Page 20 of Single Glance

Victoria rolled her eyes as she stepped back into her closet, throwing out some more clothes I dutifully folded. “No luck on the dating apps?” she called out, her voice a little muffled.

“Nope,” I said, letting the “p” sound pop. Not that I’d even opened them. I was still trying to forget about that moment with Cam, when he pressed me up against his truck and ran his thumb over my lip. It was a sign of how pathetic my love life had become lately. We hadn’t even kissed, and yet, he was all I could think about. How his eyes darkened when he leaned into me, the fresh, subtle scent that clung to his clothes after his shower. The callouses that lined his thumb, making my insides clench.

However, there was a freeze between us now, worse than it had ever been. At least, in the past, Cam and I would verbally spar, neither of us willing to back down to the other. Now, it was complete radio silence. He was busy with the team, but that was only a part of the equation. He was avoiding me. Literally. If I walked into a room, he’d find an excuse to leave it. Beyond a mumbled hello, he hadn’t said a word to me since Victoria and Adam interrupted our moment.

It bothered me, and Ihatedthat it bothered me. A month ago, I would have been delighted if Cam avoided me. Now, it left a pit in my stomach, one I couldn’t soothe, no matter how much I tried.

I missed our arguments, missed that teasing glint in his eyes, missed the friendship that had been developing between us. It was worse than before, when I thought Cam hated me. At least then, I knew where we stood, and I was good with our mutual loathing.

But after seeing the other side of him—the onethat was warm, funny, and attractive—it would never be enough for me. It was like flying too close to the sun. There was a risk you’d get burned, but you were willing to take it for a few moments in its warm embrace.

Victoria slammed her suitcase closed with a loud thud, breaking me out of my head. She sighed as she looked around the room. “I think that’s it.” Her wide eyes met mine. “It’s really happening. I’m leaving.”

I stood, wrapping my arms around her in a tight hug. “Yup. And you are going to have the best time ever.”

“Thanks, Hads,” Victoria said as she dropped her head to my shoulder. “How am I ever going to repay you for this?”

“You don’t have to,” I said as I leaned back. “It’s what we do for each other. I have your back, Tori. But…” I smirked at her. “If you stumble across any of Adam’s co-stars in spandex, I wouldn’t be opposed to a photo or two.”

“Hadley Rose!”

“What?” I said in mock innocence. “Nothing indecent, just enough to get my imagination running.”

Victoria grabbed her suitcase, muttering under her breath as she walked out of her bedroom. “You’re going to get me kicked out of Australia.”

SIXTEEN

Only twenty minutes after Victoria left for the airport, my apprehension had grown into an immovable knot in my stomach. And the biggest reason was sitting right across from me, looking like he’d rather get an enema than sit at the same table as me.

I should have taken the win. At least Cam was actually staying in the room with me—though he was on the complete opposite side of the dining room table, a large calendar between us. He’d barely said anything, just mumbling under his breath every time I suggested a plan for the next three weeks.

“This is ridiculous,” I said. “How are we supposed to get through this if you won’t even talk to me?”

“We’re not,” Cam bit out. “You can go, Hadley. I’ve got this handled.”

“Oh, really?” I leaned forward in my chair. “Because you’re going to take Emilia to school, make sure her lunches are packed,andgo to all your away games?” I smirked as his face fell. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

“I don’t need some goddamn babysitter.”

“Then it’s a good thing I’m not here for you,” I bit back. I sighed, running my hand over my face. This was not working. Cam and I had proven in the past that we could go back and forth for hours, neither of us willing to concede, but that wouldn’t help us now. Emilia wouldn’t suffer because we refused to communicate. Not to mention, Tori said the tension between us was taxing on her. For my best friend’s sake, I’d suck it up and play nice with her baby daddy, even if he was behaving like an unbearable ass.

“Then why are we having this conversation?”

Sorry, Tori. Can’t say I didn’t try.

I pressed my palms into the table, standing up to glare in his direction. “You know, you really had me fooled there for a moment. I thought maybe you weren’t a cocky dick with a permanent stick lodged up your ass. Thank you for reminding me who you really are.”

I turned, ready to stomp away to my carriage house, when something stopped me. Cam had his hand on my arm, turning me so I was facing his direction. The bitter sting of tears hit the corners of my eyes, but I refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing me upset.

“You’re right,” Cam sighed. I waited for him to let go of my arm, to keep up this distance he’d placed between us. Instead, his hand lowered until he reached my hand, and he wrapped his fingers around mine. “I’m sorry. Joining the Hawks has put a fucking ton of pressure on my back, and I’m still learning how to navigate it.”

“I thought you wanted to play in the majors.”

Cam shook his head. “It’s been my dream for most of my life, but now that I’m finally here, it feels like one mistake, and it all could be ripped away from me. I need to be at the top of my game, but I also need to be there for Emilia. If it’s a choice, she always comes first, but if I lost this chance, I’d regret it for the rest of my life.” He sighed, his thumb stroking my bare skin. “It doesn’t help that Victoria thinks I can’t handle my daughter alone.”

“What are you talking about?” I asked, shifting to face him fully.

He gave me a dry smile. “C’mon, Hadley. You think I haven’t noticed? Every time Victoria leaves me alone with Emilia for a couple of days, she calls in reinforcements. Like I can’t take care of Emilia. But that little girl is my world.”

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