Chapter 14
Camilla
Jealousy had never been an issue for Camilla.
Not until tonight.
The worst part? Camilla had no one to blame but herself. She didn’t have to call Melody. She didn’t have to set up her brother or Dallas tonight. And she certainly didn’t have to go out with Jason.
Seeing Dallas smile at Melody did something to Camilla she wasn’t prepared for. The way he leaned in so he could speak quietly just for her… for goodness’ sake! Camilla’s heart couldn’t take it. All she saw was the way Dallas had used to do that with her when they’d started dating.
Maybe she was looking back on their relationship with rose-colored glasses, but she couldn’t recall a single thing she didn’t like about her relationship with Dallas when she’d been younger.
She stared forlornly at the Italian ice in her hands and wished not for the first time that she’d gone with her gut to pick someone who would have utterly annoyed Dallas to no end. But they were perfect.
Together, they would make a beautiful couple.
Her stomach churned and she tossed the treat into the garbage. She couldn’t stay at the rodeo. She needed to get out of there.
Camilla tracked down her date, not surprised in the least to find Jason with a group of friends. He was enjoying himself too much. She couldn’t ask him to end the date early. But when his gaze snagged on her, she knew she hadn’t hidden the way she felt.
Jason had been working for Mateo since they’d expanded. He’d been hired to help Nikki in the kitchen, but he’d come into his own with a lot of the other work that needed to be completed on the ranch.
Honestly? She’d noticed how handsome he was. He’d been kind to her, and he could make her smile without much effort. In another life? She might have been open to a serious relationship.
Unfortunately, dating Dallas must have done something—changed something—within Camilla that she couldn’t understand. Every guy she’d dated since Dallas never stuck around. The common factor with all those relationships?
Her.
Jason said something to his friends, then jogged toward her.
His smile no longer shone on his face. Instead, a line between his brows furrowed.
A muscle in his jaw feathered. And when he stopped beside her, he took her hands in his.
It wasn’t a romantic gesture. Camilla couldn’t describe it, but the way he touched her felt more like that of a brother. “What’s wrong?”
She shook her head, eyes stinging with tears she refused to shed.
“Camilla?” He reached up and grazed a knuckle along her jaw. “Do you need to go home?”
A sad, startled laugh escaped her lips. “Am I that obvious?”
Jason lifted a shoulder. “I mean, anyone who can’t see the way you’ve been looking at that Dallas guy… has to be blind.”
Her eyes widened, but before she could deny that she had feelings for Dallas, Jason continued.
“It’s fine, Camilla. It’s clear you two have a history. You didn’t have to say anything—but full disclosure? I heard all about the guy from Nikki.”
Nikki? Camilla’s cheeks burned hot. Nikki wasn’t around when Camilla had dated Dallas.
And the only way she would have gotten that sort of information would have been from Mateo.
She wanted to scream. Not only had her brother welcomed Dallas with open arms, but he was also spreading gossip about her past relationships.
Her hands balled into fists reflexively as she forced herself to meet Jason’s concerned gaze. This was so embarrassing!
“It’s okay,” Jason murmured. He gave her shoulder a light squeeze and shrugged. “I don’t mind. I haven’t exactly been present today, either.”
“That’s because you have so many friends. I’m sure they’re better company than me.”
Jason scoffed. “Hardly.”
“Which part?” She snorted.
He gave her a knowing smirk. “Both. Honestly, if I thought I even had a chance with you, I probably would have dragged you away like your brother did with his date.”
Camilla eyed him. “Really?”
Jason winked at her. “You’re a catch, Camilla. And while there are definitely a couple people standing in the way of a guy like me approaching you, you’re the biggest obstacle.” He jerked his chin in the direction of the exit. “You ready to go?”
She winced. “You’d… leave early? For me?”
He placed a hand on the small of her back. “Of course. It’s been fun, but I’m ready to call it a night, too.”
Camilla didn’t know when Dallas returned from the rodeo. She’d messaged her brother to make sure he took the other couple home since he’d been out with Melody’s sister. Even after a few days had passed since the date at the rodeo, Camilla’s wayward thoughts continued to plague her.
How many different times did she have to tell herself that it didn’t matter if Dallas kissed Melody goodnight? Apparently, too many, because that was exactly what she was thinking about when she headed out of the house to get to work.
She blamed Dallas.
When he’d touched her, everything she’d felt for him came rushing back in a torrent so strong she’d nearly been knocked off her feet.
The way her skin practically lit on fire with his touch.
The way her stomach somersaulted when he leaned in close to whisper in her ear.
He’d cornered her, and she couldn’t even be upset about it because she had wanted him so badly.
Camilla had wanted to tell him then and there that she still thought about him.
She’d wanted to confess that the feelings she’d had for him had never gone away.
And when he’d asked her point blank about those feelings?
It had taken more strength than she thought she had to keep her mouth clamped shut.
There was no way she’d tell him the truth. He’d hurt her. He’d fled from what they’d had. And now that he was back? He clearly didn’t want her the same way she wanted him, which was utterly mortifying.
This was all a power play.
She huffed to herself, shutting her eyes tight for a moment before she shouldered her way into the small structure where she worked with the puppies.
There was an open space surrounded by a pen where she could contain one pup at a time.
There were toys, food bowls, and water outside of the pen where the rest of the litter could socialize while she worked with her subject.
The distractions were good practice. And while she only worked with the puppies on a foundational level, she was proud of the work she did.
