Landlady: A New Adult Romance (Northbridge Nights Book 1) (11 page)

“I thought you just said I should stay away from him,” Sierra
said, “now he's 'a great guy'?”

“You know what I mean,” I said.

“I hope both of you learned a lesson,” Sierra said.

“What lesson is that?” I asked, intrigued.

“A lesson in humility. You can't always win the girl by acting like
a cocky bastard.” She laughed and then turned to rejoin the rest of
the group.

I didn't know if I should feel happy or insulted by what she'd just
done. I resigned to feel happy because I just couldn't bring myself
to harbor any bad feelings towards Sierra. I followed her back toward
the tents and our friends. I felt weightless now, knowing that Sierra
wasn't interested in Cameron.

I still had a chance, and this time, I wouldn't waste it.

CHAPTER 12

SIERRA

WHEN I GOT BACK, I couldn't find Cameron anywhere. It was starting to
drizzle, which put a damper on my mood. Brooding clouds had formed
out of nowhere, threatening to ruin the festivities. So much for the
sunny forecast this weekend. Heavy gales were unhitching tents and
the air was filled with the sound of flapping fabric and shouting.

I spotted Terri and Rose at one of the booths. They were huddling
together, bracing themselves against the cold. Terri's cheeks were
windburned and her lips were chapped. Rose didn't look too happy
either. Her hair was frizzy and her teeth chattered intermittently.
Thank God I'd had the foresight to wear jeans and a jacket.

“Where did the other guys go?” I asked.

Terri shrugged, shivering. She must've been freezing in her shorts
and tank top. “They disappeared a while ago,” she said.

“Probably drunk somewhere,” Rose added. “Where did you go?”

“I was talking to Asher,” I said, feeling the heat creeping
across my cheeks.

“Oh? About what?” Terri asked.

“Nothing important,” I lied. “Should we go find your
boyfriends?”

“Sure,” Rose said, “before it starts pouring.”

We set off to find Mike, Jerry, and Cameron. I had no idea where
Asher was or whether he'd join us later. But at least I knew my plan
had worked. He liked me. He still wanted me. And he was unbelievably
jealous...

“Oh my God! What the hell!” Terri suddenly screamed, running off.

Rose and I turned to see what the commotion was about. It was in the
distance, but I could just make out two men, pummelling each other.
Their fists were flying, and a small crowd had gathered around them.
Some of the audience members were drunk and jeering them on with
hoarse, boozy chanting.

I started running after Terri. As I got closer, my heart nearly did a
backflip. Those weren't just any two drunken brawlers.

They were Asher and Cameron.

Two red-faced beasts wrestling in the grass, hurling insults. Mud and
spittle flying everywhere. Cameron had Asher pinned on the grass, in
a chokehold. His cheek was already sporting a huge shiner, and
Asher's bottom lip was bleeding.

Somehow, before I even took another step, I knew this was all my
fault.

I’d screwed up.

And now they were hurting each other because of it.

A pang of guilt and regret struck me. “Stop it! Both of you!” I
screamed. “Cameron! Asher!”

They didn't seem to hear me. Or anyone else for that matter.
Testosterone seared through their veins, a wildebeest out for blood
and bent on destruction.

“You fucking bastard
—
” Cameron
grunted, shoving Asher's face into the mud. “Goddamn arsehole...”

Asher's face was almost purple from exertion. He flipped over and
beat his fists like a drum against Cameron's back. He could barely
keep his eyes open and his entire face was obscured by filth.

I couldn't stand by and watch them for a second longer, so I threw
myself into the fray, driving my body between theirs and separating
them like a wedge.

“Both of you, stop it right now!” I cried, anger and frustration
choking through my lungs. “Just calm down.”

Terri and Rose found Mike and Jeremy. They split up, one couple
holding down Cameron, the other, Asher.

I heard sirens in the distance.

Great.

Cameron let out a low growl. Both men looked disheveled and
bewildered. Their powerful chests rose and fell slower and slower
until finally their breathing resumed a normal pattern. Bright blood
oozed from Asher's mouth and slid down his neck, making me cringe.
What could've possibly incited so much violence? Once Asher and
Cameron were a little calmer, the crowd dispersed. The men's damaged
faces still bore evidence of their rage, though.

