Page 32 of Building Romance
“Everything alright?” I ask again. I tell myself that I’m asking because I need her to make our company look good in this competition. But that’s a lie, a lie I’m not willing to explore.
Fuck, what the hell is wrong with me?
She looks back over at me, her eyes searching mine. “I’m fine. Just…mentally preparing,” she says as she gives me a small smile, but it doesn’t reach her eyes and I know she’s lying.
I nod. The driver pulls off the main road onto a long treelined drive. I’ve been to events out at this estate before but it’s been years. As the manor house comes into view, I’m reminded of how impressive it is. I glance over and see Camryn’s eyes widen. I fight a smile at her innocent reaction to the size of the dwelling. It was built by a wealthy family in the early nineteen hundreds. There are gardens, a gatekeeper’s house, a groundskeeper’s cottage, stables, and a dozen other little outbuildings on fifty acres. But it’s the main house that’s impressive as hell. Built from reclaimed buildings abroad, it’s in the Tudor style of an English manor house. Its steep roof pitches and stonework remind me of places I’ve stayed in the English countryside. The competition itself will take place in climate-controlled tents in the back gardens of the property.
We come to a stop and the driver gets out and opens the car doors for us. Camryn stands perfectly still as I walk around the car. There’s a bustle of activity around us as staff take luggage and offer us drinks. Camryn takes a flute of champagne with only a simple “thank you.”
I’m about to ask her again if she’s alright but an older woman approaches us.
“Camryn Tanner?” she asks.
Camryn nods.
The woman holds out her hand. “I’m Felicity Centric, the producer for the show. I’m going to get you settled.” Felicity looks around. “Where’s Amber?”
“Oh, she said she needed to check in on her mother and she’d drive separately,” Camryn explains.
“OK. Well, we’ll get you two set up now and I’ll meet Amber later, then,” Felicity says as she claps her hands and motions for us to follow her.
We walk inside into the grand foyer. “We’ve put your team in the Lexington Suite upstairs. I hope that’s fine,” she says as we follow her up the staircase and down a hall.
“Sure,” Camryn says as we approach large double doors. Felicity takes out a key card and opens them. They have clearly been added more recently. The hallway continues past them with a couple of bedrooms with en suites and a large living area at the end of the hall.
“This is all your suite. I put you and Amber in here,” she says as she motions to a door, and Camryn peeks inside. It’s a large suite with two queen beds and a sitting area. “And you’re over here, Mr. McDowell.” She motions across the hall to a large king-bed suite. “The Wi-Fi passwords and information about the competition with times and locations are in your welcome packets. We have a reception in the great hall tonight at seven after dinner. Dinner will be served at six in the formal dining room. Any questions?”
“Nope,” Camryn says as she takes her suite key from Felicity.
“I think we’re good. Thank you, Felicity,” I say as I accept a key.
“Wonderful. I’ll see you both at dinner,” she says as she leaves us standing in the hallway. I look past Camryn to see her luggage has already been set out in her room.
“Well, I…uh…I guess we should get settled,” I suggest because staring at the bed behind her has my mind concocting impossible situations that it should not. My gaze goes back to her, but instead of looking directly into her eyes, I note that her sweater has slipped to one side, exposing the black strap of her bra. Fuck. I need to get my mind out of the gutter.
I clear my throat and force myself to look into her eyes. She’s watching me with a mild smirk on her lips. Damn it. I’ve been caught ogling her.
I look down at the packet I snatched off my bed while she was talking to Felicity and I pull out the papers. The top one is the agenda for this weekend.
“It’s business casual for dinner this evening,” is all I manage to say as I turn to go into my bedroom. I don’t look back as I close the door and lean back against it. This is going to be the most trying three weeks of my life.
I decide to spend most of the next hour catching up on work. I have change orders to approve and a quick video chat with our general contractor. By the time I finish, it’s five twenty. I hear a shower turn off and then a blood-curdling scream.
I jump out of my seat and run across the hallway, throwing open Camryn’s bedroom door and looking around wildly.
“Camryn!” I call out as I scan my surroundings. I run toward the bathroom when I don’t see her in the bedroom. Flinging the door open, I come face to face with a half-naked Camryn. A towel is wrapped around her body but barely. Her hair is wet and she’s standing on the toilet making her taller than me by a few inches.
“What in the…” I trail off as I try to figure out what the hell is going on in here.
“S-spider,” she stammers as she points to a small spider in the corner of the room.
I look back at her with a raised eyebrow and point to it. “That is the reason for…this,” I say as I motion to her on the toilet.
She nods. Her eyes are wide and her face is flushed. She’s legitimately scared.
I suddenly envision dumping hundreds of spiders in her café. I didn’t think getting rid of it would be so easy. I shake my head at the ridiculous thought.
“How do you function in the real world?” I ask her as I bend down and scoop the spider on my hand.
