“I don’t want you to talk to Delaney again,” I admit. “She was so awful to you earlier.”
He smiles and reaches out for me, and I step forward so that I am standing between his outstretched legs. “I can handle her. Don’t worry. Although you should probably get back to Leah before she starts to think something is going on between us. I don’t want it to be awkward for you if she decides to stay.”
“I don’t care what she thinks.” I drape my arms over his shoulders to punctuate my point. “I am pretty sure she alreadysuspects something, anyway, based on the way she was looking at us back there.”
“She looked worried about your cut,” he counters, and rests his hands on my hips. “Which I am too, for the record. But if she had the pleasure of seeing you in action like I have since picking you up at the airport today, she would know that you are just accident-prone.”
I smile that he already understands that part of me, although bad luck is a better descriptor than accident-prone, but we can argue over the semantics of it later. Right now, I just want to enjoy the fact that the things I dislike most about myself, he seems to think are cute quirks.
“I actually do want to check in with Delaney real fast, though,” he continues, and gently pulls my arms away from his neck. “So I’ll be right back.”
His last words produce an involuntary jolt through me, and I put my hands on his chest to stop him from standing. “Don’t say that.”
“Say what?”
“I’ll be right back. Isn’t that one of the rules for scary movies, to never say that?”
He laughs. “I have no idea. I was always too chicken to watch them.”
I think back to all the spooky things that Monika has made me sit through with her over the years. She loves true crime most of all, but also has a passion for scary movies, especially nineties slashers.
“I am almost positive that sayingI’ll be right backis a big no-no in them. People who say it usually end up hurt or . . .” I trail off, not willing to say the word murder out loud.
“Okay, then, how about I say,I’ll see you in a few minutes. Has that phrase ever resulted in anyone being hurt in one of your movies?”
“I think that one is safe.”
“Perfect,” he says, and leans down to place a soft kiss on my lips before he leads us back into the hallway.
I head to my bedroom as Cameron jogs down the stairs, and find Leah sitting on my bed, arms crossed over her chest. “Cameron is going to check in with—”
“What are you doing?” she interrupts.
I look around, confused. “What do you mean?”
“What are you doing with Cameron?”
Even though I am not ashamed of the relationship that is budding between us, my instincts tell me to keep it to myself, at least for now. “Nothing,” I say, but shift back and forth uncomfortably on my feet. “We were downstairs working on the dishes when the power went out, and he walked me up to my room because it was dark.”
She stands up and places an idle hand on her lower belly. “It seems like there is something more going on between you two. Was Delaney telling the truth? Are you guys going to take over the retreat?”
“No!” I say. “There is not even an ounce of truth to what Delaney is accusing us of.”
“Good. Because I’m going to be honest, Drew, I don’t like him. He has overstepped Delaney’s role as host multiple times and has inserted himself in the retreat without being invited. He’s the reason this entire weekend has gone downhill—”
“It would have gone downhill a lot faster if hehadn’tstepped in the few times that he did,” I argue. “What events did he insert himself into? He helped Ollie prepare the tasting, but other than that, he hasn’t even been around the group.”
She nods slowly as I speak, as if my words confirm something for her.
“What?”
“You’re already in deep.”
“No, I’m not,” I say, but the blush on my cheeks gives me away.
She walks past me to leave, apparently done with this conversation, and maybe done with me, too, but pauses at the door. “I’ve decided to stay, because I really liked getting to know you and Val earlier, so let’s keep that going this weekend. I’d hate for this to turn into you and Val being coupled off so that I’m the odd woman out.”
“It won’t be like that,” I say, and wonder if that is the real reason she doesn’t want me to get involved with Cameron.
