Page 27 of Best Laid Plans (Rock Harbor #1)

He smiled softly, and it felt like she was melting a little bit. “I know you want to get back to Boston, Elle. Back to your old life. If I can help you with that, I want to do it.”

An uncomfortable rock dropped into her stomach as she digested Cam’s words. “Right. That’s… a really nice gesture, Cam.”

He took a long sip of water before speaking again, his body language shifting into something Elle didn’t understand. “I’m sorry if I misstepped. I’m not implying that you can’t do this on your own. I just wanted to help.”

She waved her hand, trying to find her center.

This was good. A healthy dose of reality.

“You didn’t misstep. And I really do appreciate it.

I’ve been trying to land interviews for weeks with companies who will have executive level employees at the event this weekend.

It’s a really smart idea,” she admitted, pushing the other thoughts away.

“You’re twice as smart and ten times as hardworking as anyone who will be here. I don’t think you should miss out on having a chance to show people that.”

Her body felt warm. Her skin was tingly, and she didn’t quite know where to go with the emotion bubbling up inside of her. This version of Cam was too much for her to handle. Soft and sincere and looking at her like she could do anything, just by sheer force of will.

And she was about to tell him as much, that this was all so confusing, when a shadow fell over their table. “Elle Pierce. I cannot believe it. How long has it been?”

Elle gritted her teeth at the voice alone.

“A few years, at least,” she said, looking up to see Chelsea, her former best friend, standing above her.

Dressed in tennis whites and with a racket bag slung over her shoulder, she looked every bit like she belonged here.

Which she did. Chelsea, just like Grant’s family, had been life-long members.

Her blonde, shoulder length hair was immaculately styled into light, tousled waves, which didn’t make sense for someone coming or going on the tennis court, but that was none of Elle’s business.

But still, she should have known that if anyone would be at the country club on a random weekday, it would be Chelsea.

Having a steady job had only seemed to apply to her when she was looking to prove something to her parents, mostly because she wanted them to buy her something.

A purse. A trip to Europe. A way out of her drunk and disorderly.

“So, oh my god. What are you even doing here? Last I heard you were in Boston. Back at school,” Chelsea finished with a frown. Like higher education was a fate worse than death. How had Elle lived with this woman for three years? Thought of her as a best friend?

Cam caught her eye, but there was no way she could explain without the situation devolving.

And regardless of how much Cam actually wanted to host the event this weekend, she wasn’t going to take the chance of hurting his reputation by getting into a catfight in a country club dining room after he’d already done so much for her.

Elle balled her hands into fists under the table, her nails digging into her palms. “I finished my MBA in June.”

“Taking some time off?” Chelsea fished. She loved gossip the way a dog loved a roll in the mud.

When she pouted, Elle knew something she didn’t want to hear was coming next.

“Or, have you not gotten a job yet? I hear it’s brutal out there.

” She said the word ‘brutal’ so exaggeratedly that Elle almost believed she’d ever had to apply to a job in her life.

It was a credit to Chelsea that she could set Elle on pins and needles in just a few words. Add in that she’d cheated with Grant, and Elle was worried she’d draw blood from her palms soon. She couldn’t let Chelsea win. Nope.

She hoped Cam was still willing to go along with what he, himself, had put in motion, as she smiled at him broadly and then turned her attention back to Chelsea.

“Actually, I had the chance to go into a different kind of consulting. Cam,” she said, pointing across the table, where Cam managed an adorably awkward wave, “is looking at upscale restaurant spaces in the Rock Harbor area. I’m doing some business analysis for him. ”

“Oh?” Chelsea loved to be ‘in the know.’ She also loved to be seen as relevant, given that she had no other marketable skills and her family’s access and money opened considerable doors for her.

Elle lowered her voice and leaned closer. “It’s all very hush hush of course.”

“Of course,” Chelsea said seriously, and Elle could practically see her fingers already moving to text everyone she knew.

She was going in deep, but she couldn’t stop herself. “Cam was asked to be the celebrity chef at this weekend’s charity event. Seemed like a good chance to do a little bit of recon on our target market. His restaurant won’t be a place for just anyone .”

“Of course. Exclusivity is so important,” Chelsea batted back earnestly. “What’s the point if everyone can get in?”

Elle pushed down the desire to vomit all over Chelsea’s pristine white outfit. “Exactly.”

Chelsea gave Cam an appraising stare, suddenly far more interested in him than she’d been a few minutes ago. “We must catch up. Before the event on Saturday. Those things can be so stuffy. We could hit the courts. Do you still play?”

Not as well as she used to, but Elle would absolutely dig as deep as she needed to eviscerate Chelsea.

And she didn’t like the way that Chelsea was looking at Cam, not one bit.

“It’s been non-stop with Cam’s new venture, but I’m sure I remember how it all works,” she said, underplaying the need flowing through her to make this happen.

“Well then it’s settled,” Chelsea said triumphantly. She shot Cam a flirty smile. “Will you be around? Let’s say, Friday?”

Cam coughed and shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He knew whatever was happening was clearly above his pay grade. “I’ll be in the kitchen prepping for the event.”

Chelsea pouted again. “Boo. Well, Elle and I can still play. And she can tell me all about where she found you.” Chelsea scanned her eyes up and down Cam, missing how he was looking at Elle pleadingly .

“Is Grant in town this summer?” Elle forced the words out through the bubble in her throat.

“So sweet of you to ask,” Chelsea said, holding her hand up to her chest. “He comes up for the weekends.” Elle had made the mistake of moving one of her fists onto the table, which Chelsea now grabbed with her perfectly manicured hands and squeezed.

“I’m really glad everything can be water under the bridge between all of us. Life’s too short, you know?”

Not what Elle had said, but sure. “Life has a way of working out,” she said, giving Cam a moony-eyed look. If Elle could make Chelsea believe that her professional life was exactly where she wanted it to be, why couldn’t she do the same for her romantic one?

“Oh,” Chelsea said, her mouth falling open. “Business and pleasure.” Elle was thankful when Chelsea released her grasp, only her relief was short lived when Chelsea squeezed Cam’s arm and didn’t let go. “Hope she can keep up with you.”

Chelsea was the queen of back-handed compliments and subtle jabs. Elle had just never realized it until she’d been left on the outside, looking in.

She’d thought that Cam was disassociating from the level of cattiness he’d found himself in the middle of, surprised when he gave Chelsea a smile that clearly conveyed she should remove her hand, which she did with a confused look at being rejected.

“She does. I can’t believe I got so lucky,” he said, his voice softening as his green eyes landed on Elle and lingered.

Elle felt that look all over her body, and she gulped, knowing they were playing a dangerous game.

“Okay, well… I’ll let you two get back to lunch,” Chelsea said, obvious that she was the third wheel as Cam continued to focus his attention solely on her. “Friday, Elle?”

“Sounds good,” Elle said, still caught in Cam’s mesmerizing stare. And for just a second, with his eyes on her, the current flowing between them, she let herself indulge that it was real.