Page 63 of Sophia & Cameron

The man before him snorted, then choked on the coffee he’d been drinking. He pounded his chest and shook his head. “If you truly believe that, you’re an idiot. She practically gave you step-by-step instructions.”

“What? That therapy suggestion?” Cameron snapped.

“It wasn’t a suggestion,” Roman said. “It was a good idea. You need it.”

Cameron didn’t bother responding to that statement. He wasn’t a psychopath. Did he get jealous? Yeah. Had he overreacted with his brother? Perhaps. But he’d gone over that day in his head, and for the most part he felt he was in the right. His brother had all but stolen the affection of his first girlfriend. And he’d been at it again. It wasn’t unheard of for Cameron to do something to protect what belonged to him.

“Stop that,” Roman grumbled.

“Stop what?” Cameron hissed. His eyes bore into Roman’s with a challenge.

“Stop making excuses for yourself. I can tell that’s what you’re doing, and no matter how you try to spin it, you’re wrong. Sophia deserves better.”

Cameron shot to his feet, his palms rattling the table as he leaned over and glowered at Roman. “Don’t you think I know that? She deserves the best. And me? I don’t even begin to get close to it. I was lucky she gave me a chance at all.” He was breathing heavily, and several people in the coffee shop werelooking at them now. His eyes darted around the room before he slowly lowered himself back into his seat. Then he leaned forward. “And if you think therapy will change that,you’rethe idiot, not me.”

Roman didn’t seem fazed in the slightest. “Why are you so scared about talking to someone?”

Cameron settled back in his seat. He wanted to say he wasn’t, that being scared of a therapist was absurd. But that wouldn’t be true.

He was scared to open himself up to something like that, only because he didn’t think it would do any good and he’d end up discovering that he was broken beyond repair. He shifted his focus to the coffee cup and turned it in his fingertips. “Did Sophia tell you about how we met?”

If Roman seemed surprised over the change in topic, he didn’t show it. “Something about a convention a couple years ago.”

Cameron nodded. “I knew from the moment I saw her that she was special. I knew I wanted to sweep her off her feet and live happily ever after with her.” He could feel the warmth crawling up the back of his neck at such a confession. “I was ready to follow her to the ends of the earth if it meant she would be mine.” He leveled a firm stare at Roman. “Less than a week, Roman. That was all it took for her to steal my heart. And then she was gone.”

Roman frowned. “Sorry, man.”

Shrugging, Cameron shifted his thoughts back to Roman’s original question. “It hurt, but it had been irrational to have such feelings anyway. That’s what I told myself. Then I found her again, and I had been living in fear that I’d lose her again. It was like I had been barely breathing during those five years while I looked for her. Then when I saw her at your place, oxygen was breathed into my lungs and my chest didn’t hurt anymore.”He clutched at his chest with a fist, his eyes closing with the ache that rested beneath the surface. “My heart has been yanked around from the moment I met her. It’s not her fault. And I know I have my own issues. But…”

Roman remained quiet throughout the story. He didn’t push even as the silence between them stretched.

“But what if I do what she says and it’s still not enough?” His voice cracked. “What if I do everything she wants and she still can’t love me.”

“That won’t happen,” Roman said, drawing Cameron’s focus. “Because she’sstillin love with you.”

Cameron shook his head in clear argument. He didn’t have to tell Roman that Sophia had reverted to her old ways. She’d started going out again, flirting and dancing with any man who gave her attention. It made Cameron sick to his stomach. He couldn’t handle the attention of other women. So he hadn’t gone back to the country club even though he knew that was where Sophia would be throughout the week.

“Yes, she is. She’s trying to cope. She’s trying to give you space. But…” Roman sighed. “I shouldn’t be telling you this.”

Cameron waited, holding his breath as if the next thing Roman would say would be enough to stop the world from spinning.

“I’ve heard her crying. A few times.” Roman flushed and stared over to the door as it opened, and a pretty blonde entered.

Crying? That didn’t mean she was crying over him.

“I’ve never seen her this torn up over a guy. Not even Brent.”

Cameron bristled. He hated that name more than he hated his brother for what he’d done to him.

“All I’m saying is that you need to reconsider this whole therapy thing.”

Grimacing, Cameron halfway snatched his coffee from the table and took a drink.

“Okay, let me ask you this. If seeing a therapist meant winning Sophia back would be a sure thing, would you do it?”

“Of course,” Cameron snapped. “But that’s just it. There are no guarantees.”

“You’re right. There aren’t any guarantees. But there is the chance that she’ll take you back.” Roman gave him a pointed look. “Cameron, that isn’t the reason you should go.”

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