Page 148 of Not That Into You

“No.” He sends me a small smile. “I had somewhere more important to be.”

I lean back in surprise. “I thought you said you rescheduled the interview.”

“Not quite. I told the board’s administrator I had an emergency and would contact him to reschedule. I didn’t actually wait around to see if they’d agree to a postponement before I caught a flight to Dayton. In the end, it didn’t matter because by the time I got back to New York, I decided to remove myself from consideration.”

I stare at him, uncertain about how to respond. “Wow.”

He grabs my other hand and looks at me with such an earnest expression, my heart pounds. “I love you, Monica.”

My heart stutters as I lick my lips. “I’m beginning to see that.”

“And I am sorry about the Coronet dinner.”

I swallow, then take a deep breath. “I know there was nothing going on between you and Vanessa, but...” I give him a pleading look. “It still bothers me that you went with her.”

His face falls. “I know. That was stupid. I let my family get to me.”

My stomach drops, even though I already knew his family wanted him to be with Vanessa and not me. I give him a sad smile.

He furrows his brow. “Hey.” Standing up, he walks around the table before pulling me to my feet and cupping my face. “I’m sorry. I won’t let them get to me again.”

I swallow. “What did they say?”

Maybe I’m a glutton for punishment, but forewarned is forearmed.

He blows out an unhappy breath, then lets his hands drop to clasp mine. “My father made it clear he thought I was a fool for not taking Vanessa to the dinner. It pissed me off, and I ignored him, but then Archie said the same thing. And in a weak moment, I let them get to me. I let my desire to prove I have what it takes to be a Stanhope get the better of me.” He shakes his head. “But all I did was prove my family still has power over me; that their opinion still matters.”

He frowns. “The thing is, my father knew I wasn’t interested in Vanessa, but he still wanted me to use her.” Cameron clenches his jaw. “And I stooped to his level. I let you down, and I let Vanessa down. I can’t tell you how sorry I am about that.”

I bite my lip. “She had to have known you were using her for her connections, though, right?”

He shrugs.

“She must’ve gotten something out of it, too. You said she initially asked you to go with her. Why did she ask you?”

He gives me a halfhearted smile. “Because I’m charming and handsome?” I narrow my eyes as he chuckles. “Okay, okay. It was more than that.” His expression turns serious. “A few days before the dinner, she asked to see me. You remember her mother is on the board of The Stanhope Group?”

I nod.

“I thought maybe it had something to do with that. So, I met her for coffee. She proposed a deal of sorts. If I went with her to the dinner, she’d act as my cheerleader and help me charm the board members.”

I frown. “Why? Why the deal?”

“Her ex was going to be at the dinner.”

“Her ex?”

“Yeah. She was engaged to some guy when she was living in London, but her fiancé dumped her not too long ago. I get the sense the breakup was a surprise. She moved back to New York, and the ex stayed in London. But his family is friends with her family, and he was in town for business, and she learned he was going to be at the dinner.”

I slowly nod. “So, she didn’t want to show up alone. She wanted to show him she’d moved on.”

He shrugs. “More or less.”

“I get it. Though it doesn’t really sound like you were using her. I mean, you were, but you were both using each other, so they kind of cancel each other out.”

He raises his brows. “Sounds like you’re trying to put lipstick on a pig.”

I snort. “Maybe, but knowing she was concerned about her ex makes me feel better. Did he show?”

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