Page 141 of See You Again
“We have a little something for everyone tonight,” Alanna said with a light chuckle. “These gentlemen have spent a good bit of time and creativity designing the one-on-one dates. I don’t think you ladies or gentlemen will be disappointed,” she said with a wink, sending waves of laughter across the crowd.
Cami cringed.
The auction began, and Cami tapped her foot impatiently. How was she going to approach Matt if he stayed at the front, preening under the attention of several women? When she saw him excuse himself for a moment and leave the ballroom in the direction of the restrooms, Cami saw her chance.
She scanned the room for Dahlia, finding her at the center of a crowd of fans. Bringing a celebrity to do undercover work probably wasn’t the best idea. It was up to her. Cami positioned herself near the table closest to the exit and tried to keep her heart from beating out of her chest.
“Matt,” she called when he reappeared a few feet from her.
His head swung in her direction with a wide smile until he recognized her, and then his features rearranged into a dark scowl. When he kept walking, she boldly stepped in front of him, drawing a few curious looks from couples nearby.
“I just had a question I wanted to ask you?”
She snatched two champagne flutes from a passing server and shoved one at Matt. He reflexively took it to keep it from spilling on his shirt.
“I have nothing to say to you,” he hissed, his eyes darting to the people watching.
Cami took a sip. “Drink the champagne. Not a good look on your big night if you’re fighting with a woman in the crowd.”
His lips moved, and then Matt finally managed the semblance of a smile. “What do you want?”
“I was just curious if you had any comment on my latest podcast?”
Matt took a large gulp of the drink. “I don’t listen to your trash.” He took a step to walk away.
“Oh! That’s a shame.” She couldn’t let him walk away with the glass. “I thought what Vincent Menardi had to say was really interesting. Did you never worry about what he might have found when he cleaned your SUV four years ago?”
Matt turned white, his eyes bulging. “What did you say?”
Cami sent up a silent apology to Vincent and Mark for ruining the element of surprise. “Vincent Menardi. Former head of security for David Bloom?” She smiled sweetly. “Your mother’s former husband? It was one of his cars you drove to Stoverton to pick up your brother, right?”
Matt’s eyes were frantic as they scanned the crowd before coming to rest on her again. Anger, and what looked a lot like fear, blazed in his eyes as he closed the small distance between them, uncaring that they were now the center of several people’s attention.
He slammed his glass down on the high-top, and then his hand lashed out and gripped her forearm painfully, causing her glass to splash.
“You need to be careful, you little bitch. You are treading into very dangerous waters.”
Cami’s chin jutted forward. She refused to reveal that his grip was pinching her painfully. “I’m an excellent swimmer.”
“Is everything okay?” Two women had stepped forward.
Matt threw her arm down, but his eyes blazed into Cami’s. “We aren’t done,” he spit, before stalking away.
“Are you all right?” A woman asked, her expression a mix of sympathy and curiosity.
“I’m all good. Thanks.” She tried for a smile but came up short. Her nerves were humming with the need to put Matt’s glass in her plastic bag. “I think I’m just going to finish my drink and head out.” She knew it was rude, but she turned her back to the women, hoping they would leave.
Cami drained her glass and then casually set it next to Matt’s on the table. She turned her head to watch the next offering in the auction, and after a minute, the curious faces shifted away from her and back to the stage. Cami opened her purse, holding it in front of her waist. She pulled open the plastic bag before plucking out two tissues and keeping them between her fingers as she picked up both her glass and Matt’s. Using the coverage that her black skirt and the dark tablecloth provided, she lowered the glasses and poured the remains of Matt’s champagne into her empty glass. Placing her glass back on the table, she dropped Matt’s glass and the tissues inside the plastic bag, zipping it shut with a heavy exultant exhale.
I did it!
I actually did it!
Now she needed to find Dahlia and get the hell out of there.
After another few minutes of searching, Cami sent her a text telling her to meet at the coat room.
Cami collected both coats and stepped into a small alcove away from the noise to text James.