I reach for Cami’s hands. They’re so soft and warm compared to mine. “I couldn’t be here, and I needed to be sure you were safe. I have to go, but if you’re not too mad at me, maybe we can have dinner together tomorrow night?”
It takes a minute, but eventually, she nods. Filled with relief, I pull her into my arms and hold her tight. I might only have a few weeks left to be with her, but I plan to spend every minute that I can holding her close. My lips meet Cami’s for a long, desperate kiss before I pull myself away and walk out the door.
Chapter 26
Camilla
Something is wrong with Stone. He’s been cold and distant since the moment he told me he wanted to spend forever with me, and I gave a snarky answer. Yeah, I hesitated. I needed a minute. I never planned on forever with anyone. That doesn’t mean I wanted to end things.
I’m overreacting. I have to be. Stone wouldn’t have sent his boss to board up the window and half the town to stand guard over me if he were angry and didn’t care about me anymore. Still, he’s definitely avoiding me. Maybe Raven knows what’s going on.
The closer I get to The Mummy’s Tomb Cafe, the more I want to cry. I don’t understand why I’m so emotional. I don’t feel like I have an ominous pit in my stomach; I feel like I have a giant black hole there, eating away at me. This is the same kind of feeling that weighed on me when I decided to check Miguel’s phone, only to find he’d been stexting with multiple women.
“Stone isn’t Miguel. He’s not going to hurt me like that.” I repeat over and over again like an incantation, trying to convince myself that this time, it’s different.
I carry a red velvet cake as an excuse to go to the café, as if I can’t go just because I want to. Stone must not expect me to leave my apartment. I think he’d have left me a chaperone if he did.
The bell above the door sounds, announcing me as I enter. I head straight to the counter with blinders on. I know the crowd thins out at this time of night.
“Hey, Cayden, is Raven here?”
He looks surprised to see me. Probably worried Stone is going to give him a hard time because I chose to come here alone, without any notice. “I brought red velvet cake. She mentioned the other night that it’s her favorite.”
“Um,” his face drops, and he covers his mouth with his hand for a moment, “is she expecting you?”
“No,” I smile, pretending his behavior isn’t freaking me out. “I wanted to surprise her.”
“Um, she’s having dinner with he mother tonight, but I’ll tell her you stopped by.”
“Oh,” I sigh, disappointed. Maybe that’s what the strange feeling I have is about. “If you don’t mind, tell her this is a gift from me for being a good friend the other night.”
“Cami, you don’t need to give us anything. We were happy to help.”
“I wanted to. Baking is my love language.”
“Thank you. I’ll give it to her as soon as she gets back.”
“Thanks.” With a smile, I turn to leave and head toward the door.
I take two steps before I’m stopped in my tracks and my world comes crumbling down. Stone sits at a table having dinner with a petite blonde. He’s so lost in conversation with her, so wrapped up in staring at her, that he doesn’t even notice me.
I turn and look back at Cayden. He looks on with a guilty expression. I give a disapproving shake of my head to make sure he knows I saw it. Saw them. I know the truth now. Cayden’s not my friend. He never was.
I walk back to my apartment at double speed, willing myself not to cry. I half expect Stone to chase after me. He doesn’t, andthat hurts almost as much as seeing him with another woman. A beautiful, petite woman.
