I jump when he says, “So, what’s the story between you and Bentley?”
“There’s not much of a story, really. We’re just getting to know each other. He’s a nice guy. We’ve become friends.”
“You’re not dating?” His brows crease in the center, and his mouth parts as his eyes drop to my lips.
“Um. I think he’d like to, but I don’t know…so far, it’s more in the friend zone.”
“And that’s the way you want it?”
My eyes narrow. “Why do you ask?”
His shoulder lifts. “Just curious.”
“Did Jackson tell you to check up on me?”
He swallows hard.
“That’s what all this is, isn’t it?” Anger flares. I can’t believe he’s still playing these old games. “My love life is none of your business…orJackson’s! We’re adults, for crying out loud.”
He nods slightly. “You’re right. Just want you to be careful, that’s all.”
“Why? So you can be the only one to bully me? Is that it?”
He looks hurt, which I feel a little bad about, but not enough to take it back.
The meal really is enjoyable, and being distracted by that helps. Keeps me from wanting to cry or from popping Camden Whitman over the head, so I’m going to call that a win.
When the check comes, we argue about who’s gonna pay for it, and Camden gets his credit card to our server faster than I do, so he wins.
I excuse myself to go to the bathroom and give myself a pep talk. This has been a good day, a positive one. We didn’t kill each other. We didn’t even argue all that much.
So why do I feel dead inside?
I step into the hall and come to a stop when I see Camden straighten from the wall.
“Are we making a habit of hallway meetings?” I tilt my head when he doesn’t answer.
He moves toward me, and I freeze.
“Juju, do you ever miss the days when we were friends?” His expression is tentative and vulnerable.
I swallow hard. “Do you?”
“More than I can say. All the time, every day, every day since it happened…since we stopped being friends, I’ve never stopped missing you.”
At first I think he has to be joking to talk this way, but his eyes and voice are so intense.
I blink at him, stunned. “Then how did we get here? Why did you let it go this way?”
His face wrinkles up, and he runs his hand through his hair. “I never dreamed we’d be like this. One thing snowballed into the other. At first, I was just trying to keep my distance because everyone was saying how weird it was for me to want to be with you, when I was older. Jackson hated it. We promised not to ever date each other’s sisters, and I’ve kept my word.”
“But you stopped being myfriend. Dating had nothing to do with it, ever. We’ve never dated. Why would that even be an issue? You turned into a jerk overnight,literallyovernight.” I shake my head. “Actually, that’s not true. It was from one minute to the next.”
He scrubs his hand down his face. “I know, and I’m so, so sorry. At first, I just didn’t know what to do. I was a kid who was trying to do the right thing, and then it just all went haywire.You started reacting to me being a jerk. I started reacting toyourreacting.” He lifts his head to the ceiling and sighs. “That sounds like I’m blaming you for the way things are, and I’m not. I know that I started this.”
“Yes, you did. But I certainly haven’t done anything to make it better. I’m confused ninety-nine percent of the time we have any interaction with each other, today probably more than I’ve been in a long time, because you flipped the script on me. You’ve been an asshole for years, and now suddenly you’re being nice? Why? What gives?”
“We’ve had moments,” he starts and then pauses. “Moments when I thought you might be feeling more…like me.”
