Chapter Ten
Cammie stood in the living room wearing a robe she’d found hanging in Leo’s bathroom, staring at him while the things she’d just heard replayed in her head.
I don’t have feelings for her.
I know you don’t want to interview her.
He had to be talking to Jenny. How humiliating that he was trying to force his sister to meet with her when the woman had no interest in giving Cammie a shot.
It will make her feel like she’s got a chance.
I’m obligated to make this happen, somehow.
Obligated. That was the word he used, like she was a burden.
“Somehow?” she said, latching onto that last part of the conversation.
“You’re obligated to make this happen somehow?
When I agreed to go with you to your business Christmas party, you made it seem like me getting an interview was guaranteed.
A real interview. Not just a pity meeting with your sister, who has no interest in even looking at my work, let alone hiring me. ”
“No,” he said, stepping toward her. “It’s not like that.”
“It’s exactly like that, Leo.” Turning away, she rushed back to his bathroom and locked the door behind her. Then, she hurried through getting dressed, all the while her mind racing and her heart aching.
Leo had lied to her. He told her what she wanted to hear, gave her the hope she’d been desperate for, knowing he couldn’t deliver.
Once again, she was left feeling humiliated and foolish thanks to this man.
She’d fallen for his charm so easily and she knew now it was because she’d wanted to believe him.
She’d been attracted to him from the beginning, and when he’d approached her at the coffee shop, she’d stupidly thought he would ask her on a date.
Instead, he wanted her to pretend to be his girlfriend.
When she said no, he’d thrown out something that meant so much more to her than he could imagine.
He’d offered her hope. Hope for the future she’d lost when her mom got sick. Of course, she’d agreed, and found herself falling hard for the man. Now this.
A knock sounded on the bathroom door. “Cammie, can we talk?”
“There’s nothing to talk about,” she said, then whipped the door open and strode past him. She grabbed her purse from where she’d tossed it on the bed before her shower, intending to leave.
She started to walk out of the room and Leo touched her arm. “Cammie, wait.”
She turned back to him and though he appeared gutted, that was nothing compared to how she felt.
“There’s plenty to talk about,” he said. “I don’t know how much of my conversation you overheard—”
“Enough to know that you lied to me,” she snapped.
“You told me could get me an interview, and the implication was that I could get a job from it. But I heard you just now. She’s not interested in me as an employee.
You told her the interview would just make me feel like I had a chance, like you’re humoring me to get what you need from me. A date to your damn party.”
“No,” he said. “You’re wrong. I know what I said but it’s not what it sounded like.”
“Are you really saying I misunderstood?” she asked in disbelief.
He shook his head. “I’m saying that I know my sister, and I said whatever I needed to in order to get you an interview with her.”
“An interview she doesn’t want to give, to someone she would never hire. What’s the point, Leo? I have more pride than to sit down with her now. Don’t make me feel even more na?ve or foolish.” She swallowed over the lump in her throat.
His eyes grew soft, his tone pleading. “You’re not na?ve or foolish.”
She let out a humorless laugh through her tight chest and throat. “Yes. I am. I believed in you.”
Leo flinched at her pointed words meant to hurt.
She didn’t know if he had more to say but she wouldn’t hang around for more meaningless conversation. This time, when she headed for the exit, Leo didn’t try to stop her.
After leaving his apartment, she took a taxi home. She’d been there about an hour when a courier arrived with the dress and shoes Leo had bought her.
There was also a note.
Cammie,
I’m sorry I upset you and I never meant to lie to you.
I thought Jenny would be open to an interview and I’m still determined to fulfill my promise because I believe in you.
I’d love for you to come to the party tomorrow night.
Come as my real date, sweetheart. I want you on my arm because I want to spend Christmas Eve with you.
I hope to see you there.
Leo
It was short and seemingly sincere, but she folded the paper and placed it in a drawer, refusing to think too much about his claim that he wanted her to be his real date.
Could she believe him, considering he’d lied to her about his ability to get her an interview with his sister? That he told Jenny that he didn’t have feelings for her? No, he needed someone to impress his potential client, and he needed it badly enough to make promises and claims he wouldn’t keep.
The day of Leo’s Christmas Eve party came too soon. She’d spent the night trying not to overeat ice cream and cry over Leo. There was no Christmas spirit to be found.
She’d traded shifts with another barista so she could have the day off, giving her plenty of time to get ready. Instead, she’d be returning the dress that Leo had bought her.
