His laugh finally subsides. “About a year and a half ago.”
“Good for him. I honestly never suspected it.” All I can manage to think about is how he must be swarmed by guys who want him. Last time I saw Ethan, he had gorgeous dark brown shoulder-length hair, skin a similar tone to mine, and a six-pack.
“Neither did we,” he laughs.
“And your parents? How are they?”
Cam’s head swivels in my direction. “Good. Still together.” His voice is suddenly detached, and I’m suddenly suspicious about whether he’s telling the truth or not.
Mark and Elizabeth always seemed like the perfect couple. I saw them as made for one another. Soulmates. They were always so kind to me, inviting me over for dinner and movies almost every week. We would constantly catch them making out, which we found gross, still I would always ask myselfwill I ever find a love like that?That question still comes to mind every now and then, but why the hell am I thinking about it now in front of this guy?
“Why haven’t you ever had a boyfriend?” Cameron’s question catches me so off guard that I almost knock my drink off the counter.
After gathering myself, I sigh and pick my beer back up. “I’ve never felt the need to have one.” Partially true.
Cameron shakes his head. “What about wanting one?” I remain silent. “You’re telling me there’s never beenone personwho you’ve liked enough to date exclusively?” He gapes at me.
After contemplating, I rule to tell the truth. “The closest I ever came to liking somebody that way was Jordan. You remember him, right?”
Cameron’s expression tightens, and I’m not sure why. “Yes, I remember him.”
Thirty seconds after I down the rest of my beer, another isplaced in front of me. If we’re going down this road, alcohol is necessary. I already started and there’s no going back, despite the fact that I have no idea why I’m telling him all of this in the first place.
“As you know, he was my first, and I think we had the potential to be something more. We weren’t in love, still he was the only guy I ever thought I would’ve been capable of dating at the time. I don’t have any feelings for him, nor do I believe I ever did. Nonetheless, there was chemistry.” I take another sip of beer. “But all of the guys I’ve met at Driscoll and back in the city weren’t exactly boyfriend material. If anything, they made me almost give up on dating entirely.”
Cameron tilts his head. “So you’ve never been in love before?”
A sad smile slips as I stare at my drink. “No, and I don’t plan on it anytime soon.” I clear my throat. “Even though I’ve never been in love before, it doesn’t mean I haven’t experienced heartbreak.” My eyes meet his. “And I never want to go through that amount of pain again.”
Tension crackles in the air. Unanswered questions filter through our gaze. Neither one of us is willing to voice them. Not now, maybe not ever.
He stands awkwardly. “Uh, I’m going to use the bathroom.”
“I’ll be here.” I lift my beer in cheers and chug half of it down. A small buzz hums through me, the alcohol finally doing its job.
The bartender comes back and offers me some peanuts. I take a handful, thanking the woman who can’t be older than twenty-seven. She’s attractive, covered in tattoos, with curls framing her round face.
“You two make a hot ass couple,” she says bluntly.
I let out a nervous laugh. “Thank you, but we’re not a couple.”
She hums. “It sure doesn’t look that way to me.”
“What do you mean by that?” I ask curiously, the buzz making me a little bolder.
The woman shrugs and writes something on a napkin. “It’s nothing.” Just as I’m about to push for more information, she slides the piece of paper to me. “Call me sometime.”
My face heats as the still nameless woman winks and walks away. She must’ve noticed me checking her out. I fiddle with her number asking myself whether I should try experimenting with another woman. She’s attractive, and I am somewhat interested.
“Kami, is that you?” A familiar tall blonde man hugs me while I respond.
“Nick, what the hell are you doing here? This isn’t your scene at all.”
“Yeah, I know, but I only live a couple of blocks away, and the loaded nachos are crazy good.” He smiles brightly.
“I will definitely have to try those sometime.” I give him a polite nod. My eyes quickly roam his face. This is the person that Emma thinks I’m sleeping with, and yet I’m not attracted to him in the least. He’s not bad looking, there’s just no chemistry.
Nick takes a moment to look at me from head to toe, and his all too familiar flirtatious smile appears.
