Chapter 46 Camden
FORTY-SIX
CAMDEN
“Why do you have to live so far from Boston?” I grumble when War opens the door. “The drive is a pain in the ass.”
With a nonplussed look, he waves me in. “It’s thirty minutes, tops. And if you really need my help, let me tell you: complaining isn’t the way to get it.”
“Is she here?” When I called, he told me I was in luck because Josie and Ava had made plans to watch a movie tonight.
It’s their thing. Once a month or so, they hang out in the game room in the basement, just the two of them.
They watch rom-coms and play board games like they did when Josie was young and going through cancer treatments.
Damn, life has changed so much since then.
Josie was a long-term resident at the hospital the first time I met her. She couldn’t have been more than eight.
It’s crazy to think how much life has changed since that time. It’s even weirder to think I’m now dating her friend.
Okay, not dating. Pretty sure I was broken up with when Savannah moved out. Or maybe I broke up with her when I texted her. Fuck, this is a mess.
“Yeah, she’s in the kitchen.” He leads me to the massive open kitchen and living area.
There’s a fire roaring in the fireplace, and the view out the floor-to-ceiling windows at the back of the house is as breathtaking as always.
Nothing but trees and quiet out there. And the little pond they turn into a skating rink every winter.
Right now it’s lit up with Christmas lights like it was years and years ago when War taught Ava, Josie, and Scarlett how to skate.
It’s the picture-perfect home for a family.
Maybe, if I’m lucky enough to get a second chance with Savannah, I’ll look at houses in this neighborhood. The thirty-minute drive would be well worth it for this view alone.
Ava and Josie are standing together in front of the oven. When Ava spins around, her red hair sways, instantly making me think of Savannah. Damn, I physically ache for her. I’m such a sorry fuck.
With a plate of cookies in her hands, Ava grins at me. “You look like you could use a chocolate chip cookie.”
A step behind her, Josie glowers. “He doesn’t deserve one.”
I wince. This family has been such a big part of my life, but if I can’t fix this, I’m not sure Josie will want much to do with me. “She’s right.” I cuff the back of my neck and squeeze. “I don’t.”
Ava hip-checks her daughter. “He’ll make it right.
Camden always does.” With a smile at me, she pads around the island.
“Come on, Ty. Let’s let these two talk. You can help me set up Monopoly.
” She stops in front of me, presses a kiss to my cheek, and hands me a cookie. Then she disappears with her husband.
“Get on with it,” Josie says when they’ve gone. “You’re already ruining my favorite night of the month.”
With a sigh, I rough a hand down my face. “Do you know where Sav is working?”
Josie frowns. “Um, at Jolie?”
I shake my head. “No. I went to her place to talk to her, but she wasn’t there. I was told she’s working somewhere at night.”
Eyes narrowing, she cocks a hip and leans against the counter. “Who told you that?”
I set my hands on the cool surface of the island. “Listen, I don’t want to get anyone in trouble.”
“Why are you even here?” she demands. “You broke her heart, Cam.”
The name slashes at my skin like a sharp knife. Not Uncle Cam; just Cam. I guess I deserve it.
“I’m trying to fix it,” I promise. “I just want to make this right, but I’m worried that she’s in some sort of trouble. John overheard her say that she couldn’t make rent on time. Did she say anything to you?”
Josie shakes her head, her shoulders falling. “She asked me to give her some space. Do you really think she’s in trouble?”
“I don’t know, but I’m concerned. Could you call her and make sure she’s okay?”
Josie hums out a groan. “I don’t know,” she whines. “She’d kill me if she knew I was helping you.”
“I’m not asking you to help me.” I hold up a hand. “I’m asking you to check on her. That’s all. I swear it.”
Whether Savannah can forgive me is up to her, but I won’t stop caring either way. If she needs money for rent, I’ll make sure she has it. I hate thinking of her all alone, feeling as if she has no one.
And knowing I’m the reason she feels that way is gut-wrenching.
Finally Josie blows out a breath and picks up her phone. “Fine, but I’m not doing this for you.”
I nod. “I know.”
She taps the screen a few times, then the ring tone echoes loudly through the kitchen. With the device on speaker, she sets it on the counter between us.
After two rings, Savannah picks up. “Hey, Jose. I can’t really talk right now.”
