Free Not the Placeholder: A BBW New Adult Serial Romance (Not the Hot Chick series Book 4) by N. Raines Page A

and that's how you talk? Why the hell didn't you answer my texts, dummy?"
    "Phone's been wonky," he answered with a straight face. Layla recognized the bald-faced lie and her anxiety grew.
    "Whatever." Paige flicked her hand as though she'd already tired of the topic. "Anyway, I figured if you wouldn't come to me, then—"
    "You'd have to go to him," Layla finished. She wasn't going to stand like a lump while they carried on a conversation around her.
    So this was Paige. Layla had heard about her, though not from Cam. Not that she was entitled to all the deets on his past—after all, their relationship had only recently gone from friends to "more than." She wasn't jealous, just feeling off her game and totally clueless.
    "Yeah," Paige agreed, giving her a smile and a look of curiosity.
    Cam found his voice. "Uh, Paige, meet my girl Layla."
    My girl. Layla tried not to look gobsmacked as pride and pleasure fizzed through her. He slipped his arm around her waist. My girl. It was the first time he'd used those words.
    But why use them now, at this exact moment, in front of this girl she'd just met? A needle of doubt pricked Layla's balloon of happiness, deflating it bit by bit.
    Paige's eyebrows winged up. She blinked, casting a longer look at Layla. "Wow. I didn't know. Hi, Cam's girl."
    "How would you know? You've been out of touch for—what? At least a year and a half." There was no mistaking the sting in Cam's voice.
    "You know I had to get away." Paige spoke reproachfully. "Anyway, that's the past. A lot's happened with me. Not bad, don't worry. Good stuff. And I knew I had to share it with you."
    Layla felt Cam's body go stiff as he tightened his arm around her. This "good stuff," whatever it was, was nothing he wanted to hear.
    As though she'd burst if she held in the news a moment longer, Paige blurted, "I'm getting married!" She threw up her arms as if expecting a shower of confetti to greet her announcement.
    Cam reacted as though she'd slapped his face. His head jerked back and his eyes went glassy. A moment later, subdued, he asked "Who is he?"
    Paige cheerfully babbled away about her awesome groom-to-be. Layla caught the name Ted and a few other tidbits, but most of the prattle was lost on her. She was too busy watching Cam try to control his expression. He held her so tightly he nearly squashed the breath out of her. She took his hand and squeezed it, telling him she had his back, even if she didn't know the whole story. Cam blinked at her then as if he'd forgotten who she was. His arm fell from her waist and he stepped away. Each step back felt like a mile to Layla, leaving a chasm between them.
    At last Paige wound down. In the face of Cam's silence, her enthusiasm melted away. Now she gazed at him, doe-eyed, as small and helpless as a child. "You're happy for me, aren't you, Cam?"
    He gave that crooked, not quite real grin again. "Sure, kiddo. If you're happy, I'm happy." Glancing down at his bare feet, he said, "Tell you what. Let me finish getting dressed and we'll do something to celebrate."
    Paige's eyes lit up. "Really? Awesome."
    "Hey, it's a special occasion, right? Be right back. Just don't yak Layla's ear off while I'm gone."
    The girl stuck out her tongue. "I'll make sure to tell her what an ass you are."
    "Brat." He vanished into the bedroom, leaving the two women alone.
    Paige flopped down on the futon. She swung one leg over her knee as she grinned at Layla, who stood in place, her nerves stretched taut.
    "So you and Cam, huh?" Paige tilted her head. "How long have you two been an item?"
    "We've known each other for a while." Was it really almost a year? "Been dating…." A couple of weeks didn't sound very impressive. "A little while."
    "Is it serious?"
    Wow. This girl got right to the nitty-gritty, didn't she? Layla didn't know how to answer the question. She was serious about Cam for sure but didn't know where he stood. They'd had two long-ago hookups, then, up until a few weeks ago, had only