29. Gabrielle
Gabrielle
“Okay, I swear, if I have to redo my eyeliner one more time, I’m going to end up blinding myself and calling it a night before said night even starts,” Kinsley huffs, glaring at herself in the mirror as she aggressively wipes at the wing liner she’s been attempting for the past ten minutes.
I laugh, running my hands down my dress, smoothing it out nervously and glancing at myself in the mirror one last time. “You do realize the point is to enhance your beauty, not stab your eye out, right?”
Kinsley glares at me through the mirror. “Listen, Gabrielle. Some of us aren’t naturally gifted in the fine arts of makeup application like you.”
I smirk, stepping beside her and taking the eyeliner from her hand. “Here, let me do it before you cause an actual injury.”
She sighs dramatically but stays still as I carefully fix it for her, stepping back once it’s even. “There. Perfect.”
Kinsley checks her reflection, then nods approvingly. “Damn. I look hot.”
“You always look hot.”
She grins. “Thank you.”
I roll my eyes but smile, moving to grab my earrings from the dresser. As I put them on, Kinsley leans against the wall, watching me with a smirk.
“So…you and Cam?”
I lift a brow. “What about me and Cam?”
“You are happy, right, Gabrielle? You would tell me if you weren’t?”
I pause, thinking about it. The answer is so simple, but it all still makes my heart feel so full at the thought, like there’s too much love to fit in there.
“I am,” I say softly. “Happier than I’ve been in a very long time. But that also scares me sometimes, too.”
Kinsley studies me for a beat, her smile fading into something softer. “Why?”
I swallow hard, fiddling with the bracelet on my wrist. “Because everything in my life that’s ever been good has been taken away from me. And I don’t think I could handle him walking away a second time.”
Kinsley steps closer, squeezing my arm. “Cam’s not going anywhere, Gabrielle. That man looks at you like you are the only star in his sky. I think even you know he’s not leaving you again.”
I let out a slow breath, nodding. “Yeah, I guess. It just…still doesn’t feel real sometimes. Feels like it’s been too easy and that’s when things always go wrong.”
She gives me a reassuring smile, then suddenly tilts her head. “Speaking of things that I wish weren’t actually real. Are you ready for Cam to be around Dr. Douche bag tonight?”
I groan. “Ugh. I completely forgot we’d have to deal with William.”
Kinsley snorts. “I don’t know how you forgot. We still have to see his stupid face at work every day.”
“Yeah, well, avoiding him has been easier now that I stay in my little happy bubble these days. It’s like I naturally block him out now.
” I smirk, adjusting the strap of my dress.
“And honestly? Seeing William and his new girlfriend all over each other doesn’t even faze me anymore.
I mean, the other day, I accidentally walked into his office, and they were—”
Kinsley gasps. “No! Do not tell me you saw them—”
“Oh, full-on going at it on the desk,” I confirm, laughing. “I just turned around, closed the door, and then busted out laughing from secondhand embarrassment.”
Kinsley doubles over. “That cannot be real life.”
I shrug. “It’s William. Of course it is.”
She shakes her head, still laughing. “I can’t wait to see Cam and William in the same room, having to interact. You really upgraded, babe. Cam is the man William wishes he could be. Obviously way hotter too.”
I smirk. “Obviously.”
Before Kinsley can say anything else, I hear a knock at the door.
I glance at Kinsley. “You ready?”
She grins. “Yep.”
I walk through the living room, open the door, and—
Well damn.
Cam stands there in a fitted black tux, looking so good that I have to make sure my mouth isn’t hanging open.
His eyes drag over me slowly, and when they land back on mine, his lips tilt into a smirk.
“You look…” He exhales, shaking his head. “Beautiful.”
I feel my cheeks starting to flush. “You don’t look half bad yourself, Dr. Hayes.”
Wes whistles, walking in past Cam. “Kinsley, you—”
I turn just in time to see him offering her a hand, her placing her hand in his, and him kissing it.
