Author's Notes: kneexsocks, kissinginparis, charlesxaviers, psychotic honeybadger of death,cerulean cascades, amazingxlivexlovexlaughx3, cliquelover, and my guest reviewers are the reason I write. No, really. I want to cry from happiness. I wouldn't have updated this so soon if it weren't for your reviews. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your support.

To guesttttt: No, I don't have a beta reader, but I do read over my work for typos. Obviously, I'm not perfect and I miss stuff because I suck, but if you really see that many typos to the point that it bothers you, you can point them out and I'll try to fix them. I read over my crap before I post, but there's no guarantee I'll catch them all. Thanks for telling me!

In this chapter: Derrick tries to wake Cam up from his daydreams of a simple life with Claire. Claire gets invited to dinner. But Cam, being an obvious guy, didn't think to warn Claire about the gossip and backstabbing lifestyle of Westchester before all this. /shakes head. Ah well, that's a drama for you. Miscommunication.

Chapter Five: Facts and Daydreams

##

Out of nostalgia, Cam and Derrick always liked to meet up at the old soccer field of their childhood on Cedar Walk. Located conveniently between their two neighborhoods, the central park had offered a perfect place for both boys to burn of steam and meet up for extra practice outside of school in their youths. The original center had long since been knocked down, and was now replaced with an Olympic sized swimming pool and volleyball courts, but Derrick and Cam still managed to meet up in the now decrepit field at least once whenever the both of them were in town.

After a short, but exhausting game, Cam collapsed into the prickly grass and stretched out to cool off. Derrick flopped down next to him without a word. Cam could tell that there was a lot on his old friend's mind, but he also knew better than to ask out outright. Derrick would tell him if it was important.

Instead, he tried to draw him into simple conversation. "So, what else do we need to get done today? The tuxes are in from London. And we're just waiting to hear back about some last minute shit for the rehearsal next week."

Derrick clamped his eyes shut and rubbed a hand roughly over his sweaty face. "Can we please talk about something other than this fucking wedding?"

"Alright," Cam said neutrally. "What do you want to talk about?"

Derrick didn't respond, but Cam remained silent as he waited for his friend. There was no one else anywhere near them, and the only sounds that interrupted them were the occasional muffled shouts of players on the basketball court nearby and the hum of the sports centers air-conditioning in the distance. Still, Cam waited patiently for Derrick to make the next move as he squinted at the bright sky and watch the clouds drifting slowly past.

To the society pages, Derrick was known as New York's billionaire bachelor jock, famed for not only being the heir of one of New York's greatest fortunes, but also as one of New York's top ranked soccer players in his college days. He was celebrated everywhere for his good looks, his care-free lifestyle, and his string of brief flings and romances with local socialites.

But with Cam though, Derrick had the freedom to be his true self. Cam, who had been friends with him since childhood, was probably the only person in New York who didn't give a fuck about his money (since he had lived practically the same lifestyle). And it was as if only when Cam was in town that Derrick really got the chance to unleash all his problems and frustrations. Cam was used to it by now.

"You craving pizza? We should hit up Slice of Heaven after," Cam threw out in an attempt to draw his friend out of his funk.

At those words, Derrick broke his silence with a sniff. "Slice of Heaven. Let me guess, buffalo chicken too? Massie was right. You don't change, do you?"

"Hey, I like what I like," Cam replied simply.

"Even though you always get the exact same shit, you can always change your mind whenever you want. That's the difference between us—you still have choices," Derrick said, flopping his hand down on the grass with a sigh of annoyance.

"Come on, man," Cam raised his brows at his friend's melancholy. "That's not true. You can decide."

"Cam, I haven't been able to make a single decision since I was born. And you know that," Derrick stated. His tone was matter-of-fact and Cam couldn't find it in him to lie so blatantly to his friend. Derrick was right; he did know. "It's a good thing I actually want to marry Block. I just don't know how the fuck I'm going to make it through this Broadway production. Shit. I wish we could elope. I have this fucked up fantasy of kidnapping her, jumping on my jet, and marrying her at some little 24 chapel in the middle of nowhere in Nevada."

