Love, Scars, & Shooting Stars

Chapter Twenty-Five

Cam stood on the outer fringe of the reception hall, nursing an imported beer from the open bar as the newly-wed couple took another spin as husband and wife out on the dance floor. With the traditional formalities of food, cake, and speeches out of the way, the reception was rapidly transitioning to 'party mode', with the waitstaff expertly clearing the tables and a live band setting up to replace the DJ who had overseen the initial phase of the festivities. He scanned the growing cluster of couples out on the dance floor in search of Julie, who had been whisked away for a dance with the best man some three songs ago. As a new song began and couples shuffled on and off of the floor, Cam's gaze fell upon Jessica and her new man, Blake or Blaine or something like that.

Just call them Barbie and Ken, Cam sneered inwardly in the face of the swanky, upper-class picture they presented. Maybe he'd made a mistake in coming here, maybe he wasn't as ready to face her as he'd wanted to believe. He took a long, slow pull of his beer, keeping a furtive eye on his Ex as she and her new beau swayed together in perfect time. Jess was still beautiful, of course, and her appearance suggested that she was doing well for herself financially. But there was an air of aloofness about her now, a coldness in her eyes that hadn't been there before. But Blake-Blaine didn't appear to notice, and Jess didn't seem to mind, so what business was it of his?

It's her life now, Cam reminded himself as he set the half-empty bottle on the end of the bar. If that's what she wants, more power to her.

"She's gorgeous."

Cam quickly averted his eyes and turned his attention to Julie, who had somehow managed to sneak up on him. Again, he was startled by the transformation in her appearance, not that there was anything wrong with the way she usually looked. There was no denying that she was attractive, but today she looked... radiant. The glow of the tealight candles that lined the bar shimmered in her eyes, and he had to concentrate on drawing a breath before he was able to respond.

"Who?" he asked, his thoughts of Jessica mysteriously reduced to a faint, watery image in some far off recess of his mind.

Julie cast him a look that told him she wasn't buying his act of indifference, if it was indeed an act. Suddenly he wasn't so sure.

"Jessica," she said, bobbing her head toward the dance floor. "They're both gorgeous, actually—it's kind of nauseating."

Cam smiled wryly. "Yeah, I guess," he said, and took a sip from his beer. "If you like that GQ/Cosmo sort of thing."

"What, you don't?" she challenged archly.

Cam shrugged indifferently, and she pulled a doubtful look.

"Even perfection has a down side," he said, and then changed the subject by indicating the fluted stem glass in her hand. "Sparkling cider?"

"Champagne," she confessed, leaning in with a conspiratorial grin. "It's my second glass."

"Really?" he drawled, a devilish grin spreading across his face. "Should I be worried?"

Julie laughed. "That remains to be seen," she said, taking a sip of the bubbly liquid before setting the glass on the bar. "It's working, you know."

"What, the champagne?"

"No, the plan," Julie said, leaning back against the bar. "To make Jessica jealous..."

"To make..." Cam stammered, utterly lost. "What?!"

"You brought me here to see if Jessica would be jealous," Julie said matter-of-factly. "And it worked, because she is. Jealous, I mean."