“Well, you’re going to need to because your boy toy just showed up at my house and demanded I tell him where you work,” Josie grouses. “And since I was under the impression that your only job was at Jolie, I was a little thrown.”
“Fuck, sorry about that,” Savannah says.
Just hearing her voice kills me. I want to reach through the phone and hold her.
“It’s not a big deal,” she rushes out. “I just needed a quick influx of cash because my bitch of a mother stole my rent money.”
It takes everything in me not to growl and take the phone. Tara is such a fucking cunt.
“What? Why? When? Why didn’t you tell me your mother was in town?” Josie narrows her eyes at me, throwing figurative daggers, then picks up the phone and starts pacing with it.
“Because she’s a bitch? I don’t know. I don’t want to waste any more time thinking about it, honestly.
This week has been hell, but I’m finally starting to feel like I can breathe again.
I made enough over the last two nights for this month’s rent.
Hopefully I’ll make enough tonight to cover next month’s. Then I should be good.”
“But what are you doing?” Josie says, her tone full of suspicion and concern.
I feel the same way. Hands fisted, I focus on breathing evenly, even as I want to dart out of here and hunt her down.
“Don’t worry about it. I’m fine.”
“You don’t sound fine,” Josie says. “And why did you and Cam break up? What’s going on, Sav? You’re making me nervous.”
“Honestly,” she says, her tone resigned, “I think he found out that he used to date my mother and he freaked.”
Josie spins around, her eyes wide.
My own fall shut. So she does know. I assumed she did, but fuck.
“He what?”
Savannah groans. “It’s gross, I know. My slut of a mother cheated on Cam when she was a senior in high school.
She got pregnant. The story is far too long to tell now.
” Her tone gets a little watery when she continues.
“I don’t know how he figured it out, but a few days ago, he told me this story about seeing his ex and her daughter in a bar.
He mentioned that she was carrying around a doll with pink hair.
That’s when I realized the connection. I remember being at a bar with my mom, playing with that doll while I waited for her.
I put two and two together, and my suspicions were confirmed when my mother said she was in town to seduce him. ” She gags.
Face screwed up in fury, Josie stabs the mute button. “So help me god,” she whispers, “if you fucked her mother—”
“I didn’t,” I hiss.
Her expression doesn’t soften as she unmutes the phone. “So did she? Seduce him, I mean?”
Savannah makes another gagging noise. “I really fucking hope not. But I don’t think so.
She sent me a text later that day saying she got a call from some married pilot she’s been having an affair with and that he was in Boston.
” She sighs, the sound making the crumbled pieces of my heart hurt.
“Yeah, my mother is that kind of winner. So she took my money—borrowed, is how she put it—and took off to meet him.”
“Your mother sucks,” Josie grumbles.
“Tell me about it,” Savannah mutters. “That same day, Cam sent me a text telling me he couldn’t do this anymore. And he asked me to leave his house.”
Josie hurls a cookie at me, but I’ve still got good reflexes, and I dart out of the way.
“Camden Snow sucks too,” she says, glaring at me.
I do. I so fucking do.
“Yeah,” Savannah says, her tone full of sadness, not anger. “I don’t know, Jose. I really thought he was it.”
The pain that’s been torturing me for days only compounds.
I have to see her. I have to find her. I take a step toward Josie, ready to grab the phone to tell her I am it, that I’ll fix what I broke, but before I can, a woman on the other end of the call says, “Come on, Sav. It’s your turn for the glitter. ”
“Oh shoot, I gotta go,” Savannah says. “Kacie’s waiting for me.”
“Wait,” Josie urges, just like I want to. “Whatever you’re doing, you don’t have to.” Her eyes are locked on mine now. We’re like-minded when it comes to this. Allies, even if she’s ready to dig my grave.
“I do, though,” Savannah says. “I need to fix this for myself. But I love you for caring.”
“I’ll always care, Sav.” Josie sniffs. “Be safe please.”
“Of course.” And then Savannah is gone.
The room falls silent, the two of us staring at one another.
“You know where she is, right?” she finally asks.
I nod, heart in my throat. “Yeah, I think so.”
“You’re going to fix this.”
Either that, or I’ll end up behind bars again. Because yeah, I know exactly where Savannah is. And I know what she’s doing to earn the money she needs to cover her rent.
And I don’t fucking like it one bit.