Page 79 of Under My Skin

Me: You mean everything to me and I won’t stop fighting for you. For us. When you’re ready to talk, I’ll make this right.

Time goes by without an answer, and I refrain from looking at my phone every couple of minutes. I try to distract myself as much as I can by doing chores and cooking dinner.

When the girls ask if I’m sure Lizzie isn’t coming, I reassure them everything will be alright. They seem receptive, but I’m sure Mackenzie is overthinking it. I know that because I am too.

After showers and their bedtime routine while I’m feeling like I’m on autopilot, we read a few books before Addy and Mackenzie finally crash and I can take a shower myself. Once I’m dressed, I grab my phone off my dresser.

Nothing from Lizzie. No response at all.

My heart sinks and I feel defeated. The more time passes, the harder it will be to win her back. I know it.

So, I’m going to see her. Space be damned.

I check on the girls quickly before heading over to Lizzie’s. I get to her door, and I’m about to knock when I hear Lizzie’s dad’s voice.

“She’s not home, Cam.” Eric is rocking in his chair on his porch.

“Oh,” I say. I don’t know what he knows.

“Come over here so we can talk.”

I have no idea how much he knows, but I deserve whatever he’s about to tell me. He keeps looking forward while I stand there, and the silence stretches between us. After a while, it’s too much, and before I can stop myself, I just blurt out, “I’m in love with your daughter, sir.”

“I know, son. I’ve known for a while,” he says, as casually as can be, as he rocks back and forth.

“What?”

“I see the way you look at her. It’s the same way I look at my Molly. And the same way your dad looked at your mom.”

I stare back at him. I feel different with Lizzie. I’ve known that since the first time I saw her once I was back. Maybe others can see it too—maybe it’s even obvious to them. But I still fought to accept it for what it is.

That she’s my other half and we’re meant to be together. That maybe we’ve always been destined to. Written in the stars. The same ones we lie and talk under for hours at night.

How’s she supposed to forgive me and trust me again after everything I put her through?

“I hurt her. I hurt her bad,” I confess.

“Son, we all mess up. That’s life. It happens. The only question is…what are you going to do about it?”

“I… I don’t know. She won’t talk to me. I can’t really expect her to forgive me.”

“I’m going to tell you a story, Cam, and I hope you find the answers you need from it.” Eric takes a deep breath and then leans forward in his chair and stands up, walking to the railing and balancing his weight on it. “Before I do that, though, I need you to promise me that you’ll treat her right and make her happy from this point on. My Lizzie is too good for you. She’s too good for anyone, but I know that you’re the only thing she’s ever wanted. I’ve never seen her happier than she’s been these last couple of months.”

“She’s made me happier too. Happier than I ever thought I could be,” I reveal desperately. “Especially after everything. She pushes me to follow through with what I want even though I’m so fucking scared to do it. And she’s willing to stand by my side while I…yeah, I don’t deserve her. You’re right.”

I run my hands through my hair and move to the stairs leading down from the porch and sit down, my elbows resting on my knees. The only sound is that of the crickets chirping, providing a song for my breaking heart.

Eric sits down next to me, but I keep my head in my hands, feeling too raw to look him in the eyes.

“Molly’s father wasn’t very fond of me when we started dating. He wanted more for his daughter than a farmer who was content to live a simple life. He wanted her to go off to college and get an education and maybe move to a big city. And Molly always listened to her father, even when she didn’t want those same things. So, after a few dates and me being well on my way to falling in love with her, she cut things off with nothing more than anI think we’d be better off as friends.” He pauses briefly and smiles to himself before continuing. “I was devastated and hurt, and my ego was completely deflated. It felt like my world was ending because I knew. You see, Cam, at eighteen, I had my whole life figured out. I was going to run my own corn farm, and I was going to marry Molly and have a house full of kids. That was my dream, and I was going to do anything to make it come true.” He laughs under his breath, as if thinking about his younger self is quite the joke.

“What’d you do?” I ask, finally looking up.

“I begged her for weeks to give me another chance, but she was stubborn and sticking to her guns. I finally had enough, so I figured I’d go out with one of her friends and make her jealous so she’d realize what a catch I was.”

I cringe, imagining where this story is going. I obviously know it has a happy ending, but I can’t imagine his plan was successful.

“How’d that go for you?”

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