Page 67 of Building Romance
I roll over and stare at a sleeping Fletcher. A weekend turned into two weeks. Drew has asked me repeatedly when I plan on coming home or if we’re heading out to Las Vegas to get married at a chapel with a singing Elvis impersonator.
I get up and grab my phone. Heading to Fletcher’s kitchen to make coffee in his professional-grade machine. I can’t believe he has the same one I have at the café in his freaking kitchen.
It’s three forty-five in the morning. I set my alarm extra early so I can text Max back. I set my phone on the island while I wait for the coffee machine to do its thing.
I look down and see my apartment group chat has been busy since I last checked.
Hutch: I had Kasen double-check the video I got. It might be a person, but it also might be a deer ass. I can’t tell. Kasen’s sending it out to some friends to see if they can make it less grainy.
Bray: For the love of all things, can you just let it go?
Hutch: NEVER!
Carly: Mr. Wilkins down at one-oh-one, says he heard that someone saw Mr. Kennison out by the bench before sunrise.
Roxy: Well, I heard from Mrs. Gansely that Mrs. Hubbins saw Mr. Totley walking by there with Mrs. Garrison. But that was like at ten something yesterday morning.
Gray: I’m on Team For the Love of All Things. Seriously, why do we care?
Hutch: Because we need answers.
Gray: (eye-rolling emoji)
Bray: (forehead-slapping emoji)
Drew: The real question is why none of Hutch’s motion-sensor cameras are working properly. Like, dude, seriously, send that shit back.
Al: You kids crack me up.
Margie: They really do. It’s so sweet. But I also really want to know.
Cornelia: Have we ever considered the person doesn’t live around here?
Hutch: Yep. That’s theory number twelve.
Jessa: We have a theory numbered list?
Troy: Jess – did you miss that happy hour?
Jessa: I guess so.
I giggle and then slap a hand over my mouth, trying to be quiet.
I hear the coffee machine start and I get out milk to froth. I glance down and see a missed text from Kasen. I frown. Kasen doesn’t text that often. I click on it and go through some encryption app and read.
Kasen: My friend Jack came through. I’m sending you an encrypted text chain between the McDowell brothers now. I will say the text chain discussions about you end abruptly a few days ago. They were looking for ways to get information from you and close the café. That was part of why Fletcher was at the competition. Tread carefully, Cam.
What?
I click on a link from Kasen and go through another encryption app and then finally see a string of text messages. I read and read, and I feel myself growing angrier by the minute. What the fuck?
He’s correct. All discussions about me stop right after the competition ended. Does that mean he got what he needed? Is he leading me on? What the hell?
Memories of all the sweet things he’s done for me over the past two weeks flood my mind like a tsunami. Was any of this real?
I see one last missed message. Max. We’ve been texting off and on over the past two weeks. He keeps telling me that Fletcher sounds like the one. Usually Max is right.
Max: I’m serious, E. I know you two had a rocky start, but give him a chance. It sounds like he’s trying to figure out a way you both can succeed in your businesses and stay together. That’s not an easy feat. I still think you should give him a chance. People change, E.
