24. I'm sorry.

Sure enough, when Camryn drove up to her Malibu home she saw Bryson's car parked in the driveway. He was sitting on the step waiting, like he said he'd be.

He came from the beach.

He wore swim trunks and a thin hooded zip-up that revealed a bare chest and abdomen underneath. She had never seen him underdressed before and thought the look suited him well.

"Hi." Camryn didn't know how else to start as she stood in front of him.

He wanted to smile at her, but first gave a look that asked for forgiveness.

She recalled him telling her he wouldn't take a second chance if one was given. Did he change his mind? Or was he there to talk about something else?

"Hi." Bryson replied, with a half-grin. He gazed a little longer before gently grabbing her fingertips and pulling her closer.

Camryn thought, at that point, she'd let him take the lead. Her turn to talk would come.

Bryson softly pressed his head against her navel and wrapped his arms around her legs as she continued to stand in front of him.

"Let's go inside." She said.

Pulling his hand into the kitchen - the infamous kitchen - she asked if he wanted a drink while she began to make herself a mimosa. Bryson took a seat on a barstool and said he was fine.

Camryn was across from him, wondering when he was going to elaborate on his need to see her out-of-the-blue.

Finally, he commenced the long-awaited conversation.

"I don't want to stop seeing each other."

"You won't - we still have an entire season to film."

"You know what I mean." His look said he wanted her to get serious. Bryson had a lot to get off his chest in a short amount of time. The crew was bound to arrive to pick-up filming from wherever she came from any second now.

He continued. "I thought I wanted options. I thought old feelings were going to resurface with Paige, but they didn't. I don't want to be that guy and I don't want Paige. I want you."

Camryn listened.

"I know what I did was fucked up. And I know what I said to you was fucked up. I was just trying to figure it out. I'm not perfect, but I'm sorry. I wanna keep seeing where this could go."

Ugh, why did he have to be so goddamn good with words all the time?

"Do you really mean that?" Camryn asked. She had barely touched her mimosa once she remembered he was the only one in the group who knew about the upcoming article. The idea of the group finding out made her stomach knot. But they were going to find out anyway. Would two months earlier really make a difference?

If she didn't give him another chance, would he tell? Would she care if he did?

"I do. Are you kidding me?" He laughed. "I'm usually not the type to pour my heart out to someone I've only known for a few weeks."

"Listen..." Camryn was going to do it. She was going to tell him. There as no point in starting over with a guy she was crazy about for it to later blow up in her face the moment he heard she got hot-and-heavy with one of his friends - even if it was only for a couple of minutes. She was responsible just as much as Rocco was.

It wasn't that serious. But it was.

Did they screw? No. Did they even engage in foreplay? No. But they wanted to and they both knew they couldn't because of who they were already involved with; who they were already screwing.

Rocco meant nothing to Camryn. It was simply a passionate, spur-of-the-moment situation despite his false reasoning behind it. It was thrilling, but it wasn't anything more. There wasn't any apparent depth to what was presented in that moment that attracted her to him on that sort of level. He was just an excuse to take her mind off of Bryson and a reminder that she was still desired.

Bryson was what Camryn wanted. But Bryson was also a liar.

And you know what they say: once a liar, always a liar.

Shit. Good guys weren't a dime a dozen in California. Were they?

"Uh-oh." Bryson said. "Nothing good starts with 'listen'."

"I want you to hear it directly from me and not from anyone else."

He gazed at her, puzzled. It could've been anything.

"I kissed Rocco when you were in New York. I didn't initiate it, but I mean, I didn't stop it."

For once, telling the truth didn't feel so good to Camryn. She should've taken a play from his book and turned a cheek to the truth.

Bryson didn't see that one coming. And he had twenty-twenty vision.

"Is that all that happened?" Bryson had disappointment in his eyes, but he couldn't sit there and punish her over something he did behind her back - and more - with Paige.

"Yeah. I figured you should know."

Camryn now took a large swig of her morning elixir, which was needed after that heavy reveal.

"Do you like him?"

