4. Kameron
4
KAMERON
The next day, we have our first scheduled meeting with the Christmas Bazaar team.
Rebecca sits at the head of the table, and I really have to restrain myself from rolling my eyes at her. That wouldn’t be very professional of me, but damn if I don’t want to right now.
“Hey, guys.” Cora steps in behind me, shutting the door and moving around the table to where we both sat yesterday. “I’ve brought coffee and donuts for us all.” She sets the boxes in the center of the table while I place the drink carriers beside it. “Let’s get right to it, shall we?”
Megan nods, she’s more friendly than Rebecca has ever been toward us, although she is Rebecca’s friend and there is an alliance there. Marleigh sits across from me today, making me extremely thankful I won’t have Rebecca glaring at me so obviously today.
It’s the little things, guys.
“Kam and I reviewed all of the last couple of years' numbers, the events that took place during the Bazaar, and we were able to come up with a few things that we feel like would benefit and drive the numbers higher this year.” Cora smiles at the table, only three of us smile back. Rebecca looks like she just sat on a stick.
Cora looks at me, so I step in. “We want to keep the events of last year, but just add to them more. I’m sure the bakery would love to create Christmas themed goodies for everyone again, and Santa is a must have.” I look down at the notes in my hand that Cora and I stayed up late working on. “Dennis has already agreed to be our Santa again this year, which is great. He’s wonderful with the kids, and everyone seems to love him based on the reviews that were posted last year.” I glance around the table. Marleigh and Megan stare intently, listening to what we’re saying. “We also discussed bringing in a live Reindeer for a photo op for kids. We could charge a very minimal fee or hire a photographer to cover Santa and reindeer pictures this year.”
“Another thing we did discuss was something that would boost those numbers right away. Some kind of night event that would get people interested. It’s easy to plan events for kids, but we want something that the parents would want to come back later that night to participate in. Any ideas?” Cora asks the table, silence falls upon everyone.
“I’m not sure what that would be.” Megan sighs, pressing her finger to her chin as she thinks.
“What about a raffle of some sort?” Marleigh offers. “Oh, or perhaps some type of show?”
“We did discuss having the local school do some type of performance, but we could always have an adult show later in the night?” I say.
“Adult show?” Rebecca frowns at us. This woman can’t have more than two friends with her attitude, there’s just no way.
Not that I’m one to speak, Cora is about it for me.
“That sounds like some type of stripper show.” She rolls her eyes. “Stripping Santas.” Her laugh sounds maniacally.
“Wait, Stripping Santas isn’t a bad idea.” Cora turns to me, a slight lift in the corners of her mouth.
“Stripping Santas?” Megan mulls the idea over. “I actually don’t think that would be a bad idea. It’s unusual and something we have never done before. There used to be some type of burlesque show here like ten years ago, but it lost interest so they stopped it. But, for the longest time, everyone bought tickets specifically for that event.” She looks at Marleigh. “I don’t think its’ a bad idea at all.”
“And who would we even get to strip for us? Birchwood isn’t exactly crawling with a lot of lookers, especially the ones that could take their clothes off,” Rebecca points out.
I hate to agree with the heifer, but she’s got a point.
“No worries, Kameron knows someone.”
The second the words are out of my best friend’s mouth, I want to kick her in the shin. I glare at her. The last person I want to talk to is him, and the idea of me having to ask him for a favor really chaps my ass.
“No way,” I say, immediately. There’s just no way.
“Oh, c’mon. He’d probably love doing it, and he’d have enough contacts to fill the entire show I bet.”
She does have a point, but that was years ago.
And there’s the big giant reason it’s a bad idea.
It’s him.
There’s a reason we haven’t talked in years.
“Kameron, just contact the guy.” Rebecca waves her hand at me. “Unless you don’t think you can handle an event like this?” Her eyes sparkle with the challenge.
And I don’t have the willpower to not let the bait bother me.
I latch onto it like a damn fish and a worm in the water.
“I’ll give him a call.” The words taste like acid coming from my mouth.
Considering I’m breaking a promise to myself.
“Great,” Cora squeals, clapping her hands together. “Let’s meet next week, and we can nail down a few other things.” I listen as Cora gives out duties to everyone to have figured out by the next time we meet. “And, Kam, you can call Kris tonight.”
“How about tomorrow?” I suggest.
“Not a chance, babe.” She winks before gathering all of her things, leaving me slumped back in the chair, trying to figure out how in the hell my life got twisted so upside down.
It’s like one minute I was fine, living my life in Birchwood with a job I really loved, and now I’m back to thinking about that rat bastard and how my heart still aches because of him.
With a sigh, I pull out my phone and scroll through my contacts until I come across his name.
Do I call? Do I text? Do I lie to my best friend and tell her he’s unavailable?
Deciding lying isn’t the best, I opt for texting him; that way I don’t have to hear his voice.
Me
Hey, is this Kris?
There. I hit send, and wait.
After a few minutes of no response, I shrug my shoulders.
