“You know, as long as I’ve known you, you’ve been a pessimist,” Bryce said. Eric and I could have easily walked out of the room and the three of them wouldn’t have noticed. The only reason Cam’s absence would be missed was because he had cozied his way close enough to Jason that there wasn’t a sliver of space between their bodies. I envied my friend, wishing it were that easy for me to show affection for those I cared about rather than pushing them away when the emotional bullshit got to be too much. “Maybe that’s because of the circumstances, but you have to admit you were wrong about your own life being doomed to misery. I’d like to think you’re wrong about this as well. But if not, all three of us are big boys and can make that decision for ourselves.”
More headlights shone through the window. If someone didn’t defuse the situation brewing in front of me soon, whoever was here would get one hell of a show. And possibly be called in to break up a fight between Jason and Bryce. One trait the two of them shared was that they were both fiercely protective over those they cared about.
Unfortunately, they seemed to quickly be devolving into a dick measuring contest to see who knew Eric and me best. While Jason had known both of us longer, I had to admit, Bryce had an uncanny ability to read people within minutes of meeting them.
When neither Eric nor Cam showed any sign of getting involved, I stepped forward. “Guys, I’m feeling the love, really, but tonight’s not about me or Eric or Bryce. We’re supposed to be welcoming Cam home.”
“Oh, come on, you know I love good drama,” Cam teased. He finally detached himself from Jason and wrapped his arms around my neck, whispering so only I could hear. “You and Iwillbe discussing this later.”
My stomach lurched at his warning. This was exactly why I hadn’t wanted to deal with all three of us being in the same room as Cam. Not tonight. He was going to drag me down to the basement and give me the third degree, wanting every lurid detail of what I’d been up to since he was gone.
“It’s good to see you too.” I laughed and gave my friend a quick slap on the back. “Since you’re home already, I’m assuming you wound up getting cut?”
Cam had always been shit at keeping secrets. Even when the words didn’t spill past his lips, the truth was always in his eyes. And when he really wanted to say something he wasn’t supposed to, he bit down on his lips. It had to hurt to have his lips pinched so tightly between his teeth.
“Never mind, forget I asked,” I said, letting him off the hook. While I might not be the big shot who’d made it onto a reality cooking competition, I knew enough about the entertainment industry to understand they’d most certainly made him sign all sorts of non-disclosure agreements. Plus, I knew it’d kill him even more to think I didn’t care to know how he’d fared in New York.
“That’s it?” he scoffed, following me down the hall to my bedroom. I’d picked up Bryce’s duffel bag, hoping to stash it away before anyone else started asking questions. “You’re not even going to push me just a little?”
“Nah, I’ll find out when the rest of the world does,” I teased, trying my best to sound put out. “It’s okay, I get it. You’re taking all those contracts you signed seriously.”
Cam made himself at home, flopping down onto my bed. God, how many times had I wished to see him lying exactly as he was, with his long legs stretched out and his head propped up on his hand? Only, in those fantasies, he’d been wearing a lot less clothing. Now that the dynamic in our relationship had changed, it felt strange to remember that I’d ever thought of him that way.
“You know I’d tell you if I could,” Cam whined. He was so damn gullible sometimes. Hell yes I got it, but I wasn’t going to let him know that. “It’s killing me, but I can’t say anything to anyone. Not even Jason, and believe me, he’s been making some pretty harsh threats, trying to get me to talk.”
“So tell him,” I urged, knowing if he told Jason, he’d feel guilty enough that he’d have to tell me. “It’s not like he’s going to spread it around or sell spoilers to anyone.”
Cam grabbed my pillow and hugged it tightly to his chest. “Damn, I forgot how evil you can be,” he complained. “You know they made me sign a shitload of paperwork and I’ll walk away with nothing if they find out I’ve been talking to anyone.”
Whether he realized it or not, he’d just given me a hint as to how far he’d made it, and that was really fucking far. That confused me since the episodes were always spread out over months, but I guessed it made sense that they wouldn’t drag out filming as long.
“Not cool,” Cam warned me as he threw the pillow at my head. “You totally just fucking tricked me!”
“Did not,” I protested, throwing the pillow back at him. Unlike Cam, I knew how to throw and I hit my mark. “You just suck at secrets.”
Having Cam back in town felt like a weight had been lifted off my chest. No, he wasn’t what I used to dream he’d become, but in a strange way I felt as if we were closer than we’d ever been. Probably because there were no secrets between us, thanks to his shitty punctuality tonight.
Cam scooted up to the head of the bed and propped a pillow behind his back so the rough timbers of the headboard didn’t dig into his back. While it went well with the atmosphere of Eric’s luxury log home, it sucked when you wanted to sit up in bed. His face took on a serious expression I wasn’t sure I’d seen from him before. “So, you need to start talking and do it fast. What in the hell happened while I was gone?”
“Oh, you know… beating in an alley, Bryce is in town indefinitely for work, Eric had to do everything but wipe my ass for the first few days,” I began as if none of this was out of the ordinary. “Then, I turned into a total prick like I always do when I’m aggravated, but for some fucked up reason, those two haven’t given up on me yet.”
“Is it serious?” Cam asked with a hopeful look on his face.
I shrugged, still trying to decide if I saw the same possibilities Bryce had laid out before we were interrupted. I’d love to think it’d be possible for the three of us to figure out a way to work the logistics, not only in bed, but even more when the baseball season started. But that was a fool’s dream.
“Oh, my God,” Cam practically squealed. I dug my finger into my ear, pretending he’d damaged my ear drum. “You’re falling for one of them, aren’t you?”
“No,” I answered emphatically. At least that much was true. I wasn’t falling foroneof them, but if I let my guard down, I could easily fall in love withbothof them. And that shit didn’t happen, not to guys like me.
“Shut up! You so are!” I wondered if they could hear Cam’s every word out in the living area.
“No, I’m really not,” I insisted, my face impassive even though my heart raced uncontrollably. “Look, things between us are still new. If you’d asked me before you left if I’d ever in a million years even think about being with two guys, I’d have asked if you were high. You know that’s not my style.”
“But they made you change your mind?” Cam asked, pretty much finishing what I’d been about to say. I sat down on the bed next to him. Only briefly did I think about the last time we’d had a chance to sit down and talk like this. Not before he left for New York, but back when we were still in high school. Before shit got complicated. It was good to finally feel as though I truly had my friend back.
“They did,” I responded. Knowing that Cam didn’t seem to think it was fucked up did a lot to ease my nerves. I wasn’t foolish enough to assume everyone would react so well.
“Will you throw something at me if I ask why?” he asked.