She’d carved out a life for herself without Dallas in it, and she wasn’t about to sacrifice any of it for the man who had left her alone.
It was time to stop pining over Dallas. She’d done a good job ignoring him in the beginning and that helped with the initial feelings—the ones of betrayal, pain, and anger. Now, she needed to focus on not letting herself fall into the trap of giving him a second chance.
Camilla dove into work, taking turns with each of the puppies.
Basic commands like sit, stay, leave it, and wait were quick concepts and easy enough to get lost in.
By the time she’d gone through the rounds with the adorable Australian cattle pups, she’d almost forgotten that she was purposefully avoiding any interaction with Dallas.
Almost.
The second she stepped out of the training space she nearly collided with Roman.
His hands shot out and held her steady before she stumbled back a step.
The smirk he wore said he was up to something, but at this point, she didn’t care.
All she wanted to do was head to her room, pick a good book, and hide away until dinner.
Apparently, that wasn’t going to happen based on the way her brother was looking at her. “I need a favor.”
Camilla pulled away from her brother and frowned.
Roman rubbed the back of his neck. “Olivia needs me to go to a meeting with the wedding planner. But I have some errands that need to be taken care of in town.”
She arched a brow. “Sorry, Roman, but I’m not about to get on Olivia’s bad side. Something tells me that she’d be more than a little upset if I showed up at those meetings instead of you.”
“I know. That’s why I thought you could go to town for me.”
Sighing, Camilla shook her head. “What do you need?”
He grinned. “Great! Thanks!”
“What do you need?” she repeated.
“Actually, I don’t need anything. But Dallas does, and I told him I’d take him.”
The world must have frozen over. Either it was that, or she’d heard her brother wrong. There was no way her brother had just asked her to take Dallas to town. Camilla’s voice lodged in her throat as she searched his face for any sign he was joking.
She saw none.
“Then let him borrow your truck.”
Roman laughed. “Not a chance. Besides, I need my truck. But I guess you could let him borrow yours.”
Camilla wrinkled her nose.
Roman’s hand clapped down on her shoulder. “Thanks again, sis.” Before she could tell him she’d rather die than take Dallas to town, her brother slipped away.
The whole trip to town was quiet. Dallas didn’t utter a word besides telling her where he needed to go.
She opted to stay with the truck while he ran his errands and kept the music turned all the way up so Dallas wouldn’t be tempted to broach the subject he’d been intent on discussing the last time they were alone.
She thought she was in the clear when she pulled onto her family’s property, but Dallas suddenly leaned forward and shut the radio off. She glanced at him, fully aware that the look of fear was likely written all over her face.
Her hand shook when she reached for the handle, but Dallas pressed down on the automatic locks. Camilla shot him a glare that might have turned any lesser man to stone.
“Camilla—”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” she insisted.
“You don’t even know what I want to talk about.”
She scoffed, reaching for the door again, but he pressed the button to lock the doors once more. Something akin to hot rage simmered beneath the surface. “You can’t keep doing that, Dallas.”
“We need to talk.”
“Do we?” She let loose a bubble of laughter. “I don’t think so. You’ve said your peace. Friends. That’s what you wanted, wasn’t it?”
“Well, yeah, but—”
This time she was able to release the door and slip out of the truck before he could manage to lock the doors again. Dallas scrambled from the truck to follow her.
“You never answered me,” he said. As if she needed the reminder. There was a reason she wasn’t willing to discuss her feelings with him. A very good reason.
Because whether or not she could admit it to him, she knew she still had feelings for him and that would only end in heartache.
Camilla whirled around and he nearly collided with her.
“What’s the point, Dallas? What good would it do to rehash the past?
There’s nothing I want to go back to. I’ve moved on. And so have you.”
He actually looked hurt at her admission. But then his features hardened, and he folded his arms. “You think you know what’s going on in here?” He brought a hand up and pressed his finger into his temple. “Because I assure you, you don’t.”
“It doesn’t matter if I do or don’t, Dallas. I’d rather leave the past behind us.”
“And what about the future?”
She stared at him for several moments before she practically crumbled beneath his searing gaze.
When she could no longer handle his scrutiny, she spun around and resumed her escape.
At that very moment, Jason exited the cafeteria.
She couldn’t say for certain what was going on in her mind when she chose to make a beeline for him, and maybe that was her biggest mistake.
“Jason!”
He stalled, his head whipping around until his eyes found hers. The smile he wore might have made another woman melt. But not her. Because the only person capable of that sort of thing was at her back. Camilla could feel Dallas’s heat behind her when she came to a stop before Jason.
To his credit, Jason glanced over Camilla’s shoulder at Dallas before he spoke. “Hey, Camilla. What’s up?”
“Are we on for dinner on Friday? At Sal’s?”
He blinked, obvious confusion flitting across his features. Then his attention shifted once more to Dallas. Grateful that Dallas couldn’t see her expression, Camilla pleaded with Jason with only her eyes.
“Yeah, sure.” Jason nodded. “Dinner at Sal’s.”
She nodded sharply, relieved. Then she glanced over her shoulder to Dallas. “Goodnight, Dallas.” With that, she practically ran toward the house.
The moment she was hidden behind the closed front door of her house, she willed her heart to slow its erratic racing.
That might have been the stupidest thing she’d chosen to do in the last twenty-four hours, but hopefully it would be enough to give Dallas the hint that she was done giving in to her old feelings for him.