“Mind telling us what the fuck happened?” Mike asked, breathing
hard. He was still pinning down Cameron's burly arms.

Asher looked away, unable to meet my eyes. I could almost read his
mind.

Cameron looked in the opposite direction, both of them unwilling to
confess.

Finally, I squeaked out, “Is it because of me?”

No comment from either of them.

“Did I miss something?” Terri asked. “What exactly is going on
between the three of you?”

“This is so messed up and confusing,” Rose said, turning to me.
“Why would they fight about you?”

My nostrils flared as I said, “Asher kissed me. Is that it?” I
glared at Cameron and his eyes told me I'd hit the bullseye.

“Why would you do that? String both of us along?” Cameron asked.
“Kind of a bitchy move, don't you think?” His cheek was so
swollen he couldn't even open his left eye.

“I didn't string anybody along. I just wanted to show you, Cameron,
how I felt when I realized you were dating that other girl at the
same time without telling me. As for you, Asher, I wanted to show you
I wasn't just some puppy who'd drool at your feet because you plied
me with a few compliments.”

That shut both of them up.

“I'm sorry you got hurt, Cam, but maybe you'll learn a lesson from
this. Women appreciate openness and honesty. I would've been fine
with you seeing other girls if you'd been upfront about it.”

I reached over and pulled Asher up. “Asher, you're not much better.
By how jealous you've acted towards me since this morning, I'd say
you need to learn a few things about getting to know a woman first
before professing how much you like her.”

Asher's lips remained in a firm line. He looked up at Cameron but
didn't say anything.

“So what are we doing? Does this mean the party's over?” Mike
interrupted. “Because I didn't come all this way to hear about some
angsty love triangle. I came here to have fun.”

He was right. I'd ruined their weekend by coming.

“I'm sorry, Mike. And you guys, too,” I said, looking at the
others. “I'll leave first thing tomorrow morning.” I would've
left even sooner if the last ferry for the night hadn't just left.

“No, you don't have to do that,” Rose said. “They're just being
idiots. Come on.” Rose took me by the arm and led me off towards a
booth. She called Terri over too, and the three of us left the boys
awestruck.

Once we were far away enough, Rose smiled at me. “You really stuck
it to them, didn't you?”

“Good for you,” Terri added. “Someone needed to knock those two
cocky bastards down a few pegs. Both of them have always been too
wild and reckless for their own good.”

“So...you two aren't upset?”

Rose shrugged. “I don't know them that well to be honest. But from
what Jeremy tells me, I'm sure they had this coming.”

Interested, I asked, “What did Jeremy tell you?”

“Oh just about how they're always goofing off and sleeping around.
Never taking anyone seriously,” Rose said. “I'm glad they found
you to put them in their place.”

I laughed. “Hardly. I didn't really do much.”

“On the contrary,” Terri said, handing me a cold beer, “I think
you did a lot. Here's to Sierra. You go, girl.”

The two saluted me, and I took a sip of the frothy beverage. “Thanks,
girls, for not hating me.”

“Hate you? We love you already.” Terri grinned. “I think I may
have learned a few tricks from you.”

We spent the next few hours getting buzzed and chatting about random
topics. The wind and rain had died down a little and we actually had
a great time. I returned to my hotel room around eleven. My head
spun, but I was surprisingly still able to walk straight. I shrugged
off my sneakers and face-planted into the pillowy mattress. A few
thoughts about Asher and Cameron wandered into my head but soon
floated away. I was too spent to worry about them. Even though I
hadn't seen them the rest of the night, I was sure they were fine by
now. After all, if they were best friends, they probably wouldn't let
some stranger come between them. Right?

CHAPTER 13

ASHER

“I'M SORRY MAN,” I said, handing Cameron a bag of ice.

He brought it up to the bruise on his cheek and winced. “It's fine.
I was a bit wound up and plastered. I shouldn't have picked a fight.”

“Sierra really stuck it to us didn't she?” I sighed.

It was just after eight and we were sitting at the hotel bar, each
nursing a glass of Jack Daniels. The fight had ruined the rest of the
night, so we decided to come back early. It was nice to sit in a
quiet bar and just chat. Most of the hotel guests would be at the
beer fest until well past midnight.

