Page 16 of Caught in the Middle

A thought skirted through Emma’s mind. “You’re not mad, are you? You didn’t have your eye on him or something, did you?” Shit, she’d seen their surprise at seeing each other but did her nerves keep her from reading the situation more clearly?

“No, no, no,” Lulu quickly assured. “Although, he is a hottie,” she admitted. “But I would never consider dating anyone from work. Too complicated, and I’m already trying to prove myself.”

Emma refrained from rolling her eyes, even though she knew her friend couldn’t see her. She was always determined to prove herself, yet she failed to realize she already had and then some. “Yeah, he is kind of sexy, isn’t he?” They both laughed.

“So what are you going to do? Where is he?”

“Making some calls then we’ll talk.”

“Probably squaring away work stuff if I had to guess.”

It hit Emma that Lulu knew Cam better than she did. Damn, she was screwed. “I think you’re right.”

“Well, at least this week should prove fun, and now you’ll have the perfect distraction to keep you from trying to bail out last minute.”

Again, Lulu laughed, but Emma tensed. She had been honest with her best friend about not looking forward to Asher being there, but it was still a hard line to navigate. She didn’t want Lulu to think she had an issue with him and her sister because Emma would never speak poorly of Lulu’s family, her family.

That didn’t stop her friend from knowing it was a hard position for Emma to be in.

“I think bailing has definitely been removed from the equation. I’m worried Cam might be a flight risk, though.”

Lulu thought it over. “Nah. I think he’ll stick around.” She hesitated. “But try to take it easy on him. Dad’s like a loving father to you, but Cam knows him as an intimidating bigwig from work, and Cam’s known for being a good guy and having integrity. He probably thinks this has career failure written all over it.”

Emma chewed on her bottom lip. Lulu was right and Cam had already hinted at that. She’d have to be extra careful that they didn’t get caught. “Thanks, Lu,” she said and meant it.

“I’ll see you tomorrow. I need to finish packing.”

“I’ll be the one with bags under my eyes from not being able to sleep,” Emma joked.

“That guilty conscience of yours might find that this bundle of deceit turns into something a bit more scandalous,” Lulu purred.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

She could practically hear the eye roll over the phone. “It means that you just secured yourself a week-long vacation in the same room with a total ten.”

Emma’s world stopped spinning. One room? She hadn’t even thought that far ahead. Of course Cam would be joining her in her room, especially with the last-minute invite and everyone would expect as much, but she hadn’t actually had a chance to navigate all of those details.

“You still there?” Lulu asked.

“Just processing.” Lulu’s laugh was her only response and Emma shook her head. “I think you’re overestimating me if you think I can have Cam doing anything besides hating me for dragging him into this.”

“Please,” Lulu said. “More like you’re underestimating yourself.”

“Anyways, that’s not even what this is about. There will be no sexy or scandalous getaway. This is now a mission to survive the week without the truth coming out or humiliating myself. Or Cam,” she added.

“Keep telling yourself that.”

“Get off the phone already. I’ll see you at the airport.”

Lulu giggled before saying goodbye and hanging up. If Emma thought the phone call was going to make her feel better, she had been wrong. She was only more anxious for her talk with Cam now that she realized what all this week would include.

An entire week stuck together. Him and her.

Chapter 8

Cam had always loved traveling, but today and this trip were testing his patience.

It’d already been a trying morning considering they had to be at the airport at five for their flight that left a little after seven. He’d been in Emma’s room last night doing his best to calmly discuss what to expect whenever Henry called him. Cam had been surprised that he called him and not Emma, especially since he didn’t know how Henry got his number, but then again it probably wasn’t that hard since they worked for the same company.

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