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Chapter Fourteen

Cameron

When the room door closes behind us, I turn to Austen.

“What’s going on?”

“Huh?” he frowns at me, stopping by the bed.

“You’ve been in a mood all day. Don’t deny it. What’s going on?”

He sighs, scratching the back of his head. “I don’t know. Just… feeling like shit from last night. Called Savannah earlier, you know, just to hear her voice, and—” He lets out a defeated sigh. “She was mad that I called her. I’m tired. It’s just been a day.”

I nod, chewing on my lip, then move deeper into the room and dig through my bag to pull out a small box. I sit on the bed and pat the spot beside me, and he sits too.

“I wanted to give this to you as a wedding present, but something told me to bring it along anyway. Now I’m glad I did.” I offer him the box and he stares at it for a long moment before taking it.

“What is it?”

“Just open it.”

Austen gets the box open to reveal another box, this one blue and velvet. There is a curious smile on his face as he pulls it out, putting the other box to the side. He carefully opens it, revealing the black faceless Movado BOLD watch I picked up for him.

“Holy shit,” he mutters. “Cameron…”

I can’t help but grin at his appreciation. You’d think I got him a brand new car by the way he’s staring at it.

“This is…”

“Just put it on and don’t be weird.” I bump his shoulder, and he quickly takes off the one on his wrist and replaces it with the new one.

“This is so nice, Cam. Like really nice.”

“It’s not even that big of a deal. Certainly not the most expensive—”

“I don’t care about the money. You know that.”

I do know that. Though he comes from money and has never wanted for a thing, he appreciates everything. He’s grateful for every gift I’ve ever given him, even when we were younger and I didn’t have a job and couldn’t afford anything decent. Not for a second did I think he was faking his appreciation.

I stand, but Austen grabs my wrist to pull me back down. I stay on my feet, but look at him, raising a brow.

“Thank you,” he says seriously, glancing up at me with those killer blue eyes.

I give him a small smile. “You’re welcome.”

There’s a bang on the door. Not a knock, but someone banging. Which can only be his ridiculous teammates.

“They must be ready to go,” Austen comments, and then it’s gone. That genuine, perfect grin shifts to a look I know well.

Panic.

“Well, they’re going to have to wait.”

I grab my clothes to change and disappear into the bathroom just as Austen opens the door, letting in their boisterous hollering. I wonder if they’ll ever grow out of this shit.

I quickly change my outfit, getting into something more suitable for the club we’re going to. Had I known we were going to one tonight, I wouldn’t have gone to one last night. Maybe that’s a lie. Clubbing in Vegas is like nothing I’ve ever experienced before and part of me wishes I weren’t here with Austen because I’d thoroughly enjoy it. This trip just makes me feel like I’m stuck. I can’t do what I want because of Austen, but at the same time, I’m glad I’m here with him to celebrate. This very well could be the last weekend we spend together, before graduation, which is why I wish it was only us. It would be so much more fun that way.

Things are going to change after this weekend, but even more so once we graduate. We have school to force us together, but what about when that’s gone?

I can’t imagine invitations to their house for Sunday dinner, and dropping by unannounced will certainly give Savannah a conniption. Everything is going to change in such a short amount of time, so I need to do everything I can to make this weekend count.

After getting dressed, I wash my face and fix my hair, and only when I’m sure there’s nothing else I can do in here, I head into the room.

“There he is!” one of the guys shouts, but I don’t catch which one.

I grin, bringing my dirty clothes to my bag and shoving them inside.

Someone thrusts a can of beer at me, so I take it and crack it open, downing half of it while Austen heads into the bathroom to change. It’s only 9:30, but by the time we get Ubers and get to the club, it’ll be closer to ten. The club doesn’t open until eleven, but if we want to get in there early, we need to get in line as soon as possible.

Austen doesn’t take long to get ready, then we’re heading out.

“Who’s calling the cars?” Austen asks once we get to the lobby.

“Oh, actually, we got a bus,” Mack says with a grin.

“A what?” Austen asks, looking as confused as I feel.

“A bus,” Paul says, throwing his arm around Austen. “You know, one that goes up and down the strip.”

Alex grins, sliding his hands in his pockets. “It was my idea.”

