Page 30 of Under My Skin

“See you then. Oh, and make sure you have a good plan because it sounds like you’re gonna need one.”

With that parting advice, he hangs up, and I turn around and head back to my truck. Before getting in, I take one more look inside Lizzie’s studio to see if she’s still talking to Brian. He’s gone, but she’s still standing there, gaze down as she sweeps the floor, probably to get everything ready for her next lesson. She looks lost in thought, and I would love to get in there and tell her what a jackass I’ve been and beg her not to go on that date.

But I really have no right to do that. I have, however, the right to make it hard for Brian. And I plan on doing just that.

I climb into my truck and make sure Addy and Mackenzie are buckled in before driving off. I spend the drive home listening to the girls rant and rave about how great Lizzie is and how much fun they had making clay teddy bears. I get lost in their ramblings, and before we know it, I’m pulling up next to the house.

As I go through the motions of making dinner, helping them shower, and reading stories, I think about what a gigantic dickhead I am and what Lizzie is probably thinking of me. We’ve clearly gotten close over our nightly talks, and it’s obvious we’re into each other. After the shit I just pulled, though, I’m not so sure anymore.

I spend a really long time looking outside, trying to see if she comes out tonight so I can meet her under our tree. But she never does.

Tomorrow night better work, or I’m going to have to figure out another way to fix my mistake.

I had a revelation tonight.

I’m not stepping down when it comes to Lizzie Montgomery. I can’t.

I’ll need to make it clear that I can’t do long-term or offer her anything serious, but if she wants me and is willing to accept those terms, she’s going to be mine.

14

LIZZIE

Big brother.

Is he serious?

After that night in his kitchen and all the looks at dinner with my family, plus these last few nights we’ve spent talking for hours in the dark? All for him to just refer to himself as a big brother trying to protect me from Brian’s advances?

I thought I made it super clear to Cameron that I was interested in his advances when I confessed to not being uncomfortable in his kitchen that night of Rangers. I honestly thought we had gotten pretty close after that.

It’s all falling into place now in my head, though.

He hasn’t made one single move since then or even a comment that could be considered flirtatious. I thought that him calling me pretty before the class started was him flirting, but I realize now that it was just him being nice.

I’ve obviously been friend-zoned. I’m just someone he likes to talk to. Like free therapy or something.

I’m mad but more embarrassed at this point, if I’m being honest. Lia is right. I need to move on from my crush once and for all. Enough is enough.

I guess it’s a good thing I finally agreed to go out with Brian, which I’m totally dreading anyway. He is good-looking, I’ll give him that, but then he opens his mouth and it’s just whining and woe is me. Like Iowehim a date or something.

I don’t even know why he kept asking. Sometimes I feel like it’s an ego thing, like he can’t bear to be turned down. I don’t feel like we have anything in common or that he has any real interest in me as a person.

What’s done is done, though. Maybe I need to text Lia. I’m sure she’d be proud of me for finally putting myself out there.

When Brian leaves, I look out, and Cameron is still there. He’s on his phone, but I can’t just stay here watching him. So I busy myself with cleaning and getting all the chairs in place at the back of the studio. When I come back out a few minutes later, his car is gone. Thank God.

I quickly finish what I have to do, lock up the place, and get in my Jeep. On the drive home, I think about how I’m going to deal with tomorrow’s date with Brian. I really should have told him I’d drive myself and we could meet there, but he insisted that it wouldn’t be a real date if he didn’t pick me up, so I finally gave in.

When I come home. Cameron’s car is in his driveway, and I come to two separate conclusions.

One, I need to go on this date, and Brian will finally realize we’re really not meant to be.

And two, I can’t meet Cameron under our tree tonight.

I’m not sure I ever should again.

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