What does it matter? You've already made up your mind about me.

South's deep voice was on an annoying repeat loop inside my head as I stormed through the thick press of wedding guests.

I had made my mind up about him... hadn't I?

He was a Navy SEAL and... a liar. And... he kissed me like it was the only thing he needed in the world.

No—Jae had kissed me like that. The carefree skydiving instructor. Not South. Jae and South couldn't be the same man. One was real and one was fake, and I was sure I knew which one was which.

The reception was in full swing, appetizers were passed while music drifted. Delicate sprays of flowers sat on linen covered tables.

I gave out smiles and friendly waves to faces I recognized, but declined several invitations to join in on conversations. I kept walking towards the exit, needing a moment to collect my thoughts and breathe.

Even though I had left him at the bar, South Tenney's cold look and his deep voice seemed to chase me through the crowds.

I shouldn't have come to this wedding.

The universe had been telling me not to do it. From the sinking feeling in my stomach to the rip in my dress.

South would have found his way back into my life either way, I told myself. He'd have shown up at my office and I would have had to deal with the surprise in front of my new boss.

I found a set of double doors that lead to a lavishly decorated hallway and discovered Lieutenant Fitzpatrick sitting on a tufted bench, head resting in his hands.

His vulnerability drew me forward.

"Hey, stranger," I called out.

His head snapped up. "Oh, Camilla." Connor studied my face, a question forming in the line between his blonde brows. "What's wrong? You're upset."

I wrung my hands together, smiling at a couple passing by, before taking a seat beside him. Connor smelled like he'd taken a bath in merlot, little purple dots flecked his white uniform pants.

"I'm..." I began, closing my eyes and drawing in a deep breath. Connor didn't need to hear all the messy details. Nobody did. "I'm fine."

Connor narrowed eyes the color of clear blue skies, clearly unconvinced, so I gave him a playful tap on the shoulder. "Why are you sitting out here all alone? Where's my dad?"

Connor sighed into his hands before raking his fingers through pale blonde hair. I could feel embarrassment radiating off of him in waves. "You know, with my track record tonight, I'd recommend anyone with the last name Isley stay five feet away from me. It's probably best if you sit on that bench over there."

"Don't tell me that frown you're sporting is contagious."

"Nah, nothing contagious. But, I think I might be cursed. Or doomed to fail. Or maybe I'm not cut out to be a flag aide."

My lips twitched into a grin. Surely he couldn't be serious. "Brooding isn't a good look on you, Connor." When he didn't smile back at me, I tapped his shoulder again. "Come on, you can't still be upset about that little rip in my dress. Now spill."

I shifted towards him, trying my best to flex my public relations skills. Making him feel at ease by tilting my head to the side.

"Well, Admiral Tenney was asking a bunch of questions about his son West and if he'd been showing up the last couple weeks for training at our office—which he hadn't—and while we were talking, someone knocked my elbow and my glass of wine spilled all over your dad's uniform."

"On his whites? Oh, shit." I sputtered out a laugh that only made Connor's frown deepen. I covered my mouth and tried again. "It was an accident. He'll get over it. He brings like five sets of uniforms with him wherever he goes."

Connor shook his head. "I don't know Camilla. Your dad told me I was off duty for the rest of the night. Which was fine, but then, as I was leaving, Admiral Tenney said if I was his aide, he would've fired me on the spot and put me back on a plane."

The Tenney family was quite the bunch, it would seem.

I rolled my eyes. "Well, you're not Admiral Tenney's aide. And my dad is very forgiving. There's just something about Admiral Tenney makes my dad feel like he needs to impress him. You know?"

Connor was silent for a minute, leaning back against the sleek marble wall, before he seemed to snap out of whatever funk he was in. That cute blush creeping between his freckles.

"Enough about me. I want to hear why you're upset."

"Me?" My voice leapt up an octave. "I'm not upset. I told you, I'm fine."

Connor gave me a look that screamed, you're so full of shit.

"Did South Tenney say something stupid to you?"

"No, it's not anything South said," I told Conner. It's what he did. "Listen, I don't want to talk about it."

"Well, what do you want to do?" Connor asked.

My answer came swift. "Honestly, I'd like to forget this night ever happened."

"Same."

