Kam
THE RELENTLESS BUZZINGwakes me up.
“Shut it off,” Laney mumbles sleepily, swiping at my face.
“It’s across the room.” I snuggle up next to her in an attempt to go back to sleep. I’m too comfortable to move. The buzzing eventually stops, and I drift back to sleep.
It then starts again. Shit.
“Kam,” Laney whines, and I finally give in. It’s annoying the crap out of me, too.
“Fuck, okay.” I clumsily uncurl myself from her body. It’s not exactly easy to maneuver in just a towel, but I eventually make my way off the couch without flashing her and swipe my phone from the top of the washing machine. I groan. Fifty missed calls and umpteen text messages. A majority of them from Sam, some from my parents, and a few from my coach. As I hold the phone, it rings again. ‘SAM THE MAGIC MAN’ flashes across the screen. I growl, aggravated. I just don’t want to deal.
“Sam?” Laney asks sprawled out on the couch. I have to take a few deep breaths. She looks beyond edible wearing only my practice jersey. I can’t believe after all this time she still has it, let alone wears it. It was a pleasant surprise when she opened the door last night. I honestly didn’t know where else to go, and I knew Laney would be the one person who wouldn’t hound me. She’d make me feel like a normal person. She always has. She never was caught up in the celebrity, or the status, or the juggernaut that is ‘Kamdyn Ellis.’ She’s always just seen me.
“The one and only.” I make my way back to her.
“What are you going to do?” She pulls her legs up so I can sit, and I catch a peek of her skimpy boy shorts when she shifts. What I wouldn’t give to just lose myself in her body for a few hours. The way I used to.
“Kam?” She pulls me from my daydream.
“Goingto do?” I answer distracted. “I have no idea. I know what I wouldliketo do.”
“And what’s that?” Laney sits up straight. Her long, dark hair is messy and tangled; it looks like we spent the night doing more than just sleeping.I wish.
“Disappear.”
“So, why don’t you? Maybe some time to yourself will be good for you.”
“I don’t want to be alone,” I say unwaveringly.
She stares at me as if she knows exactly what I’m getting at. Her big, blue eyes twinkling. I want to disappear—with her.
“We could go to your father’s cabin by the lake. It’s remote,” she suggests without skipping a beat.
“We could do that.” The use of the wordwemakes me feel lightheaded. Laney and I spent a bunch of weekends up there the summer we were together. Both with andwithoutmy father. “You’re okay with getting out of here?” I want to make sure this is what she wants and it’s not just some pity party for me.
“I’m good.” She grins. “I could use a change of scenery.”
“What aboutSteve?”I ask.
“I don’t think Steven will care. He broke up with me last night.”
“Sorry.” I tell her.Not really.Really, I’m fucking elated she got rid of that Yankee idiot.
“Don’t be.” She sighs. “I didn’t see a future with him anyway.”
I shoot her a shit-eating grin.
“Don’t even go there.”
I can’t help it. “Told you so.”
“Put a sock in it, All-Star,” she says sourly. “If we’re going, let’s go.”
“Decision made.” I try to sound upbeat, but worry, doubt, and fear are slowly oozing through the cracks of my resolve. I don’t want to lose my entire career—everything I worked for, my lifelong dream—because of some stupid bullshit that never even happened. I rein in my anger and focus on Laney’s face. If anyone can ground me, it’s her.
“Let’s get dressed.” She nudges me with her foot, then stands. I just follow her with my eyes. Does she know how grateful I am? Do I even have the courage to tell her?
