“You tell yourself that lie every night before you go to sleep, don’t you?”
He doesn’t answer, just stares at me, shocked. I pick up my drink and finish it off before flagging down the waitress to ask for another.
“Despite what you think, Cameron, I am hurt over this, too. I know you hate me, I’m not stupid, and I don’t blame you. But the truth is—”
“Of course you are,” I say with a disbelieving chuckle. “I was the only person in your life that you could be yourself with. Youruined it. And what have you been doing in the meanwhile? Just pretending for seven straight years? It’s tiring, isn’t it?”
His brow furrows, his eyes darting all over my face.
“What the hell happened to you? Why are you so mean? You never used to be like this.”
I raise a brow. “The fact you have to ask me that is the problem here, Austen.”
The look he gives me infuriates me. He has the audacity to look confused over what I just said. Does he really not get it? Does he not understand what is happening right now?
“You know what,” I begin, grabbing my phone. “I’ll tell you what you need to hear so you can sleep better at night. I forgive you. There, does that feel better?” He doesn’t say anything, just keeps staring, so I get up. “This was a mistake,” I mutter before taking off.
“Cam, wait!” His words are loud enough that he catches the attention of a few people around who look our way. I keep going though, knowing he won’t leave without paying, which gives me a decent head start to get the hell out of here.
I start walking down the street, looking around for somewhere to stop so I can call a car. I need to get far enough away that when Austen comes running out, because I’m sure he will, he won’t find me. But I hardly get half a block before I hear quick footsteps.
“Cameron!” He’s pissed, I can hear it in his voice. Good. I’m pissed too. I don’t stop though, don’t acknowledge him, because I’m ready to throw punches and I don’t need that kind of publicity. If I have to call my agent to bail me out of jail, that’s going to be a problem.
“Cameron, stop!” he says, this time catching up and moving in front of me.
“Why won’t you just give up?” I shout, throwing my hands in the air. “I gave you what you wanted, now leave me alone. Goback to your perfect little life, with your perfect little wife, and just stop.”
“I… I can’t,” he says through panting.
I run a hand through my hair, shaking my head.
“Your problems aren’t my problems, Austen. They have nothing to do with me anymore. You made sure of that seven damn years ago.”
I shove past him and pull up the app to get a car. I stop in front of an old pharmacy that’s closed, and I breathe a sigh of relief that Austen is nowhere to be seen. Yet, there is a heavy feeling in my chest… because he is nowhere to be seen.
The rest of my night goes by in a blur. I get a ride back to my rental car, then get to the hotel. I take a hot shower and plan to sleep until it’s time to leave for the airport. I’ll be in California for a couple days before hopping on another flight to New York—home that doesn’t feel so much like home.
At this point, I’m not sure anything will ever feel like home.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Austen
I cross my arms, the cold air bitter against my cheeks as I walk back to the restaurant. Alone.
The valet gives me a raised eyebrow as he leaves his podium, no doubt judging me for my fast run out of the damn restaurant, chasing down Cam.
Thank God, I work out five days a week, otherwise I wouldn’t have caught up to him without giving myself a heart attack.
A lot of good it did,I muse as the valet pulls up with my car. I tip him, thanking him as he gives me a smile and tells me to “have a nice evening.”
Yeah, I don’t think that’s happening.
When I’m out of the lot, only then do I let out a frustrated growl, smacking the steering wheel.
“Fuck!” I yell, my voice echoing in the space, my heart still racing.
I can feel the beginnings of tears pooling in my eyes, my throat getting all tight and my jaw tensing.
