[6]

I was on the verge of ripping my ponytail clean off my head.

Why? Because I couldn't find my clipboard, the one thing that helped me organize everything.

One second I was holding it; the next, it was gone. It had the lists of all my plans, all the items I'd used for the wedding planning, the guest list, everything! And now it was gone. How was I going to explain this to Mida?

"Calm down, Cam." Simone tried to soothe me, rubbing my back in circles while I hyperventilated. "Maybe you left it in your room."

"I didn't!" I cried out. "I took it off the dresser and walked out of the room. That was when I bumped into Parker and-" I paused as I realized; "it went missing after I crashed into Parker!"

"Um," Simone mumbled, casting me a concerned look like I was losing it. "Do you need wine? Who's Parker?"

I squinted my eyes dangerously at her. "No, I don't, and he's-"

"Garth!" she suddenly exclaimed, watching the aforementioned man materialize before us.

I placed an elbow on the table next to me, rested the side of my head on my fist, and cursed. Park-Garth's gaze fell on my miserable form before him. I was just really exhausted from thinking so much and not ready to deal with the effects of his presence right then, so I sighed.

"What's wrong with her?" He motioned to me.

"She lost her clipboard," Simone exhaled, placing her hands on her hips. "Anyone with two brain cells knows Cam is nothing without her clipboard."

Park-Garth's eyebrows furrowed as he pulled out a clipboard, my clipboard from behind his suit. Before Simone could even gasp, I was already on my feet, eyes wide with alertness.

"Is this the one?"

I lifted my eyes to meet brilliant green ones that knocked all the air out of my lungs. Yet, I was able to nod and collect my clipboard from him when he held it out. His hand went to scratch the back of his neck.

"You dropped it this morning. I was going to give it to you, but you ran away before I could get the chance."

I bit my lip and stared down, feeling slightly guilty and more stupid. "I'm sorry about that."

"You apologize a lot."

"I know, right?"

Simone was the one to offer the last statement. When our attention snapped towards her, she put her hands up in surrender. "I mean no harm. I'm just going to leave the two of you to it because it feels like there's some built-up tension here that I'm not aware of." She turned her glare to me.

I bit down harder on my lip, more guilt consuming me as she retreated. I held my clipboard to my chest like I was hugging a long-lost friend while staring at Parker-fuck it-who was now looking at the ceiling.

"It's beautiful."

"So I've been told," I said bluntly. My tone caused Parker's attention to meet me. Neither of us said anything at first, but then I broke the pregnant silence between us with the question that had been on my mind since yesterday. "What are you doing here?"

Confusion swept over his features. "What are you talking about?"

"You know what I'm talking about," I hissed. "The last time we saw each other was nearly five years ago, and then you suddenly show up at my cousin's wedding with the name Garth-"

He put a finger up to silence me, instantly rendering me stunned to silence.

"This is my brother's wedding too. I had no idea Mida was your cousin. And my middle name is Garth," he stated. "Parker Garth Wellington. Everyone at the office calls me Garth because it's the name I use to fill the paperwork."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Well, you don't look like a Garth either," I huffed. Much to my surprise, Parker chuckled.

"I know. I wouldn't say I like the name either. It sounds like a fart." He made a face to prove his point, earning himself a small laugh from me.

For the tiniest of seconds, I was transported back to my car five years ago, locked away from the outside world and only absorbed in our sad one. I felt comfortable.

"So you're the famous Camsy Colbert," he said after my laughter died down.

"You knew about me before now. You knew I was the one planning this wedding."

"I knew Camsy Colbert was. I just didn't think she was you."

Another round of silence settled upon us, the tension in the air growing. There were unspoken words between us, words that needed letting out. I needed to ask him about that night, ask him why he left just like that because he didn't look like he even remembered that night in the first place.

But I couldn't. What was the point anyway? It wasn't like he was obligated to give me an explanation. It was just a one-time thing. People helping each other forget.

