Chapter 11 #2
“Hey, I wasn’t—Shit. Sloane, I’m so sorry.
I wasn’t thinking. I just—You work so hard.
And yes, I’m doing this for Rhys, you know that’s my job.
But this was supposed to be for you, too.
I swear. I wanted you to get out. I mean, I truly do feel like you are the best option for this relationship, but I also hoped it would help a little.
You know, after everything with Stu.” Her shoulders dropped as she reached across the table, her hands resting over mine.
“I just thought—I thought that this would give you a chance to live your life like it was before him. Go out, meet friends, and have fun. You’ve been so…
scared. With good reason, I know. But I just wanted to help you live again. ”
I chewed on my lip, pulling my hands away from Cami and sitting back in my chair. “I know, Cam. I know. I’m sorry. I just—” Dammit. I really didn’t want to tell her about Stu. I sighed. “Stu came by last night. I’m sorry. I’m a little annoyed, but it’s mostly because I’m still on edge.”
Her lips pinched together, jaw flexing in frustration. “Are you kidding me?”
“Unfortunately, I am not joking. This is all very, very real.”
“You have to—I mean, he can’t just—You have to go to—”
I raised an eyebrow, letting out a humorless laugh.
“Where? To the police? Right.” I scoffed, taking a drink of water to wash down the discomfort clogging my throat.
“I know this city, and I know how fucked up the system is. I’ll get nowhere.
I file a complaint, and then all of a sudden, I’m being tailed by a car twenty-four-seven or harassed outside of my apartment by someone other than him.
I’m not going to the police. I can’t. And he fucking knows it. ”
Cami’s lips twisted as she chewed on the inside of her cheek. “I hate this.”
I laughed again. “And you don’t even have to live it.” Closing my eyes, I shook my head. “Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that.”
This was the last thing I wanted to talk about today. The very last. Everything with Stu, combined with a nasty hangover, was putting me even further behind on my work.
“What did you talk to Andre about?” I asked, rolling my shoulders and looking back up at Cami.
She hesitated. I could tell she wanted to circle back to Stu, but I needed the change in subject. “I called him and asked if he could help with your workload a little. That’s all.”
“And?”
“You know he loves you. He’d do anything for you. He’s reviewing and drafting six of the ten contracts on your desk in exchange for VIP seating for him and his boyfriend at the next four home games. But that was easy enough to pull off.”
I smiled at my best friend; the stress I’d been feeling so heavily on my shoulders from the workload lifted, making me feel a lot better about going to Rhys’s games over the next few weeks.
Perhaps I could even attend this after-party and have a good time instead of stressing about everything I was forgetting. I knew that Rhys would take care of me if anything came up with Stu.
I was for sure going to ignore the little flutter in my stomach, thinking about Rhys being so protective of me.
He’d always been like that. No reason that two measly kisses should change that.
Except they weren’t measly. Just thinking of Rhys’s lips on mine, his hand pressed against the small of my back to hold me close, sent a spark of electricity down my spine.
One that shamefully settled right between my thighs.
Jesus, I need to get laid.
But then I remembered Rhys. And the fact that because of him, I wasn’t going to get laid for another six fucking months.
It was about time to invest in a better vibrator.
“If Stu came by…” her voice trailed off, her brows snapping together. “Was Rhys there?!”
Shit.
I nodded, taking a long swallow of the water in front of me. She would get nothing else out of this conversation.
“And? What happened?!”
“Nothing,” I answered quickly.
Cami’s eyes narrowed. “What actually happened? How much trouble is he in?”
I rolled my eyes. “Cam, come on. If he did something stupid, I’d be the first person to tell you.”
“Because you’re normally the person encouraging it,” she deadpanned.
“Not this time! I swear. I stopped it. In fact, thinking about how much trouble it would cause if he did murder Stu was the whole reason I—” I stopped, clamping my mouth shut with such force, my teeth audibly snapped together.
Cami raised her eyebrows expectantly. “Go on.”
I took another swig of water, sweat trailing down my neck. It wasn’t the sweltering June heat making me sweat anymore.
She leaned back in her seat. “I have all afternoon. Spill.”
“It’s nothing, Camille. I stopped Rhys from showing Stu some manners because I knew it would make your life harder. That’s all.”
