But I felt it anyway.
Cameron gazed at me, his smile fond, almost private.
Julian smirked, and my stomach plummeted.
They’ve been talking about me.
“Oooh,” Max murmured beside me. “Nowthat’sa face.”
“It’s nothing,” I said sharply.
“That’s the nothingest nothing you’ve ever nothinged.” Max nudged my arm. “Jealous?”
“No.”
“Yes,” Max said in a gleeful tone. I glared at him, and he grinned even wider. “You’re jealous of Julian.Julian, the man who flirts with lamps.”
I looked back at the pair. Cameron was still watching me. Not Julian, not the room.
Me.
My chest squeezed painfully, and I looked away too fast.
Max’s voice softened. “Hey. He’s choosingyou, you know.”
I didn’t answer. Wanting Cameron was easy. Believing I deserved him?
That was the part I didn’t know how to do.
Cameron laughed at something Julian whispered, Julian’s hand resting casually on Cameron’s shoulder, Cameron leaning in, trusting, warm, open.
My stomach knotted.
Jealousy was not an emotion I felt often. Jealousy was messy, irrational—uncontrolled. And seeing Julian, gorgeous,magnetic, charming Julian, draping himself over Cameron as if he’d known him for years?
It was unsettling, because Cameron didn’t pull away.
I’m not enough for him. I’m not charming. I’m not easy to understand.
Cameron deserved someone uncomplicated.
“I’m not jealous,” I repeated, because maybe if I said it enough times, I’d believe it.
Julian laughed loudly at something Cameron said, and Max snorted. “Tell that to your eyebrows, which are currently trying to murder Julian.” He squeezed my arm. “Will you relax, you idiot? Cameron is here foryou, no one else.”
Now all I had to do was make myself believethat.
Cameron
“Break over,” Theo called out.
Julian stood. “Cameron, sweetheart, sit by me. I need someone pretty in my eyeline to cope with Theo.”
I laughed. “That’s a bold choice of words when Theo’s right there.”
Beside the mixing desk, Theo gave Julian a pointed glare that could have cut diamonds. “I said break over.”
Julian whispered loudly, “See?”