“You really like her?” Cameron asked, staring at his drink.

“I do,” I admitted. “She's spunky and stubborn and feisty.” I
took a sip and then added, “Flirty, too–when she wants to be.”

“I have a confession to make,” Cam said. The alcohol seemed to
have loosened him up. His massive frame didn't seem as tense as
before, and he was focusing on his bruised knuckles.

“Oh, what's that?” I asked.

“Sierra's not even my date,” Cam said.

“What do you mean?”

Cam explained, “I asked her out the other night at the bar. To come
as my friend. That's why she said yes.”

“Why as a friend?”

Cam frowned. “Because otherwise she wouldn't come. We went on
several dates and just never had that spark. So I started seeing
another lass. Sierra was right to be vengeful and upset earlier. I
was a huge arse towards her. I wanted to make it up to her this
weekend but looks like I lost my chance for good.”

“I see,” I mused. So Sierra really didn't like him.

Why did I feel like fist-pumping the air?

But she kissed him at the pool...

Just to piss me off.

Of course, that didn't mean she liked me either. But at least I
wouldn't be competing with my best friend for her affection. I'd hate
for her to come between us. In all the years I've known Cam, we've
never even argued over a girl before, let alone physically assaulted
each other over one.

“So we all good?” I asked, shooting Cam a smile.

Cam nodded. “Yeah, mate. You can have 'er,” he said, patting my
back. “That is, if she still wants ya.”

I scoffed but didn't say more.

After four more drinks, I decided to call it a night. Tomorrow we'd
check out a few more vendors and then leave after lunch. Maybe Sierra
would be in a better mood then.

I was too hammered to set an alarm so I slept in. Sometime that
night, a huge thunderstorm had developed, and it was still a raging
tempest when I woke up around 10a.m. Heavy raindrops slapped against
the windowpane and sounded like stomping feet on the rooftop. I
looked out through the rain-blurred window and saw that most of the
partygoers were leaving. That was probably a good idea since muddy
rivers and large puddles were already obscuring the road down the
hill. Slippery trenches had been carved on to the grassy terrain
overnight, transforming it into an inhospitable morass.

I reached for my phone so I could call one of the guys.

Ten missed calls from Cameron?

Fuck!

I called him back. It went straight to voicemail.

So I tried Mike's cell. Then Jeremy's. Nothing worked.

I looked down at the dimmed screen and realized I only had one
flickering bar. Of course. The storm was causing shitty reception
inside the hotel.

I stumbled out into the hallway and saw countless people hurrying to
the elevators. Women in floral dresses tugging at the wrists of their
young children...rocker chicks nudging silver-haired seniors...babies
wailing...It was a cacophonous symphony that gave me an instant
headache. You'd think it was a goddamn evacuation or something.

I tapped an older gentleman's shoulder. “What's going on? Why is
everyone in such a rush?”

“Didn't you hear the announcement? There's a hurricane warning.
Possible flash flooding on the island. They told us to catch the next
ferry out.”

I thanked the man before he disappeared into an overstuffed elevator.

Fuck!

Where was everyone? How the fuck was I supposed to reach my friends
when the phones weren't working? I struggled to see through the
throng. Their rooms were on the same floor as mine, I was pretty
sure...I just couldn't remember which room numbers. And trying to
find them in a crowd this size was like playing Where's Waldo. Except
they weren't wearing red and white stripes.

After pushing through several nervous families, and making my way
downstairs, I finally caught a glimpse of Mike and Terri. Mike had
his duffle bag hiked over one shoulder and his arm protectively
wrapped around Terri's waist.

“Mike! Terri!” I cried, waving at them.

“Asher!” Terri said, sounding relieved. “We were so worried.
Does your phone work?”

I shook my head. “Thank God I found you two. Have you seen the
others?”

“Jeremy and Rose had a family emergency so they left last night.
But we haven't seen Cam or Sierra yet,” Terri said.

I swallowed hard. “Cam called me ten times. My phone was on silent.
Fuck. Do you think he's in trouble?”

I'd never forgive myself if something had happened to Cam. Especially
since I'd treated him like shit last night. I mean, we made up, but
still. That man was like a brother to me.