“You look like the best kind of trouble to get into tonight.”
Kinsley smirks. “That’s because I am.”
* * *
We all make our way to the car, and both Cam and Wes open our doors, helping us in the back seats before climbing in the front together.
The drive to the event turns into an unexpected debate between Wes and Kinsley, which, honestly, isn’t surprising at this point.
“I’m just saying,” Wes starts, waving a hand around. “The girls have the better job. I would much rather deal with animals.”
Cam side-eyes him from the driver’s seat. “You literally work with kids for a living.”
“Exactly,” Wes says, pointing a finger at him. “Which is why I’m saying I know what I’m talking about. Kids might be as unpredictable as animals, but worse because they talk back. A golden retriever isn’t gonna look Gabrielle dead in the eye and tell her she needs to take the medicine.”
Kinsley smirks beside me. “Yeah, but you know who will talk back? Pet owners. Humans are always the problem.”
I nod in agreement. “She’s got a point.”
Wes scoffs. “Oh, come on. Pet owners can’t be worse than actual parents. At least they don’t try to diagnose their chihuahua with a rare, life-threatening condition they read about in a Facebook group.”
Kinsley laughs. “No, but they will tell you that ‘Mittens just isn’t herself’ with zero actual symptoms and expect you to read her aura like some kind of veterinary voodoo psychic.”
Kinsley leans forward, resting her arms on the console between Wes and Cam. “Okay, but real talk, when a patient bites you, do you have to put them down?”
I nearly choke on a laugh, while Cam just shakes his head.
Wes, however, looks way too intrigued. “Now that is an interesting question…”
* * *
Stepping into the event, the venue we picked is massive—high chandeliers, a live band, beautiful decorations, and waiters all in black suits walking around carrying fancy hors d’oeuvres.
As we step inside, I can already hear Kinsley muttering about how uncomfortable she is around all these rich, snobby people.
Cam takes my hand, his thumb brushing over my knuckles as he leans down. “Doing okay?”
I nod. “Yeah.”
“It looks so good in here,” he tells me, giving me a proud smile. “You did good.”
I squeeze his hand in a silent thanks, grateful he’s here with me tonight.
Not even thirty minutes of uninterrupted fun goes by before I hear a grating voice—
“Gabrielle.”
I knew this was coming, and I was still hoping it wouldn’t.
I turn, already preparing myself as William approaches with his girlfriend clinging to his arm.
Cam straightens beside me, his expression unreadable, but his demeanor is definitely protective, making me want to smirk in amusement.
William extends a hand toward him, giving him a tight-lipped smile. “Dr. Parker,” he says, introducing himself. “You’re Gabrielle’s…friend?”
Cam grips his hand, his smile equally tight. “Dr. Hayes.” He cocks a slight smile. “Boy-friend actually.”
William chuckles, trying so hard to be unbothered, but I don’t miss the way his jaw tics when his mouth closes. “Right, well, I hope you’re enjoying your time tonight.”
Kinsley lets out a loud scoff, and Wes nudges her, muttering, “Behave.”
Cam just smiles, wrapping an arm around my waist. “Oh, I am. Very much so. Thank you.”
I bite back a laugh as William’s expression hardens.
“I’m gonna go get another drink,” Cam says casually as he leans down, pressing a kiss to my cheek. “You need anything, babe?”
I see the flicker of irritation in William’s eyes, and I can tell that Cam knows exactly what he’s doing.
I shake my head, looking up at him, smirking. “I’m good.”
“Alright,” Cam says, squeezing my waist before stepping away.
As he disappears toward the bar, Kinsley crosses her arms, grinning at William. “Did that go the way you saw it going, William?”
William clenches his jaw but doesn’t say anything as he turns and stalks off with his girlfriend.
Kinsley giggles, looping her arm through mine. “God, I love Cam.”
So do I. So do I.