"So why not just do it?" Cam couldn't help but ask. "The wedding isn't for two weeks. If you're this miserable, just call it off."

"You know this relationship has been choreographed down the last minute detail. When I announced our relationship, when I announced our engagement, when we announced the wedding date, fuck. There was a schedule I had to follow. That's how shit is and that's how shit's going to be. It's good for 'business', and anything that's good for business is good for the family," Derrick spat bitterly. "Anyways, I don't want to talk about this shit anymore. Let's talk about last night. How was I? Cheery for Claire, I hope?"

"Claire loved you. It was cool to be welcomed like that, but you know, you don't ever have to put on a show for her," Cam told his friend.

"Why? What have you told her about me?" Derrick asked warily.

"Nothing. I haven't told her anything, besides the fact that you have an unhealthy obsession with Mila Kunis," Cam joked.

Derrick laughed. And Cam was relieved—it was a sign that things were slowly going back to normal. He watched as Derrick stood up and picked up their soccer ball. He tossed it in his hands as he spoke. "You didn't tell her about how I tried to stalk her in Paris, did you?"

"Uh, no," Cam chuckled, leaning up on his elbows. "I didn't want to give Claire any more reasons to back out of this trip by giving her the details of all my weird ass friends."

"Speaking of weird," Derrick dropped the ball to the ground and kicked it to him. "Could you believe how nice Massie was being to Claire last night?"

Cam stood up and brushed grass of his pants (a hopeless task) and accepted the ball. He shrugged. "Eh, Massie can be nice sometimes."

"No, Massie isn't. You know how she normally is with new people. But I think she wants to keep you on her side. And she could see that I liked Claire instantly."

Cam felt a shot of warmth flow through him at his friend's approval. He hadn't even realized that it meant something to him that Claire be accepted by everyone in Westchester. It made him happy to know that Claire seemed to be able to charm even his most close-minded of friends.

They walked toward where Derrick had parked his car, passing the ball back and forth slowly. "Claire's cool. She's not demanding and she's refreshingly… normal. She works for you. But, you do realize that everyone's talking about the two of you, right? Everyone's already taking bets on when the wedding's gonna be."

Cam sighed in irritation. In all honesty, he and Claire never so much as mentioned the rest of their lives together. Claire had always been cool like that. Laid-back and just appreciative of the good in everything, just as they were. It was what drew him to her from the very beginning. He loved the way she never cared what people thought about her. He still remembered the way she had looked when he had first laid eyes on her, dressed in a bright patterned dress at his first concert. She had stood out and drew in attention with her soft looks instantly. He loved the way she always found a way to have fun even when she was out of her comfort zone. Like the way she moved on the dance floor that night, dancing purely for herself (and unlike the girls who he knew calculated their dances to attract his attention), never knowing how many eyes she drew or how free she looked.

Cam had seen her that night and thought that Claire might just be the first girl he'd ever met who was nothing like Westchester, but had enough steel and resolve inside to live through Westchester and make it out alive and unchanged. He kind of hated that bringing her back here was putting pressure on their relationship. So he told him, "Derrick, I'm not thinking about my wedding right now. I'm thinking about yours. I'm just living in the here and now."

"Well, then speaking of 'here and now'," Derrick said snidely at his tone. "When are you going to introduce Claire to Westchester?"

"I was thinking tonight. Your mom invited me to dinner at your place." Cam thought it'd be a good introduction to his world without throwing Claire to the wolves with a big banquet… like one thrown by his family.

Derrick sniffed another laugh. "I'll pray for you." He stopped in front of his car though and didn't unlock the door so Cam was forced to face him. His friend was unnaturally serious. "Cam, you do realize that everything is going to change the minute you take Claire to my house, don't you?"

"You know, Claire doesn't expect anything. She's never put any pressure on me when it came to my past—or my future. In fact, we've never even talked about it," Cam told him impatiently. The sun was heading towards the middle of the sky and the temperature was rising. It was too hot for this. And now that he'd brought it up, Cam really was craving a slice of pizza. He was tired of his friend's ambiguous Westchester warnings.

