Serendipity // Camren

Chapter 73

Fifty-two hours, twenty-seven minutes, and sixteen seconds had passed since Camila landed in New York, and she was miserable despite the fact that her work on the play was going well. They were still working on some of the blocking, streamlining everybody's movements to create that perfect sense of emotion the play required, but for the most part, it was just rehearsals. Hours and hours and hours of rehearsals. But that was not what was making Camila miserable. She was used to the hours and the rigor of Broadway and she actually loved the work to an embarrassing degree. Broadway was her birthright, it was in her blood. She had been born to be on stage and, even if she was only currently in a practice studio in Midtown, she was at home doing the work she loved to do. So, no, it wasn't the work that was making Camila miserable. Camila was miserable because Lauren was still in Los Angeles.

They talked on the phone as often as possible, FaceTimed every night, and sent texts throughout the day just to check in and say a quick 'I love you', but talking–in whatever the form–just was not the same as being together. She missed the feeling of Lauren's arms wrapped around her waist and the scent of her shampoo. She missed the sly smirk that would tweak Lauren's lips before she let fly some smart-assed comment that, despite Camila's best efforts, would have her laughing her ass off. She missed simply looking into Lauren's eyes and seeing them shining with so much love that it stole the breath from her lungs.

At the moment, Camila was sitting on a chair beside the windows that provided an absolutely forgettable view of the building across the street, playing idly with her phone as if, by the sheer force of will alone, she could make it ring. She had not talked to Lauren since earlier that morning, and she was beginning to become concerned. Her call to her fiancée at lunchtime had gone straight to voicemail, and she had received only one text. When she had talked to Lauren the night before, Lauren had assured her that things in LA were going as planned and that she would be in New York by the weekend, so the fact that Lauren had somehow disappeared off the face of the earth was understandably worrisome.

She looked up at the sound of Matt Bridges, the actor who would lose her to the girl at the end of the play, calling her name from across the studio, and was helpless to contain the shriek of excitement that burst from her lips when she saw who was standing beside him.

"LAUREN!"

Lauren laughed and held her arms out as Camila sprinted across the studio toward her, and she let out a dramatic oomph when Camila crashed into her. "Hey, beautiful."

"You're here," Camila murmured, looking up at Lauren with an awestruck smile.

"I'm here," Lauren agreed softly as she smoothed a hand through Camila's hair. Her heart, which had felt like it'd been missing all week, kathwumped heavily in her chest as she stared into Camila's warm brown eyes. God, how she had missed her.

"But how?"

"We finished up last night, and I caught the first plane out I could this morning," Lauren said, laughing softly at the way Camila pouted at her. "What?"

"You know what," Camila grumbled.

Lauren chuckled and pressed a lingering kiss to Camila's cheek. Her eyes fluttered closed at the way Camila sank into her, and she held the brunette just a little bit tighter because of it. "You're mad that I didn't tell you," she whispered against Camila's ear.

"Not at all," Camila deadpanned, but she could not keep from smiling as she pulled back to look up into the green eyes she loved so dearly. "I missed you so much."

Lauren's eyes softened and she nodded. "I missed you too, Camz," she breathed, finally giving in to her instincts and dipping her head to capture Camila's lips in a slow, sweet kiss. The feeling of Camila's hands slipping around her back and pulling her closer made her stomach swoop pleasantly into her throat, and she let out a shuddering breath when Camila's tongue danced lightly over her lips, seeking permission to deepen the kiss.