Chapter 7 #2
“People are going to find out. For this to work, sooner is probably better.”
I shake my head. “Not tonight. If your mom knows, she’ll call my mom, and I need to wrap my head around things. Give me some time.”
“Yeah. You’re probably right.”
I stand. “I’ll go. Maybe I’ll stay with Tanner and Royce or—”
“Will Royce want you there?”
“Well, I should probably apologize to him too, so I might as well get it over with.”
She nods. I push to my feet. There’s not much else to say. The same stale silence from the last year, maybe more, hangs between us, and I hope that one day we can get back to the way we used to be.
We were always better as friends than we were dating.
Those memories together are the happiest I have with her.
I head upstairs and pack a bag, the weight of finality hanging over me. But through it, I let myself start to hope. To imagine that this is the last time we have to go through this. That this time I’ll make it work.
When we’re together, all I can think about is finally leaving for good.
When we’re apart, my mind plays tricks on me and reminds me of how great I had it.
Royce can be abrasive sometimes, but hopefully I can count on him to smack some sense into me if I start to think of Laura again. Tanner is too sweet for that. If I say I want her back, he’ll be the one planning some kind of grand gesture to make it happen.
I throw my bag over my shoulder and find Laura waiting downstairs. She pulls me into a hug, and I hold her for a while, hand running through her short, soft hair.
“This is for the best,” she reminds me.
“I know.” She’s right. It is. I’ll remember this time.
I pull away from her and leave.
My mind is such a mess of warring emotions that I don’t even notice Cam out the front of his place, watering his garden.
“You going somewhere?” he calls.
My feet stop. And before I can convince myself to keep walking, I move closer to the hedge instead. “Yeah. I’m, uh …” I clear my throat. Will myself to say the words and make it final. “We broke up.”
Cam’s attention turns from his garden to me so fast I’m surprised he doesn’t get whiplash. “Really?” His tone is doubtful.
“For good this time.” Hopefully. “I’m going to go and stay with Tanner while we work things out.”
Cam cocks his head. “Isn’t Tanner’s place half pulled apart?”
“Yes, but he offered, so I’m sure it’s fine.”
“And he has those cats. They’ll get fur all over your suits.”
The point is so random, I almost crack a smile. “You’re worried about my suits?”
“I’m just saying, as Sunbury’s number one Realtor, you need to look good.”
“I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
“Fine, he says.” Cam flicks a little water my way, and I quickly jump back from the spray. “It’s okay, you don’t need to beg. It’s all yours.”
I stare at him for a moment. “What is?”
“My spare room.”
“I didn’t ask for your spare room.”
“You don’t need to. I know how you work, timing it so I’m out the front as you’re leaving.” He winks. “Well played.”
My lips twitch again. “That’s definitely not what happened.”
“Oh, sure, yes, of course not. Do you want me to beg to make you feel better? Oh, please, Rafe, stay. It’ll be so much more convenient for me for you to be close to home. I’ve been dying to share my own personal space with someone.”
I assume he’s mostly joking, but the last thing I want is to put him out. It would be more convenient, but I can’t imagine Cam shares well. “Lucky for you, then, that Tanner offered.”
I turn to head for my car, when Cam’s hose suddenly shuts off and he vaults the fence between us. “Don’t be stubborn.”
“I’m not being stubborn.”
“You’re being dumb and stubborn when you know staying here would be a thousand times easier.” His confident stride closes the space between us. “Now we can do this back-and-forth thing for however long it takes, or you can admit that you want to stay and we can get on with our lives.”
“Campbell …” I do want to stay. But there’s also a side of me that really, really doesn’t. It’s sending off warning signals that are making my heart thump harder. “You literally kicked me out this morning.”
“I was hungover.” He gives me a smile, and damn him, it actually looks sincere.
I jump when his fingers trail over the back of my hand and then close around my bag strap.
I should fight him.
Instead, I let go.
“There we are.” He slings my bag over his shoulder and starts to head for his house. I fall into step with him. “This arrangement is going to be great. I’ve always wanted a live-in butler.”
“No chance.”
“Tell me you know how to cook, then. I’ll settle for a live-in chef.”
“Nope.”
“Maid? I could buy you one of those black-and-white costumes.”
I choke on air. “Hell no.”
“Handyman?”
“I regret this already.”
“Sure you do.” He leads the way up his front stairs. “Fine, fine. I guess I’ll settle for you repaying me with sex.”
I’m not sure what look crosses my face, but Cam cracks up laughing. “Jesus, dude, relax.” He pauses before opening the front door, and all teasing leaves his face. “You’re my friend. I just want to help you out.”
Then he gives me one of his rare, genuine smiles, the one that makes his eyes go all soft, and that warning signal goes nuts.
Everything about Cam is familiar. It makes me warm and settles the fear and self-doubt inside me. There’s no reason why I shouldn’t stay with him.
Hopefully, it’ll only be a night or two.