Page 35 of Staying for You

“I didn’t almost kiss her.”

“But the other stuff happened.”

I grit my teeth and narrow my eyes. He knows it did. “Yes.”

“And then you decided you wanted to play house?”

I sit on the edge of my bed. “Yeah – I mean, no.” I raise my head to look at him, annoyed. “You turd. Stop trying to play some weird voodoo on me. No, we are not playing house. She came up here to write or get over something that’s been bugging her or something… I don’t really know. She knew that you guys were coming back today for the kids. Obviously knew that we had gotten snow and offered to watch them while I cleared you a path to get here. I couldn’t have done that if she weren’t here, you know? Then she decided to make some soup. For you.”

He raises his hands in surrender. “Hey. I wasn’t complaining. Just asking. When she and the girls were talking about movies and she was asking about our vacation, you couldn’t take your eyes off her.”

“Because she was talking. What am I supposed to do? Turn my back to her and not listen?”

“You werelookingat her.”

I wave him off, annoyed that he won’t just let it go. Do I think Cami’s beautiful? Yes. Do I think she’s adorable and sweet and kind and if she wasn’t here as a guest would I want to get to know her better? Yes. But that isn’t the case, so I’m letting it go. Just like I’d really like my family to do.

Instead, the girls are out in the living room interrogating her about writing and asking her every question they can think of about her personal life that she’ll answer.

Before Ethan interrupted, I was standing in my room eavesdropping without an ounce of shame. Well, maybe an ounce. But not much.

“So. What are you writing?”

“Nothing at the moment. I, uh, needed a little bit of a break. I just got a divorce and well, love and I aren’t good friends at the moment which means it’s even harder for me to focus and write about love.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.”

“About the divorce or the writing? Because trust me, the divorce was a blessing.” She laughs and then continues. “Writing… I’ll get there. I’m actually finding a little bit of inspiration up here. I didn’t realize how attached I was to the world rather than myself.”

“You sound like Owen,” my sister says.

I feel the smile stretch across my lips at that. I’m influencing Cami and it sounds like in a good way.

“You’re doing it again. Looking toward the door like you’re hoping she’ll appear. What is wrong with you?”

“Nothing,” I grumble. “I’m fine. She’s a guest. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“Really? That’s how you’re going to play it?”

I roll my eyes and he scoffs. “Good come back. An eye roll.”

“Shut up, man. You don’t have any idea…”

“I do. You forget that you and I are not just family by marriage, but we’re friends, too. There’s only one other person I’ve ever seen you look at the way you look at Cami.”

I huff. “Don’t romanticize the fact that she’s here and get any ideas. I have no desire to start up something with a woman who’s only here to lick her wounds from getting a divorce. She’s temporary. That’s it.”

“And if she was here under other pretenses?”

I think for three beats and then say, “It’s still a hard no. She’s the definition of insecure, a frail, timid thing who will run back to her safe place the second she gets spooked. I know her type. She’s playing a part right now but she screams high maintenance. Someone who needs coddled and praised constantly.”

“That’s harsh.”

“Not harsh. It’s the truth,” I lie. At least, I’m pretty sure it’s a lie. I don’t know her that well, but as they say, actions speak louder than words and if the last twenty-four hours are anything to go by, high maintenance and licking her wounds does not describe her. Not even a little bit. Which makes what I just said enormous bullshit but that’s what happens when you need to protect yourself.

He raises an eyebrow at me. “Think your truth is a little skewed, brother.”

“And you know so much after meeting her for an hour?”

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