8. Cameron
8
CAMERON
I jump out of my truck and look at my phone to check the time. Eight o’clock. Jesus, it’s a Wednesday night, but judging by how crowded it is, it feels like a Friday or Saturday.
That’s the thing about small towns—there isn’t a lot to do, so people don’t feel the need to wait till the weekend to go out, drink and dance, and have a good time. So yeah, Wednesday night at Rangers is the place to be.
I walk through the doors and am instantly hit with the smell of beer and fried food, not to mention the loud music. I weave through the crowd by the bar and find Liam and Reid sitting at a high-top table between the bar and dance floor.
“Hey, guys. Where’s that first round?”
At the sound of my voice, Reid and Liam get up, and we exchange hugs and pats on the back.
“I almost ordered you a fruity something with an umbrella,” Reid says as a server stops at our table, ready to take my drink order.
“They’re set, so what can I get you?” the server asks as she eyes me up and down, not being shy about blatantly checking me out. “You look like a whiskey guy.”
“Nah, I’ll just take a beer. Whatever IPA you have will work.” I drop eye contact with her and turn back to my friends, not in the mood to flirt or make small talk.
“Sure thing, boss,” she replies with an attitude and walks away, disappointed that I didn’t flirt back. Maybe I should, but I just don’t have it in me.
“What crawled up your ass?” Liam asks.
“Nothing. I just want to be able to leave my house and not have to fend off women left and right.”
“Wow. What a hard life. If only you were ugly and with less money and fame. Right, Liam?” Reid sarcastically huffs and then slaps Liam on the shoulder as they both laugh at me.
“It’s not like that, and you know it. I’m just not interested in getting involved with a woman in any capacity right now. I’m just trying to settle in and get my life back in order.”
“I get it, man,” Liam says after taking a long gulp of his beer. “I wouldn’t let you go near Lexi anyway. She is trouble with a capital T.”
“You speaking from experience?” Reid asks with a grin.
Liam is a perpetual bachelor. Loves women but doesn’t want anything long-term. Marriage and kids are a big fat no, even though he loves my girls, and they love their Uncle Liam. He’s probably scarred from his childhood and watching his dad leave, in which case, I can’t really blame him.
“Hell no, Reid. Lexi is a piranha, and I have never led her on or let her think I’m interested.” Liam almost shouts this, fire coming out of his ears, with a look of offense on his face. “I don’t actually sleep with everyone I come across, especially if they’re from Brantley Falls. When I want to get laid, I go elsewhere.”
“How very mature and sensible of you,” I tease as Lexi drops off my drink and then scurries away. He glares my way, and I lift my hands in surrender. “Fine! Chill.”
“Why have you been so touchy lately, man? It’s like you’re always ready to go off.” Sympathy and concern lace Reid’s voice, which lets me know Liam has been off recently and reminds me I need to be better at checking in with them.
Liam lets out a long breath and takes a drink of his beer, leaving us waiting in anticipation of his response.
“Remember when I visited you last year in Chicago, Reid? When you got called away for an emergency at the hospital while we were out to dinner downtown?” He turns to me to explain. “I decided to stay and have a drink before heading back to my hotel. And…”
He pauses again, and I’m getting really annoyed with all the suspense.
“Well, I met someone that night. She was totally game with one night. We only exchanged first names and not our numbers. She was adamant that it didn’t go past that night—or morning.”
“What’s the problem?” I ask impatiently, wanting him to get to the damn point.
“I can’t stop thinking about her, and I have no way to find her. I haven’t been able to sleep with anyone since. It’s like my dick refuses to work.” I exchange glances with Reid, and we both want to laugh but manage to hold it in. “Yeah, right. Go ahead and mock me. I’m fucking hung up on this girl, and I don’t even know who she is.”
“Sounds like a real problem, man, and as a doctor, I’d say you need your dick checked.” Even Liam laughs at that. “But I think you need to find a way to get over her. It’s been a year and a half. What are the chances of meeting her again randomly in Chicago?”
“Yeah, well, I’m trying. It doesn’t seem to be working, though. And thanks for worrying about my dick, asshole,” he replies, but there’s no bite to his words. He almost seems relieved to let go of all of it.
“Listen.” I grab Liam by the shoulder and give him a little shake to get his full attention. “If it’s meant to be and she’s the one or something, you’ll meet each other again.”
“Nice pep talk, Cam,” Reid says sarcastically.
“Thanks, man,” Liam says, raising his glass to mine in cheers. “It’s good to have you home. Reid lacks the empathy that I’m looking for in a friend.”
“That offends me, by the way. Seriously, though, you haven’t been yourself and I wasn’t sure how to come up and ask you about it.” Reid squeezes Liam’s shoulder, similarly to what I did a few seconds earlier.
“Maybe you just need to get laid. Pick someone from town and move past this mystery girl. I’m sure Karen is available,” I say with some humor, knowing Liam would never sleep with Karen. Not again, at least.