"No, that wasn't what I meant," Derrick said, ignoring his tone again. He knew better than anyone how Cam got when it came to the people of Westchester. Derrick always had to clue Cam into these kinds of things. "It's just that… the two of you—mostly you—have been living in this idyllic fantasy of this simple young couple in Chicago lifestyle. Up until now, you've just been a guy in a band struggling to get out there." Derrick leaned against his car and eyed Cam disconcertingly. "Don't you think she's going to be in for a shock tonight?"

"What are you talking about?" Cam tried to deflect. "I am a guy in a band struggling to get out there. And I don't see how Claire meeting your family is going to change things," he muttered. It wasn't like it was his family.

Derrick palmed his forehead with a heavy sigh like Cam was an idiot. "Cam, don't be so fucking naïve. The moment she walks into our world, it will affect your relationship. I'm not saying it's going to be bad, but your… daydream is going to be lost. You're not going to be able to go back to the way it was before, is what I'm trying to tell you." Derrick paused and looked at him with raised brows to see if he was getting it. Cam didn't say anything. "No matter what, you'll forever be transformed in her eyes. Just like all my former girlfriends the fucking minute they found out I was that Derrick Harrrington."

Derrick clapped a hand on Cam's shoulder to soften the words. "I'm just trying to prepare you a bit."

Cam forced himself to think about all the Derrick had just said. At least for a little while. Finally, he spoke. "I think you're wrong, Derrick. First of all, our situations are completely different. My family isn't like yours. You've been groomed since day one to be the future CEO of your family business. But I wasn't. My older brother is the one that's for all this shit. Harris was going to inherit everything."

Derrick shook his head at him. "Hopeless," he muttered. Cam rolled his eyes at his friend's immaturity. He turned back to Cam with a small grin on his face and threw an arm around him. "Cammy, Cammy, Cammy. This is why I love you. You're the only fucking person in all of Westchester that does realize how rich you are, or should I say, how rich you'll be one day."

He pulled Cam to face him again. "Okay. Tell me your name."

Cam rolled his eyes but played along. "Cameron Fisher."

"That's right. Fisher. And your brother, Harris, is disowned. He changed his name the moment he got married. You're the only one left with the last name Fisher, even out of all your cousins."

"So?"

"My point exactly," Derrick cried, finally releasing him as if he had just told Cam an earth-shattering revelation and Cam had understood completely. He didn't. Derrick explained further, "Besides your father, you're the only real Fisher left. You are the heir, whether you believe it or not. Your parents see you as their last hope, everyone adores you, and you're going to inherit the entire Fisher fortune."

Cam shook his head, partly in disbelief at his friend's presumption. But mostly at even saying this shit out loud. Even with his best friend, talking about his wealth still made him uncomfortable. It was something that had been ingrained and conditioned into him at a young age.

He could still remember the first time he brought it up. He was seven years old, dropped home from school. He had asked his father at dinnertime, 'This guy in my class, Kemp Hurley says that his father is very, very rich and that we're very, very rich too. Is that true?' His father, who had been immersed in doing his work at the table, had abruptly slapped his papers down. But his mother had swooped in instantly, 'Cam, boys with proper manners do not ever ask questions like that.' His father had glared at him and said, 'You do not ever ask people if they are rich or discuss matters concerning money. We are not rich; we are simply well-off.' His mother had reached over to smooth down his hair to soften the blow of his father's displeasure. 'Do you understand, Cameron?' she had asked. At his slow nod, she had smiled and urged, "Good, now apologize to your father.' And that had settled the matter.

Derrick continued before he could even voice his protest. "Why do you think my father, who treats everyone like shit, treats you like a visiting family member every time he sees you?"

Cam quirked his lips. "And here I thought your dad just liked me."

"My father is an asshole. He only cares about power, status, and expanding the Harrington Empire. That's why he fucking encouraged this whole thing with Massie from the start. He was the reason I even went on a second date. And that's also why he's always controlled who I could be friends with. Shit, even as kids, I remember him saying, 'The Fishers are an acceptable family. You be nice to that Cameron boy. '"

"Your dad's going crazy with old age, I think," Cam told him with a shake of his head. He brushed Derrick off and stepped back in embarrassment. "Anyways, all this shit about inheritance is pointless anyways, because you'll see. Claire's not the kind of girl who cares about any of that. She's the least materialistic person I know."

