He runs his fingers through his hair and suddenly turns to leave like it’s urgent. “Okay, I gotta go.”
I stand to grab him in an embrace and he pulls away quickly. “Got to go, Bloss.” He kisses me quickly and then kisses Owen. “See you tonight.”
“Bye, Cam.” I smile.
He heads for the door and then turns back. “Don’t you want to know where I’m going tonight?” He frowns.
“Not really.” I shrug. “Vegas, I assume.
“Witty,” he replies dryly.
I smile and wink. “That’s me. The witty witch.”
He shakes his head and disappears out into the hallway, and I pick up the phone. “Hello, room service?”
Cameron
It’s just gone 7:00 p. m. and I’m at a bar with Joshua and Adrian. To go along with the stag night story, we had to pretend to be somewhere else. We’ve had a few drinks and I feel like I’m going to throw up.
“Will you relax?” Joshua smirks.
I drag my hand down my face. “She could say no, you know.”
“She’s not going to say no.” Adrian rolls his eyes.
“Imagine that. I drop to my knee in a crowded club in front of everyone and she says fucking no.” I frown as my stomach drops, and I tip my head back to drain my scotch from its glass.
Joshua laughs. “Would be kind of funny, though, right?”
“Hilarious,” I reply deadpan.
Adrian chuckles.
“Seriously, this is bullshit. I’ve… I’ve felt sick since Wednesday,” I stammer. “Maybe I’m not meant to get married.” I shake my head as I feel perspiration heat my body. “Maybe this is the universe telling me this is a stupid fucking idea.” I pinch the bridge of my nose and then I frown. “What if I fuck this up and she leaves me?” My eyes widen in horror. “Then I’ll be divorced,” I whisper in horror.
“Will you calm down? You’re going to have a heart attack,” Adrian replies.
“Why on earth would anyone get married more than once? This is absolute bullshit.” I frown.
Joshua smirks into his glass. “I would never marry again.”
“Really?” Adrian frowns.
“No.” He thinks for a moment. “Natasha is it for me. If something happened to her I wouldn’t do it again with someone else. She will be my only wife.”
“You can’t say that. Look at Nicholas,” Adrian replies. “He said that, and he eventually got married again. Lucky bastard.”
“Hmm.” Joshua frowns. “Even if she wasn’t here anymore I would be her husband.”
My heart starts to beat hard in my chest. “Someone get me a fucking double scotch immediately. I can’t deal with this shit.”
Joshua laughs and stands to go to the bar.
“Show me the ring,” Adrian asks.
I dig around in my pocket and pull out the black velvet box and open it.
It’s rose gold with a three-carat, perfect white diamond sitting proudly. Adrian smiles broadly. “We did good finding this.”
“I should hope so, it took a week. Do you think she’ll like it?” I ask.
“She’s going to love it.”
“I would have liked a bigger one,” I say as I study it.
“She wouldn’t be able to wear it to work then,” Adrian replies. “You want her to have something that she can wear all the time. Not just on special occasions.”
I nod. “Yeah, I guess.”
My phone dances across the table and the name Bloss lights up the screen. I smile and answer. “Hey, hot stuff.”
“Oh, Cammy,” she purrs.
Hmm. I glance up at Adrian and he frowns in question. She only calls me Cammy when she’s drunk.
“I just rang to tell you that Vegas was a great idea.”
“Are you drinking cocktails? How many drinks have you had?” I ask.
“Not many, but oh my God, I’m having the best time. The Amalfi Coasts here are amazeballs.”
I put my hand over the phone. “Great. She’s fucking plastered,” I whisper.
Adrian puts his hand over his mouth in surprise and laughs.
“I love you,” she slurs.
“Where are you, Bloss?” I ask.
“Oh.” I hear her ask the others. “Where are we?”
“In the cocktail bar on level three,” I hear Natasha’s voice in the background. “Near the cute bartender.”
I roll my eyes.
“On level three.” Ashley hiccups. “The waiter is really cute, Cam.”
I smirk. Oh, she’s plastered all right. Ashley has a habit of pointing out good-looking men to me when she’s drunk.
“Have a fun night,” I reply.
I hear all the women giggle like stupid school girls. “Thank you for making me come to Vegas, Cam.” She laughs. “This is, like, the best thing ever!”
I hang up and glance at my watch. “We still have four hours to go and she’s drunk already!” I snap.
Joshua comes back to the table and places the six drinks on the tray on the table.
“Well, this is a fucking disaster,” I grumble.
“What is?” Joshua frowns.
“The girls are hammered.”
He glances at Adrian and they both burst out laughing.
“This isn’t funny. I have four hours to go and she’s drunk now. She won’t make eleven o–fucking-clock. She’ll be asleep in two hours from now.”
Joshua sits on his stool. “At least if she says no she won’t remember you asking.” He sips his drink. “Less awkward.”
“Fuck’s sake,” I whisper.
“Well, let’s just bring it forward.” Adrian frowns.
“No. It has to be at the same time at the same place as the first time we met.”
They sip their drinks as they think.
“And I have the guy lined up to hit on her at eleven,” I add.
Adrian rolls his eyes. “I’m pretty sure she’s going to be hit on about fifty times before then. A hot chick like her doesn’t have to ask for attention, especially if she’s stupid drunk.”
Joshua takes out his phone. “I’ll ring Max.” He dials the number, puts it on speaker, and sits in the middle of the table.
“Hey, boss,” Max answers.
“What are the girls doing right now?” Josh asks.
“Sitting at the bar, drinking some sort of pink cocktail.”
“They drunk?” Joshua frowns.
“Tipsy. The cocktail waiter is chatting with them as he makes them doubles.”
Joshua’s unimpressed eyes flicker to me, and Adrian laughs out loud.
“Great!” I snap. “This is just fucking great.” I shake my head in disgust. “Where are you, Max?” I ask.
“Level three, cocktail bar.”
“Okay, thanks, Max,” Joshua replies flatly. “You have my permission to knock that cocktail waiter out.”
“Roger that.” He hangs up.
I drain my glass.
Joshua smirks as his eyes hold mine.
“Okay.” Adrian holds up his hands. “I’ve got a plan.”
Joshua rolls his eyes. “Here we go.” He sighs.
“We pretend that we’re walking through to the casino and we accidently bump into the girls. Joshua and I distract Ashley while you tell the other two to sober her up.”
I narrow my eyes as I think.
“That’s actually a good idea,” Joshua replies. “She needs to eat something.”
“Yes,” Adrian urges. “Get the girls to take her to dinner and stop drinking for a little while, then it’s all good.” He holds up his hands. “Simple. Crisis averted.”
“Fine!” I snap. “Finish these drinks and we’ll go.”
Fifteen minutes later, we walk into the cocktail bar the girls are in. We hear them before we see them. The three of them are sitting at the bar, laughing loudly, each with an exotic-looking pink cocktail in front of them.
Joshua and Adrian walk over to them and I slowly follow.
This was a bad idea. I should have just proposed at home in private. Why did I think this was a good idea? Yeah. I’m just going to do it another time.
The boys kiss the girls on the cheek as a greeting, and I stand back as I think.
Just at home with the two of us, no pressure.
I feel two hands slink around my waist and look down to see my beautiful girl smiling up at me. Her joy is infectious. “Hello.” I smile.
She smiles goofily up at me. “Hello, my love.”
My eyes hold hers, and in that instant moment my every fear dissipates.