Chapter 30
CHAPTER THIRTY
SHAKEN
JULIANA
The dread I felt over the thought of seeing Camden at Tully’s first professional hockey game was almost blinding.
I had almost talked myself out of going so many times, but Goldie wanted me there, and I wanted to be there for her and for Tully.
My entire family was going. We were all excited for him and had been talking about this game for months.
I didn’t want to let anyone down, and I didn’t want to miss out.
But that stupid almost kiss. The kiss that never was.
The kiss that almost happened simply because I was a body who was there…
Every time I thought of what he’d said, I got angrier.
It was good that I could hate him a little more all the time, because softening where Camden Whitman was concerned was something I never ever needed to do again.
I couldn’t believe I’d let myself go there for even a second.
I’d go to this game, and I’d look good doing it. I wouldn’t show how much he’d wrecked me with the bitter pill I’d had to swallow. His honesty played on repeat in my brain around the clock, and I wasn’t going to let that voice keep me from being there for my friends.
I dressed in something cute and put on a big smile, telling myself I’d do my best to stay out of his way.
The problem was that, somehow, I ended up in a car with him. Erin was in town from Windy Harbor for the game, and Jackson and Erin were laughing about something. He motioned for us to come with him and told her to get in the front seat so they could keep talking.
Which meant Camden ended up in the back seat with Goldie and me.
I didn’t know how he even fit back there.
When he squeezed in the back, his shoulders bunching up between me and his sister, I would’ve laughed if I hadn’t been so disgusted with him.
I was fairly certain the rage bouncing off of me melted him every time he tried to look at me. And that helped somewhat.
The ride felt like it lasted forever, and when we stopped, I hurried to get out. I wore leggings with high boots and a cropped shirt.
Some guys walked by and checked me out, and one said, “Hello, hottie, looking good.”
Camden’s eyes fluttered down to my bare stomach, and his jaw clenched. “Nice. Leaving nothing to the imagination, I see.”
“Trust me, there is so much more to see than a few inches of my stomach.”
He swallowed hard and chose to remain silent.
Good choice.
Goldie was bouncing with excitement to see Tully playing his first professional game, and once again, despite trying so hard, I ended up in a seat next to Camden.
Goldie was on the other side of me, and Jackson was on the other side of Camden.
Our parents surrounded us, and nobody seemed to notice that Camden and I were doing our best to avoid each other at all costs.
Midway through the game, Noah, who was sitting in the row right in front of us, got a call and looked past Dylan and the girl Dylan had brought, and he got his dad’s attention. He looked panicked.
“She’s having the baby,” he said, holding up his phone.
“What?” Everett said.
“Margo’s having the baby.”
“It’s way too soon,” Everett said.
Noah nodded. “I have to get out of here.” He looked around like he was stuck.
I didn’t know Margo very well, even though she was at the Whitmans’ almost every time I was.
They were five years older than me, and ever since high school, Margo and Noah were always in their own little orbit.
They’d been relationship goals, so I was shocked when they’d broken up.
Noah had been sad ever since, but Goldie said he and Margo were still close.
Both of us agreed that we didn’t understand a relationship like that.
How could you still be that close and not be together?
We thought they’d for sure get back together once the baby came.
Goldie reached forward and put her hand on his shoulder. “We’ll come with you to the hospital. I’m sure she’s okay.”
“Yeah, I hope so. She was crying really hard.” He shook his head. “You don’t need to leave the game. Stay. I don’t want you to miss this. Tully needs to know we were here for him. I’m sure Dad’s right. Everything will be okay. I’ll catch up with you guys later.”
Everett told us he’d keep us posted, and he and Noah worked their way out of the seats. We stayed and cheered our asses off. About three-quarters into the game, a vendor delivered me a drink.
I frowned and said, “What is this?” even though I could see it was canned wine.
“From that guy over there,” the man said.
I looked at the row across from us, and it was the guy who’d complimented me earlier.
I lifted the can and said thank you. He winked, and he was getting up to come over when Camden stood up and looked right at the guy. I couldn’t see his face because his back was to me, but whatever he did, the guy sat back down in his seat and didn’t look at me for the rest of the game.
“Are you kidding me right now?” I hissed. “What did you do?”
“Jackson, deal with your sister,” he said. “That punk over there is hitting on her, and she’s ready to throw herself at the guy.”
“I am not,” I was saying as Jackson turned and told the guy to keep his eyes to himself. “You are such an idiot,” I told Camden under my breath. “Some things never change. Even at twenty-five, you are the most emotionally stunted man I have ever met.”
He pretended not to hear me.
Tully won. It would have been way more fun if I could’ve gotten out of my head about Camden and just enjoyed the game.
We’d just sat down in a booth at a nearby restaurant when Camden got a call from Everett. I had studiously avoided looking at him, but I could tell when his shoulders dropped, and then I heard his voice.
“Oh my God,” he said, sounding shaken.
I looked over then to see the color drain from his face.
“What’s happened?” Goldie asked.
I reached over and squeezed her hand.
“The baby’s fine,” Camden said, “but something’s wrong with Margo. She’s on a ventilator.”
Over the next few days, we were in and out of the hospital, and when we weren’t there, I was over at the Whitmans’ house cooking for everyone, trying to keep Goldie’s mind off of things, and just trying to be helpful wherever I could.
Margo died three mornings later, and Noah was left to raise a baby boy on his own.
It shook all of us to the core. Margo was beautiful and vibrant, and it was impossible to imagine that she was just gone.
Camden didn’t go back to France, and suddenly, he was everywhere I turned.
I just thought we’d parted ways when I was a kid, but that was nothing compared to this.
This was the year our true animosity began.