I sighed, letting my shoulders drop. "Look, Parker, I have to go now."

His shoulders sagged. The action made me happier than I was willing to admit. "Where?"

"I need to..." my sentence faded. My eyes roamed around, searching for an excuse. Then they found the perfect one. Right behind Parker, his parents were approaching. I tilted my head towards them slightly, making him look at them. "Your parents want to see you."

"But I just spoke with them."

"They're right behind you, Parker." I took a step back. He turned to me with a considering gaze. I fought the urge to swallow. "I have to g-"

"Camsy!"

Mrs. Wellington's voice wasn't sharp like my mother's. It was soft, like something out of a book, like it was trained to be that way. Her husband, Mr. Wellington stood beside her, a plastic smile plastered onto his face.

I mirrored it, coming to stand beside Parker again, feeling the heat radiating from his body. It made me want to melt into him. But then, there was his mom, and she looked at me like I was chewed up gum.

"Mrs. Wellington! What a pleasant surprise."

Not.

I'd had only one encounter with the Wellington parents before now, and let me just say it wasn't pleasant in any way.

I struggled not to choke on the excessive, expensive perfume on her as Mrs. Wellington kissed the air next to both my cheeks, one at a time. She pulled away and held me at arm's length.

"Would you look at you! You look beautiful." A glint crossed her eye. Just as I was about to thank her for the rare compliment, she went on. "Old age has got nothing on you, dear." She laughed, removing her hands from my shoulders.

I frowned at the insult, turning to face Parker, who was also frowning.

"That wasn't very nice, mother," he said under his breath. I felt my insides flutter at the action. He was defending me before his mom.

The middle-aged woman didn't seem affected by her son's demeanor. In fact, she laughed it off with her husband.

"I heard that everyone here has a partner. Does this mean you've gotten yourself a man, finally?"

I was going to tell her that her son was just as single and ready to mingle as I was and then flip the bird on her, but then I considered how that would make Parker feel and how it would make me look. A smile appeared on my lips instead.

"No, Mrs. Wellington, I haven't."

She waved a hand in the air, expression feigning pity. "What a shame. Garth here has tons of girls swarming around him, practically begging for a pinch of his attention."

I bet he does.

She didn't shut up, her hand waving in the air as she spoke. "Maybe that's your story as well. Maybe you have a ton of men flocking behind you."

I swallowed.

The only flock of men I had behind me were the florist, electrician, and wine expert. My love life was cursed and doomed since my first boyfriend.

She must have noticed my uneasiness because the next thing she did was tsk and lean towards me. "Poor thing. Pray tell, how old are you?" When I didn't speak up, she went on to guess with a sinister smirk on her features. "Forty-five? Forty-six? Seventy?"

My throat grew thick with emotion. "Thirty-four!" bitch, I spat at her, saying the last part in my head for good measure.

"Oh dear," she gasped. "And your cousin is getting married at thirty." She jutted her lip out and shook her head. "Shame."

Her husband, who had been previously laughing his bald head off, finally spoke, but it was much to my detriment. "Oh, come on, Honey. She must certainly have a partner at this grand wedding. Or else, who's she going to dance with later tonight?"

My blood boiled.

Never in my life had I been so utterly insulted. I couldn't take anymore.

It was one thing to admit that I didn't have a love life; it was another for an old lady to rub it in my face!

"I don't care wha-"

"I'll do it."

All attention snapped towards Parker, who had interrupted me. His mother's eyebrows had dropped so low they were practically touching her eyelids.

"What was that, Garth?"

I hated that name.

"I'll be Camsy's partner."

My eyes widened in unbelief. There was no way he meant that. Maybe he was just saying it to spite his annoying mother.

Good. I'd managed to deceive my brain. Now all I had to do was look away from Parker and stop my heart from beating so fast.

He stepped forward, so the tips of our shoes were a hair's width away from touching.

My pulse doubled. Okay. Maybe this was going to be harder than I thought.