Page 73 of Under My Skin

I smile to myself and try to think of something smart to say. Something to disprove what she’s spewing. Cameron couldn’t possibly have gotten back with her, especially not in one night. Especially with the messages he sent me. He only ever says bad things about his ex, so why would he get back together with her after everything she did to him and the girls?

He might have endured being with her for Addy and Mackenzie, but I know she wasn’t very present when she and Cameron were married. And all I’ve seen is joy and happiness in Addy and Mackenzie in these past couple of months. They never bring her up anymore outside of their weekly calls.

None of this makes sense, and I’m ready to barge in and find Cameron to start demanding answers. “Excuse me,” I say as I try to move past her, but I don’t get anywhere because she sticks her hand out to block my way in.

“Listen, you seem nice enough, Lizzie, and I appreciate that you’ve been here to entertain my daughters this summer. And Cam.” She giggles. “But he and I are trying to work things out. It’s what’s best for the girls, and I really don’t want to fuck them up by not being here, you know? They need their mom and dad. Plus, he would have lost interest in you sooner rather than later. It’s best that whatever this is ends before you fall for him,” she adds snarkily.

I must not be able to keep the thoughts and emotions from my face because her smile gets even bigger.

“Oh, sweetheart. You went and fell in love with him, didn’t you?” She reaches out as if to pat me on the shoulder, but I move away from her touch. “Don’t feel stupid. It’s easy to lose yourself in him. He’s just so hot and the sex is so good. You wouldn’t be the first young, dumb girl to think she had a chance with Cameron Dylan.”

I finally feel like the shock of everything is clearing enough to stand up for myself. “I don’t believe you. You have a history of lying, so I’d definitely be young and dumb to believe the words coming out of your mouth.”

“Well, you should. Last night, after Cam and Ireconnected, he told me all about the sad, pathetic crush you’ve always had on him. He even told me about how you got ditched by your date and how he had to rescue you like the pathetic little girl you are.”

That shuts me up. How would she know any of this unless Cameron told her? And why would he tell her that unless…

I feel sick and dumb and embarrassed.

I’m such an idiot.

And I’m still just standing here while Renee looks at me with pity. I glance over her shoulder and see Cameron coming toward the front door, a look of confusion on his face as he sees me talking to his ex.

I need to go.

I need to get away from him and her as fast as I can. I turn to leave, but I miss the first step leading down from the porch and go sliding down the remaining three steps on my ass.

I land with a hard thump on the ground and wish that I could just disappear. Unfortunately, I’m not that lucky, and I hear Cameron’s steps barreling through the front door while Renee snickers under her breath. I try to jump up as fast as I can in an attempt to make the quickest exit possible but fail miserably.

“Lizzie! Fuck, are you okay?” Cameron yells.

“Nope. Nope. Don’t touch me. I’m good,” I snap.

He completely ignores everything I say and reaches out to help me. I quickly push him away and scramble up, trying not to wince. “I said don’t touch me. Get the fuck away from me, Cam. I have nothing to say to you.”

“What the fuck is going on, Lizzie? I know this may look bad, but whatever you think is happening, I promise you that isn’t it.”

I turn around and check that the girls aren’t at the door watching any of this before I start to speak. Turning back to him, I take a deep breath and try to sound as calm as I can. He doesn’t get to know how hurt I am.

“Your ex-wife answered the door in nothing but your T-shirt and said that you weren’t available because the two of you had alate night. Wink, wink. She followed it up with a few mean things and some shit about you guys working it out. Up to that point, I was still giving you the benefit of the doubt. Until she mentioned some things she couldn’t have known unless you told her.”

“What are you talking about, baby?” he says calmly when I’m anything but.

“Don’t call me baby. I’m not your baby. Not anymore. Probably never was, if we’re being honest.” I turn around and begin my pitiful exit home.

“Lizzie, wait,” he shouts, running after me.

I turn around abruptly, suddenly needing some answers from him. “What was all this to you?” I gesture between us. “You acted like we were something with your gung-ho attitude and compliments and possessiveness, but what was it actually?”

Cameron’s silent for a beat, and it’s enough of an opening for me to go on.

“Was I a convenience? A distraction from all the other things going on in your life? Some kinky fantasy about fucking the babysitter or something to check off your bucket list? Huh? What was I?” My voice isn’t loud, but it might as well be with the intensity and anger I’m no longer suppressing.

“Are you serious, Lizzie? You really don’t know what you are to me? You think I would get back with my ex-wife when I have you?” His voice is calm and quiet, and even though I’m angry, I can sense the hurt that laces every word he says.

It almost makes me doubt everything, except for the stuff regarding my crush and botched date night. She has no ties to Brantley Falls. It could have only come from him.

And it wouldn’t have come up unless he was indeed proving he wasn’t interested in me or getting a good laugh at my expense.

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