“You’re a terrible liar.”
“I’m not lying!” I replied, my voice raising just enough for Cami’s disbelief to solidify.
She pointed a finger at me. “You totally are! What happened? Spill!”
I groaned, my legs bouncing furiously under the table. “Cami, please. Nothing happened.”
“Did Rhys get hurt? Did you promise Stu a date? Did you accept a marriage proposal? Did you hurt Stu?”
“No, dammit! I kissed Rhys again!” I admitted, burying my face in my hands.
When I looked back up, peeking over my fingertips, Cami was staring at me with her eyes wide and her jaw slack. “You… What?” she asked after a brief pause to collect her thoughts.
“I just panicked! I don’t know! Stu was there and—and Rhys was there, and he looked pissed.
Murder on his mind, I’m gonna kill this S.O.B.
, pissed. I was also… Slightly tipsy. Which was your fault, might I add.
If you had been there, I would not have consumed so much beer to begin with, and then I wouldn’t have kissed Rhys. Twice!”
“Oh, so now it’s my fault you indulged in tonsil hockey with Rhys?”
“There was no tongue! And I needed to distract him while also showing Stu that I was off the market. And what better way to do that than to kiss?”
Cami laughed. “It sounds like you’re trying to convince yourself that was the only option you had.”
“It was!”
Wasn’t it?
Of course.
There were zero reasons for me to kiss Rhys otherwise. There was no burning desire to know what it felt like to have my body pressed so close to his that I could feel his heart pounding against his chest. Or to feel his hands so low on my back that I ached for his touch lower.
No. Such. Thing.
“Oh, girl. You are so screwed.”
I shook my head. “I have no clue what you’re talking about. You have no clue what you’re talking about.”
A real relationship with Rhys just wasn’t in the cards. He was my best friend. He bought me my first tampon in sixth grade. He clipped my toenails when I broke both wrists and my ankle after falling off his bike in seventh grade.
He took me to prom. He helped me study. He held me while I cried over every broken heart.
“Sloane, come on. You’re a smart girl.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
Cami sighed, shaking her head. “You don’t feel anything for him?”
I crossed and uncrossed my legs, fidgeting with the napkin in my lap. Why was this such an uncomfortable conversation to have?
More importantly, why couldn’t I answer the question?
Had I occasionally felt a little jealous when I’d seen pictures of him out with other women? Sure. But it had nothing to do with attraction.
He was dividing his time; I saw him less. I missed him. Of course, I was jealous. We’d been inseparable for almost thirty years. It was common sense.
“You’re taking too long to answer.”
I sighed. “He’s my best friend.”
“That doesn’t answer the question. You know… It’s okay if you can’t. It’s okay to be confused. I know you've been friends your entire lives. I mean, I’ve witnessed your friendship grow and change just since I’ve known you. I—I don’t think anyone would be surprised if you did have feelings for him.”
I shook my head, tugging at a loose string on my pants.
“It’s Rhys. I mean, of course, I’m confused.
I’m in a very vulnerable place with… everything right now.
I’ve never felt more scared to leave my apartment, and I hate feeling weak.
Why wouldn’t I feel confused? I don’t like needing people, and right now, I do.
And the one person I need the most is also holding my hand and kissing me to play a part for the fucking news. Of course, it’s confusing.”
Cami’s gaze met mine, her eyes softening. She was the only person I’d really opened up to about Stu and all my recent anxiety. I could tell she was feeling guilty for essentially throwing me into this relationship.
“It’s fine, Cam. I just have a lot going on.
I don’t need to throw that in, too. Rhys and I…
I don’t think it’ll ever happen. We already told each other we wouldn’t get feelings involved, and I don’t think I can afford to welch on that statement.
There’s too much at stake,” I stated firmly, squaring my shoulders.
It felt like a lie. There was a tiny part of me begging to renege on my promise to keep feelings out of it.
To throw it all away and explore the way Rhys made me feel.
But the thought of going from one intense relationship to another would make my head spin.
My brain knew they would be intense for entirely different reasons, but my heart remained guarded.
“Okay.” Cami nodded, flagging down the waiter to pay for the bill.
I sagged into my chair, blowing out a slow breath. “Thank god this interrogation is over.”