Page 77 of Almost Beautiful (Beautiful 3)

“Well, maybe I’ll grow on you.”

“Perhaps. Thomas and Trenton both fell in love with you. There must be something amazing in there somewhere.”

“Maybe I’m just spectacular in bed.”

I wrinkled my nose and she snickered, sitting back when the waitress brought our coffee.

Shannon pulled out a pad and pen. “Breakfast?”

“Pancakes,” I said, handing Shannon the menu. “Eggs over medium. No hash browns or toast.”

Shannon nodded and then looked to Camille.

“Just bacon. Burned, please.”

“Done,” Shannon said, scribbling quickly before taking Camille’s menu. She turned on her heels, leaving us once again for the kitchen.

Camille poured half and half and sugar into her mug and then stirred, taking a small sip while looking out the window. She didn’t seem as upset as before. Not that we’d solved anything, but she obviously felt better talking about it.

“Here’s the thing, Cami,” I said. “If Travis did die—if I could fall in love again—the next man I fell in love with wouldn’t be his brother.”

“So, do you dislike me because I put Trent’s life in danger, because I was with Thomas, or both?”

“Both,” I said without hesitation.

Camille nodded. “Fair enough. But I can’t fix either of those things, Abby. Can’t you just be mad at me instead of disliking me?”

“I’ve tried,” I said. “I’ve also tried thinking it was because you’re the first Maddox girlfriend after me, and I’m just not going to like any of you.”

Camille smiled. “Technically that was America.”

“That’s different.”

“So, you don’t like me,andI’m not special. You are a savage, Abby Abernathy.”

“Maddox.” I said with a smirk. My smile softened. “And so I’ve been told.”

“You’re right. You were first to marry into the family. But what if I’d been first? What if Trenton and I had eloped, and you had just started dating Travis? What if I didn’t approve?”

I thought about her hypothetical question. My first inclination was to say I wouldn’t care, but that wasn’t true. I could ignore it, but not being liked by a brother’s wife would always bother me.

“What if,” she continued, “I held it against you for breaking his heart so many times, and for dating Parker when you knew Travis was in love with you—”

I pointed. “I didn’t know he was in love with me.”

“Bullshit. You’re not stupid, so don’t pretend.”

“I thought I was a novelty. To be honest, I thought something was wrong with me. He actually told me once he didn’t want to sleep with me because he liked me too much. I was sure I’d been friend-zoned.”

Camille laughed. “I remember that. It came back to haunt him for months. But it all ended up perfect, right?”

I shrugged. “Pretty much.” I picked at my nails, sorting through my feelings.

Camille made great points. She wasn’t half bad to chat with, but something was still bothering me.

“Is there something you’re not telling me? Maybe something you haven’t told anyone. There is something that’s not sitting right with me, and I can’t shake it. If you’re not being completely honest with me, spill it and we can start over.”

Camille’s eyes glossed over.