29. Mary
Mary
Iknew I was holding onto Cam’s hand with a death grip, but, seriously, this place was so intimidating.
Not to mention the crowd. I’d never seen so many beautiful people in one place.
And the bling! Women were wearing jewels that eclipsed the sun and they probably owned them, which meant …
It was too much for my tiny brain to comprehend, so I took another sip of champagne.
Except just when I was trying to calm myself, I looked around and felt overwhelmed all over again. The event was taking place in one of Manhattan’s museums, in a vast airy space that someone had dressed with an indoor garden. Actual trees. It was like a movie set.
‘OK?’
I looked up and loosened my grip on Cam’s hand. ‘Yes, sorry. This is all a bit ... epic.’ I felt guilty, as if I was here under false pretences because I knew I was being dishonest about my real feelings. I wanted all the strings.
‘How do you think I felt when I first came to one of these things?’ There was humour in Cam’s voice, but I heard the edge of something. A vulnerability.
‘Pretty overwhelmed I’d imagine.’ I pushed my guilt away, guiltily.
He shook his head, his cynicism showing now. ‘They had no time for me until I made my first million and then they treated me like an old friend. Believe me, there’s more loyalty between your siblings and their loved ones and Candy than there is in this whole room.’
‘I don’t think I’d like to get on the wrong side of Candy.’
Cam looked serious. ‘No way. She’s tough.’
I giggled and Cam looked down, smiling. ‘Having fun?’
I nodded. ‘Yes.’ More guilt.
A waiter went past with a tray of tempting canapés, but I shook my head. I must have looked hungry or wistful or sad, because Cam said, ‘You can eat, you know.’
‘And potentially ruin this dress? Or spill something down my cleavage? No thanks.’ His gaze went straight to my cleavage. ‘No perving – eyes up, Delahunt.’
He looked up. ‘Fine, if I can’t ogle then let’s dance.’
He led me towards a far corner where a band played smooth jazz and people were dancing. I put my glass down on a side table and didn’t have time to tell him not to expect much in the way of grace before he’d pulled me into his arms and we were moving smoothly around the floor.
I was convinced I was in a dream. I was floating and I knew I’d never experience anything like this again. I looked up at Cam. ‘Why do you come to things like this if you don’t enjoy it?’
He grimaced a little. ‘To give money back. I set up a charity to help mentor foster kids, to offer them a halfway place between fostering and the real world. A residential facility with full bed and board and dining. There, they can do courses, test what they’re good at.
They can apply for educational and sports scholarships, that kind of thing.
We have a separate girls residential area and one for boys, and then they can come together in a common area or to play sports.
A lot of these kids won’t ever have had that luxury of feeling safe in their own spaces. ’
‘Is that what happened for you?’ I couldn’t help asking.
‘Well, nothing like that existed for me, but I had an amazing teacher who saw my potential and steered me in the right direction. So now, I can provide that.’
My heart turned over. I fell another fathom deeper in love.
Damn him. Cameron Delahunt was a genuinely humble person.
A nice guy. Who can fuck you so hard you see stars.
Yes, that too. It was an intoxicating combination.
And I was so intoxicated. I desperately needed to inject a little realism into a situation that had started sliding out of my control right about the first time I’d looked at him.
But when I tried to wrap my brain around formulating the words I needed to say about booking a flight home and getting back to normal, Cam dipped me and kissed me right there on the dance floor in front of Manhattan’s finest, and when we came up for air I knew that being honest was non-negotiable.
For my sake more than his.
I was the one who was going to get hurt here. It was damage limitation time. I was already in serious danger of walking into my shiny new future with a broken heart and all I could do was hope the damage wasn’t irreparable.