Derrick eyed him in disbelief before shaking his head. "I give up. I fucking tried," he muttered finally unlocking his car. Then in normal volume said, "Okay, then, Cammyboy. I wish you both the best. But just a heads up, even now, everyone is trying to sabotage you. It's a fact."

"Yeah," Cam rolled his eyes. "I know. You've already warned me, my mother inexplicably decided to fly to Massachusetts the moment I arrive in New York, and I had to enlist your help to even persuade your mother to invite Claire tonight. But you know what? I don't give a fuck. That's a fact." And Cam really didn't. He was secure in his relationship with Claire and he was sure nothing could break them up.

"I don't think it's your mother you have to worry about," Derrick said, stopping in his movements to get into his car.

Cam was forced to stop his movements into the passenger seat door too. "So who should I be worried about then?" he finally acknowledged with an impatient sigh. "Tell me who the fuck is going to be bored enough to waste their time trying to break up my relationship?"

"Practically every single girl in Westchester and their mothers," Derrick declared with a twinkle in his eye.

"What?" Cam laughed heartily. It was ridiculous. "Wait—why me? Aren't you New York's most eligible bachelor?"

Derrick gave him a pitying laugh. "Everyone already knows that nothing in the world is going to stop Massie from walking down that aisle in the next two weeks. I'm a taken man. I hereby… happily pass the torch and that crown onto you." Derrick pointed his keys straight at Cam over his car with another shit-eating grin. "Now, you, Cam Fisher, are a marked man."

##

After a few hours touring Manhattan with Layne as her sarcastic, but witty guide, Claire was still feeling a bit out of place, so her friend suggested they head back to her hotel. "Your hotel offers free 24-hour coffee service, why not take advantage of it?" she shrugged.

Claire still felt weird about how fancy the whole hotel was, but after knowing that Claire was slowly accepting facts as they were, Layne had taken to the high life remarkable well. She made herself comfortable on the terrace café, which provided a beautiful view of the sparkling pool, while still being blessedly air-conditioned. Claire fanned herself with the café menu, she had no idea how Layne was wearing tights (even if they were sheer) and a leather vest. New York was decidedly not Chicago.

"You get used to it," Layne told her as she eyed her menu. Smartly uniformed waiters in suits walked by with trays bearing trays of tea cakes, pastries, and small tarts. "We'll be having one of everything," Layne told the waiter that approached them. He didn't so much as blink, only nodded his head and headed back to the kitchen to notify the staff.

At Claire's wide eyes, Layne laughed. "What? Neither you nor Cam are paying for anything. His loaded friend sure won't care if we have a bit of fun."

Thinking back on how relaxed Derrick had been, she figured that Layne was probably right. Claire resolved to enjoy herself too. Claire eyed the guests asleep on the deck chairs asleep in the late-afternoon sun and the surrounding decorated patio and sighed at the sight. "I still can't believe Derrick's family owns this hotel," she said, accepting a plate of Belgium chocolate éclairs from a waiter.

"Believe it," Layne said through a bite of apple tart. "Everyone in New York is loaded."

Derrick had been so modest, but if everyone in New York was crazy wealthy, then maybe he was just the norm. Claire tilted her head in consideration.

"But the Harrington family must be crazy rich. If the celebrities and people like the Hurley's are coming to the wedding, Derrick would have to be at the top of Forbes 'Rich List' too. And those things barely graze the tip with rich people. Forbes only reports assets they can verify; most rich people hide their holdings, so they're probably richer by billions than what those magazines estimate. Shit, this is good." Layne turned to another passing waiter. "We're going to need two more of these. Claire, you have to try this too."

"Billions?" Claire wasn't so sure. A million was already a lot. She couldn't even imagine what a billion really looked like.

"It's a fact," Layne asserted casually.

Claire blinked and took a bite of the recommended strawberry shortcake, finding the subtly sweet berries with the fluffy cake addicting. She almost moaned at the delicious taste. Layne was right; she needed to stop holding onto her reservations and just enjoy herself while she could. She and Cam could talk later. What was the point in allowing those thoughts to affect her time with her best friend?

