Chapter 25
Rafe
It’s amazing how quickly my life has done a complete one-eighty.
That gray static is gone, and Cam is like fucking sunshine.
Everything he does makes me giddy. When we start to argue about little things, he has a way of making me laugh, and then neither of us can remember the reason we were arguing in the first place.
I have these little huh moments when I contemplate the fact I’m dating a guy, which isn’t something that had ever crossed my mind before, but him having a dick means nothing to me.
There’s no hesitation, no worry about coming out, especially since a good number of my friends are in same-sex relationships, and if it was up to me, everyone would know we were a couple already.
But Cam wants to keep us quiet for now.
I know where he’s coming from.
It’s been a few weeks, and Mom is mostly back to her normal, slightly overbearing self.
We catch up a fair bit, but she still won’t discuss the breakup.
Every time I bring it up or mention Laura, she’s quick to change the subject.
I want to push her to get over it already, but Cam is adamant it isn’t the right move.
I’m humoring him. For now.
All I want is to be able to go out with him and be a normal couple, but until people know Laura and I are completely over, I won’t take the risk of starting the wrong kind of rumors.
And considering Sunbury’s gossip mill, our breakup is taking way longer than I thought it would to make the rounds.
I get what Cam was saying about not wanting to be the other guy because I don’t want that for him either.
Laura has come around a couple of times to help me sort through our things and start making plans to sell the house.
It’s weird to see the way she and Cam are around each other—sort of standoffish but civil, which is something neither of them is.
At least she apologized for how she reacted the other week, and considering we’ll all have to see each other around, them making the effort is for the best.
Whenever she leaves again though, Cam is quick to scoop me up and remind me who I belong to.
It makes me want to invite her over more often. I’m an attention whore when it comes to him.
“What do you think?” Dad asks.
I crane my head back to look at the refurbished town hall building. “It looks good.” Fresh and bright. Appealing. The sign has been repainted, and the clock tower gleams.
“Still think we should have done the road,” he says.
“Is now where I point out you’re the one who made me accept that dumb bet with Campbell?”
Dad chuckles and bats my shoulder. “Yeah, yeah. You don’t need to remind me.”
“Everything organized for the auction?” I ask.
“It is. I’m glad Campbell came up with the idea. It’s had a lot of interest.”
“Well, hopefully soon you’ll be able to have your road done after all.”
“We can hope.” He starts to walk back to his office, and I follow, heading for mine. “How are you?”
“Great, actually,” I say.
“No second-guessing?”
“Literally none.” I know he’s disappointed, but I also know that Dad meant it when he said he wants me to be happy, so the sooner he’s used to this new normal, the better. “In fact … I’m thinking about trying dating. Putting myself back out there.” I might as well start to plant the idea.
“Already?”
“I know it probably seems sudden to you, but Laura and I have been over—at least mentally—for a long time.”
He sighs. “Okay, well, good luck and be safe and all that.”
“Thanks, Dad. Think you could possibly break that to Mom gently?”
“Consider it done.”
I leave Dad at his office, and when I get to mine, Cam is waiting outside, coffee and pastry bag in his hands.
“I don’t know what I’m happier to see right now.” I go to take the coffee, and he pulls away.
“Oh, sorry, did you think these were for you?” He tries but can’t hide his smirk.
“Yikes, I must have got you mixed up with my other boyfriend. The nicer one. Hotter too.”
His smile softens, but he doesn’t confirm my words. He’s still hesitant to call us boyfriends, even though he tells me he loves me. I’ve still only said it the one time, and I’m pretty sure he didn’t catch it.
Who wants to admit to blurting it out during sex? That’s some teenage-level shit right there.
I step closer, and this time Cam passes over the coffee, but when I lean in for a kiss, he quickly backs up. It takes everything in me not to sigh.
“Still?” I ask.
“You know how hard it is not to kiss you?” He steps forward, and I catch my breath, but he just leans down near my ear. “Patience, my little ace of hearts. We’re not in a hurry.”
I guess he’s right. And out of the two of us, Cam is the one who’s been waiting the longest, so if he can be chill about this, so can I.
It doesn’t stop me from wishing we could speed things up though.