Oh well, I did my part. It’s not my fault I don’t know how to get in touch with him. We certainly have not kept up with each other since school.
Just when I think he’s not going to text me back, and I can tell Cora I tried but need to go a different direction, my phone pings with an alert, and who do you think it’s from?
Kris
Well, well, well.
I roll my eyes. Yep, not doing this.
Kris
I wondered if I’d ever hear from you again.
Me
Nevermind. I must have the wrong number. So sorry.
Kris
And the number you’re trying to reach just so happens to have my name? Same spelling and all?
Shit. He’s got me there.
Me
Okay, fine.
Kris
What can I do for you, sweetheart?
Me
Not your sweetheart. And Cora and I are running an event for charity, and I need help.
Kris
I’m intrigued, baby. Tell me more.
If I roll my eyes anymore at him, they’ll roll right out of my head.
Me
Not your baby, either. We’re hosting a Christmas Bazaar in Birchwood, we’re hoping to be able to put on an adult show to drive numbers up, and we were thinking Stripping Santas would be appealing.
The text bubbles appear. Then they disappear. Then appear again.
And then there’s nothing once more.
My phone rings, making me jump since I wasn’t expecting it.
I blow out a sigh of annoyance that Kris feels the need to discuss this over the phone. And not just a phone call, he wants to fucking facetime.
And I know, it would be rude if I ignored his call and continued texting. That would also risk the ability for the event to go on as easily as planned right now, so I hit the answer button despite everything in me telling me this is a bad idea.
No, no. Screaming that this is a bad idea.
His face appears, and I have to really focus on not looking at him. It’s really not fair that someone can be as handsome as he is.
His dark hair looks like he’s run his hands through it a few times, his skin is still a gorgeous golden color from what I’m sure is spending time on the baseball field.
Yes, I know what he’s been up to. I just graduated and he’s been working at the college for a bit now, so I know he’s at the fields a lot.
“You look gorgeous.” he says, smiling at me through the phone.
I try really freaking hard to not let that compliment make me all warm and fuzzy inside.
Remember what a man whore he is, Kam. Remember how he can’t take any relationship serious, Kam.
Freaking remember the tears.
“Thanks.” I fake smile at him. “Now, about the event. What do you think? Would you be interested?”
His smile is slow, and it should be the first point that something is about to bite me right in the ass. His eyes twinkle with mischief and that should have been the moment I realized I was about to step in the biggest pile of shit.
A pile of shit that is Kris Hart.
“Well, I would obviously need more information. How many dancers you would need? Am I creating the choreography? And of course, I’d need something in return.” He winks at me, and I’m reminded how easily he can be slime.
“Unfortunately, this event is for charity so I wouldn’t be able to pay you much at all.”
“That’s not what I was referring to.” He continues to smile at me as I squirm through the screen.
“I’m not sleeping with you either, Kris.” I roll my eyes directly to his face this time, making sure he can see me do it.
“Ah, sassy. I miss that, but that too, was not what I was referring to. Glad to know where your mind goes though.” Another wink.
If I could shove a finger into that eyeball, I might would do it.
Kidding, I’m not a violent person at all.
Only with Kris, apparently.
“Then what were you referring to, Kris?” I ask, waiting for him to just get to the point and stop playing games.
God, it reminds me how unlikely the two of us are together. How we ended up together is beyond me, truly.
“It’s simple, really.”
Nothing is ever simple with him.
“I need a date.”
I pull back as if he’s reached through the phone and slapped me across the face. He can’t be serious.
“It’s to my brother’s wedding.”
I frown. “Kaleb is getting married?” I ask, I always liked his brother. He’s nothing like Kris, which is probably why we got along so well.
“Yeah, and I need a date. You’d be doing me a solid, and in return I’ll do you a solid and take my clothes off.”
I chose that exact moment to lift my coffee to my lips, and nearly choked on his words.
“You really should get your mind out of the gutter, Kam. Strictly professional undressing is what I meant. On the stage.”
I nod.
“Where you asked me to strip.”
I nod again.
I think the idea over. It’s a terrible idea, truly. And I’m not sure if I have it in me to follow through with it, and even if I did… nothing says Kris would survive a weekend with me.
We’d kill each other before his brother made it to the altar.
But, my job is kind of riding on this, and I need this event to go well. Especially, so I can shove it in Rebecca’s face and prove that Cora and I are more than capable of handling this.
I can’t believe I’m about to do this.
Do you ever have moments where you know you’re giving into something, and it’s going to be complete and utter hell? But you feel yourself giving in regardless of what the outcome may be?
That’s exactly how I feel right now.
I can taste the regret before the words are even out of my mouth.
“Fine,” I say through gritted teeth.
Kris just smiles at me through the phone before winking once more and ending the call.
No “sounds good” or even a “nice talking to ya, Kam.”
I grunt in frustration just as Cora pops her head in the door.
“I take it he said yes?”
I throw a pen at her head.