Page 172 of Ashley & the A-Listers

It could just… happen. By chance.

A tip. Just a little one. Maybe the name of a restaurant, a time. It wouldn’t be hard for a photographer to get a photo to the right channels. Hollywood’s golden boy on a date? They’d eat it up.

And then… and then Cam and River could reacttogether.

It would be something they faced as one, instead of putting it all on Cam’s shoulders.

Don’t act like you’re a hero,River scoffed. He knew it was born from a place of selfishness. But at this moment, it didn’t outweigh the hurt.

He was tired of waiting for Cameron to stick to his word, to keep his promises. River was tired of being the kept secret, andas his thoughts swirled and he gave into his irritation, his anger and bitterness, the solution only grew clearer.

If River was in some great love story, one better than anything he could write, then the only thing holding them back from their happy ending was…

The secret.

So maybe it was time to stop keeping it.

The next morning they were awoken by a buzz, intrusive, annoying.

Cameron blearily swiped at his phone, and then sat up in a jolt.

“What is it?” River asked, lifting his head from a pillow, half asleep. Then he remembered the dinner last night, River’s little deal. Hope filled him?—

Before it was replaced with worry as Cameron’s face went so pale so fast River thought he might pass out. His sleep fog cleared and he sat up, a hand on Cam’s shoulder in case he decided to go over.

He remained seated, lips parted as someone on the other line spoke. River couldn’t hear them, but the tinny voice was quick.

The call ended, and then River saw the… hundreds of notifications on Cameron’s phone. Was it about them?

“What is it?” he repeated.

“Someone saw us at dinner last night,” Cam said, voice… soft.

River’s heart leapt into his throat.It worked!“What?”

“Yeah. Someone took a picture, and it went viral overnight.” Cam was repeating facts.

“Fuck.” Forbidden excitement curled through River. This was it. They were a couple. They could do this together now?—

Cameron scrambled out of the bed. “Oh god, I have to tell Ashley.”

River’s head snapped up. “What?”

Cam turned the phone to River, and River squinted to see the grainy photo of… Cameron. Sitting across the booth from Ashley. River was on the other side of Cameron, but in this photo one could hardly tell.

The focus was on the omega. And the alpha.

“She’s going to freak out. Fuck. Fuck!” Cameron cursed, and spun on his heel.

River stared after him as he practically ran out of the nest, feet thudding softly across the hardwood floors to Dylan’s room.

Fuck. Shit.

He wrestled with annoyance, disappointment… This was supposed to be about Cameron andRiver.Not Ashley.

Ashley was never supposed to be involved. He’d fucked up. Guilt struck, followed by a thread of panic.

River grabbed his phone and a robe for Cam and followed after him. Cam’s feet against the floor would make him cold.

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