Despite her raging emotions, a part of her felt guilty she was screwing up his plan to win over his important client, but she couldn’t bring herself to go to the party.
Though she’d tried to keep her feelings out of this arrangement, she’d fallen hard and fast for Leo.
Going to this party as his serious girlfriend wouldn’t be an act for her.
In her heart, she wanted them to be real.
But Leo had never said anything about them being in any sort of relationship, not until he sent that letter. And now she couldn’t show up and make a fool of herself. It was better to just cut contact.
With a heaviness in her steps, she walked into the boutique with her new dress in the garment bag draped over her arm and the box containing her gorgeous shoes and purse in her hands.
The boutique wasn’t overly busy, but the three employees were all helping customers and Cammie headed to the counter to wait.
She looked around at the beautiful clothes on display, sure this was the last time she’d step into this lovely boutique, since the price tag on her gown was more than her monthly rent.
Breathing in deeply, she took a moment to appreciate the view.
“Cammie?”
She jolted at the unexpected familiar voice and turned to see Charlie standing behind her.
“Oh… hi,” she said. “I didn’t think I’d run into anyone I knew.”
Charlie smiled and gestured to the dark blue gown one of the employees was currently ringing up behind the counter. “I needed to find a dress for a charity gala I’m attending next month. I had one on order at Urban Trend, but I cancelled it a few days ago.”
“You did?”
“Didn’t Leo tell you?” she asked.
“Tell me what?”
Charlie stepped to the side and leaned against the counter.
“Leo had Jenny and me meet him at Urban Trend. We shop there all the time. Or rather, we did. After hearing about how they treated you, we agreed to stop going there immediately. But for Leo, it wasn’t enough to just boycott the place.
He wanted them to know how badly they screwed up. ”
Cammie leaned in closer, paying rapt attention to Leo’s best friend. “What did you do?”
“The three of us marched into the shop and let Patricia know exactly why she was losing two lucrative clients. Do you have any idea how many big events Jenny attends as the head of a PR firm? She probably spends tens of thousands there every year. And I was a frequent shopper as well.”
Cammie blinked, taking a moment to absorb that information. “So… you guys were okay with losing a place to shop? Because Leo asked you to do it?” For her. He’d asked them to boycott the place for Cammie.
“We were fine with doing it. We were both very upset when we heard how you were treated.” Charlie put her hand on Cammie’s shoulder.
“I have a good career, one that never required me to wear a gown. Then I happened to marry a wealthy man, and I was introduced to that life. But I didn’t grow up with money, Cammie.
My family was lower middle class, and there were plenty of times that I couldn’t afford nice clothing. ”
Knowing how that felt, Charlie’s words were like a balm to Cammie’s soul.
“Actually, a lot of my wardrobe was second-hand back then,” Charlie admitted. “That didn’t make me less than the kids at school whose parents could afford nicer things. And you didn’t deserve to be disrespected at Urban Trend.”
Cammie blinked. “I… thank you. I can’t believe Leo involved you both in my issue.”
“Of course, he did. He really cares about you,” Charlie said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
She shook her head. “No, you don’t understand. We haven’t known each other long, and it was all just a ruse. A deal, one that was supposed to be mutually beneficial. He needed a date to his Christmas party, and I was supposed to get an interview with his sister’s company.”
“I know.” Charlie’s lips turned down in a frown.
“I was there when Leo tried to get Jenny to interview you. You know, they get along pretty well. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them argue, but Leo was getting pretty frustrated with her.
She was being stubborn, looking out for her company’s reputation when it came to hiring graduates, and Leo tried to tell her how talented you are, how good your portfolio is.
I know him well, and he was being sincere.
And I don’t think he’s going to give up until he helps you land that interview. ”
Cammie thought about what she’d overheard. So, he’d already brought it up with Jenny before that call. And she’d already said no. But instead of accepting that, Leo had doubled-down and kept trying.
Hearing the truth shifted her perspective in a way she hadn’t anticipated.
Charlie treated her to a smile. “Look, Leo might have made a promise he wasn’t in a position to make, but he’s trying to make it right.”
Just like he’d gone out of his way to defend her honor at the boutique without her even knowing, Cammie thought.
“So, are you here to return something?” Charlie asked, glancing at the garment bag in Cammie’s hand.
Cammie took a long breath, thinking hard about what she wanted to do. She could stick with her plan and protect her heart or she could take a leap of faith and trust Leo-and maybe discover she didn’t have to be alone anymore.
“No return,” she said to Charlie. “I’m sorry, I need to go. I have a party to get ready for.”