In Love With My Best Friend (8 page)
Read In Love With My Best Friend Online
Authors: Sheena Binkley
Several days passed, and it was two days before the wedding. After
work, I met up with Charles at Hank’s Emporium to get our tuxes. We
had to see whether the alterations we requested a couple weeks ago
were made and up to our satisfaction.
After what happened with Camille and Chelsea, I had to confide in someone regarding my transgressions. Although Charles understood, he did
give me several I-told-you-so looks throughout the entire conversation.
of his and to the mirror to look at his tux.
“How is everything going between you and Chelsea?” Charles asked,
while adjusting his bow tie.
“It’s going OK, actually. We fell back into being the perfect couple.”
“I’m sure. What about you and Camille?”
I sighed when I heard Camille’s name. After our little tryst, neither
Camille nor I had reached out to each other to talk. Instead I pushed
myself into the wedding and spending my time with Chelsea.
“To be honest, I don’t know how our relationship is. I really think I
messed things up.”
“You told Camille how you felt; you can’t fault yourself for that.”
“I know, but I still feel guilty. Camille and I have been friends for seventeen years; I didn’t want something like this to tear us apart.”
“Let me ask you something; when you had these feelings for Camille,
did you ever think about trying to figure out where it would go? Why
didn’t you try to pursue something before you got too caught up with
Chelsea?”
the black tux and sighed.
“That’s the question I’ve been asking myself too.”
The chime located on the door to the store whistled as the door
opened. Ron walked into the store looking like he was ready for battle.
He gave me a harsh look as he went up to the register to ask for his tux.
Once the employee located his tux, he took it and walked toward us.
“How’s it going, Ron?” Charles asked.
Charles noticed the exchange between Ron and me and went toward
his dressing room.
“I didn’t think you would show up,” I said as I adjusted my tie.
“Why wouldn’t I? This is for my sister.”
“Listen Ron...”
“No, you listen. Stacy told me what she saw at Perry’s. Why would you
do that?”
“It’s not what you think.”
“So Stacy didn’t see you putting your hand up Camille’s dress?”
“Ron…”
“Save it, Trevor. I always knew something was going on between you
two, but I never told Chelsea because she’s in love with you. If you
want to be with Camille, just do it and save my sister the heartache
before it’s too late.”
I didn’t know what to say after Ron’s statement. I couldn’t say anything
because what he was saying was true. I should end my relationship with
Chelsea, because part of my heart belonged to another woman.
“Of course I do.”
“Then what are you planning to do after you’re married? Are you going
to be with Chelsea but string Camille along?”
“You don’t know the whole situation.”
“Enlighten me then. Tell me what the hell is going on.”
“That’s between Camille and me.”
Ron started to laugh as he shook his head at me.
“You better be glad we’re in a public place, because I would have
knocked you out the moment I walked in here.”
Charles walked out of his dressing room with his tux over his arm. He
looked at the both of us wondering if he should run interference.
“Is everything OK?”
Ron gave me another look as he put his tux over his arm.
“Everything’s fine.”
He walked by me, giving me a hard shove, before heading to the door.
Charles blew out a long breath before looking at me.
“He was pissed. You better hope he doesn’t tell Chelsea.”
I turned back to the mirror wondering who the person was staring
back at me.
“At this point, I don’t even care.”
fter a draining day at work, I had to endure another painful
event by helping Chelsea with the bridesmaid dresses. I asked
Tia to come along with me for moral support. She gladly obliged, only
to see if a fight would occur.
I thought as I pulled up to Tia’s driveway.
To make matters worse, Chelsea’s parents decided to announce her and
Trevor’s wedding in the society section of today’s
Houston Chronicle.
Of
course everyone at work saw the page and wondered why Trevor was
marrying someone else when he was clearly in love with me. I had to
encounter every look today, from sad to sympathetic. Vicky was having a field day with the news, wondering if I paid Trevor to be my date
for the dinner party. Before I had the impulse to slap her senseless, I
decided to call it a day and go home.
