Page 4 of Bad for Business (Pembroke Hills #2)

FOUR

RYKER

When I show up at the airport, I find Camille already there.

She stands next to the steps to the private plane, her eyes aimed directly at my car as it pulls in.

Even from a distance, her scowl isn’t hard to miss.

It’s too early for her to be looking at me like that.

She has no reason to. It’s not like I’m late. In fact, I’m five minutes early.

Last night, I hoped to get a chance to talk to her about our situation, but Dad forced me to leave with him to make sure I wouldn’t be late this morning.

I never thought I’d see her again after she ran out on me the morning after our night together and didn’t leave so much as a note with her information. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to see her again—especially as my publicist.

The car comes to a complete stop, and the driver puts the car in park.

Before he can open my door, I’m pushing it open and stepping outside.

My feet hit the tarmac as I keep my gaze pinned in Camille’s direction.

I can’t see her eyes, thanks to the oversized pair of sunglasses she wears, but I don’t have to make eye contact with her to know she’s probably glaring at me.

For some reason, she’s acting like she can’t stand me, which is weird because I thought our night together was great and she seemed to have thought the same.

I stare at Camille for a few more moments, not shying away from her unexpected distaste of having to be in my presence. Even when I look away to grab my bags from the trunk, I can still feel her burning a hole in the back of my head.

I take my time pulling them from the trunk and placing them on the ground just to annoy her.

Once I have everything I need, I give the driver my gratitude before I turn and focus on Camille once again.

“You’re late,” she scolds, her lips turned down in a frown.

No I’m not. “Maybe you’re just early,” I offer, as I allow one of the flight crew members to take my suitcases.

She lets out an annoyed sigh. “Here’s the thing,” she begins, sliding the sunglasses into her hair so her eyes can meet mine. “If we’re going to survive this summer together, I have two rules for you.”

I raise my eyebrows, mimicking her position and crossing my arms across my chest. “And what are those rules?” I ask, keeping a cool tone to my voice.

I spent the better half of my night trying to convince my dad that this whole babysitter thing wasn’t necessary.

For most of my life, all I’ve ever done is exactly what he’s told me to do.

Sure, sometimes I was a little reckless and careless, but it seemed harmless.

I always knew that I’d be taking over Davenport Media.

I’d never do anything to hurt the company.

And if I had known that the woman I was talking to had been a reporter, I never would have even looked twice at her.

I still believe this whole being stuck with Camille thing for the summer is a little bit overkill—not to mention embarrassing.

“Rule number one,” she begins, pausing to jab a finger against my chest. “You will listen to everything that I say and not ask any questions about it.”

I cock my head to the side as I think through her silly rule. “I feel like listening to everything you say and not asking any questions should count as two rules.”

Camille rolls her eyes before taking a deep breath. “And rule number two…” She pauses, emphasizing the two as her eyes stay directly pointed at me, “is you will not bring up what tragically happened between us on New Year’s Eve.”

I chuckle. “Oh, so you do remember me, then.”

She lets out a dramatic sigh, her lips pressing into a thin line. “Yes, Ryker. Unfortunately, I do remember what happened between us and what happened after.” Her eyes rake over my body slowly in a disapproving way.

I put a hand to my chest and scoff. I don’t know why she’s seeming to blame me for what happened after. I didn’t tell her to leave. She left without any explanation. “You can lie to me all you want, but I remember your screams and moans of pleasure. There were a lot of them.”

Camille’s demeanor slips for a moment. Her lips part as she sucks in a large gulp of air.

The shock is written all over her face for a moment before she composes herself.

It doesn’t take long for her to glare at me once again.

“You’re already breaking rule number two,” she points out with an annoyed tone.

I shrug before tucking my hands into my pockets. “To be fair, I never told you I was going to follow the rules.”

She groans before she’s interrupted by the pilot stepping out of the plane. “We’re ready to board whenever you guys are,” he informs us. I don’t miss how his gaze stays on her a little longer than what seems necessary.

I stare at him, wondering why the pilot I’ve known for years is rubbing me the wrong way just by the way he looks at my publicist.

But then again, Camille isn’t just my publicist. She’s a woman I spent one amazing night with, and I was looking forward to getting to know her before she bailed on me.

Now, she’s a woman who obviously doesn’t like me for whatever reason and is also in charge of making sure I don’t fuck up for the summer.

Fun .

Camille takes a step back and looks at me, crossing her arms over her chest once again.

“Here’s the thing, Ryker. I know that neither one of us wants to be spending time with the other, but we don’t have any other options.

You’re stuck with me, and unfortunately, I’m stuck with you.

There’s no reason to dwell on one simple, insignificant night that happened months ago.

We’re going to let the past be the past and instead focus on the future.

It’s tragic, but our futures are pretty intertwined right now.

I need you to get it together so I can prove to my dad that I’m ready to be partner at the firm.

And you need to prove to not only your dad but an entire board of people that you have a brain and you’re not some immature, spoiled heir anymore.

They need to know that you’re not just using your charms and good looks to carry you through life.

We have to prove to them that you’re ready to take on all of Davenport Media, or quite frankly, you’re fucked. ”

I give her a wolfish grin. “You think I’m good-looking?”

Her eyes narrow on me as her entire face pinches together. “Oh, stop it, Ryker; you know that you’re good-looking. Please don’t come fishing for compliments.”

“It’s good to know you say please . I was worried you might not have manners,” I toss out, my smile getting even wider.

She lets out an annoyed groan and rubs the heels of her palms against her forehead for a moment, her eyes fluttering shut. “This summer might actually kill me,” she mutters to herself.

I put my hands up defensively. “Well, with that attitude…” I remark.

She shakes her head at me and sighs. “Remember, Ryker, two rules. We’ll help each other out and try to tolerate each other. Sound good?”

I give her a shrug, not really wanting to stand here and argue.

Even after the meeting last night, I didn’t think I’d be standing here this morning with her.

I was fairly confident I’d be able to convince my dad to let this whole thing go.

But at least for right now, he’s determined to make me do it.

Unfortunately for me, I know I at least need to listen to her and pretend that this will work for a couple of days or maybe even weeks before I can try and convince him to drop the babysitter gig. I’ll show him I can take things seriously at Pembroke and be on my best behavior.

In no time, he should be sending Camille back to Manhattan.

At least, I hope so.