promise it will be fun.”
“I like fun.”
“And I like you, Cammie Healy. I like you a lot.”
She snickered, took my hand and led me into the bathroom. When she turned her arms wrapped around my neck. Her lips were warm and welcoming.
I’d made her cry and it was still bothering me. Cammie needed more convincing to stay in North Carolina, but I didn’t want to be the guy to make her choose me or her career. I knew it wasn’t fair, and I probably wouldn’t be the one she picked anyway.
I had to be patient and careful. I also had to protect my heart, because Cammie couldn’t just break it, she had the potential of shattering it so bad no one would ever be able to repair it.
Chapter 28
I hadn’t seen my parents in almost twenty-four hours and I didn’t miss them yet, not after how things went down.
Wes had saved me, and now I’d gone and let him into my heart. Faster than I could drive across country, I was developing feelings for the boy I’d known practically my whole life.
Is that why it seemed so easy? Did I let him in because I knew I could trust him? Did I do it because I was desperate to be saved?
I had to know for sure before I took things further. The man cared about me more than I deserved. I didn’t want to hurt him. I didn’t want to involve him in all my problems.
Unlike the one before it, we showered quickly. Wes washed my hair before getting out to dress. I took my time shaving my legs and rinsing off the sticky remnants of our sexcapade from earlier.
By the time I got out he was dressed. I made my way into the bedroom to find him walking out. “I’m going to make some calls. Whenever you’re done we’ll head out. No rush.”
“Hairdryer?” I asked.
“It’s under the sink. My mom left it the last time she visited, in case you were going to ask. I didn’t buy it for a girlfriend.”
“I’m not that jealous,” I noted.
“There’s also some hairspray in the medicine cabinet.”
“Great. I won’t be long. I’m not high maintenance.”
“You don’t have to be,” he said with a wink. “You’re already perfect.”
Feeling high on life, I began dressing and getting myself ready for the surprise dinner. I didn’t have dress clothes, but he’d told me I wouldn’t need them. I couldn’t imagine where we were going, or why it seemed to be so important to him.
After drying my hair and pulling half of it up, I headed into the living room to let him know I was ready.
I could hear him talking in the kitchen. Before I stepped inside he said my name to whoever he was talking to.
“I lied because she asked me to. She doesn’t want to talk to your parents. No. It’s not cool. No. You can’t tell them. She’s fine. I’ve been with her all day. Yes, I’ll tell her. Okay. Bye.”
I marched in the room with my arms folded across my chest. “Was that Josh?”
“Yeah. Apparently he’s been trying to reach me all day. I had my phone on vibrate from earlier. Your parents are freaking out. They’re threatening to contact the police to file a missing person’s report. He wants you to call home to tell them you’re fine. They’re afraid you’ve gone somewhere to hurt yourself because of your situation.”
“They’re just fishing for answers. They must think Josh knows where I am. You shouldn’t have told him.”
“Cam, he won’t tell. He knows you’re safe.”
“Let’s just go to dinner. I’m not ready to call home, and I certainly don’t want them to know I’m with you.”
“Why?”
“Because, you don’t need to be involved. I don’t want them hating you. They already have issues with me.”
I stood there for a second waiting for him to respond. He took a deep breath and tucked his phone back in his pocket. “You ready to go?”
“You still want to be around me?”
“Nothing could change that.”
I reached my hand out and took his, letting him lead us out of the home.
During the beginning of the ride we discussed school, friends and our past. When we started to drive in the direction of my town I worried he was taking me home. “What are you doing, Wes?”
“I’m taking you to dinner, why?”
“No you’re not. You’re taking me home aren’t you?”
He chuckled. “You would think that wouldn’t you? I’m not taking you to the ranch. There’s someone I want you