While I waited for Tia to come outside, I stared at the beautiful blue
sky, wondering how things got to this point. How did the one person I
considered my very best friend suddenly become a distant memory? I
began to wipe away the tears that suddenly landed on my cheek. Since
last seeing Trevor this week, all I had done was cry. Now I was tired
of crying.
“Hey,” I said as I quickly wiped away another tear.
“Aww, come here,” Tia said as she put her arm around me.
I softly cried into her shoulder, trying to relieve any type of emotion I
had before seeing Chelsea.
“I know this is hard for you. You sure you want to go through with
this?”
“I’m fine. Trevor and Chelsea are both my friends, so I have to get
through this.”
Tia nodded her head as I threw the car into reverse and backed out of
the driveway.
Twenty minutes later and we were at Sam’s Bridal looking at the bridesmaid dresses Chelsea ordered online. Since the wedding color scheme
was cream and white, all the bridesmaid dresses were cream-colored.
While Chelsea’s other bridesmaids were trying on their dresses, Chelsea,
Tia, and I were sitting down near the store mirrors, going over the details for the combined bachelor/bachelorette party.
like?” I asked while going through the list on my tablet.
“Well, since the party is going to be held at the lake house, I was wondering if we could get a decorator to come out and spruce up the
place,” Chelsea said.
“I know, but I just want it to be special. This is all so exciting, and the
fact that this is the last time I’m getting married, I want everything to
be extra perfect.”
A forced smile spread across my lips as I looked at Chelsea; Chelsea
looked at me with the same smile. I wondered if she was being excited
about the whole thing or actually trying to rub it in that she was marrying Trevor.
“If you want, I can call in a few favors to see if someone can come
out,” I said as I explored my tablet for a list of party decorators.
“Thank you, Camille. In fact, thank you for everything. I know this is
hard for you.”
I looked up at Chelsea wondering what the hell she was implying.
“Why would it be hard for me?”
“Come on, Cam, I’m not stupid. I know what’s going on.”
Tia looked at the both of us wondering if a fight was about to escalate.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh please, Camille, I’ve seen the way you look at Trevor from the
time we were roommates to now. Even when I saw you at his place
Monday, I knew what was going on. Him in his boxers and you wearing
his shirt; it’s obvious.”
helping you plan your wedding if I had feelings for Trevor.”
“I think you would because you want Trevor to be happy. You want to
be the good best friend and still stay in his good graces. Well, I have
news for you. Once Trevor and I say ‘I do,’ you can bet that you will no
longer be in his life. Not after I’m done with you.”
Tia noticed the look I was giving Chelsea. She put a hand on my shoulder and jerked me from my chair.
“Excuse us for a moment, Chelsea,” Tia said as she took me toward
the back of the store.
Once we got out of earshot from Chelsea, Tia began to laugh.
“What the hell was that?”
“I don’t see anything funny. The witch knew all along.”
“Now I see why she wanted you to be her maid of honor. I knew
something was up with her; she was way too nice.”
“Why didn’t I see this coming? She knew on the day she met Trevor,
she knew something was going on.”
“This alone should give you the ammunition you need to get your man.”
I pondered the thought of telling Trevor about Chelsea. I started to
shake my head to get rid of the thought.
“No, I’m not going to do that.”
“Why not? She made it perfectly clear that she knows and will use it against
you to keep Trevor. If she wants to play dirty, then you should too.”
I sighed as Tia gave me an assuring smile and went back to the front
of the store.
When we arrived back to the bridal party, Chelsea had a dress in her
hand, which I was assuming was my maid of honor dress.
She handed it to me with a huge grin plastered on her face. I stared
at it as if she lost her mind. Tia tried hard not to laugh at the dress
in front of her. Although the dress was cream-colored like the other
bridesmaid dresses, the cut and style were completely different and it
was very unflattering to my body type. In other words, the dress was
heinous.
