"I think it's high time we take a vacation and get away from here for a little while," I say, sitting in one of the chairs on the other side of Camila's desk. There was no way I was going to get any work done after Jenny's visit, so I came to Camila's office for a distraction.
She doesn't even bother looking up from whatever it is that she's typing on her computer. "What exactly are you running away from?"
"Why would you think I am running away from something?"
"Anytime you don't want to deal with something, you always suggest we take a trip."
"I am not running away from anything."
"Delilah." Camila looks away from her screen and gives me a knowing look.
"I swear! I just feel overwhelmed with everything that's been happening since Beau came back and think I might need some time away from him."
"The situation with Beau must really be weighing you down."
"The situation with Beau," I chuckle. "Nothing is going on between Beau and me. I just want to be able to go out for lunch and not worry about running into him, his mother, or that weird fiancée of his."
"I never thought to ask, how are you dealing with Beau getting married?" Camila gives me a pitiful look.
"Oh, I'm fine! I don't love him anymore, so it doesn't hurt me that he's marrying someone else." That's a lie. A big, fat lie. Watching Beau marry someone else hurts a lot but admitting it to Camila will only make it hurt more.
"If you are not ready to talk about it, then that's fine," Camila says. "But denying your feelings will only make things worse."
"I'm not denying anything. I truly don't care that Beau is getting married in two months."
"Yeah, right," she says with sarcasm. "Lucky for you and your denial though, our schedules are pretty open this month. We can leave this weekend for Hawaii and stay for..." She pauses as she glances down at her calendar. "About a week, if that works?"
"That would be great! I'll ask Tamara if she can come, too. She definitely needs some time away from Harvey," I say, picking up my phone to text her.
Camila sighs. "I can't wait to get away for a little while myself."
"Why?" Her words pull my attention away from the text I was about to send. "Is Danny disturbing you?" I wouldn't put it past that asshole to still try and find his way back into Camila's life.
"No."
"Why do you need to get away then?" I ask, confused.
"No reason..."
"Axel!" I blurt out. There is only one man on this earth who could affect Camila's life and she wouldn't want to tell me about.
"No, he is not the reason." She avoids eye contact with me and plays with the papers sitting on her desk.
"What did he do?" I can already feel myself getting angry at my cousin. I knew something like this would happen. "I am going to kill him. Tell me what he has done."
"Please, don't harm him. He has done nothing wrong."
"But, it is him you want to get away from?"
Camila's shoulders slouch in defeat. "Yes, it's him."
"What did he do?"
"He told me he loves me."
"Oh." I'm not completely surprised he did. But he had told me a week ago that he would wait for her to get over her breakup with Danny first. I guess he couldn't wait to tell her how he felt.
"You don't sound surprised."
"I knew."
"You knew, and you didn't tell me?" Camila looks at me in shock.
"It was not my place to tell you."
"Really? That's never stopped you before."
"Yes, and besides telling you wasn't going to do anything. I know you love Danny, so why even bother?"
Camila's voice takes a lower tone. "I guess so."
"Camila," I try to get her attention away from the papers that she has been staring at blindly. "Do you like Axel?" I know it's only been a month since Danny cheated on Camila, but it's possible she's developed feelings for Axel. Maybe she's finding it hard to believe she was able to so soon after her breakup.
"What would make you think I do?" Camila shifts uncomfortably in her seat.
"You do like him." I smile, realizing Axel might just have a chance after all.
"I am older than him, Lilah, and not just by a year or two, but by a good four years." Camila finally voices her real concern.
"Does it matter? The only thing that should is what you both feel for each other."
"I can't believe you are the one saying this," Camila smiles.
"I know it's shocking that I'm the one giving you this advice, but the day Axel told me about his feelings for you, I believed him. And I want to see him happy even though he annoys me endlessly. I still love him; his happiness is mine, and so is yours." That's the only reason I need to support them being together.
"Aww, Delilah." Camila stands up from her seat and hugs me. "It's nice to know you'll support us if I decide to date him."
"I am the last person on this Earth who would stand between you two. I love you both and want to see you happy."
"Thank you. But I have been worried because my feelings for him developed so quickly, and he's younger than me. That's why I need some time away from him. I want to think things through before jumping into another relationship. "
"Some time away would be good in helping to sort out your feelings," I agree, then wink. "And what better place than Hawaii to clear your head?"
YOU ARE READING
Rekindling Old Flames (BWWM)
Romance"I need to teach you a lesson for defying me," Beau says, and in an instant, my leg on his thigh drops down beside his. He puts his other hand on my waist and lifts me off my chair. I land perfectly on him, and my eyes widen once I feel him against...
