Cameron
I went downstairs and poured a cup of coffee for Sierra. The aroma of pancakes filled the kitchen as Rosa stood by the stove, flipping them.
“Breakfast is almost ready,” she said.
“Rosa, you’re not here to cook us meals. You need to go sit down and let me wait on you.”
“You’re very sweet, Builder Boy, but I like to cook food. Besides, you have Miss Hangover-pants upstairs to deal with.”
“True. Let me take this up to her and I’ll be back down for those delicious-smelling pancakes.”
I went back upstairs and set the cup on the nightstand. “Wake up, babe. The trucks will be here soon with the tents and stuff.”
She moaned and rolled over, pulling the pillow over her head. “You deal with it. I’m not getting out of this bed today,” she mumbled.
“Nope. This is your project and you’re going to follow through with it and make it perfect!”
She rolled over and opened her eyes. “Is that coffee?” she asked.
“Yes. Freshly brewed just for you.” I handed her the cup as she sat up.
“I’m sorry I threw up on you.”
“Yeah, well, it was bound to happen at some point in our relationship.” I smiled. “Why don’t you go and take a hot shower and I’ll meet you downstairs.”
“Okay. Thanks for the coffee.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll have the aspirin waiting for you when you come down,” I said as I got up from the bed.
“Hey.”
“What?”
“Aren’t you going to give me a kiss?” she pouted.
“I am. As soon as you shower and brush your teeth.” I winked.
She picked up the pillow and threw it at me as I walked out the door.
****
Sierra
I showered, brushed my teeth, and threw on a maxi dress. The shower didn’t help. I still had a bad taste in my mouth and my head was pounding. Shame on you, tequila. You failed me this time. I went downstairs and the smell of the pancakes cooking was almost as nauseating as Royce’s cologne. Rosa handed me two aspirin and a glass of juice.
“Why? Why do you do this to yourself?” Rosa said.
“Why? Why do you keep asking me that?” I replied.
She mumbled something in Spanish like she always did, and she did it because she knew that was the one language I didn’t study in school.
“If you have something to say, I’d prefer you say it in English!”
She looked at me with her sinister smile. “Where’s the fun in that?”
I rolled my eyes as I popped my aspirin and finished my juice.
“The trucks are here, Sierra,” Sasha yelled from the foyer.
Good God; why does everyone have to be so damn loud? “Come on, my little drunken minx. Let’s go decide where we’re going to set up.”
“What did you just call me?”
He smiled and walked out of the kitchen. I followed behind and walked outside to talk to the drivers about the set up.
I had a vision. Creativity was my thing and I was about to unleash it with this wedding, regardless of what Luanne Cole thought of me. I directed the men on the set up of the beautiful, elegant white tents. Lights were strung throughout and a chandelier hung in the middle of the dance floor. Tables and chairs covered in white linens and light pink bows graced the tents with elegance. It was all starting to come together perfectly, after a bit of crazy from me.
“Sierra, we need to start getting ready for the bachelor/bachelorette party.”
“And where is that again?”
“On the boat that Magnolia’s parents rented.”
“Big boat or small?”
“Big.” He chuckled. “I think you’ll like it. It has an upper deck and a lower deck. Can you believe it?”
I rolled my eyes at his sarcasm. “Okay, I’m in.”
I high-fived the drivers and told them they did an excellent job. I gave them a little cash on the side for putting up with my craziness.
Cameron and I got ready and headed to the marina for the party.
“No more than one or two glasses of tequila for you,” Cameron said.
“Aw, you’re no fun! Besides, I drank enough last night for the next week.”
As soon as we stepped on the boat, Luanne shot me a look.
“Hi, Luanne. Do you like my Prada bag?” I smiled. Bitch wouldn’t know a Prada bag if it slapped her in the face.
The party wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. There was plenty of alcohol (I only had two cups – yes, I said cups – of tequila) and there was plenty of food. Everyone mostly talked about the wedding and had a good time. I sat and watched Cameron talking and laughing with his brothers and realized how much his family meant to him. I saw Luanne talking to Magnolia and I asked her if I could speak to her for a moment. Maybe it wasn’t the right thing to do at that moment, but being Sierra Adams, I often didn’t wait for the right time.
“What is it?” Luanne said.
“What is your problem with me?”
“I don’t have a problem with you, Sierra.”
“Yes, you do, Luanne. Ever since you found out who I really am, you’ve been avoiding me like the plague, and I heard you and Cam talking upstairs yesterday. You said some pretty mean things.”
“I just don’t think that you and my son are right for each other.”
“Why? Because I run my own company? Well, guess what, Luanne, so does Cameron.”
“Cameron isn’t like you and doesn’t belong in your world.”
“Who are you to decide what world Cameron belongs in? I love him.”
“I’ve googled you. I saw the photo of you attacking that man and I’ve seen the men you’ve been photographed with.”
Here we go again. Damn that photographer who took that picture.
“First of all, that was no man. He’s a cowardly boy who hurt me very deeply and I took three years of anger out on him. And, as for those other men, Cameron is more of a man than those men will ever be.”
“What’s going on over here?” Cameron asked as he walked up and placed his hand on my shoulder.
“Your mother is telling me how much she doesn’t care for me and I think she implied that I am a whore.”
“Mom!” Cameron snapped.
I put my hand up. “It’s okay. She doesn’t have to like me, but let me tell you something, Luanne Cole,” I said as I pointed my finger at her. “Your son is thirty years old and can make his own decisions. He fell in love with me. Yeah, that’s right; me! And if you don’t like it, that’s too damn bad because this high maintenance, corporate CEO, Prada-carrying, Chanel-wearing, and Jimmy-Choo-walking bitch isn’t going anywhere.”
I stomped away and went below deck. Cameron followed. “Sierra, stop.”
“Leave me alone, Cam.”
He grabbed my arm and pulled me into him. “I love you and that’s all I’m saying.”
The anger that had erupted inside me began to wither away the longer Cameron held me.
“We need to talk about tonight,” Cameron said.
“What about it?”
“I’ll be spending the night at my parents’ house with my brothers. Are you coming to the church tomorrow?” he asked.
“Nah. I think it’s best that I stay back at the house and make sure everything’s ready for the reception. Plus, your mom wouldn’t want me there anyway and I don’t want ruin her day.”
“It’s not her day, Sierra. It’s Jaden’s day and I know he’d want you there. I want you there,” he said with a sadness in his voice.
I brought my hand up to his face and softly stroked it. “I love you, Cameron.”
“Does that mean you’ll come to the church?” He smiled.
“No.” I laughed.
The boat had docked, which meant the party was over. Thank you, God. Cameron said his goodbyes and I got off that boat as fast as I could and high-tailed it to the Escalade. Cameron followed behind and we drove back to the house so he could pack a bag.
“I don’t want you to worry about my mom,” Cameron said as he softly kissed me goodbye.
“I won’t anymore. I said what I had to say to her and, if she can’t accept me, then I’m over it.”
“She’ll come around, Sierra. I promise. Just give her some time.”
“She can take all the time she needs because I’ll be about three thousand miles away.”
He took my hand and placed a folded piece of paper in it. “This is the address of the church, in case you change your mind,” he said as he kissed my forehead.
“Thanks, but I don’t think so. Have fun with your brothers. I’ll miss you.”
“I’ll miss you too. Maybe we can have text sex.”
“You mean sexting? You dork.” I laughed.
“Same thing. I like my name for it better. I have to go. I love you.”
“I love you too,” I pouted as he walked down the driveway.