Beauty and the Brit by Poppy St. James

CAMRYN

“Are you serious? Do I really have to spell this out for you, Camryn?” Anna’s eyebrows dart up.

“What?” I’m sitting in a massaging pedicure chair, wedged between my two besties and utterly confused as to what we’re talking about.

Before Olivia waddled in, I filled Anna in on what exactly hanging out with Sterling had entailed. Well, not everything. She can’t ever know that I fantasized about what might have happened if he’d invited me to share his bed. Hot shame rushes through me. So unprofessional. But she does know we kissed.

“For a girl with a business degree and a successful career, you can be really freaking stupid sometimes,” Anna says.

“What in the world is she talking about?” Olivia asks, looking perplexed.

“Not a clue.” I submerge my feet into peppermint-scented water that’s the perfect temperature—one level below scalding. Ahh. Releasing a satisfied sigh, I close my eyes.

“Now, tell me what this nonsense is about.”

“Camryn and Sterling hung out last night. At his place,” Anna says.

“Hung out?” Olivia asks, her hand absently stroking her belly.

Anna shrugs. “That’s what the kids are calling it these days.”

“I don’t understand,” Olivia says. “How’s the search coming? Are you finding any good candidates for him to date?”

“Yeah, Camryn, are you?” Anna smiles like she knows all of my secrets.

Crap. Maybe she does. Maybe she can see straight through me, feel the desire I have for him.

I clear my throat, hoping to sound professional. “Yes, actually. There are a few who look promising so far.”

“That’s great. Charles Quinn is paying a small fortune for our services, so I don’t want to let him down. And of course, Sterling. As crazy as this situation is, he deserves to get that inheritance.”

I nod solemnly. She’s absolutely right.

“Since you have some great candidates all lined up, I take it he’ll be going on dates soon?” Anna asks, probing.

“Absolutely.”

I grit my teeth. What is with Anna? She’s the one who encouraged me to go out with Sterling in the first place, and now she’s acting like I’ve done something wrong?

“That’s good to hear.” Olivia rises from her chair, slipping her swollen feet into the pink foam sandals. “I have to pee again,” she says with a groan.

Once Olivia’s out of earshot, Anna turns to face me. “What’s going on with you and Sterling?” she hisses. “The truth.”

“What do you mean? I told you already. We hung out. It was . . . nice. And we might have kissed at the end.” I can’t look her in the eye as I say that last part. She’s right. I am stupid.

Anna rolls her eyes. “Listen, I was all for hooking up with the hottie British walking aphrodisiac, but that was before I realized that you actually liked him.” Anna lets out a heavy sigh. “If you fall for him, if real feelings get involved, and let’s face it, they will, because I know you, Cam,” she says, giving me a side-eyed look, “it’s not going to end well. It can’t.”

“It’s fine, Anna. I’m fine.”

“You’re a smart girl, and I love you. But don’t be stupid enough to get involved with him.”

I inhale and hold my tongue as Olivia waddles back from the bathroom.

My mood has turned, and what was supposed to be a fun girls’ night out has turned into a counseling session. I don’t even want to be here anymore. If I could pull my feet out of this tub and march out of here right now, I would.

But the thing is, Anna’s right. And she’s only trying to protect me. So instead of making a dramatic exit, I bite my tongue and try to enjoy myself as the pedicurist rubs warm oil onto my feet. Which, honestly, isn’t that difficult to do.

My monthly pedicure outing with my girlfriends is one of my favorite days. This is my happy place. Perched on our thrones, we transition to safer topics like baby names and bucket list items, and who’s sleeping with whom at the office.

I watch as my toes are painted cherry red, my earlier discomfort slipping away.

“Noah and I are wanting to try that fancy Italian place, La Brasso, before the baby comes, but there’s a three-month waiting list for reservations.”

Anna smirks, and if my feet weren’t otherwise occupied, I would kick her. But deciding I don’t want to conceal something from Olivia, I speak up.

“Sterling and I went there last weekend,” I manage to say.

“No kidding?” she asks. “Wow. Wonder how he got you guys in.” She rubs her chin, seemingly more concerned about how to score a reservation than the fact that I was there with her husband’s best friend.

I breathe a sigh of relief as we finish up. Maybe Anna’s wrong. Maybe this isn’t the worst thing in the world. He and I are working together on a project, it’s only natural that we need to spend some time together.

Once we’re done, we head to the front of the spa to pay. Anna’s busy swiping her credit card and making small talk with the cashier when Olivia turns to face me.

“Promise me one thing,” she says, her face solemn.

My best guess is that she’s going to make me swear not to let anyone take any of those horrible hospital-bed pictures after you’ve just had a baby and your vagina is still hanging out.

“Of course. Anything.”

She grips my shoulders, looking deep into my eyes. “Promise me you won’t fall for Sterling.”

My mouth goes dry, and I find myself nodding. “Of course,” I mutter, but it already feels like a lie.