"God no. We can't stand each other! I don't know what I was thinking. It just happened." Camryn was coming to every defense she could find.

"So let me get this straight: you were mad at me for the same thing you decided to do?"

She didn't respond.

"You're such a fucking hypocrite, Camryn."

He stood to leave.

"Don't talk to me like that in my own house." She demanded.

Bryson turned to her. "This isn't your house. So I guess I can say whatever the fuck I want."

Before he reached the door, Camryn said, "It didn't mean anything."

He stopped and stood with his back to her, waiting for her to finish. The crew had finally arrived and he wanted to end the discussion before they entered.

"We're friends and you know that. Of all people...it had to be him."

She walked closer until she was behind him. Putting her arms around stomach, she laid her head between his shoulder blades.

"I'm sorry."

Bryson touched her hand with his before turning around to face her.

"You won't do it again?"

He slid his hands down her back and pulled her in to where her pelvic bones hit against his.

"I won't if you won't."

Whichever way she could have him, that's the way she wanted him.

With the sound of tripods locking into place and cameras being attached, Bryson concluded their chat.

"Deal."

There it was - another deal; another agreement where she was asked to uphold her end of the bargain to avoid letdown.

What was in the water? Were people smoking a new strain of pot? Was dealmaking how shit got handled? Was this how the fame-game worked? I'll do this, if you do that.

The look in his eyes revealed how much he wanted Camryn all to himself and how he'd do whatever it took to not fuck it up again. But she had to be on the same page as him if this was going to pan out.

It was a mistake that she only had to make one time to feel like an idiot. Thankfully, this deal wasn't such a bad one.

At last, just as the crew approached her front porch steps, he kissed her and a tsunami wave of memories flooded her entire existence: her heart racing when he drove; the way he handled her body on top of his; the softness of his lips against her skin; his delicious scent; the look he'd give her every time she smiled...it all came back.

When the crew opened the door, Bryson nodded their way before passing through to leave.

Shit. What the hell did they miss?

Once inside, setup was immediate.

She didn't know what she'd be doing, other than finishing up that article on self-care for Diana, when Freddie sent out a group message that read:

Pool party at Camryn's today - 4 p.m. No one should leave earlier than midnight. Bring an appetite. Show some skin. Camryn - come up with a fun theme and decorate accordingly.

A pool party so soon? That was in a couple of hours. Camryn had so much to do.

But she had to look fierce - completely and utterly mouth-watering - for the man whose hunger for her was insatiable.

Grabbing her bag from the counter, she had no time to think about anything, but theme, as she raced out of the house to run errands.

Opening the door in a hurry, she abruptly came to a halt.

Brooke's white, toothy smile that stretched from one ear to the other was almost blinding.

"Can I come in? We need to talk."

Was it time to make another deal?

The two sat on the couch. Brooke said she didn't have much time to stay long, so Camryn was to stay quiet and hear her out until the end - without any interruptions.

With cameras in almost every corner of the living room, Brooke began, "This is the last time I'm going to say 'I'm sorry'. So take it or leave it."

Camryn rolled her eyes. "Okay. Thanks for the apology...so big of you."

"I shouldn't have pressed you like I did. Especially in public. I didn't know you'd be so upset that you'd walk out of Ophelia's. I want us to be us again."

Brooke's short hair was bouncy and shined every which way she turned her perfectly-sized head. Her flawless blowout only reminded Camryn of how little time she had to throw a party - and herself - together, and was wasting time talking to a friend she was no longer able to recognize.

The apology didn't resemble anything remotely close to real, which made her think for the hundredth time that week, was this arranged by Freddie?

Then it just happened.

It came out of her mouth as fast as Rocco's tongue went into it a few nights earlier.

"I kissed Rocco."

Camryn wanted to say "made-out" or "went to second base" but that was too childish.

"I know. What else happened?"

Brooke acted as if it didn't bother her; as if she was fine and it didn't matter because he wasn't her man.

"Nothing. Wait - how did you know? Did Paige tell you?"

"Paige?"

Brooke's entire demeanor changed in a millisecond.

