Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
CORINNE
I can't believe I almost let him kiss me. What the hell was I thinking? Tiffany is standing in the hallway, hands in her pocket, swaying back and forth on the balls of her feet.
"What are you two doing?" She smirks, and I can't blame her. We were in a compromising position.
"Absolutely nothing." I move away from the door and Carter slips past me. But not before letting his hand graze my waist. The shiver that runs through my body has nothing to do with the touch. It's the air conditioning, and nothing else. "Want to help me set this up?"
"Not really, but I have a feeling you won't let me go downstairs until I do."
"And this is why I love you." I set the box on the floor and rip the tape off. Within minutes, I have the mattress out of the box and on the floor. "Do you have outfits for pictures?"
Tiffany unrolls the mattress and makes sure the plug is next to her on the wall. "Yeah. It's nothing fancy, but we're not really dressed up sort of people."
"Please tell me y'all brought costumes. I would love to photograph y'all cosplaying. And it would totally work because it's who y'all are. That's what we want to show everyone."
Tiffany falls over laughing. "No, we didn't bring costumes, but there's a convention coming up soon.
We'll have to get together when we're dressed up so you can take some photos.
" She gathers her composure and plugs the air mattress into the outlet and turns the knob until air begins filling it.
"I also think Stella would die if our official engagement photos were us cosplaying.
When we suggested adding some comic fun to the wedding, she lost her shit. "
"You do know it's your wedding, right?" Opening the bottom drawer of the dresser, I pull out one of the fitted sheets Stella keeps in there.
Carter may be a pain in the ass, but I'm not going to let him sleep on that scratchy felt that covers the mattress.
"You can do whatever you want. You don't have to let her bulldoze over you because that's what she usually does. "
"You're one to talk." She grabs a pillow off the bed and throws it at me. "When are you going to stop letting your brother tell you who you can and can't see?"
"He doesn't."
"Yes, he does." Tiff checks the firmness of the air mattress. "You and Carter could be happy together if he wasn't always throwing hints about y'all being a bad idea."
"That's not the only problem between us."
"I know. But admit it, you still have feelings for him." She flutters her lashes and makes kissing sounds.
"Not so loud. You are literally the only person who knows. I can't let my brother overhear." I glance at the door to make sure nobody is nearby. "He'll lose his shit and I'll be stuck sleeping on this mattress in his room."
Tiffany bites her bottom lip before turning toward the wall to pull the plug out now that the mattress is full. "Well, I'm not the only person."
"What do you mean?"
"I may have told Spencer." She faces me again. "But you don't have to worry, he's not going to say anything to anyone."
Shit. I have to get downstairs. If guys talk like girls do, one of them is bound to slip.
Never mind the fact they have alcohol added to the equation.
Our secret will be out in the open and I'll have to break up a fight.
"Help me get this bed made. Then we can head downstairs to make sure nobody says a word. "
"Fine," she grunts. "I'll help, but you also didn't deny having feelings for him."
"Shut up." I grab the pillow she threw at me and toss it back at her. She's quick and dodges without a problem, but the damn thing hits the lamp. It teeters from side to side and I think it's going to fall, but Tiff comes to the rescue again and moves it back into place.
"You better be happy I stopped that. I'm almost certain the lamp is an antique."
"Let's not add murder to the weekend agenda." I laugh.
We make quick work of putting the sheet down and the blanket on top of it. I'm not even sure why I'm going through all this trouble. We aren't dating. Not anymore.
But I can't push aside the gratitude I felt when he brought me snacks from the gas station.
After the way I treated him, he didn't have to bring me anything.
He did, though. And if the closeness between us a few moments ago is any indication, we both have some desire still hiding beneath the surface.
But we shouldn't be. Not after everything that went down between us.
"You okay?" Tiffany asks.
Shaking my head to clear away the thoughts, I nod. "Yep. Let's get downstairs. I think I need a margarita."
"You're speaking to my heart," she grins and helps me off the floor. "Though you better be careful with the alcohol, or Carter might be sharing your bed."
Rolling my eyes, I follow her out of the room, closing the door behind us. "I don't think so. That'll never happen, and if my brother found out. He'd be pissed. That would be a long, uncomfortable drive back to Austin. I'm definitely not ready for that."
"Not ready for what?" My brother is making his way toward us. Holy shit. Talk about a close call.
"To get completely drunk." I shrug. "If that happens, I'll be worthless tomorrow, and how am I supposed to take photos of the bride to be if I'm still in bed?"
"Okay," he drawls out, eyeing me as if I'm not telling him something. I'm not, but he doesn't need to know that. As long as he's in the dark, everything is good. Well, other than these old feelings creeping up despite me trying to bury them with little success.
"We'll see you downstairs." I grin.
"Yeah," Tiff adds. "I'm going to look for the cards. I think a game of spoons is on the table for tonight."
"Dear God, no." Justin runs his hand down his face as he passes us. "This is not good."
"What's he talking about?" We make our way down the stairs.
"I have no idea." I don't miss the gleam in her eyes, though. There's something she's definitely not telling me, and I think I'm about to find out what it is.