Chapter 3 #2
Cam chuckles. “Oh yeah, you bet. She’s been a theater kid since she was two years old and memorized the entire opening number of Hamilton.
You haven’t lived until you’ve seen a tiny two-year-old with curly pigtails scream-sing ‘I’m the damn fool who shot him.
’ She’s been acting her whole life, but she got serious about it in middle school and wants to be a star. ”
“Is she at Fieldston?”
“She sure is. It wasn’t my easiest choice, but she wanted it so badly. I had to support her even though the parent in me wishes she wanted to be, like, a lawyer or something. Anything easier than actor.”
I laugh, thinking back about twelve years when Gabe and Molly were singing the same tune. “If it makes you feel any better, my best friend Sophie went to Fieldston with big dreams of being a rom-com actress for the ages.”
“What’s she doing now?”
“She’s a brilliant computer genius and is the executive director of the women in STEM foundation her dad founded years ago.”
Cam furrows his forehead in thought. “Are you talking about Sophie Sullivan and the InspireSTEM foundation?”
“Yeah, you know it?”
He huffs out a laugh. “Yeah, I know it. I know it well. I do some volunteering with their elementary school initiatives. My wife was an elementary school STEM teacher before she died, and working with Inspire has been my little way of honoring her over the years. And Sophie is best friends with the quarterback of this team, who is also a good friend of mine.”
I’m silent for a beat, trying to swallow down the emotion I feel at the idea that with everything else he has going on, this man does volunteer work to honor his late wife.
I really need to stay objective where he’s concerned, but I’m worried I’ve sailed past objective and straight into holy shit I really like him.
“I’ve known her most of my life. Tyler is a good friend of mine too.
Their moms and my mom have been best friends forever, so we grew up together. ”
“If that’s true, how come I’ve never seen you before last night? This is Tyler’s fourth season, and Sophie comes to games all the time.”
I shrug. “I’m really more of a hockey fan.”
He scowls at me. “We’ll work on that. Wait,” he says suddenly, eyebrows drawn together like he’s trying to figure something out.
“When I met with Olivia earlier, she mentioned that her brother’s wife and your mom had been friends for thirty years.
Is Olivia Gabriel Sullivan’s sister? Sophie’s aunt? ”
I laugh at the confusion in his voice. “Yeah, you didn’t know?”
He looks baffled. “I only know her as Brian’s wife.”
I shrug. “She and their other sister don’t exactly advertise that their brother is one of the most famous tech founders in history, but it’s not a secret.
To me he’s just Gabe, my nerdy pseudo-uncle.
My extended family is made up of nine separate families plus a handful of grandparents spanning two cities.
We’re a massive chaotic crew of people who are blood related and people who aren’t, but no one focuses too much on who’s actually related to whom. We’re all just family.”
“Olivia mentioned something about that,” he murmurs, a feeling I recognize well painted all over his face.
I may not have felt it since I was a kid, before I came to live with my mom and dad, but it’s not one you forget.
Cam might have two kids and a thriving career, and I know he mentioned his mom being part of his life, but despite all of that, he’s missing something.
Cam is lonely.
My empathetic heart aches just a little, and I have to practically slap a hand over my mouth to keep from offering him a spot right in the middle of my own family chaos.
Objective, Maddy. Be objective.
“So how has school been for your daughter so far? Most of her friends must have gone somewhere else.”
“What?” Cam asks, like he lost the thread of our conversation.
“Riley,” I say. “She must not have too many friends from middle school who made the move to Fieldston with her. Is she adjusting okay?”
“So far, so good, I think. Classes haven’t started yet, but she loves the theater and she seems happy, especially now that she got the part she wanted so badly.”
I nod. “That’s really good to hear. I think…” I’m cut off when my stomach lets out a loud growl, and holy embarrassment.
“Hungry?” Cam asks with a broad smile.
I drop my head back and sigh because I can’t even think of a way to be cool in this moment. Or any moment, really, but especially this one. “I was too nervous about my first day to eat this morning.”
Cam shakes his head at me. “Can’t be skipping meals, Wildcat.” His lips twist up in a smirk. “Especially after all the calories you burned last night.”
I groan. “Stop it right now. Last night never happened, okay? It was a moment of pure insanity, and it’s over now.
We’re friends.” I shake my head. “No, actually. We’re not friends.
Nothing about us is friendly. I’m your psychologist, and you’re my patient.
That’s the sum total of our relationship.
That’s it. Look. Last night…” I pause and take a breath, wondering if I’m about to admit the truth of how I feel and decide what the hell?
Might as well go all in and hope he gets it.
“Last night was amazing. Is that what you want to hear? It was the literal actual best sex I’ve ever had.
You’re a really nice guy, and you’ve got that whole hot dad thing going on that is so attractive I could die, and I really wish things could be different, but they can’t. ”
Cam chuckles. “I mean, you can say it never happened, but last night will live on in my head for all of eternity.”
Cam’s face morphs into the smuggest expression I’ve ever seen, and I roll my eyes, ignoring the fact that I find that particular smug expression unbearably sexy.
Fuck me. “I’m serious, Cam. I’m the head of sports psychology for an NFL team.
The female head of sports psychology. There are already going to be people who think I can’t do the job because I’m a woman.
Add the fact that my uncle is the general manager of the team, and I might as well have a target right on my back that screams unqualified nepo baby.
If anyone found out I spent the night with one of the players, I would be a joke.
No one in this industry would ever take me seriously again. Do you understand?”
Cam’s face turns serious and he leans forward, propping his forearms on my desk.
“I really, really do. What you’re doing here?
This job? It’s amazing, and I would never do anything to mess that up.
” He stands, splaying his hands on the desk and leaning forward.
“We can be friends. Psychologist and patient. Whatever you want. Whatever you need. I’m just happy I get to see your face every day.
When I woke up alone this morning, I thought I would never get to see it again. ”
Bending down, he picks up the bag he brought into my office and sets it on my desk. “I think I got everything right, although I didn’t know what kind of cereal was your favorite, so I got them all. Have a great first day, Maddy.”
With a grin and a wink, he turns and leaves, closing the door behind him.
All I can do is stare after him, wondering what the hell just happened, and why I’m already looking forward to it happening again.