“We’re going to go down the strip, stop at the Vegas sign, take some photos, then the driver will drop us off at the club,” Mack explains.

“Best part is we get to drink on the bus!” Trey announces, throwing his arms in the air.

Am I pissed about this? Yes. Yes, I am. Because what the fuck? They all knew about this, planned this whole thing, without telling me? Or even cluing me in a little? I shouldn’t be surprised, and maybe I’m not, but considering this isn’t a surprise for me, they could have let me in on it. Why didn’t they? Because they knew I couldn’t help pay for it? Because they thought I’d tell Austen? I really hate these guys.

“Seriously?” Austen says.

“Hell yes.” Mack slaps him on the shoulder. “Figured it was just one more experience.”

“So where is it?” Austen asks.

“Should be here in about ten minutes,” Paul says, glancing at his phone.

I watch Austen and the way he smiles, that grateful gleam in his eye. It’s nothing compared to the way he looked when I gave him the watch that’s around his wrist, but it’s still there. He can’t be anything but nice and appreciative. It’s just who he is.

The bus pulls up right on time, and we all file in. It’s dark with blue lights along the inside and enough seating for us and a few more. There are champagne bottles on ice, and cups that get passed out to each of us.

Mack is talking to the driver and comes back to sit beside Austen before the driver takes off, blasting some rap music that sounds ridiculous. I down my glass of champagne all in one go.

“We’re hitting a liquor store first,” Mack says loudly, holding his glass up. Everyone else joins him. “To Austen getting fucking married!”

I hold up my empty glass, trying to play nice so I don’t piss them off and make them give me more shit than they already do. It’ll be easier to handle once we’re in the club. I don’t have to stay with them; I can go off and do my own thing.

We all go into the liquor store together. I get nothing, but they buy a ton of alcohol. No idea how we’ll drink all that in the short time we’ll be on the bus, but it’s their money wasted, I guess.

I zone out most of the ride, focusing on alcohol and listening here and there to conversations. I’m on the end, by the door, which I didn’t do on purpose. Just kind of happened while everyone else was fighting for a spot to sit near the other, I got pushed to the back.

Maybe the more drunk I get, the easier this will be to manage.

Since they’re all focused on one another, I snag a bottle of tequila, smirking as I pour it into my glass to the tippity top. It’s the good shit, so when I sip it, it doesn’t make me gag.

Is drinking straight tequila a good idea? Hell fucking no, it isn’t. It’s the only alcohol that makes me black out. But when in Vegas…

I don’t guzzle the drink like I want to. I take my time with it, knowing it’s going to fuck me up and I don’t want to get sick. I’m here for Austen, after all. The last thing I need is to ruin his night with having to take care of me. Because he will, even if I tell him not to.

When we get to the Vegas sign, we all head out and wait in line to take some photos together. There is a photographer there who charges ten dollars for a group shot, so someone pays him and we get together for a photo. Once again, I’m on the end, but it’s fine. I don’t want to be squished between these people, anyway. The guy promises to email the photos, which he does.

As we head back to the bus, Austen reaches my side.

“You good?” By his tone, I know he’s already feeling good.

“Great.” I grin at him, and his smile grows.

“Thanks for coming. I know you didn’t want to.”

“Of course I wanted to, Austen.”

He nods, but I can tell there’s something more he wants to say, but we reach the bus so he doesn’t. I take my seat by the door and grab my cup of tequila. It’s finished by the time we reach the club, and not that it was a huge glass, but it’s enough that I’m already feeling amazing.

I listen to the guys messing around as we wait in line, talking about football and school and all the hot pieces of ass they’re going to meet in the club. Eventually, a couple of the guys start conversations with a few girls in another line beside us. I roll my eyes at how cheesy they’re being, and how pathetic it is that the girls are eating it up. I swear, I am thrilled to be into guys, because that shit just doesn’t fly with us.

Once we’re inside, I grin to myself, knowing it’s going to be a good damn night. Our group heads to the bar and we do a round of shots before getting drinks and heading to the bathroom before making our way onto the dancefloor.

I get lost in the music instantly, enough alcohol in my veins to last me all night. I won’t even have to drink anymore, I’m feeling so good right now. I don’t think anything could ruin it.