“I’m leaving on the bus tour on Sunday,” I said to Drew quietly. “I don’t have time to get it into the shop.”
“Don’t panic,” Drew said softly, “I’ll take it in for you next week.”
“Thank you,” I said. I was so angry. “I’ll call Celeste’s father. She needs to be held accountable for what she’s done.”
“I’ll do that too,” Drew told me. “It’s best if you cut ties with that family altogether.
“Are you sure?” I asked Drew as I was eager to go pack and get ready for my bus tour.
“It’s not a problem,” Drew smiled.
“You’re a lifesaver.” I patted Drew on the back as we went back inside.
“Damon, I believe we’re looking after things for you while you’re gone for a couple of days?” Hayley asked me.
I felt guilty lying to her.
“Yes,” I said, “I have some business in Los Angeles.” It’s the first place I thought of.
“That’s awesome” Hayley smiled at me. “You need to get away for a while,” she said softly.
“I do.”
“Well,” Hayley looked around my house, “show us what needs to be done while you’re gone.”
CHAPTER 27
Hayley
“Hi honey,” I greeted Drew as he walked into the new home. I loved thinking of the words home, Drew, and family. It was everything I’d ever wanted.
“Hi my beautiful wife.” Drew pulled me to him and gave me a kiss before dropping to my belly to kiss the little life growing inside me.
“How did it go with Damon?” I asked Drew as I followed him into the kitchen.
“Better than expected.”
“So, he still doesn’t suspect a thing?” I knew Drew would never betray me, but Damon is quite shrewd, although lately that light that always shined in him seemed dull.
It was much the same for Carla. She’d opened up to me and told me what had happened in Hawaii. At first, I’d jumped to the same conclusion that Carla had about Damon and Celeste. But it turns out we’d been wrong. Carla had shut down about Damon and had refused to talk about him. If I even tried to tell her about Damon, she would physically get up and leave me on my own.
Actually, Drew, Carla’s mother, and I had decided to set Carla and Damon up at my wedding. Of course, Carla’s father was none the wiser because he was upholding the Reynolds and Winters’ family feud. But Mrs. Reynolds had seen the sparks between Carla and Damon long before any of us had. When Damon had hurt Carla so badly during the last week in college, it was Mrs. Reynolds who’d told me, Todd, and Drew to hear Damon out before we judged him.
Carla had never forgiven Damon for what he’d done to her back then and I doubted she’d forgive him for this latest incident if she wasn’t forced to hear him out. So we had devised a plan to get them together for the wedding. We knew there were a few stumbling blocks that stood in our way but I knew Damon would never let Drew down as his best man.
Knowing Damon and Carla like we did, we knew they’d get into some sort of rivalry, so we deliberately pushed them together as often as we could. We didn’t plan for malicious Celeste who was out to get Damon back and ruin our wedding because she hated Carla and me. That had almost ruined our plans but we managed to get over that speed hump and get her out of Damon’s hair for good. Or so we thought.
Everything went better than we planned until Carla had seen those messages the morning after she and Damon had slept together. I knew my best friend so well and I knew nothing I could ever say would make Carla listen to me about Damon. But Drew, Mrs. Reynolds, and I had also put a plan B into motion.
The bus wine tour.
Drew made the same arrangements for Damon. Only he didn’t know it. The rest was a waiting game and stringing both Damon and Carla along. Damon had been easy as he was with us a LOT, while Carla had become a work-a-holic. I have hardly seen her since Drew and I got back from our honeymoon.
But I knew Carla had feelings for Damon just like Damon had feelings for Carla. While Damon knew he was attracted to Carla and wanted to see where the relationship went, he still did not acknowledge his true feelings.
I grinned. Handcuffing them together had forced them to work together and be with each other day and night. It might have been cruel but it had brought them together. Instead of changing them together, this time we were forcing them to be together for ten days on a bus tour. They’d be doing what they both loved—wine stuff—and as they were seated together, they’d be forced to talk.