Cam surprises me by picking me up in a tight hug. “It’s been years, hasn’t it?” he says.
“It has.” I marvel at how grown up Cam is. His dark hair and eyes, plus that mouth that constantly looks like it’s trying not to laugh, make a lethal combination. “I think the last time I saw you, you were fourteen or fifteen and already in a serious relationship.”
Cam chuckles and waves a hand in the air. “Done. All done.”
“Really?”
“High school love. Didn’t last.” He grabs a chip out of the bowl by the grill and pops it into his mouth.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” His eyes flash with mischief. “I’m done with anything serious. For a long, long time. Trust me.”
The guys all want a tour of Jenson’s house, and Kyle and Connor insist they do too. Cam lifts Kyle onto his shoulders, Brayden does the same with Connor, and all six men disappear into the house.
I don’t know what to do with myself once they’re gone. I busy myself at the grill, which I told Jenson I’d keep an eye on until he returned.
When I look up from the steaks, Bella, Jasalie, and Sky are all watching me from the opposite side of the grill.
“Um, hi,” I say awkwardly. I gesture to the bowl of chips. “Please help yourselves. There’s salsa and cheese over there.”
“Yum.” Sky grabs a chip as she says casually, “We didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable, Olivia.”
“Oh, you didn’t,” I lie.
Three beautiful, curious faces stare back at me.
“So.” Jasalie speaks first. “You and Jenson.”
My mouth drops open at her bluntness.
Sky breaks into a fit of giggles, and she gives Jasalie a little shove. “You’re making her blush!”
Jasalie’s expression softens. “I’m so sorry,” she says to me. “I didn’t mean to pry.”
“I just haven’t heard of Jenson dating anyone serious since his divorce,” Bella explains.
I nod, not knowing what to say to that.
“Are you and Jenson…” Bella pauses, her voice hitching as she hesitates. “Together?”
I let out a deep breath. “You all seem really nice,” I say. “So I don’t mean to be evasive. But things are more complicated than just giving you a simple answer to that question.”
Sky’s eyes widen. “Holy crap. We’re making you really uncomfortable with all these questions, aren’t we?”
I crack a smile. “You could say that.”
“My boyfriend and I just moved across the country, and we’ve only been dating for a few weeks,” Bella offers up. “Can’t get much more ‘surprise!’ than that.”
“How do you like L.A. so far?” I ask her, loving her for changing the topic away from me.
“I love it in its own quirky, unique way. I lived there once before, but for Ayden, this is all brand-new. He’s still adjusting.”
“So you all live in L.A.”
All three women smile and nod.
“It’s awesome having girlfriends around,” Sky says. “You should definitely come out and visit us sometime, Olivia. I’m from Connecticut, and the west coast is a breath of fresh air from the long, cold winters of the northeast.”
