Page 19 of Promises We Meant to Keep (Love in Massachusetts #1)

nineteen

“Greer!” Kamryn flopped onto the couch in her living room after another insanely long day. She had the phone pressed to her ear and she sighed in absolute relief when she heard Greer pick up. “I miss you.”

“I miss you, too!” Greer said on a laugh. “It’s been way too long.”

“Way too long,” Kamryn agreed. They were so used to seeing each other frequently, but with the added distance between them, it was far too difficult to meet up regularly anymore. “What’s new in your world?”

“Oh you know, same old, same old. Poopy diapers, screaming kids, lots of laughs and joy.”

That was what Kamryn had been missing from her life—Greer’s insane sunshine, bubbly joy that she never seemed to be without. Even when she was being laid off, Greer was happy about everything. Kamryn sank into that feeling, needing it more and more in her life now than before. The world of the school was bogging her down and dragging her under, and she wasn’t going to be able to survive it without Greer in her life.

“You’re my best friend, you know that?”

“Uh-oh,” Greer answered, concern edging its way in. “Why are you getting all sappy now? You never do that unless…” Greer stopped. “Did Lauren call you? Are you two—”

“God no! Why would she call me?” Kamryn frowned, her nose wrinkling. She hadn’t even thought of Lauren in the last two weeks. Since when had that happened?

Elia.

Her name swam through Kamryn’s memory, the soft touches, easy kisses—fiery kisses more like. Kamryn smiled at that. They hadn’t started off slowly, had they?

“Earth to Kamryn!”

“W-what?” Kamryn winced. “Sorry, what did you ask?”

“Lau-ren. Did she call you?” Greer sounded even more concerned now. Kamryn was going to have to rectify that. She didn’t need Greer worrying about her when she had her own problems to deal with.

“No. Was she supposed to?”

“I thought she might.”

There was definitely more in that statement than Greer was letting on. And Kamryn now wanted to know everything. She glanced at the clock on the wall. She had the time to dig for this. “Did she say she was going to?”

“She mentioned she might.”

“About the wedding?” So it was twenty questions. Got it. Kamryn could play this game and win.

“No, it wasn’t about the wedding.” Greer’s voice dropped.

She definitely was trying to not talk about this.

“Rosie? Did she break up with Rosie?”

“Uh. You know, she didn’t say.”

“Greer.” Kamryn narrowed her gaze, annoyance peeking its way into her. She had to get whatever answer she needed now. She was tiring of this game quickly. “Lauren called you?”

“Yeah? I mean, yeah, she did. We still have regular calls, and she’s trying to get me a job.”

“A job?” A deep line formed in the center of Kamryn’s forehead. “Are you that worried about work that you’re asking her for help?”

“She said she might know someone,” Greer said sheepishly. “And my layoff date is coming up faster than I expected it to.”

“What do you mean?”

Greer let out a loud sigh. “They moved it up to the middle of November.”

“Oh, Greer.” Kamryn’s heart broke. She hated this for her. It was part of the job, she understood that, but it still sucked. Greer deserved so much better than that.

“They said that the long goodbye was making it worse on the boys, and so they didn’t want to let it linger.”

“Jesus.” Kamryn ran her fingers through her hair, shaking her head. “What a douche move.”

“Yeah, it is a bit.” Greer gave a light chuckle for that one. “But that means I don’t have a lot of time to find a new family.”

“No, you don’t.” Kamryn’s heart broke a little more. “What will you do if you can’t find anyone?”

“I don’t know. I’ve always wanted to be a nanny, you know that. And if I can’t find another job, or if most families think I’m getting too old for this—I don’t know, Kam. Maybe I’ll have to go back to school for my Master’s or something.”

“In what?”

“Something so I can teach?” Greer sounded so lost. Kamryn wished she could be there with her. “But enough about me, what about you?”

“You mean what about Lauren.” Kamryn pushed. She still wanted that answer. “Why did she say she was going to call me?”

“She was… jealous. There.”

“Jealous?” Kamryn’s stomach flopped. “Of what?”

“Your new girlfriend. Have I mentioned I don’t like lying to her? Or anyone for that matter.”

“I…” Kamryn stopped. “She’s really that jealous?”

