Page 17 of No Faking a Second Chance

I’mthinking we can fill them with water, beads, and some flowers floating, then add a candle on top.Haven’tdecided on which flower we will go with, butI’mthinking the pink roses will end up looking best.Ialso got different colored rose petals so we can scatter them across the table, to keep everything from looking too bare.

Insteadof paying attention toCamden,Ifocus on making a centerpiece to test out where my mind is going with it.WhenI’mdone,Ihold it up toCamdenand he studies it curiously.

“Looksgood, is that what we’re going to do for all the tables?”

Ishake my head. “Notyou, me.”

Hescoffs. “What, you thinkIcan’t do it?”

“I’drather not find out if you can or not.”Ifind the bare section of the tent, where the table for food and cake should go, and point over to it. “Plus, there needs to be four square tables for the food and one for the cake over there.”

Hesmirks but walks past me to get it done. “I’llget them situated, butI’mhelping onceI’mdone.”

EventhoughCamdendoesn’t act like it,Iknow he’s feeling all kinds of emotions aboutWinniegetting married.Henever thought she would be tying the knot before he did.Notonly that, but she’s the baby in the family andI’msure it’s emotional to watch the baby make a new family.Theidea ofWinniehaving kids brings a smile to my face, knowing that she will be the best damn mother ever.

Myneck prickles, just like it always does whenCamden’seyes are on me, andIglance up to find him standing across the tent studying me intently.Hedoesn’t say anything, only stares for a few more seconds before going back to situating the tables.I’mpretty sureIhear him mumbling to himself, but he’s too far away for me to be able to hear any of it.

That’show it goes for the next twenty minutes.I’llbe making a centerpiece and my neck will prickle, thenI’lllook up to findCamden’sgaze on me.He’sfinished with the tables, so now he’s only watching me finish the centerpieces and taking them to their respective tables.Everytime he tries to sit down and help me make them,Iwave him away becauseI’mnot sure my body can handle him being so close to me.

I’mnot entirely sure why he keeps staring at me.He’snever done this before and it has me thinking there’s something wrong with my face.Isthere something in my hair?Ismy boob hanging out andIhaven’t bothered to notice it?Itry as discreetly as possible to glance down at my chest and let a relieved breath out whenIsee everything is okay in that department.

“ThinkIcan help now?”Ijump atCamden’svoice right next to my ear, my body flaming up at how close he’s standing next to me, and chuckle nervously.Heeyes me, leaning away from me slightly but not enough to calm my racing heart. “Youokay?”

No, not at all.That’swhatIwant to tell him.I’dlove to blurt how muchIwant to feel his lips against mine, butI’msure that’d just make me seem like a crazy person.

Instead,Igive him a tight-lipped smile and nod. “Yeah,I’mgood.”Ipoint to the lone pieces scattered on the table and roll my eyes. “Getover there and start on one, but the moment you mess up all you get to do is watch and put them where they need to go.”

Camdennods, causing pieces of his blonde hair to fall in front of his eyes, and my fingers twitch in response.Imanage to control my movements, then let out a rough breath when he finally goes to the other end of the table.Thatdoesn’t stop his stares though, or him walking near me and bringing his body entirely too close.

I’mso focused on not making a fool of myself,Idon’t hear anyone coming inside until a throat clears.Ijump at the sound, then smile brightly at the sight ofBishopstanding there with a bag of food.WhenIglance past the tent,Irealize the sun is a lot further down on the horizon than moments ago — guessI’vebeen more out of it thanIthought.

“Babe!”Isay excitedly, laying the boyfriend thing on thick whileCamdenis sitting here. “Isn’tthe office open?”

BishopeyesCamdenover my shoulder for a minute before smiling at me softly. “Itshould be, but it was a slow day andIfiguredI’dclose early, bring you food.Youhungry?”Helifts the bag, the smell ofPaulette’sgoing straight through my nostrils, and my stomach rumbles in response. “Sitand eat, take a break.”

Camdensits at the table, glaring atBishopwith his arms crossed over his bare chest.Yes, the man still doesn’t have a shirt on andI’mfinding it very hard to look away right now — butImanage to anyway asBishopleads me over to a separate table without a tablecloth.Winniewould kill me ifImanaged to get a stain on the tables before the wedding even starts.

Bishopstops at the table whereCamden’ssitting and gives him an apologetic shrug. “Ididn’t know anyone else was helping her, but you can have my pancakes if you want.”KnowingBishop, he has a shit ton of bacon in that bag and will cut a hand off if you try stealing it.

Camdenshakes his head, then lifts from the table quickly and walks toward one of the tent doors. “I’llgo get something inside, just holler for me when you’re ready to start again,Peach.”

Igroan, then throw one of the candles at his bare back. “Itold you to stop calling me that!”

Hechuckles as he walks away, leaving me andBishopalone to eat.Bishopglances around the tent, nodding appreciatively at all the work we’ve gotten done. “Itlooks really good in here,Georgia.”

Mycheeks heat up andIlook away from him, but he brings his fingers to my chin and lifts my face untilI’mstaring directly at him. “Youdon’t need to do that around me, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”

Inod, not wanting to get into this right now.AllIwant is forCamdento come back in soIcan lay the boyfriend and girlfriend thing on thick.Heneeds to see thatI’mnot available anymore.Somethingfeels wrong about this, butIcan’t bring myself to stop.NotuntilCamdengives me more than a few lingering stares, and that’s allI’vegotten while being here today.

“Youokay?”Bishopasks while shoving a bite of pancakes into his mouth.

“Yeah,I’mgood.Juststressed about the wedding, that’s all.Don’twant to screw up on this.”It’snot exactly a lie, but it’s also not the entire truth and it’s not somethingIwant to tellBishop.Well,Iwant to tell him —Ijust can’t tell him, not ifIwant this to work.

God,Isound like a bitch.

I’mjust getting ready to throw my garbage away whenCamdencomes striding back inside.Hisshirt is back on now, thank goodness, becauseI’mnot sureIcould breathe much longer if he stayed half-naked.

Ismile atBishopand wave a hand toward the table. “Wantto help us out?”Notonly will it make this go quicker, it will also give me a chance to showcase my new relationship.

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