Hadley groaned.
“One of them is even calling you a gold digger—‘From Cooper to Cam’ I believe is what they said. I might have that one on my phone—”
Hadley held out a hand. “No thanks. I can’t bear to look.” Kit shoved her phone in front of her. On it was a photo of her and Cam at the festival. She was gesturing passionately and he was standing there looking very angry and…looming over her. Not in an intimidating way…in a Sandra-Bullock-with-Ryan-Reynolds kind of way.
“This is actually sort of cute,” Kit said, “in an enemies-to-lovers sort of way.”
“I’m not looking,” Hadley said, pushing Kit’s arm aside and blinking to erase the image from her retinas.
Cam’s fault. The root of all evil thoughts and acts. At least she kept telling herself that to prevent herself from thinking about the incredible sacrifice he’d made for her by taking the press heat. And to keep herself from thinking that he’d also friend-zoned her.
“I’m no psychologist, but this photo is…interesting,” Kit said, dropping her phone into her purse, which was next to her work bag, which was next to her knitting satchel, which had a bright orange ball of yarn sticking out.
“You bring your knitting to work?”
She shrugged. “You know I stress-knit. I’m part of the Scarves for Santa project. We knit all year long.” Kit turned. “Don’t change the subject. That photo is interesting because it looks like the movie poster for a rom-com.”
“Kit, what are you talking about?” Her friend was reading too much into a few pictures.
“Stop and take another look,” she insisted.
“Kit, I’m trying to survive here until the end of summer. Cam is in my grill and it’s impossible for me to think objectively about him, but I’m trying, okay? I’m really trying.”
“There’s nothing objective about this shot. Sorry, Hadley.”
Kit was determined to force the photo in her face, so she stopped and looked again.
“Here’s another one. Look at the body language,” Kit said.
Two people at odds with each other. Her hands balled into fists. Cam frowning, his muscular arms crossed against his broad chest.
Kit used two fingers to blow the photo up. “You’re in each other’s faces. Close together. Your gazes are literally locked on each other. And you both look more amused than angry. There’s a psychological term for this…repressed sexual tension.”
Hadley batted the phone away and kept walking.
“All I’m saying, babe, is you’re going to have to face your feelings, one way or another. Because they’re there.”
“He’s not interested.”
Kit stopped walking and put a hand on Hadley’s arm to stop her. “Did you ask him?”
“I did, actually. He said he cared for me and hated to see me hurt and I sort of said, as friends?”
Kit halted on the sidewalk. “And then what happened?”
“He said he’d always be my friend.”
Kit sighed, the kind she gave Ollie when she was struggling with her patience. “Do you really believe that?”
“I don’t know. But, Kit, he…he did something amazing for me. He agreed to an interview to get the press away from me. And I think I get why he hasn’t done an interview.”
“Why is that?” Kit asked, steering her off the sidewalk and onto the green in front of the courthouse.
“I think you and Darla were right about Cam. He hasn’t wanted to talk to the press because he can’t stand to admit he doesn’t have a solid life plan. I think…I think it’s a real struggle for him. How he sees himself without football.”
“Maybe he’s right about not being in the right headspace for a relationship. He left you once before because of his own insecurities.”
“I know! But he’s not the power-hungry success machine I thought he was. But if I soften toward him…I just don’t know what I’ll do.”
Kit, sensing that Hadley was getting emotional, laid a hand on her arm. “You still have feelings for him. And so there’s only one thing to do.” In response to Hadley’s confused look, she tapped the ring on Hadley’s finger. “Be bold like Darla’s great-grandma. Do something. Get things off your chest.”
“I guess I’m…afraid. What if Cam is just like Cooper?” Another in-the-spotlight, charismatic man who could break her heart—again.
“Oh, Hadley,” Kit said. “What if he’s not?”
Kit’s words struck home.
“You were so happy once with him,” she continued. “Maybe you should let yourself try again. I mean, while you’re working together on the benefit. It might be a chance you’ll never have again.”
Hadley took a deep breath, a hand to her chest, where she felt a sudden pain. One last chance, dangling right in front of her, if only she’d be courageous enough to take it. “You’re making me emotional.” Hadley swiped at her eyes. “I love you for knowing me so well. Thanks for…”
“Being your friend? You’re welcome.” Kit rummaged through her knitting bag, bright skeins of yarn threatening to tumble onto the sidewalk. “What’s your favorite color?”
“I don’t need a scarf!” she called as she turned to walk up the big concrete staircase under the town hall bell tower.
She pushed open the heavy wood door and entered the dim interior, her footsteps echoing on the smooth white marble flooring as her eyes adjusted to the light.
She found Cam standing in front of the ancient elevator, leaning against the wall as he glanced at his phone, looking delicious.
Delicious? How was she going to work with him when she couldn’t even control her thoughts?
“Hi,” he said, looking her over with that hungry-alligator look again. Maybe Kit was right. Maybe he wasn’t as neutral toward her as he pretended to be.
Or maybe she was just seeing what she wanted.
If that was what she wanted.
“Hi,” she said, managing to push the voices from her head. “That elevator is over a hundred years old. Maybe we should take the stairs?”
“I’d like to but my doc said no more than two flights at a time. But you can take them if you’re nervous.” He flashed a wide smile as the elevator shuddered open and they got in. “That way when I don’t show, you can send the fire department for me.”
“Remember when we got stuck in an elevator at Macy’s in Trenton?” The words spilled out before Hadley could censor herself. What was it about being with him that took away her filter?
Cam gave a little cough. “I…ah…I was the one who stopped it, remember?”
Hadley felt a flush start at her neck and work its way north. “Oh! I forgot.” She tried to sound neutral and businesslike, like she was in a business meeting, but the truth was, she would never forget. As the elevator squeaked and creaked its way up to the fourth floor, she tried not to suppress the visions of that other elevator ride. His body pressed up against hers, her back against the wall, his lips devouring hers, his hands…
“Whew! It’s hot in here,” she said, flapping the collar of her blouse. His eyes dropped to her chest, where her hand clutched her shirt. Which was also awkward.