacked him on his arm. “What was that?”
“He’s into you.”
I laughed. “I was just thinking that there was nothing between us at all. Because all I see is you.”
“It’s hard not to kiss you.”
“Really hard,” I said, biting my lip.
“Can I steal you?”
“Always.”
“Oh, and…I meant to ask you before you left this morning. The Wrights are throwing a birthday party for my aunt Helene. Would you want to…go with me?”
I arched an eyebrow. “Like a date? In public?”
He nodded. “Well, at least public with my family and the Wrights.”
That was a big step. So far, we hadn’t done a single thing in public. In some way, it wasn’t that different from what we’d done as teens. Only we had a lot more time and room for sex.
“I’d like that.”
“Good.” He took a step forward until he was very nearly in my face. “Now, let’s get you back to my bed.”
I laughed and nodded. “Yes, please.”
24
Blaire
The Wrights were Lubbock royalty. There were five Wright siblings—Jensen, Austin, Landon, Morgan, and Sutton—and after their father had died, Jensen had taken over as CEO of Wright Construction. Even though he’d handed over the company to his younger sister Morgan, he still lived like the king he was.
My eyes widened at his enormous house as Campbell parked his Range Rover on the street. I’d been to Jensen’s lake house, but nothing had really prepared me for his freaking mansion. It felt surreal sometimes that I was in this Wright orbit. They’d been so closed off for so long, but now that the siblings were all attached and with the appearance of their cousins, their circle had opened.
