Chapter Fifteen
Rich
The next day, I stride into the fire station in search of Kameron. It’s time for this bullshit to end. After a cursory glance around the bays, he’s nowhere to be found, so I head to the breakroom. He’s at the table with the newspaper propped in front of him to the sport’s page.
“The deal’s off.”
“What’re you talking about?” Kameron wrinkles his nose and stares at me like I popped a red Rudolf nose on my face before I came to work this morning.
I swallow. What the hell? “The bet we made over Chloe.”
“Chloe, who?”
“Chloe Sparks.” My stomach churns. The bet had to have been with Kameron. Who else could it have been? Kameron has had the same phone number since he started at the station.
“I didn’t bet you anything over Chloe. What would we have wagered on? Who makes a better cupcake? You don’t stand a chance. I’ve tasted your cooking. It’s atrocious.”
“Here. Just a second.” I pulled out my cellphone and run through my text messages until I find the one with Kameron. “Look, right here.”
He shakes his head as he read through the messages. “That’s disgusting. Why would you think I did that?”
“Look at the phone number.”
He frowns as he studies the number and then scrolls upward to our earlier conversations. “Son of a bitch.” His teeth grind together. “I gave Tabitha my old phone when hers broke. She had to have been the one to do this.”
“Shit.” I stare at the ceiling – what a clusterfuck. Tabitha’s high school hatred for Chloe has turned nasty. “Why would she do that?”
He shoves his chair back, causing a loud scraping noise on the cement floor. He paces and shakes his head. “I don’t know, but I didn’t do it. And she has my old phone. It’s the only thing that makes sense. ”
“That’s total bullshit.”
“Yeah, I realize that. I knew Tabitha didn’t like Chloe, but I had no idea it was this serious.”
“Are you still dating her?”
“Not after this. That’s disturbing, and then, to use me in the process.” Kameron rakes a hand through his hair, leaving it standing on edge. “Hell, Chloe has been nothing but nice to me.”
“Yeah, Chloe is a good person.”
Kameron crosses his arms and puffs out his chest. “Does she know you took the bet?”
“Yeah, it was her idea. The first bet was with Jim, and she wanted to get back at the two of you.”
“Whoa.” Kameron raises his hands in defense. “I was supposed to have made the same bet with Jim, too?”
“Yes.”
“For video evidence of sex?”
“Yes. ”
“Good lord, that bitch is crazy.” Kameron shakes his head. “I’ve got to apologize to Chloe. I don’t want her to think I’m a jerk.”
“I’ll tell her. She needs to know Tabitha was behind it.” Sweat breaks out on my forehead. Chloe deserved the truth, even if it makes the situation between us worse.
“Fine. I’ve got to find Tabitha and get my God damn phone back.” He shakes his head in disgust. “I can’t believe she is still harboring some high school grudge. That’s so childish.”
After he leaves, I pace the floor from the table to the sink. How’s she going to take the bet never existing? Or at least never happening with Kameron. Will she be relieved or even more hurt?