“Fuck, no. Once when I was twenty was enough. I feel like I still have scars on my back from her nails that night.” Liam shudders, clearly reliving that experience in his head.
“Nail scratches aren’t that bad. I kind of enjoy those,” Reid says as a joke. “And what is the mystery girl’s name? In case I run into her.” Liam gives him a look. “That’s not what I meant. Jeez.”
“Ellie. I’m not even sure if that’s her name or a nickname.”
“Well, to Ellie and hoping you two cross paths again.” I raise my glass and Reid and Liam join me. I use this moment to segue into a more upbeat conversation. “Now, I can’t get drunk tonight because I have to drive home and wake up and be a dad in the morning, but for the next couple of hours I just want to catch up and forget about all the shit that’s been happening in our lives.”
“Sounds good to me.” Reid clinks his glass with mine.
“Yeah, sorry, Cam. I don’t know what I was thinking laying all that on you.” Liam clinks his glass with mine and Reid’s as well. “My problems are nowhere near as bad as what you’ve had to go through lately.”
“Don’t do that. Twenty-five years of friendship means we go to each other about anything and everything, no matter what. Even if Reid gives shit advice.”
“Why are you ganging up on me tonight? But yes. Always,” Reid states.
“Alright, so what’s new with you, Cam?” Liam asks.
“Well, renovating a house sucks. I think I’m gonna hire someone. A bathroom pipe bursting yesterday finally convinced me that I’m not as handy as I thought.”
“I’ll get you my cousin Mikey’s number. He’s the best in town and won’t overcharge you,” Liam replies.
“I’d appreciate that.”
“How are the girls holding up? Settling in okay?” Reid asks.
“They’re good. Getting a little restless, I think. It’s hard entertaining kids twenty-four seven. Even with playdates with Nikki’s kids, it just seems like there are more hours in the day than I remember.”
“I’ve been taking my nephew to this pottery class the past couple of weeks. Lizzie Montgomery runs them, and the kids have the best time. Plus, it’ll give you a few free hours every week,” Reid suggests.
“Lizzie was actually telling me about it yesterday. I’m going to check it out,” I say, trying to hide my reaction at Lizzie’s name.
“I forgot Lizzie was your neighbor. I mean, is your neighbor,” Liam corrects himself. “She had the biggest crush on you, remember? It's weird. I still think of her as that gangly teen, but then I’m reminded that she’s all grown up every time I see her in town. She really grew up overnight, didn’t she?” He raises his eyebrows up and down suggestively, and I have to force myself to tamp down my possessiveness over the girl I’m trying to ignore.
“Yeah, she really did,” I grind out, not as nonchalantly as I was going for.
“Yeah, no. You just almost growled at me, so I need more. Are there some friendly neighbor shenanigans going on? I mean, you just got into town." Reid lifts his hands like he can’t believe it.
At that, I decide to recap yesterday’s interaction with Lizzie, leaving out her muddy wipeout, to get the guys’ opinion. Or really, just their confirmation that I need to avoid her. When I finish, my best friends are just staring at me with smiles on their faces.
“What?”
“I think someone has a crush, and it’s not Lizzie this time. What do you think, Liam?” Reid asks.
“Definitely,” Liam agrees.
“I don’t have a crush,” I snap. “I’m just surprised by my reaction to her, that’s all. No one’s grabbed my attention since the divorce. Not that it matters—I would never go for Lizzie. She’s too young and way too innocent for me. Plus, like I said earlier, I don’t want to get involved with anyone. Mackenzie, Addy, and the house are the only ladies in my life.”
Not sure who I’m trying to reassure here.
“Yeah, okay. Time will tell, I guess,” Reid says. “But I’m not convinced.”
“Me either. I’m calling it now,” Liam adds casually and then makes eye contact with Lexi as she walks by to signal another round for the table.
“Not a chance. You’ll see.”
“Just remember that Lizzie Montgomery is Brantley Falls’ sweetheart. Everyone loves her, and if you wrong her, you’re going to have a ton of angry townspeople to deal with.”
I’m not sure if Reid’s joking, but I’m a little offended by their lack of faith in me. Like I’m some horny teenager with no control. I’m pretty sure I can resist a hot piece of ass.
As I’m taking the remaining sip of my beer and setting the empty bottle on the table, the sound of a familiar voice floats by. I turn and see the woman we were all just talking about walking toward our table, chatting to the two women she’s with. It’s like I conjured her up.
Fuck me.
“Lizzie,” I shout without thinking.
Liam and Reid both turn their heads to the three women, and Reid just smiles and laughs under his breath. “You are so full of shit, Cam.”
I look over to Liam and see him go fucking pale. He’s looking at the girls like he’s seen a ghost.
“Ellie?” Liam asks shakily.
I quickly look at Reid. Oh fuck.