His eyes landed on the series of photos on his mantle showing him and Shay throughout their childhood and early adulthood. Shay was his best friend in the world, and he wasn’t ashamed to admit that. As far as he was concerned, being best friends with his sister was cool.
“You literally call me every day.”
“You’re so far away! If you would just move here, I could see you once or twice a week, and I wouldn’t have to resort to such drastic measures.”
His inner omega squirmed uncomfortably. He missed Shay just as much as Cameron did.
After college, Cameron had moved to New Orleans to be closer to Shay for a few years. Ultimately, he’d ended up following his career to the East Coast, but Shay loved the city and was clearly happier there. Cameron had grudgingly accepted that they would probably never live in the same city again. He’d come to appreciate the hustle and bustle of his own city…even if Shay would probably say that he didn’t leave his house anywhere near often enough to fully appreciate it.
“I know, Camy. I’m just kidding,” Shay said, her voice doing that older sibling thing where it went all low and concerned, making Cameron feel simultaneously warm and loved, but also a bit itchy. He squirmed around, the urge to shift overtaking him as it often did in moments of discomfort.
“Camy?” Shay’s voice was even more concerned now.
“Yeah?” Cameron asked, turning around so he could press his forehead into the back of the couch. He already knew whatwas coming because they had this conversation every time Shay went back on the dating apps.
“I know you’re not really looking for a mate right now, but it couldn’t hurt to get out there and meet some new folks. Maybe they turn out great, and you get a partner out of it, or maybe they become a good friend. Either way, you’re not going to find anyone if you spend all your time working or in alleys?—”
“I do not spend time in alleys!”
“In alleys, behind a bar where you refused to socialize with anyone but me for over five hours, and then when I started flirting with the guy who was trying to flirt withyou, you tried to go to the bathroom but instead ended up in an alley, where you were once again hit on, and even though healsocould have been a potential date or new friend, he wasn’t, so you should keep looking, but not in back alleys—in dating apps.”
“Did you take a single breath in that sentence?” Cameron asked, rather impressed.
“Cameron Klein.”
Cameron groaned. “Please do not second-name me.”
“Cameron Augustus Klein,” Shay said, humor returning to her voice just enough to remove the sting.
“Shay, you know how much I hate dating apps. You know how much I hate dating in general. After Thomas?—”
“Who was a dick,” Shay interrupted yet again.
Cameron took in a slow breath through his nose. “Yes, who was a massive, festering dick. He also made me not want to date anymore in general, but definitely not on dating apps, where I will undoubtedly meet someone who, once they get to know me and learn one too many things about me and my past, will decide I’m not worth their time. Or I am…but only as their omega, and they’ll want to keep me in an aquarium.”
Okay, so maybe he shouldn’t have watched that late-night special about a serial killer who targeted aquatic shifters ondating apps so he could keep them in aquariums. His octopus was rather small and would be easy bait for such a predator, so the idea had gotten lodged in his head. The man had been caught and prosecuted over a decade ago, but still. It seemed more likely than a date actually going well for him, given everything a potential partner would have to put up with in Cameron.
Shay sighed loudly. “I believe in your ability to extricate yourself from a bad date. Especially one that might result in you being put in a tank.”
Cameron didn’t miss the fact that Shay ignored his other concern. Hisrealconcern.
He traced a run in the fabric of his couch, starting up by the headrest and curving diagonally down across the cushion. He added it to his never-ending to-do list. See? He was too busy to be dating anyway.
“And no, you’re not too busy to be dating. I know those long hours you pull aren’t mandatory. You forget I’m friends with your boss’ boss.”
Gods dammit, why did his sister know him so well?
“How dare Catherine out me like that!” Cameron said.
“She didn’t have to. We get happy hour drinks all the time; meanwhile, you call me at 8pm on a Thursday, and you’re still working. One of these things is not like the other.”
Catherine was the VP of the nonprofit Cameron worked for, and she lived in New Orleans, a few blocks away from Shay. They had all gone out to dinner one night, and after his third random anecdote about global warming, she’d offered him a job as the manager of a tiny environmental project they were working on. Over the past four years, Cameron had nurtured the project into a full-fledged program with its own budget, marketing materials, and page on the website. That had eventually prompted his move here, where he now ran the program, working long hoursto avoid how empty his life was. A fact that his boss, his boss’ boss, and apparently his sister were all well aware of.
“I just want to get through the holidays. Once this giving season is over, I can put my focus on other things,” he lied.
Giving season was every season as far as he was concerned, but the next two months really were busy with the Fall Harvest Festival in November and the Winter Solstice and New Year's in December.
“I can’t wait to see you next week,” Shay said, changing the subject to something Cameron wouldmuchrather discuss.