Of course she needed to appear on camera that she didn't give two shits about Rocco and who he lusted after behind her back. The idea of her reputation being at stake was unfathomable and not up for negotiation. But she cared. She cared too fucking much, knowing damn well she shouldn't.

"Yeah. I ran into her this morning and she told me that she saw us and said she was going to tell you, but I was going to tell you regardless."

"I'm sure."

Brooke shook her head like a bratty, rich snob.

"I noticed you weren't wearing your mic that night. Then I noticed Rocco wasn't wearing his. And then I just put two-and-two together. Rocco isn't much of a talker, so I mean, it was easy to rule out the idea of you guys simply having a private conversation." Brooke said.

"So you came here wanting to be friends again and all along you knew?"

Camryn was shocked at the what the outcome was starting to look like.

"Yeah. I thought I already told you: there's nothing serious going on between Rocco and I. We just fuck."

Actually, Brooke never confirmed this off-camera. Camryn just put the clues together and assumed. Why was she acting like this piece of information was something Camryn forgot?

"You didn't tell me that."

"Would it have made a difference if I did?"

Brooke knew how to answer a question with a question well and for once, Camryn had to acknowledge that she was right. It wouldn't have made a difference. And that made Camryn feel like the shitty friend - if a friend at all.

Camryn stared at her tanned skin and flawless makeup and felt she owed her an explanation, but didn't deserve one. It wasn't her fault Brooke was the queen of leading others off her scent. You never knew who Brooke was dating or what her intentions were until it graced a magazine cover.

"It was dumb of me to even entertain the idea of being alone with him. Honestly - it didn't mean anything. We hate..."

"...each other. I know." Brooke finished her sentence. "You don't need to explain yourself, Cammy."

"I'm sorry."

Camryn was now the one who was putting on a front for the cameras. Was what she did irrational? Yes. Was she sorry? No. The last thing on her mind, was Brooke's feelings.

She had never apologized this many times, in a single day, in her life. There was definitely something in the water.

"No you're not."

Brooke tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and got up to walk out. She scrunched her nose and pretended to get choked-up. Here come the water works.

"Yes I am." Camryn lied. "I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it."

She stood to follow Brooke.

"I can't believe you!" Brooke now shouted.

Oh boy, here come the theatrics.

"I can't believe after all we've been through - after all I've done for you - that this is how you repay me!"

Camryn had no idea what she was talking about.

Brooke went on. "You wouldn't be here if it weren't for me! You never would've met Bry or Roc if it weren't for me bringing you into my circle; my world!"

Camryn gawked at her behavior. She was acting insane. Where the hell was this coming from?

Brooke opened her car door to get in and slammed it as hard as she could.

"I regret telling you how I missed our friendship. You're nothing but a two-faced bitch."

The engine purred as Brooke gave Camryn a chance to respond.

"You're crazy if you think I'd voluntarily go after Rocco. Bryson is who I want. Why can't you see that?"

Camryn sounded desperate as she practically begged Brooke to leave, at very least, on cordial terms.

"Awe. That's so cute. You really think Bryson is going to all-of-a-sudden just stop seeing Paige because you snapped your fingers and said so. She's got years on you, Camryn. You think the competition has ended when, actually, there never was one. She's got you beat by a long shot."

Camryn shook her head at her. Brooke was wrong.

"Bryson's just waiting for the right time to take the next step. You're just a stand-in; someone to have fun with and to pass the time until the opportunity presents itself to heal what's needed to be healed from their past. So sorry to burst your bubble, girl."

Brooke began to back out of the driveway in a Ferrari that was as blacker than her soul.

What a cunt.

"You're lying." Camryn said to her as she stood in the same spot as before. "You'll see."

"Can't wait. In the meantime, you and Paige can go fuck yourselves."

Great. Since when did being honest and taking responsibility for her actions cause Camryn more drama?

Brooke drove off without another word.

Camryn's pocket was vibrating. Who wanted to bitch her out next?

It was Diana.

Camryn tried to muster up any fucks she had left in order to have a conversation with her very demanding, very hostile boss.

But, unfortunately, Diana would have to wait.