Bang (Blast Brothers #2) - Sabrina Stark Page 0,78
felt like a dick for not offering to help, at least with loading the suitcases. But that was something a boyfriend – or hell, even a friend – would do. And, as we'd already established, that wasn't me.
Cami was leaving tomorrow afternoon and wouldn’t be home until after the new year.
Home. At the thought of it, I frowned at my desk. This wasn't Cami's home. It was my home and Willow's.
But somewhere along the way, I'd come to think of it as Cami's home, too. This wasn't the case. Her home was nearly three hours away, with a family she'd known all her life.
Eventually she'd find a teaching job and move out on her own, but one thing was fairly obvious. She'd be leaving this home at the end of her term.
That was months away, so I tried not to dwell on it, just like I tried not to dwell on what might've been, if only I were capable of giving her the one thing I couldn't.
Love.
She deserved it.
And maybe I did, too. But I wasn't willing to take more than I could give, and I knew she'd only end up hating me if I tried to fake it.
Hell, she hated me now, and I hadn't done half the damage I was capable of.
When eleven o'clock came and went, and Cami still hadn't showed, I left my home office in search of her.
I found her upstairs in her bedroom, rummaging in her closet. I stopped just outside her bedroom's doorway and said, "Did you get my text?"
She was standing on her tiptoes, trying to reach a box on the upper shelf. Without looking in my direction, she said, "Yeah, I got it."
From the open doorway, I asked, "So why didn't you show?"
"Because it was ridiculous."
I felt my eyebrows furrow. "What, the text?"
"No. The summons."
"It wasn't a summons," I said. "It was a request."
"Whatever it was, it was silly." She stopped and gave me a no-nonsense look. "If you want to talk, come out of your office once in a while. Willow might like that, you know."
I gave her a hard look. "Yeah? And how about you?"
"What do you mean?"
"Would you like it?"
"Not particularly."
"Good. Then consider it a favor."
She was glaring now. "So, let me get this straight. You're blaming me for the fact you've been avoiding your sister?"
"There's no blame," I said. "I've been busy."
"You've always been busy," she said. "But you've never been distant. And just in case it's not clear, I meant from Willow, not from me."
She was wearing dark jeans and a black turtleneck sweater. Her hair was loose and her eyes were flashing with anger. She looked so sexy, I wanted to leave the doorway, yank her into my arms, and kiss her like I had in the pantry.
Shit. What was it with me and closets lately?
But I knew what it was, and it had nothing to do with the location. It had to do with the girl in the closet.
Cami.
She was the sweetest thing I'd ever known, even now, bristling with hatred.
When I said nothing in reply, she said, "And remember, I'm leaving tomorrow for a whole week."
"Nine days," I corrected.
"Fine. A week and two days then. The point remains. I hope you're not planning to hole up in your office the whole time."
"I'm not."
"Good. Because starting tomorrow, she's off school."
"Yeah, so?"
"So I hope you're planning to spend some time with her."
I felt my jaw clench. "You think I won't?"
"I don't know what to think. Do you realize, you haven't had dinner with her in like two whole weeks?"
I said it again. "Yeah, so?"
"So, what are you gonna do when I’m gone? Make her eat alone?"
No. I wasn't. And the truth was, I'd been keeping to myself for Cami's sake. As far as Willow, I'd been planning to make it up to her over the Christmas break, when it would be just the two of us – along with some part-time help from the housekeeper and Arden, who'd made noises about having Willow over to bake Christmas cookies.
I told Cami, "Don't worry. It's handled."
"Good." And with that, she returned her attention to the box. She stood on her tiptoes and reached up to grip the bottom.
"Hang on," I said. "I'll get it."
"I'm fine," she said.
"Yeah, until the box hits you in the head."
She stopped and gave me a look. "Would you care?"
"Hell yeah, I'd care. What? You think I wouldn’t?"
"I have no idea," she said. "You're the most confusing person I've ever known."