“She is. Because you’re happy, and she’s clearly not happy with Rosie despite the fact that she won’t admit it. I’m pretty sure she’s stepping out on that one, and I don’t blame her. I don’t like Rosie one bit.”

“No one does,” Kamryn said offhandedly. “And she thinks I’m happy?”

“That’s what she said. That at the bridal shower you and Elia were all lovey-dovey and holding hands, and you must really be happy. She said she couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen you so happy.”

“Huh.” Kamryn mulled that one over. She’d never felt happier—at least from what she could remember. It had been a very long time since she’d felt relaxed and content. And despite the fact that work was a bitch and she hated being stuck working there for so long, she was happy with her life right now. Satisfied, even. “I guess I am.”

“Really?” That seemed to surprise Greer, and Kamryn could imagine why. The only time they talked lately was when Kamryn needed someone to complain to and Greer was the best listening ear that she had. And she was damn good at it. And it was telling that she was the only one doing the talking because Greer hadn’t told her about the moving up of her lay-off date.

“I’ve been a shitty friend.” Guilt ate away at her stomach. “I should have done better.”

“Kam, you’ve been busy.”

“Yeah, but you needed me, and I wasn’t there, and then I used you to whine too when I should have been listening to you.”

“Kam…” Greer laughed lightly. “If I needed to complain to you, then I would have called you to complain. But I didn’t need it. I’m sad, yes, but I’m not angry or upset about it.”

“All right.” That satisfied Kamryn slightly. At least it made her feel a little better. Still, she was going to do better in the future. She had to—for their friendship. “Then to answer your question, I am happy. And to answer your non-asked question, you might not really be lying when you tell Lauren that I’m dating Elia.”

“What?!” Greer squeaked. “Are you serious?”

“I don’t know.” Kamryn grinned widely, a bubble of elation building in her chest. “But yes. We had… well, we’ve had several moments, and I don’t know, we had one really big moment.”

“You had sex.”

“…Yes…” Kamryn dropped her head into the couch cushion. “Yes, we did that, once, and it was amazing, and the next morning was even better in some ways.”

“How so?”

“Because it wasn’t just sex, and it wasn’t until the next morning that I think I really realized that. I thought... well, Elia’s not exactly the easiest person to read, and she’s very closed off and secretive about some things in her past, which is fine, she doesn’t have to spill her guts to me in one session of lovemaking—”

“Lovemaking?” Greer devolved into a fit of giggles. “You didn’t just call it that!”

“Well, fucking didn’t sound right either in my head. I don’t know what to call it. Getting sideways in the sheets? Except it didn’t start in the bed. Hmm…”

“TMI!” Greer was still laughing, her voice trilling through the phone in a wonderful chorus. Oh, how Kamryn missed that sound. She definitely needed to make more time for her life and for her friends.

“Right, so I don’t expect her to open up immediately, but the next morning, she really did do just that. Not with answers to the millions of questions that I have, but with the emotional side of things. I’m not even sure if I’m making sense right now. I feel all tangled up.”

“You’re making sense. I promise.” Greer’s tone softened. “You’re smitten.”

“Now who’s using weird-ass words.”

“I couldn’t think of another one to describe it,” Greer echoed Kamryn’s thoughts. “And that’s exactly what you sound like. Currently wrapped up in a new potential relationship and totally lost to the outside world. That’s how it’s supposed to happen, isn’t it?”

“I suppose it is…” Kamryn trailed off. She’d been that way with Lauren once, many, many years ago, when they were so very young. And it hadn’t ever come back, not even when they’d started dating again after a breakup. There was always that distance between them.

“You don’t know?” Greer laughed a little again, that sunshine personality coming through. “But you and Lauren—”

“Weren’t happy together for a very long time. I don’t know if that’s how it’s supposed to be.” Why did that hit her hard? She and Lauren had been in love, hadn’t they? They’d spent so many years trying to make their relationship work, and yet it had still failed. Had they just not put in the effort or had the love been missing all along? “I’m sorry Lauren is feeling jealous because she thinks I’m happy. Was she going to call to wish me well or try to win me back?”

Greer's silence spoke volumes.

“Right.” Kamryn nodded to no one but herself. “She wanted to try and get back in my good graces, see if maybe there was a chance now that I’m doing well.”