We let out a laugh before companionable silence settled between us. Watching as couples and groups of friends drank and chatted all around.

Even though there were literally a thousand people in attendance, I still felt like an outsider. As awkward as I had been that night under the bleachers.

Suddenly, the door to the reception hall was pushed open, and a slow song drifted into the hallway, along with the voice of the DJ.

Please join Easton and Luis as they share their first dance as a married couple.

"You—uh—wouldn't want to dance with me, would you?"

A tendril of heat snaked up my neck and into my cheeks. Did I want to dance with Connor?

The answer wasn't an overwhelming yes, but I couldn't think of a reason not to. Right now, we both could use a friend.

"That depends," I teased. "Are you going to step on my dress again?"

Connor rose to his feet. His hand extended for mine. "I can't make any promises. Cursed. Remember?"

I slipped my hand into his, and we found a spot between the thousand other people swaying back and forth on the dance floor. My hands found his shoulders, and his found my waist.

"You should let me pay for this dress. It would make me feel better about destroying the other one."

"You really don't need to do that. This dress was cheap as hell and doesn't even fit me right."

His hands held me a little tighter. "That's bullshit, and you know it."

I said nothing in response to his little backhanded compliment as we bobbed back and forth on the inch of floor we had.

Every once in a while, his eyes would find mine, and we'd smile awkwardly at each other.

I wondered what my dad would say if he saw me dancing with Connor?

Then, unbidden, I wondered what my dad would say if he saw me dancing with South. We wouldn't just be swaying back and forth. No. The minute his hands found my skin, his mouth was sure to follow.

As if thinking his name drew his attention, I had the nudging suspicion that South Tenney was staring at me. Every inch of my skin tingling with the memory of his kisses.

I scanned the crowd, butterfly wings beating in my chest, when I saw him.

South.

His strong hand was cradling a glass of red wine. Those pretty hazel eyes narrowed while he watched Connor and I.

And for a moment, I caught a flicker of that sadness. That piece of him I fell into. And all of a sudden, I wanted to run my fingers through his thick hair and wrap my legs around his waist while he carried me off to the nearest shower.

Or maybe we could just sit in the edge of his bed. Comfortable with each other.

The longer I stared at him, the more that desire built. Memories leaking through the defensive wall I'd put up. South lifted his glass of red wine in the air and beckoned me over with a jerk of his chin.

This had to be an act.

He was probably just jealous that I was dancing with someone else—someone whose name I knew and who was a nice guy.

The stupid part of me, the part of me that was currently growing hotter and slicker the longer I held his gaze, wanted to leave Connor on the dance floor and find out what South had to say.

But the smarter part of me, the one that was sounding warning bells, prevented me from moving.

"I think I'm ready to leave," I told Connor, reluctantly breaking eye contact with South. "Would you mind walking me back to the hotel?"

"Uh—sure." Connor's face flamed bright red. "I mean, yes. I can do that."

Even though I was no longer looking at him, I could feel the press of South's eyes on me as Connor and I snaked our way out of the reception hall and out the exit doors.

Who was South Tenney, really?  An even better question—did I want to find out?

As we walked back to the hotel, humid July air and street smog sticking to the back of my throat, Connor and I said little. It wasn't until we reached the lavish hotel lobby that Connor seemed to find his voice.

"Camilla, I just wanted to tell you that I haven't had this much fun in a long time."

"Really?"

Connor looked sheepishly down through blonde eyelashes. "I mean, not the spilling wine part. But, hanging out with you. Sorry, I'm saying a lot of things right now." He let out a little laugh. "The last five years have been like a blur, but tonight was... something different."

I noticed the gold dolphin pin sitting just above his small stack of colorful ribbons. It was the same pin my dad and Admiral Tenney wore. I knew how difficult life on a submarine could be.

"I had fun, too."

I pressed the call button on the bank of elevators that would take me up to our suite, and the doors slid open. I walked inside and told the bellhop what floor I needed. Connor lingered in the opening, catching the doors when they started to close.

"Sleep well, Camilla."

I gave him a warm smile, grateful for his friendship tonight. "Goodnight, Lieutenant Fitzpatrick."

A/N

This chapter took me longer than I thought it would to put together! I hope you enjoyed it!

xx
AJ