As if by destiny, Claire's phone rang. It was Cam.

"Hey, Cam," she answered with a bright smile.

"Hey, yourself. Are you having a good time with Layne?"

"Definitely," Claire told him (now that she had decided to leave her reservations behind and just go with it, it was the truth). She eyed the new plate of cake placed onto their table with excited vigor. Layne smiled at her. "We're back at the hotel enjoying the café service. What are you up to?"

"He's staring at me in my underwear!" she heard a guy's voice yell in the background. It had to have been Derrick.

"What?" Claire laughed in confusion.

Cam snorted through the phone bringing a smile to Claire's face. "I'm over at Derrick's. The tuxes just came in, and we're having the tailor make the final adjustments," he explained.

"Ooo," she hummed, taking a sip of her coffee. "Does yours fit? Shiny gold and rhinestone jewels, right?"

"You wish. Powder blue and full ruffles," he joked. Claire couldn't even imagine him wearing that for Halloween. "Hey, I completely forgot to tell you, but Derrick's mom always has me over for dinner whenever I'm in town. I know you might be tired after a crazy day with Layne, but do you think you might be up to it too?"

"Uh, wow," Claire stuttered, placing her cup back down. He knew that Cam considered Derrick's parents his second family, but she didn't know what to think about tagging along too. It had the potential to be kind of awkward. Like, meeting his parents. Not really, but, almost. "Dinner at Derrick's?"

Layne's head tilted up at the notion. Claire ignored her.

"Who's going to be there?" Claire thought to ask.

"Probably just a handful of people. Massie will be there."

Claire was still a bit unsure. "Um, well, what do you think? Do you want me to come or would you rather spend time alone with them first?"

"Of course not," Cam told her, soothing her insecurities instantly. "I'd love for you to come, but only if you're up for it—I know it's really short notice."

Claire glanced over at Layne, deliberating. She was kind of insanely nervous to be meeting Cam's childhood friend's parents at such an intimate gathering. But Layne was urging her to say yes.

"Okay," Claire finally said. "I'd love to go. What time do we have to be there at?"

"Seven thirty is when it starts, but here's the thing. I'm already at Derrick's place on Oak Lane. The evening traffic is going to be horrible going back into the city, so it'll be much easier if you just meet me here. Would you mind taking a taxi to Derrick's? I'll give you the address and I'll be at the door when you arrive."

"Dude, Benny can take her," Derrick voice called again and there was the sound of Cam's hand covering the receiver as he had a muffled conversation with his friend. Claire waited patiently.

"Um, nevermind," Cam reappeared. "Derrick's hiring you a driver. He'll pick you up at the hotel at seven and drop you off here. If that's okay, I mean. He can drop Layne off in Brooklyn too, if she needs."

"Yeah, that sounds fine. I'll tell Layne. Tell Derrick thank you!" They said their goodbyes and Claire hung up.

"Dinner with his friend's parents?" Layne wiggled her brows when Claire dropped her phone back into her bag. "Sounds serious."

"Does it?" Claire asked nervously. She didn't know what to think. Cam made it seem casual, but meeting his second parents was pretty significant, wasn't it? It meant that she'd be meeting his parents sometime on this trip for sure too.

"It might be fancy-schmancy," Layne told her wisely as she licked her spoon. "What are you going to wear?"

"I don't know," Claire said, pushing her coffee away and platter of deserts away. If she was going to be having dinner, she would need to save her appetite. "Cam said it was only going to be a few people. I don't want to dress too fancy and make the wrong impression. Like, I'm high maintenance or something."

Layne clicked her tongue. "Claire, trust me, no one would ever accuse you of being high maintenance. You bought that dress at a thrift store, didn't you?"

Claire looked down at her light purple sundress. "Farmer's Market," she corrected snidely.

"See?" Layne asked as if that settled the matter.

"You're stressing me out. Cam made it seem like it was really casual. I think I'm going to be okay. I don't think they're even going to notice, as long as I don't show up naked."

But even so, Layne had sufficiently freaked her out enough that they headed back up to her room for outfit ideas. After multiple changes, Claire decided to wear a cotton dress, patterned at the top, cinched at the waist, and flared out to her thighs in a deep blue with a pair of low heeled sandals. She layered on a few of her feather and beaded necklaces to add some personality.

