“What the hell is going on?” he demands.
I sit on the bench with my foot tapping a mile a minute while Todd paces back and forth in front of me.
“Davis, get that piece of shit out of this restaurant,” Todd seethes with clenched teeth and fists.
“Cam? Why? His dad’s an investor. How do you think they got me to close the restaurant?” Davis argues back. “My hands are tied.”
“Well, untie them, or I walk,” Todd spouts.
I stand and rush over to him. “Relax, Todd. I can get through this,” I assure him.
He places his hands on my shoulders. “You shouldn’t have to, Noodle. Davis, dessert is being served. Let her go home?” he requests.
Davis nods without ever hearing the whole sordid past, not that I want him to.
“Both of you go,” he instructs.
Todd shakes his head. “I’ll stay,” he counters.
“No, you both go.” Davis points to us just when the break room door opens.
When Cam joins our little party, the three of us stare back at him.
He raises his hands in defense mode. “Hey, I’m here in peace.” He chuckles with that cocky arrogance I used to find attractive. “Lia, talk to me,” he states without so much as a ‘please’.
Before I have a chance to answer, Todd is in front of me, as if Cam has a gun pointed in my direction and he’s going to take the bullet for me.
“Sorry, that’s not gonna happen,” Todd sneers.
“Who the hell are you?” Cam takes a step closer.
Davis rests his hand on Cam’s chest. “I’m not sure what’s going on, but you need to leave, Cam,” he says politely.
Todd’s hand swings around, molding to my hip to keep me in place.
“Sorry, Davis, but Lia and I have unfinished business.” He disregards Davis and breaks the distance.
My throat constricts. The only thing that has me still breathing is Todd’s barrier.
“You had your chance with her, and you walked.” Todd’s stance widens, covering more of my body.
Cam shakes his head. “I’m not the one who walked.” His piercing blue eyes strike into mine.
Finally, I realize I can’t be some damsel in distress who hides behind a bodyguard, so I step aside from Todd.
“What choice did I have, Cam?” I move my feet without thinking the whole thing through.
I poke his chest, and he steps back like the coward he is.
“Go back out there, and be with ‘your kind’,” I throw his words back in his face.
“Lia, you never let me explain,” he argues.
I’m over him and our past. “Cam, you had two years. I’m done. It’s over. I don’t need some damn explanation about how I don’t fit in with your friends or any other bullshit excuse you might have. Just leave out the door, and go back to your bride.” I push past him and walk out of the room.
I get back behind the bar. The cake, desserts, and coffee have been served. Cam rushes to the side of his fiancée while Davis escapes into the kitchen.
My phone vibrates in my back pocket, and I pull it out.
Todd: I’m waiting outside. Do NOT talk to that jackass.
Me: You gone?
Todd: Davis sent me home.
Me: I’m sorry.
Todd: He said you could go. Come on.
Me: No, I can stick it out. He can’t affect me anymore.
Todd: I’ll be waiting then.
Half an hour later, I’m released. Cam and a few other men who have arrived carry the gifts to the awaiting cars outside. Escaping to the back room, I begin to change into my jean capris and sweater. It’s a nice typical fall day, probably the last one for a while.
The rest of the staff comes in, so I assume the bridal party is gone. Lucy tries to question me about what all happened and where Todd is, but I give only a few short answers, unable to discuss it right now. I walk out to the back hallway, following my coworkers, and I catch Davis talking to Cam. Both of them look my way, but I turn and exit out the back door.
I leave one tension-filled room to enter a tension-filled alley. Lucy is talking with Todd, but when he spots me, he says good-bye. Her eyes follow him to me, and she watches him pull me into a tight hug. I peer over to her, and seeing the exasperation leave her lungs is like a dagger in my throat. My stomach churns as I see the disgust on her face. She’s assuming things that aren’t true, but before I can catch her, she hops in a taxi.
“Are you okay?” Todd whispers as he backs up to see my face.
I dislodge from his embrace and step away. “I’m fine.”
“What’s the story between you and that asshole?” Todd asks.
All Todd knows is that Cam was my boyfriend. The only thing Todd witnessed, standing there in front of his apartment door, was me throwing shit at Cam as he ran down the hall until I slammed my door shut. Todd never asked me more about it, but the next morning, there were chocolate chip cookies at my door with a note that said, We’re dicks.
“Was he physical?”
We turn the opposite way than everyone else, and I know we should be on our way to Jim’s by now.
“No!” I screech.
Inhaling a big breath, I meet Todd’s inquiring eyes and figure he has to know the truth, as embarrassing as it is. My hands ball next to me until my fingernails are digging into my palms.
“Okay, I had a serious boyfriend in college. We loved each other and didn’t let anything get in between us—until graduation.” I pause, gathering the nerve to continue. “After we graduated, I went right into getting my master’s, and my boyfriend, Bryce, went into the job market. He got lucky and quickly nailed a consulting job at Kros and Bridgers—or so we thought.”
“Bryce Billings?”
“How did you know?” I look up and almost get lost in his sorrowful eyes.
“I’m sorry,” he sympathizes. “Bryce was working with Davis when I was hired on. Davis had him there when they interviewed me. I only remember because he gave me his business card at the end and whispered that when I’m ready to start my own restaurant, to give him a call. I did, and the office told me he had passed away.”
“I can’t believe . . .” Then, I recollect Bryce telling me about some hot new chef. “I vaguely remember him talking about Davis.”
“Bryce seemed like a good guy.” He swings his arm around my shoulders. A warmth puddles in my stomach.
“When he started there, things were great. Bryce was making more money than we ever thought possible, but soon, he got caught up in his newfound world.” I stop, gaining more strength to tell Todd the worst part. “Cam’s dad owns the firm.” My heart slams against my chest, waiting for Todd to put two and two together.
His arm loosens around me for a second. He’s figured it out, and I’m sure he’ll think I’m as pathetic as I do.
“Cam took Bryce under his wing. Bryce started not coming home all the time, and he was always going to Vegas or Miami. I became secondary, to a degree. Don’t get me wrong. He’d take me out and buy me things to make up for disappointments. I stupidly allowed him to mask the problems. I chalked it up to him having to pay his dues for a few years. You know, wine and dine the clients, but I thought, eventually, it would all calm down.”
Todd leads us over to a bench in a small park, and we sit down.
“Where does Cam fit in?”
“After he . . . died, Bryce’s parents wanted him sent back up to Michigan to be buried. Cam came up, and his dad paid for the whole wake and funeral, which was nice since Bryce’s parents didn’t have much money. Once I returned, Cam started calling me and stopping by to see how I was holding up. Before I realized it, the friendship turned into more, and . . . well, you can figure out the rest.”