“Something like that,” Greer mumbled. “So I’m glad she didn’t call you.”

“Yeah. Will she be at the bachelorette party?”

“She will,” Greer responded, her voice rising and lowering in just those two words. “And Rosie will.”

“Great.” Kamryn frowned. “Andra better appreciate me spending so much time with my ex for her.”

Greer clicked her tongue. “She understands how hard this is for you.”

“Good.” Kamryn caught sight of the clock and nearly gasped. “Shit. I’ve got to get ready.”

“Ready? Ready for what? It’s like eight o’clock.”

“Yeah. I’ve got a hot date.” Kamryn stood up and rushed into her bedroom. She should have figured out what she was going to wear well before now, because now she was in an all-out panic over it. “What should I wear?”

“Where are you going?”

“No clue. Elia picked the place.” Kamryn opened her closet and stared at her options. Everything was school-centered and not date-centered. She’d left so much of her stuff packed away in boxes because she knew she wasn’t going to be here long, and now she seriously regretted that decision. She needed hot-date clothes, not prim-and-proper Head of School clothes.

“Is it a fancy place? Laid back?”

“I should have asked that, right?”

“Probably.” Greer was laughing again, definitely at Kamryn’s own expense this time. “When’s your date?”

“We’re leaving in twenty minutes.”

“Oh, big date time. Does this mean you two are officially a thing?”

“I don’t know,” Kamryn added a whine to her tone. “I was hoping to talk about that tonight. And maybe… do other things.”

“Like make love? ”

“I knew that would come back to bite me in the ass, but yes, I’d like to get laid again.” Kamryn laughed as she pulled out an outfit that she’d saved for special board meetings and interviews. This should do, shouldn’t it? It was semi-revealing but still fairly conservative. She could get away with this at a super fancy restaurant or a more laid-back one. Probably not the fast-food joint down the road, though. Then again—they never really had too much judgment, did they?

“Kam!”

“Shit, sorry. What’d I miss again?”

“Wow are you distracted lately.”

“I know. It’s bad. I’ve got it bad.”

“Yeah, you do.” Kamryn could hear the smile in Greer’s voice. “You get dressed. Call me tomorrow with all the details and tell me if I can stop lying to all our friends or not.”

“Will do. Love you!”

“Love you, too. Go get ’em, tiger!”

Kamryn laughed as she hung up, really needing to pull herself together quickly. Luckily, she was fairly low-maintenance, unlike Elia, so she was changed and out the door in fifteen minutes and walking toward Elia’s house.

Knocking on the door was so reminiscent of the other night, when she was filled with anger and frustration, when they’d definitely fucked on the kitchen counter. Kamryn’s lips curled up at that memory. She wasn’t ever going to tell anyone that. That was for her and Elia only. When Elia opened the door, Kamryn’s breath caught.

She was stunning.

Her jacket was loose around her shoulders still, not buttoned up all the way, and it revealed a beautiful red dress underneath, smooth fabric that Kamryn could definitely imagine running her fingers up and over time and time again, if just to get in one more touch.

“Come inside a second,” Elia said, her voice husky and deep.

Kamryn wasn’t even sure what controlled her, but she walked inside and shut the door behind her.

“Much better,” Elia said, grinning. “Can I?”

“Can you what?” Kamryn frowned in confusion.

“Kiss you,” Elia answered, the most beautiful smile gracing her lips. She was chock full of confidence, with an added dose of sassy. “I didn’t want to do it without asking.”

“Fuck yes.” Kamryn stepped in closer, immediately wrapping her hand around the back of Elia’s neck and pressing their mouths together. Elia melted into her. She closed her eyes, doing everything by feel, overwhelming herself with the scents and touches and warmth of the moment.

Moaning, Kamryn nipped at Elia’s lower lip before diving back in for more. All the tension from the day vanished into thin air, and she relaxed instantly in Elia’s arms. She craved this, more than she’d known. Someone who could just hold her and manage to relax her. Someone who was there when she needed her to be.

“Kam,” Elia whispered against her lips. “If we don’t leave now, we’re going to be late for our reservation.”

“All right,” Kamryn murmured back. “Just one more for the road.”