"You look like Pitchfork Music Festival on safari. Free spirited, flower child, but proper. Elegant, almost, in like a Skinny Love kind of way," Layne stated, brightening Claire with the compliment. She knew her tastes were almost too preppy for her friend, but Layne was always honest.

"Hair up or down?" she asked, turning to look at the full length mirror in the walk-in closet.

Layne squinted at her. "Down. It's sexier."

Claire eyed herself. She didn't really see it, but Layne had always been right about these sorts of things. She trusted her. She fluffed up her hair a little before accepting it and sat down next to Layne in the chaise lounge in the center of the closet. "Do you want Derrick's driver to give you a ride home too?"

"Yeah, I want a good eyeful of where he lives. I bet it's unreal. The amount of money he probably has is gross."

Claire giggled and they headed down to the car together.

After the hectic freeway traffic, the girls soon found themselves winding along the lush green roads of Westchester County. Claire could almost taste the difference between the city and the suburbs where Derrick lived. The neighborhood took Claire completely by surprise, as it was the first time she had seen such large, old houses on green sprawling lawns in the distance. Claire watched with wonder as the houses became far and few in between. Soon, houses were divided by what seemed like miles and she couldn't even see the houses on the extensive properties behind all the hedges and metal gates.

The driver turned left and Claire and Layne found themselves down a narrow lane with firs, spruces, and pines shielding them on both sides.

"I told you Westchester was out of this world," Layne whispered with a giggle and Claire had to agree. It was like she was being transported somewhere else.

Before they knew it, the driver had pulled the car to a stop in front two white pillars framed by a huge iron wrought gate. As Claire wondered if she should call Cam to ask him what to do, a man approached, appearing from a shack hidden in the side of the road.

"Ms. Claire Lyons?" the man asked after her driver rolled down the window.

"Uh, yes, that's me," Claire answered for him, waving from the backseat.

"Welcome, Ms. Lyons," the security guard replied with a smile. "Please keep following the road, and stay to the right." He instructed the driver before opening the gates for them and waving them through.

"Jesus Christ," Layne laughed. "Do they really think all this is necessary?"

Claire didn't bother with a reply (it was unnecessary) as they pulled through the gates and the car continued down the road, both sides were framed by clipped bright green hedges. As the passed those, a road descended into one paved in gravel. As the car drove steadily along, Claire listened to the crunch of the gravel and admired the neatly trimmed trees decorated with tiny fairy lights, glowing in the setting sun and lighting their way.

Claire turned to Layne, but she was observing the vast manicured grounds surrounding them on all sides with disbelieving eyes.

"I feel like we're going to some fancy resort," Claire tried joke though the words trailed off at the sight of Derrick's house in the distance, ablaze with lights. As they approached, the vastness of the place became more and more obvious.

It wasn't a house. It was more like a mansion.

Her boyfriend's best friend—the laid-back guy she had met last night—lived here. Her boyfriend had also practically grown up in a place like this. In all the stories he had told her about hanging out with Derrick at his place, he had never mentioned that it was practically a palace! She couldn't seem to wrap her mind around it.

The front driveway was littered with luxury cars—Bentleys, Mercedes, Jaguars, Rolls-Royces—watched over by a cluster of drivers and chauffeurs who were laughing and smoking on the grassy lawn. It didn't look like a casual dinner. It looked more like a full-on party.

Waiting by the massive front doors, in a white linen shirt and black jeans, hair perfectly tousled from the summer air, and his hands stuffed in his pockets, stood her boyfriend, Cam Fisher. It felt like a daydream.

"Holy shit," Claire murmured to Layne. "Pinch me."

Layne turned to her, her green eyes burning with sudden intensity. "I told you these people were crazy rich. Like, Out-of-This-World Rich. ...And honestly, Claire, I think Cam is one of them."

##

Author's Note: I planned to include the dinner party into this story, but this chapter ended up being way too long. Sorry I keep pushing this back. I'm horrible. I promise Claire meets some people next chapter.

Review if you like?