I finished our toast by saying, “Congrats to Tiffany for getting into one of the best optometry graduate schools. I’m coming to see you when I need glasses.” I snorted. “Congrats to Julie for getting into Harvard Law School. I hope I don’t have to ask you for your services. Congrats to Vanessa on her new job as a human resources assistant. And to my bestie, my roommate, I’m so happy we’ll be continuing to live together and see where life takes us.”
Tiffany narrowed her eyes at me. “And congrats Cammy for getting into the teaching program. I don’t know why you would want to work with kids.”
We shared a good laugh and clinked our glasses. The six of us met our freshman year during orientation. Living in the same dorm had helped nurture our friendship, and we’d been best friends since then.
Julie leaned into me and spoke over the music. “Have you dumped his sorry ass yet?”
“No talking secrets. I want to hear all the gossip.” Tiffany waved a hand, her face slightly flushing from the alcohol.
After dinner, we decided to hang out at Jo Jo’s Bar and Grill across from campus. One of the bartenders had seemed to take an interest in Leah, and I believe she did him, though she wouldn’t admit it. Sometimes, he would give us a round of free drinks. But he wasn’t working today.
“I wanted to know if Cammy dumped Lucas,” Julie said.
“Dump him and get a new one that can keep his mouth to himself.” Tiffany shrugged. “You deserve someone who treats you like he can’t live without you.”
“We all do.” Valerie tapped her bottle.
My mind went silent and heartache began to build. “But how do you let go?”
Julie murmured, “You just do it. You just say goodbye and don’t look back and know that there is someone else meant for you out there waiting for you, too.” Julie had recently broken up with her boyfriend of two years. She knew my pain.
“That’s why you date around, like me.” Valerie bumped her shoulder to mine. “After the honeymoon stage is over is when you really get to know the person. Sometimes you match, and sometimes it’s time to say see ya later.”
“Do you want to see my glamour shot? I had them done a week ago.” Tiffany took out a picture of her.
I leaned closer. “You look beautiful.”
“Gorgeous.” Valerie winked. “I should do one.”
Tiffany shrugged. “You should. We all should.”
Leah lightly tapped her shoe to mine under the table and gestured to the entrance. Blood drained out of me as my friends and I observed. Lucas and his buddies strode in like they owned the place, right to a table of girls opposite our spot.
Lucas hadn’t seen me yet. We were in the corner under the dim light. I tried to hide, letting my hair cascade down my face, but I peeked through the layers.
Lucas hugged some of the girls and he sat next to a brunette. Her hand slid down his arm, and the way he ogled her told me more than words could say. They were smiling at each other as if... Oh God. I felt nauseous.
Was this the way Lucas acted when he went to his social functions without me? Did everyone see the way he was with other girls except for me? The picture seemed clear now. And after what I had seen, there was no chance in hell I would give him a second chance.
My friends whirled away from Lucas, disgust boiling in their eyes, and spun to me with sympathetic expressions.
“Let’s get out of here.” Leah raised her hand to get the waitress’s attention to get our bill.
My friends agreed. I didn’t know what to say, but I didn’t want to be in the same vicinity with—I couldn’t say his name. I gave Leah a twenty from my wallet and didn’t glance back.
If he truly was sorry and wanted us to have a second chance, he wouldn’t be friendly with any girl. Perhaps seeing me with Grayson, he thought he had no chance of getting me back. Or maybe his mask had finally been revealed after a year. It didn’t matter. After what I had just seen, I would never be able to trust him.
“We should walk around them.” Leah stood up after counting the money. “I want to see the look on Lucas’s face when he sees us.”
Tiffany stroked my arm. “Is this what you want to do, Cammy?”
All eyes flashed to me.
At first, I didn’t know. I wanted to hide when I saw him, and then I wanted to punch him a second later when he flirted with that girl. The insecure part of me wanted to run away. But a new me, one who’d had enough, one who finally opened her eyes rose out of her seat.
“I have a score to settle.” I marched to Lucas, my friends behind me.
Lucas spotted me. His eyes widened with shock. His hands lifted from the girl and he stood up, stiffening, and parted his mouth to speak.
Grabbing a full glass of water, I dumped it in his face. “We’re done. I don’t ever want to see you again.” With that, I strode out the door with my head up, never looking back.
Behind me, I could have sworn I heard snorts and curses from his friends.
Chapter Seventeen
First Kiss
Cammy
A Week Later
“No, no, no. Don’t go in there,” I murmured into the palms of my hands, almost choking on popcorn I had chewed. Thankfully, we sat in the farthest back row and only one other couple sat toward the front. The campus theater was never crowded, especially the last show and in the middle of the week.
“This is the best part. Don’t close your eyes,” Grayson whispered into my ear.
“Easy for you to say. You already know what happens.” I lightly smacked his arm, and then partially covered my eyes.
My heart thudded as the bad guy snuck behind the hero. When he spun, they exchanged gunshots. I flinched and almost screamed. Instead, I ducked toward Grayson, my forehead touching the hard curve of his biceps.
“He’s gone,” Grayson whispered. “Nothing to be afraid of.” He stroked my hair.
I felt like an idiot. I was such a scaredy cat.
When I peered up to meet his blue eyes, those eyes that sparkled with tenderness and everything that screamed what a man should be, I realized I didn’t want to lose him. He had been there for me as a friend, but most of all he waited patiently for me. To him, I was worth the wait, and that meant everything to me.
There were two kinds of men in the world, mom had told me once. There was the kind that loved women so much that his eyes wandered and the kind that would love only one woman devotedly.
I had thought Lucas was the latter, but apparently he wasn’t. And a deep part of me had known he wasn’t meant for me, but I couldn’t let him go. I was glad I did, for I realized the guy whose arms were around me, giving me comfort, was meant for me.
Grayson had been in the shadows all along, and fate had brought us together at the right time. Though my heart still ached from Lucas’s betrayal, from the loss of love and what we had shared, I was ready to move on, but slowly.
I could give Grayson a piece of my heart, small pieces of me at a time, but I couldn’t jump in and give it to him wholly. But without a doubt, whatever was happening with Grayson and me, it felt right.
“Grayson.” Saying his name seemed a bit more intimate this time.
“Yes.” He met my gaze with those bedroom, seductive eyes.