Page 60 of Married As Puck
“See you on the ice,” Jack says, tapping my shoulder as he walks past.
23
Mondays always arrive too fast. It seems like the weekend is just an illusion of rest, because I definitely did not get any rest the past weekend. I blush at the memory of what we did yesterday, and the day before and give my cheeks a squeeze to prevent myself from smiling. At this point, I don’t think he’s ever moving out, and I am to blame because I haven’t even called the landlord to correct our roommate problem. Whenever I want to bring it up to Cameron, I quiet that part of myself because secretly I’m enjoying this arrangement. But the more I think about it, the more I realize that Cameron was never going to move in seven days. That was bull crap.
My stomach growls and I groan in exasperation. I wasn’t able to make anything tangible to eat this morning, save for the sandwich Cameron had hurriedly made for me before leaving for practice.
Ugh. Why can’t today be a holiday or something?
It doesn’t matter how much I try to savor the weekend, how much I convince myself I’ll actually rest or reset—by the time Sunday night slips into Monday morning, I’m staring down another week like a runner waiting for the gunshot at the starting line. My alarm blares, my inbox overflows, and suddenly I’m back to juggling client expectations, vendor delays, and the politics of my office.
Except now, there’s something else gnawing at me. Something—or rather, someone—I can’t shove to the background no matter how hard I try.
Cameron.
His name alone is enough to pull heat to my cheeks. The past week with him has been… amazing, slightly messy, confusing intoxicating and basically a roller coaster of emotions I cannot name. I replay moments against my will: the way his eyes darken when he’s frustrated, the feel of his mouth on mine when he finally lets his guard down, the strange mix of comfort and danger that clings to him like a shadow. I used to think my life was complicated before he came storming in, but now? Now it feels like I’m living on the edge of something big and unstoppable.
And it terrifies me how much I don’t hate it, in fact, I look forward to spending more hours with him. It’s so bad that I literally think about him every waking moment. Everything he does to me, for me and with me.
I drop into my chair, the weight of it all pressing on me. My little sanctuary is organized chaos with vision boards on the wall and color palettes scattered across the desk. It should calm me, but instead, my mind keeps drifting. Every time I try to sketch out seating arrangements or run through event logistics, I picture Cameron instead—brooding, smoking too much, pacing like aman with a storm inside him. I feel like I’m watching someone fight a battle I can’t see.
My phone buzzes, snapping me out of it. Julia’s name lights up the screen, and I don’t even hesitate.
“Don’t tell me you’re already buried under emails,” she teases the second I pick up.
“I wish it were just emails,” I sigh, leaning back in my chair.
“It’s Monday, girl. But uh oh. That tone. Spill. And don’t you dare say it isn’t about him.”
I groan. “Julia—”
“Don’t ‘Julia’ me. You’ve been quieter than usual. And when you’re quiet, it’s either because you’ve murdered that annoying Miranda in your head or because you’re falling for someone you don’t want to admit you’re falling for. And I don’t think you could answer your phone from jail, so…”
Despite myself, I laugh. “You’re funny.”
“And you’re avoiding the question.”
I rub at my temple, staring at the peonies on my desk. “It’s Cameron. It’s always Cameron. He’s… he’s complicated, Julia. One second he’s vulnerable, the next he’s a fortress. I don’t know if he’s letting me in or if I’m just… convenient. Yesterday, we went out together and had a very passionate night together and he was just…different. It felt like there was a switch in his head that got flicked and I just loved it.”And him too…I think to myself but don’t say out loud.
The line goes quiet for a moment, then Julia’s voice softens. “Do you like him?”
The answer bursts out before I can swallow it. “Yes, oh my God, yes. How can I not like him? Have you seen him?” I groan.
“Well, now we know why you’re scared.”
I chew on my lip. “He feels like… fire. Warm and dangerous all at once. And I don’t know if I’ll come out of this burned.”
Julia sighs. “Brie. Protect your heart, okay? Don’t give him everything unless he’s proving he’ll give it back. You’ve worked too hard—don’t let this man become the thing that breaks you.”
“I know,” I whisper. “I promise I’ll be careful.”
After a beat of silence, I clear my throat. “Enough about me and Cameron,” I say, trying to shift the weight off my chest. “What about you? How was your last date?”
Julia groans so loudly I nearly drop the phone. “Oh God, don’t remind me. The man showed up in a neon green suit. Said it was his ‘signature color.’”
I choke on a laugh. “Neon green? Like a traffic cone?”
“Worse. Like a highlighter had children with a disco ball,” she mutters. “And the entire dinner, he lectured me about how the future of love is in the metaverse. Can you imagine? A hologram boyfriend.”
