“Why are you yelling?” she yells back.
He’s ten feet away. This is kind of absurd. Even if I have to fight a smile as I watch them.
“Because you said you couldn’t hear me.”
I focus on my plate as they bicker, and when my phone buzzes, I ignore it. I’m not ready to deal with the repercussions of my most recent antics. If I don’t look, then Camden Snow hasn’t broken up with me yet.
Broken up with me. Ha. Like because I called myself his girlfriend for a few hours one night, what we’re doing suddenly qualifies as a legitimate relationship.
“Are you going to get that?” Nick asks when my phone buzzes again, his voice suddenly right behind me.
Startled, I glance over my shoulder.
He’s peering down at my phone, where it’s still vibrating on the table.
I shake my head. “No. Rosalie has a rule. No phones at the table.”
She snorts. “Like you’ve ever followed that rule. Five minutes ago you were sitting there texting.”
“Pick up the phone,” Nick hollers. “It keeps buzzing.”
“She’s right here,” Rosalie snaps. “Stop yelling at her.”
“I’m not yelling, I’m talking at a normal volume.”
He is in fact yelling, but it’s only because he can barely hear.
And now I can barely hear, so I finally snatch the device from the table. If I don’t, I worry one of them will.
“Hello?” I say, the single word coming out far too loud after the shouting match I just sat through.
“Savannah?” Camden asks from far away, like he’s pulled the phone away from his ear.
“Yeah, sorry.” I bring my voice down an octave. “What’s up?”
He clears his throat. “I—uh,” he stammers. “I got your text.”
Wincing, I brace myself for the brush-off. Dammit. I was counting on him doing it via text.
Why can’t he be like guys my age who probably wouldn’t have even replied to the text, instead choosing to cut ties by ghosting me?
Oh, because he’s a grown-ass man. That’s why.
“Yeah, um, just thought it was important information for you. Andus. And you know…because of our relationship and how invested I am in our future,” I ramble.
Fuck, I was not prepared to actually explain the message to him, let alone in front of Rosalie and Nick, who are both staring at me like I’ve just told Camden I have a venereal disease.
“Are you feeling okay?” he asks.
Finally, he’s acting the way I thought he would. He thinks I’ve lost my mind. He’s questioning my sanity.
“Yup. Feeling great,” I tell him. Might as well go all in and make him believe that I think this is rational behavior for a brand-new relationship.
Just rip the Band-Aid off, Cam. Break my heart and let’s move on. I sent you a damn ovulation calendar, for god’s sake.
He clears his throat again. “Well, obviously, we don’t have to go out tonight.”
I thought I was prepared for the rejection. I thought my mental shields had been built high enough to block the blow. But I swear those words hit me like a frying pan to the chest.