Chelsea came up to me with a smug glance.
“You think I was going to give you something for Trevor to gawk at?
I don’t think so.”
While she walked away in self-satisfaction, I nodded my head knowing
what my next move would be. Tia gave me a smile as she knew all too
well the expression I had on my face.
“I think you know. If she wants a fight, she’s got one.”
Tia smiled as she gave me a high five.
“That’s what I’m talking about.”
I smiled as I looked at Chelsea.
Game on.
After the verbal beat down between Chelsea and me, I decided to
go home, head straight to my bed and remain there until the next
day. Now I was at The Corinthian for Trevor and Chelsea’s wedding
rehearsal, wondering if I could go back home and repeat the entire
process. I wanted Tia to come with me, but she opted not to, telling me
she would meet me at the bachelor/bachelorette party later.
I assumed Chelsea chose the venue for its beautiful ballroom and
historic scenery. Although the place was breathtaking, it was fine for
Chelsea, but I would have preferred an outdoor wedding.
As I watched Trevor and Chelsea talking to her parents, I got the sense
that Trevor didn’t want to be here as much as I didn’t. He seemed sad
as he began to stare at the vaulted ceiling.
“I’m good, just wishing this thing would start already.”
“You’re telling me. I’m ready for the party to start.”
“I’m sure. Hopefully you don’t have any plans up your sleeve. I have
everything already squared away as far as the preparations.”
“Don’t worry, Cam. I’m not going to ruin the party. Are you?”
I looked at Charles’s golden brown complexion and gave him a sideways
glance. “I’m not, Charles. Tre made his choice and I support him.”
“Do you really? Just to let you know, Tre is pretty miserable too. He
thinks the friendship is ruined.”
“I told him it’s not. It’s just going to take some time to process the fact
that we crossed the line. Something we shouldn’t have done in the first
place.”
Trevor looked over to where Charles and I were standing. Our eyes
locked, giving each other the same expression. Chelsea noticed the exchange between us. She rolled her eyes as she took Trevor’s hand and
walked him over to the minister.
the center to make an announcement.
“We will go ahead and begin the rehearsal. Everyone should get into
their positions.”
“You ready?” Charles asked as he began to walk to the ballroom.
I sighed as I began to follow. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
The wedding rehearsal wasn’t entirely awful, as we practiced the routine of the wedding and the positions everyone would be in tomorrow.
The two decided not to recite their vows, as they wanted to say them in
front of their guests at the wedding. While Chelsea laid on the charm
very thick, Trevor was the complete opposite, acting as if he was going to his funeral instead of his wedding. I didn’t know if anyone else
noticed his behavior, but I could definitely see that what happened
between us was tearing him apart.
Before everyone headed to Chelsea’s parents’ lake house for the party, Chelsea’s parents held the rehearsal dinner in a private room at
Maggiano’s Little Italy, located near Galleria Houston. I remembered
Trevor telling me this was one of the couple’s favorite restaurants, so it
was only fitting that they would have their rehearsal dinner here.
While I was sitting down eating lasagna, I noticed Chelsea walking in
with a huge smile on her face. Just the sight of her being all gooey-eyed
made me want to puke. She headed straight to my table and took a seat
beside me.
lasagna.
“Too bad. I just wanted to say that I thought I’d cheer you up with
some good news.”
“What? You and Trevor are not getting married?” I said as I sipped
my water.
Chelsea started to laugh at my comment.
“You wish. I decided to bring a guest for you to the wedding. I figured
it’s high time you moved on from your obsession with my fiancé with
someone new, or in this case, someone from your past.”
I rolled my eyes, wondering what Chelsea could possibly be talking
about. I looked over at the table near mine and saw Trevor sitting
down with his parents. He looked at me and gave me a sad smile. I
smiled back at him as I tried to hold back a fresh batch of tears.
Chelsea opened the door to the private room and smiled at the small
group of guests gathered inside.
