Chapter 26 I take a deep breath, trying to calm the race of my heartbeat as I walk toward Pembroke's front entrance. I spent the entire morning locked in my room, trying to avoid Ryker at all costs. He knocked on my door. He texted. I ignored him. Eventually, he gave up trying to talk to me. I look down at my phone, pulling up his texts from the day. RYKER I'm going to grab breakfast. Do you want anything? sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ ƒind ηøᴠel.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. RYKER There's an iced coffee in the fridge. I made sure they used oat milk. Just how you like it. RYKER You know I can hear you in your room. I know you're in there. RYKER I'm going to Pembroke. RYKER Don't feel the need to show up. I can handle it. I sigh, tucking my phone into my purse. I woke up this morning, and he was the first thing on my mind. For a few seconds, I remembered the possessive way in which he kissed me. I woke up and thought that maybe things would be different today. Would he kiss me again? Did I want him to? I shouldn't. The moment he ran out of my room while my body was still recovering from the orgasm he gave me should've told me everything I needed to know. Things wouldn't be different today, and I shouldn't expect them to be. "Why are you just standing here?" A familiar voice breaks me from my thoughts. I jump, looking over and finding Jude's warm eyes pinned on me. I think about his question for a moment, trying to come up with a lie. "I was just wondering if I forgot my phone at home." Jude lifts a sandy-brown eyebrow. "Wasn't your phone just in your hand?" Shit. Busted. I was so lost in my own thoughts and memories of last night I hadn't even noticed Jude was nearby. "Are you going in?" I ask him, changing the subject. Luckily, he doesn't press it. I like that about Jude. He doesn't seem to feel the need to get deep all the time. He lets me be quiet and give vague answers without asking for more. "Yeah, I'm meeting everyone inside. You going in too?" I nod. "I guess," I mutter. I don't know if it's a good idea or not, but I do want to see what progress Ryker's making. I also don't like to admit that after spending the entire morning alone, I was tired of being by myself. But mostly, the reason I'm here is because I want to check in with him to see how the day's going. "C'mon, let's go." Jude loops his arm through mine and pulls me forward, leaving me no choice but to follow him. We only make it a few steps before he's looking over at me with his normal grin. "Are you and Ryker doing the charity golf tournament tomorrow?" I let out a groan. How did I forget about the event? We have to do it. There are members from the Davenport Media board who are on Pembroke's charity committee. Him participating in the event is a must; I just wish it wasn't a couples event. I wish I wasn't stuck with him for nine holes. Not after what happened last night. "We are," I finally answer, not bothering to hide the disdain in my tone. "Are you?" He's quiet for a minute. Jude's never quiet, so as we walk through the front entrance of the club, I aim a look in his direction. A wider-than-normal grin is on his face. "I am, and I'm very excited about it." This piques my interest. "Really? Why?" Maybe he's got a new girlfriend I don't know about who's coupling up with him. "Because I'm very excited about who I think my partner will be." I tilt my head. "Think? Shouldn't you know who your partner is?" A staff member walks by and giggles when Jude aims a smile in her direction. God, he's such a flirt. I wonder if he's ever not flirting. "It's kind of up in the air. But something tells me my plan will work out and I'll get to spend the tournament with the girl of my dreams." I can't help but laugh as we walk into Pembroke Grill. "Girl of your dreams? Really?" Since Jude's main hobby is flirting, I don't know if calling someone the girl of his dreams is a massive compliment or if he says that about everyone. Jude waggles his eyebrows at me as he leads us to the table full of people we know. I can feel Ryker's gaze on us, but I don't look in his direction. I can't. I don't have the nerve. Not yet. "Yes, absolutely the girl of my dreams. She's playing hard to get, but I'm hoping a day spent with me tomorrow will change her mind. My charm can be very persuasive." I roll my eyes. I don't know who this girl is, but I wish her all the luck. I don't know what it is about Jude, but I have a soft spot for him. Typically, men like him drive me crazy. I can see right through their good looks and charm and see the person they are underneath. More often than not, they're just a major asshole underneath. But Jude? I think he's actually a good guy. I don't know him super well, but by what I do know, it seems like he'd settle down for the right girl. "You do try to be charming," I quip, giving him a playful lift to my eyebrow. His hands find his chest as we near the table. It's a long rectangular one at the corner of the restaurant, filled with the people I'm getting to know better for the summer. "I know you find me charming, Camille. You don't have to play hard to get." I shake my head. "Because that's exactly what I'm doing, Jude." He laughs before unwinding his arm from mine. My arm drops to my side as he pulls out a chair for me. It happens to be one open right across from Ryker. I frown, kind of wishing it was one where I wouldn't be right in his line of sight. "For you," Jude offers, a playful tone to his voice. I shake my head at him once again before sliding into the chair. I don't really have another choice. The only other open chair is in between Cal and Ryker, and I don't want to sit directly next to Ryker either. Maybe I shouldn't have come at all. I turn to the person next to me, Emma, and give her what I hope is a friendly smile. "How's it going?" I ask. Emma lifts her shoulder in a casual shrug. "Oh, I'm good. Just about to start fighting with people in my comments." "Rebel," Preston warns from her other side. "As a publicist, I'm telling you that fighting with people on the internet is the last thing you should ever be doing. That's exactly what they want you to do." I keep my gaze focused on Emma to avoid the hot stare burning into the side of my face. I can feel Ryker staring at me, but I refuse to look at him. I can't meet his gaze. Not right now, at least. I have to work up the courage to do it. Emma lets out a frustrated sigh. "I'm not going to actually do it. But I really want to. Some guys in my comments are talking shit on my man, and that just will not work for me." Preston chuckles. "I don't give a shit about what they say, baby. I have Super Bowl rings and multiple MVPs to my name. They have nothing." Emma tosses her blonde hair over her shoulder before looking back at her phone. "True. It's just weird for them to use a day-in-the-life vlog of us in the Hamptons as an opportunity to talk shit about you." "Comments are comments," I point out. Emma nods before taking a drink of her water. "That's true. It is sponsored, so I'll take that engagement as well. Their comments make me more money." Ryker clears his throat. "So everyone's doing the charity tournament tomorrow, right?" Emma excitedly claps. "Yes! I just know me and Preston will win. Right?" He laughs. "I know my girl is competitive, so yes, that's the plan." "I just hope Pembroke is able to raise a lot of money this year," Winnie notes. My gaze moves to her. I hadn't even realized she was at the table, but then again, I was avoiding looking at every single person sitting so I didn't accidentally make eye contact with the one person I'm trying to avoid at the moment. "They always do," Thomas Boucher points out. I hadn't realized he was here either. I sigh, realizing that I can't avoid looking at everyone sitting around the table just because I don't want to look at Ryker. I need to pull myself together and pretend nothing happened last night so I can do my job and work with my client. "I'm going to run to the bathroom real quick," I tell Emma. I don't think she cares. She's locked into a conversation with Winnie and Preston, but I feel the need to announce it to someone. I push my chair away from the table and escape to the bathroom before anyone can notice I left. I need five minutes alone to pull myself together. When I come back, I'm going to look Ryker in the eye and pretend his fingers hadn't been inside me last night and I hadn't thought about him for hours, even after he rushed out of my room looking like he had regrets. I'm a professional. I can do this. Right?