Page 70 of You Found Me in the Dark
“Cameron Rowan Callahan.” I cut him off, grabbing his shoulder. “We’re not playing games. I love her. I’m not messing around. I didn’t come here for sex. I came here for her. She is twenty-six years old. She’s not the helpless kid you saved from your dad all those years ago. Let her grow up, man.”
He stared at me, breathing hard, fists clenched like he was fighting every instinct to swing. The tension stretched tight between us—years of friendship versus one irreversible truth.
“She’s not a one-night thing,” I said, quieter now. “She’s it for me.”
Cam closed his eyes like he was praying for patience, or strength, or maybe both. Then he opened them again and rubbed his eye with the heel of his palm.
“Fuck,” he said finally. “I just need to wrap my head around this. If she’s happy, that’s all that matters. This isn’t easy for me, Reed.”
I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat.
He turned and walked back down the hallway, stopping justonce to say over his shoulder, “Take a shower and put your damn pants on.”
And then he was gone.
I exhaled slowly, leaned my head against the wall, and whispered, “Fuck.”
43
WREN
Iwoke up slowly, still tangled in the warmth of sleep and the lingering scent of Reed on my sheets. The room was dim, the light from the hallway barely creeping past the crack in the door. My body ached in that delicious, used way—tender and satisfied.
I reached over to grab my phone on the nightstand. I had only slept for a couple of hours, but it was already a little past eight o’clock at night.
I opened my text messaging app and sent a message to my cousin.
Me
Little Lena Ivy!! Are we still on tomorrow? I know you’re busy with your last few weeks of school, but I miss you!
I can’t even remember the backstory behind her nickname anymore. I had been calling her that since elementary school, eventhough we were only a year apart. I was shocked at how quickly she replied.
Lena Ivy
Wrennie baby! I’ll be there. Did you see the group chat? Harper wants to hang out too. I miss you guys so much. School fucking sucks.
I opened our group chat thread, ‘Threesome’.
Harps
ok bitches can we PLEASE get together tomorrow? last time i saw you guys together was after that stupid ass party. lena and i literally live together and barely see each other
Lena Ivy
UM FUCK YES? Breakfast at Wren & Cams
Me
I miss you guys so much!! Someone bring muffins, pleassseeeeee!!
Lena Ivy
Harpsichord, she said bring muffins
Harps
anything for my future sister
