Chapter 7
OWEN
I jolted awake to the sound of the door slamming open, my heart hammering as Cam’s furious voice cut through the darkness.
“What the fuck?”
I shot up in bed, my mind still thick with sleep, trying to make sense of what was happening. “What?” I blinked hard to clear my vision. “What’s wrong?”
“What’s wrong?” she repeated, her anger radiating off her.
She stepped closer, her hands balled into fists.
“What’s wrong is that you ghosted me again.
You were supposed to meet me on the beach for a sunset walk.
” She paused, and I could see her struggling to control herself. “It was your freaking idea.”
Fuck. The sunset walk. Guilt crashed over me. “Shit. I’m so sorry...”
She cut me off with a raised hand, her eyes blazing. “That’s bullshit. You’re not sorry. You’re doing this on purpose.”
I recoiled, though part of me knew I was overplaying my shock.
“Either you get up, and we have a real, honest conversation, or I’m going to use you as a punching bag to work out all this anger right now.”
The fight drained out of me.
I didn’t want to ruin the wedding this weekend, but I couldn’t keep running from this. It was time for the truth and a prayer that none of this flooded into the wedding.
I released a heavy sigh and nodded, my shoulders sagging with the weight of what I knew I had to tell her. “Okay, but let’s not talk here.” I rolled out of bed, scanning the floor until I spotted my shorts. I grabbed them and yanked them on over my boxers. “Let’s go for a walk.”
We made our way outside in silence, the tension between us so thick I could barely breathe. My feet hit the sand, and still, neither of us spoke.
“What’s going on?” Cam’s pace slowed, and when I glanced over, her eyes were searching my face. “And please don’t say ‘nothing’ because I know it’s something.”
My steps faltered. This was it. No more running.
There were a hundred ways to have this conversation. I could ask point-blank if she was still in love with Trystan. I could ask her about the night before we started dating, or I could let it go and admit my faults.
“The truth is...”
I could feel her holding her breath, waiting.
I stopped and turned to face her, forcing myself to meet her eyes. Guilt, regret, and relief churned in my chest. I couldn’t hold it back anymore. “The truth is, I think we were better as friends.” The confession came out in a rush, like I’d been holding it in too long.
Her expression shifted, but not in the way I expected. She looked... relieved.
I softened my voice, letting my vulnerability show. “I don’t want to lose the friendship we had.”
A smile touched her lips, and her shoulders lifted in a shrug. “You’re not going to because I don’t want to lose you as a friend either.”
I swallowed hard, my throat tight. But I couldn’t let her think that was all. My face refused to light up with relief because there was more, so much more I needed to say.
My Adam’s apple bobbed as I forced myself to continue. “You may not feel that way after we finish this conversation.”
Her brows drew together, concern replacing the softness in her expression. “What do you mean?”
I couldn’t look at her anymore. My gaze dropped to the sand, my toes digging into it nervously. “I...”
How could I say this? How could I tell her what I’d done?
“You what?” Her arms crossed, bracing herself.
I barely managed a whisper. “I think I hooked up with someone at Jax’s bachelor party.”
The silence that followed felt like it could swallow me whole. I watched her freeze, her eyes locked on mine, processing what I’d confessed.
“You think?”
I winced, my shoulders hunching instinctively. “I got really drunk and...”
“And what?” She hissed through clenched teeth. “What happened?”
“And when I woke up, I was in bed with someone else. Naked. But I don’t remember anything.”
“You cheated on me?” she whispered, the confusion and hurt in it cut deeper than any scream could have.
My shoulders slumped under the weight of what I’d done. I couldn’t meet her eyes. “I’m so sorry, Cam.” I ran a hand over my face, as if I could somehow wipe away the guilt. “I swear I didn’t want to hurt you. I don’t remember anything. I was so trashed.”
“Who? Who did you cheat on me with?” The anger returned, flushing her cheeks red.
I shook my head, my eyes darting away from her face. I couldn’t tell her it was Harlow. It didn’t matter anyway. It didn’t change anything. “It doesn’t matter.”
I watched the realization dawn on her face, horror flooding her features. “Oh my fucking god, it’s someone I know.”
I reached for her instinctively, but she jerked away, throwing up her hands between us. “Do not touch me.” She paused, and I could see her trying to collect herself. “You know you’re right. We probably should have stayed friends, but you should have talked to me. Instead, you cheated.”
She was right. About all of it. “I know,” I said. “I’m so sorry.”
She stepped back, creating more distance between us. “I need some time to process this. I don’t want to fight and ruin the wedding, so I need you to give me some space, please.”
I stood there in the sand, watching her walk away, knowing I’d destroyed our friendship.