I rushed out the door and waved frantically for a taxi. There was no way I’d meet this time crunch if I walked.
A cab pulled up in front of the apartment, and I yanked open the door. Before I could give the driver directions, a hand yanked on my arm. I spun around and saw Cameron standing there.
“What the hell are you doing?” he asked.
“I’m leaving.” I yanked my arm away.
“Obviously. And where are you going? Back to your hotel?”
I shook my head, my fury at him growing. “It’s none of your business where I’m going. We had a fling. It’s over. You don’t need to pretend like it was anything more or play games with me.”
“What the fuck, Dylan?” He raked his hands through his hair. “It wasn’t just a fling, and you know it. What is this? Are you trying to get back at me for ten years ago? Do you hate me that much?”
I didn’t know what to do. He’d been the one to hurt me and now he was accusing me of hurting him. We were such a fucking mess.
“I have to go.” I got into the cab and grabbed the door handle. “I’m going to be late. Thanks for telling me about the meeting, by the way.”
“I don’t care about the fucking meeting! Is that all that matters to you? Work? Has it ever occurred to you that something else might be more important than your position at some bullshit company you don’t even like?”
I slammed the door in his face.
Chapter 10
Dylan
“I am talented, I am in control, and I am not going to cry.” My puffy red eyes said otherwise. I hadn’t been able to keep the tears from spilling once I’d left Cameron’s apartment.
I’d gotten to my hotel room¸ taken a shower, gotten dressed, then made it to the office with a minute to spare and run straight into the bathroom I’d hidden in the first day instead of going to the conference room. I was pathetic.
I didn’t understand what had happened between me and Cameron. I felt like I’d broken something important, but I had no idea how or why it mattered. I was leaving soon, one way or another. There was no future for me and Cameron, therefore there was nothing important to break.
I ran my hands through my hair and tried to find that in-control attitude I usually found so easy to put on.
“I am…” I pressed my knuckles hard against my forehead. “I’m stupid. I’m so fucking stupid.”
He hadn’t thought it was a fling. In his defense, the night before had been outside the parameters of the one night stand we’d had. I couldn’t deny that something deeper had passed between us, but then I’d woken up and he’d been gone and I’d gotten scared.
I wasn’t that stupid girl any longer. I was a woman with a career to defend. I was going to go into that conference room and deal with seeing Cameron again.
I had no idea what I was going to say to him, but that didn’t matter. I couldn’t avoid him for another ten years. I had to grow up and face my problems. No matter how much it hurt.
I pulled myself together as well as I could and walked to the conference room. I was the last one there. Lily’s lips were pinched together so hard they’d turned white.
Across the table from her was … not Cameron. In Cameron’s place was some woman with black hair and a bland lawyer smile.
George sat beside her practically jumping out of his seat with impatience.
“Where’s Cameron?” I blurted out before I could stop myself.
“He had another deal come up unexpectedly. I’m Anna, also a partner. I’ll be taking over from here on out.”
I reeled internally. Cameron had removed himself from a huge deal because of me. Was he that hurt that I’d left him? I hadn’t even thought I was that important to him.
“Sit down, Dylan,” Charles said.
I sat.
“We’ve come to a decision. We’ll be promoting Miss Butler to partner so that she has full authority to close the deal and handle all transitional matters. She’ll be your main point of contact from here on out, George. Congratulations, Miss Butler. Now, I believe we just need to sign this up and our business is concluded.”
I should have felt triumphant. This was everything I’d been working for. But I didn’t feel triumphant… I felt strangely hollow. I kept looking at Cameron’s empty seat and worrying.
I hated myself, and I hardly knew why. It shouldn’t have been possible to hurt him because he shouldn’t have cared about me. Yes, he’d made an effort to apologize, but what if it was only because I was his best friend’s sister, and he was going to have to deal with me in some capacity for the rest of his life.