Page 19 of Single Glance

She inhaled slowly. “Adam asked if I’d visit him in Australia, maybe meet him in LA, and then I’d be there for the first couple weeks of filming.”

“Of course you should go!” I said as I squeezedher tightly. “You’ve always wanted to go to Australia, and you deserve a fun trip.”

But Victoria’s eyes stayed fixed on Cam. A silent conversation brewed between them, and I couldn’t help the pang of jealousy that struck my gut. I had no right to feel that way. They were each other’s first loves, and even if it hadn’t worked out, there would always be a connection between them.

Cam nodded. “I’m here for Emilia. Go, Vic. You need to go.”

“I know, but it’s in the middle of your season?—”

“I’ll figure something out.”

“I can help,” I blurted. Everyone in the room turned to face me, all with different expressions etched on their faces. I didn’t dare glance over at Cam, instead focusing on my best friend, who gave me an appreciative smile. “It’s not like it’s out of the way for me. I can help Cam when he’s traveling or if he has a game.”

“Are you sure?” Victoria asked. “I know you love Emilia, but she can be a lot, and this would put a ton on your shoulders.”

“Please.” I rolled my eyes. “First—don’t disparage the good name of my niece. She is a precious baby angel who does nothing wrong. And second—I’ve helped before. Between Cam, me, and your brother, we have plenty of people to keep her happy and safe.”

She chewed on her lower lip, looking over at Cam, then back at me. “Are you sure? Obviously, I would be more comfortable with both of you keeping an eye on her, but this is a big ask, Hadley. If you aren’t sure?—”

“It’ll be fine,” I said. “Cam and I can work together to figure out a plan. We’ll make it work.” Adam and Victoria shared a look. “Okay, I saw that.We survived each other before, and we’ll survive each other again. Right, Cam?”

I finally forced myself to glance in his direction, and I wished I hadn’t. Cam was staring at me with the same intensity as he had outside, except this time, I couldn’t read what he was thinking. Had I crossed some line by offering to help? Did he not want me around? Had we flown too close to the sun, and now, he wanted to get as far away from me as possible?

While all those thoughts stung, none of it really mattered, not when Victoria needed me. We might have had a passing moment, but she was my everything. If my best friend needed me, I would step up, no questions asked. I’d handle anything for Victoria, even dealing with her annoyingly handsome ex.

“Cam?” Victoria called out. “Are you okay with Hadley helping?”

He never broke his stare, keeping his dark eyes trained on me. If I could melt into the couch, I would have. There was an intensity there, one that rivaled what I noticed on the field. It made me want to squirm, but I refused, not wanting Cam to realize he affected me.

After a long, drawn out silence, he finally nodded. “Fine. Let’s see how this goes.”

FIFTEEN

I’d always been impulsive as a child. Need someone to dive into the lake? I was your girl. Want to try out a new hair color? Sure, I’ll be your test subject. Maybe it was luck, but I’d been fortunate enough to not get hurt by any of my reckless choices. I’d skated by on luck and adrenaline, making me never bother to doubt my choices. After all, what did I really have to lose?

I’d tried to tame that side as I grew up, but it never quite died. My gut never seemed to falter, and I leaned on it to lead me down the right path.

At least, until today.

I sat on Victoria’s bed as she packed her stuff for her three-week trip to visit Adam. While I watched her pull out her suitcases, a knot formed in my stomach. When she first talked about going, it was a simple choice. I’d do anything for my best friend, and Lord knows she needed to see her man. Adam had already been in LA for almost four weeks, and even though she tried to be strong for Emilia, his absence weighed on her. She’d even resorted to sleeping in his shirts, needing to feel a little closer to him.

“You’re sure that you’re okay with doing this?” Victoria asked as she loaded the folded clothes into her bag.

I leaned down, reaching into her basket of shoes and holding up two pairs of sandals for her to pick from. As she pointed to the pair in my left hand, I answered, “Of course I’m okay with this, Tori. I’m excited to get to spend some time with Emilia. We’ll be fine—great, even. You have nothing to worry about.”

Okay, that was an overstatement. But even though I had doubts about this whole situation, I wasn’t about to tell her, not while she was already struggling with her choice to leave her daughter.

“I know,” Victoria sighed, holding her hand to her stomach. “I just hate leaving Emilia. It’s that double-edged sword—I’m excited about going, but I hate leaving her behind. What kind of mother leaves her daughter because she wants to spend more time with her boyfriend?”

“One with healthy boundaries, who is setting a good example for her kid,” I said. “Seriously, Tori. Emilia needs to see that her life doesn’t end the moment she becomes a mother. You’re incredible with her, and everyone can see your world revolves around her. You don’t have to feel guilty for wanting a little time for you and Adam.”

She chuckled, brushing tears away from her lash line. “When did you become the voice of reason?”

“I’ve always been the wise one.” I smirked. “Now, are we packing lingerie, or is Adam more of an au natural kinda guy?”

“Hadley Rose!”

“What?” I gave her my most innocent smile. “Just trying to help my bestie. I need to live alittle vicariously through you.”

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