and manage to have at least one of us at each of them.”
“It takes a lot of pressure off, that’s for sure,” Skylar said.
They were all quiet for a moment–eating and drinking–before Cammie spoke up. “Can I ask you guys something?”
“Sure!”
“Of course!”
“Lay it on us,” Josie said.
“It sounds like you all stay very busy. How do you balance it all–the job and a personal life?” Cammie asked after taking a bite of one of the cupcakes Leanna brought and moaning with delight. “I keep telling myself that I’m thankful that I’m single because the pace around here is exhausting.”
Everyone looked at one another and chuckled. “I know we can’t speak for Angie and Hailey, but the three of us have no personal lives,” Josie said. “Seriously, I can’t even remember the last time I went out with a guy.”
“Me either,” Leanna murmured.
And Skylar rounded them out as she shook her head. “Other than hanging out once in a while with Josie’s brother and his friends, I don’t think any of us have had a real date or serious relationship since we started Meet Me at the Altar.”
“Wow.” That was mildly depressing, Cammie thought.
With a shrug, Josie reached into the cake box and pulled out a cupcake for herself. “You get used to it.”
“We didn’t start Enchanted,” Hailey chimed in, “but when we took over, we were all in fairly new relationships. Except for Ella.”
“Yeah, Dylan and Ella had been together since the sixth grade,” Angie added.
“Anyway, there were times when it was rough,” Hailey went on. “If it had just been the bridal shop and the fashion shows, I think it would have been a breeze–almost too easy. But we immediately started expanding the business and building the complex we have now so it was probably two years of constant stress. Sometimes it felt like a week would go by between times Jack and I would see each other. It was awful.”
“My husband was the one heading up all the construction, so we saw one another all the time. The only problem was that we had a new baby and we were either talking baby stuff or Enchanted stuff. It took a while for us to remember to talk about…you know…us!”
“I always thought I’d be married by now,” Leanna said quietly. “That was my plan–to be married and have kids by the time I was twenty-five.”
“You just turned twenty-seven a few months ago,” Josie reminded her.
“And yet I haven’t had a serious date or a relationship in far too long,” she replied miserably. Then she looked over at Cammie. “Don’t take the sexy bouncer for granted. Make sure you find time for the two of you to get together. No job is worth your personal happiness.”
“Sexy bouncer?” Angie asked, perking up again. “Who’s the sexy bouncer?”
Rolling her eyes even as she laughed, Cammie told the whole group about Cade–just like she had told Hailey earlier. “So basically, he’s the only one who keeps finding me!”
“That’s a good thing!” Hailey said, smiling. “Better him than Preston and Whitney!”
“Very true,” she said with a happy sigh. “I’m just worried about the expo tomorrow. They’re obviously here and I have no idea how to avoid them. I know I’ll be busy, but…”
Everyone started talking at once and Cammie had no idea where to look or listen first.
It wasn’t until Hailey let out a very loud whistle that the room went quiet.
“Okay,” she said, smiling at Cammie. “You’re going to do your job. That is the most important thing. Angie and I both know what Preston looks like, so we’ll be on the lookout, and so do Josie, Skye, and Leanna. We’re each at opposite sides of the room, so you know you have two booths to hide in. Personally, I wouldn’t even think about them. There are far too many things that require your attention so, put them out of your mind and if need be, we’ve all got your back.”
“And so does the sexy bouncer,” Leanna said with a wink.
Cammie felt tears sting her eyes and for the first time in a long time, she felt like maybe she was the one winning and not Preston.
10
The expo had been a massive success! Vendors had already started asking about when she would do this again, and the response from attendees had been fantastic. And the best part? She had managed to evade Preston and Whitney the entire day! She hadn’t seen it for herself, but she had heard that there had been an