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Quiet around new people, because I never knew what to say to them. But how did I explain that to Cameron? He was so charming, outgoing and well-spoken. So he wouldn’t understand why I was like this. Definitely not.
Cam bumped his shoulder into mine. “You ready for your fall formal, Princess?”
I realized quickly what he was doing. Trying to distract me. “I think so.” We’d rented out the University’s large ballroom space for it, and even though there were a ton of things that would have to be done day-of, once we could start setting up, I was as ready as I could be. “I’m… really excited.” The formal was practically mybaby, and even when I’d been vice president, I’d had a hand in planning it from the beginning.
Everything was going to be perfect, from the theme to the decorations.
“And then the semester will be over, and…” We’d stop seeing each other every week. I frowned at the thought. Why did I not like the idea of not seeing him regularly? I frowned.
“Are you going to miss me, Ella?” He asked, wiggling his eyebrows, repeating his earlier question.
“No.” But the statement came out too quickly, and I could tell he knew I was just denying it.
Maybe I was.
A little.
Not that I was going to tell him that.
Sparkling lights were hanging on the ceiling, and the rest of the room was currently being decked out like a glittering, winter wonderland.
“We’re here,” came a familiar voice at my back as I guided the decorations into place.
Spinning around, I found Cam and a hoard of fraternity boys behind him.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, my eyebrow raising as I stepped back.
“Thought you could use some help.” He shrugged. “Figured we could do the heavy lifting.”
“Oh.” My cheeks warmed.
He was here to help. Not because he had to be. I certainly hadn’t asked. But maybe because he… wanted to be?
I tilted my head as I considered the thought—and then brushed it away. This was no time to be thinking about things like that. Not when our relationship—friendship, or whatever this was—had an expiration date. And hookups or not, I couldn’t do this kind of thing without getting attached.
But maybe that was the truth. I was already attached. I liked him. IlikedCameron Edwards, despite every reason I shouldn’t.
“Thank you.”
“Of course.” He nodded to the guys, who dispersed, each finding a girl currently putting up decorations and helping to take over.
My hands on my hips, I watched as my girls instructed his guys, and the flow of teamwork was almost overwhelming. It was almost like everyone wasin… sync. After the last few weeks, of everyone spending time together, bonding, even serving the community together… It was like one family.
When I looked up at Cam, I couldn’t help the pride that rushed through my body.
“Need help with anything else?” The words were whispered in my ear. It wasintimate,and the shiver that ran down my spine was anything but appropriate for our current location.
“I don’t think so,” I said, watching the guys secure more decorations to the walls as the girls directed them from below. Dang, they were good. And I hadn’t even needed to lift a finger.
“Ella?” Peggy’s voice called, and I turned, finding her and Suzie holding boxes of t-shirts. “Where do you want the merch? Do we have a table?”
“Oh.” I looked around the room. “Maybe in that corner?” I pointed, biting my lip as I considered the ideal flow of the room. We’d set up the DJ in front of the dance floor, and the photo booth was off to the side, but I forgot to mark off where the t-shirts and merch would go on today’s floor-plan.
Our philanthropy was important, and considering a portion of our t-shirts would go towards that, as well as funds for running the sorority, they needed to be somewhere visible enough, yet not distracting from the flow or the event.
By the time I’d settled that fiasco, all the decor had been hung, and the tables that dotted the edges of the ballroom were fully decked out with their centerpieces. It felt like everywhere I turned, someone else had another problem that I had to fix, but when I stepped back, surveying the entire room, I knew it had all been worth it.
“It looks… incredible. Wow.” I said the words to myself, but it wasn’t long until I felt a warm presence at my back—and somehow, without looking, I knew exactly who I would find there.
