Page 15

FOURTEEN

“So…” I asked. I shifted uncomfortably on the living room couch. Victoria rushed us inside, saying we needed to talk about something. Annoyingly vague. “Are you going to tell us what’s going on?”

Victoria glanced at her boyfriend as she snuggled next to him on the couch.

I did everything in my power not to glance over at Cam, who sat on the other side of me.

I was still trying to figure out what happened outside, how we ended up pressed against his truck, half a second away from jumping each other’s bones.

Did we suddenly slip into an alternate dimension?

One where Cam and I not only got along, but actually wanted each other?

Don’t get me wrong—I appreciated a handsome man with the best of them, but Cam had never been an option.

I’d never let my mind wander too far, knowing we’d never be more than passing acquaintances.

At least, until today.

From him helping me during my meltdown to the way he tugged on my lower lip, Cam had planted himself at the forefront of my mind, and I couldn’t pry him out of it, even when he’d lied to Victoria about me going to the game.

I understood why he didn’t tell her—it was probably the same reason I hadn’t told her when we were texting earlier. Still, it stung when he lied. He seemed embarrassed about spending time with me.

Victoria’s voice snapped me back into the present. “So I told both of you earlier that Adam got a part in this new movie.”

“Congrats again,” I said. Adam took a step away from acting a couple of years ago, after an incident with a stalker left him reeling.

It took a lot to get him to even look at a script again, much less audition for a role.

He’d finally stepped back in front of the camera last year, taking on a smaller part that required him to only be gone for a couple of weeks.

Despite being a smaller, independent film, it had done well and brought a lot of attention back on Adam.

Last we spoke, he had a ton of project offers, but nothing seemed to interest him.

I was thrilled he found something interesting.

“Thanks, Hadley.” Adam clasped her hand in his. “I’m really excited. It’s more of an action role than I originally expected, but it’s got a really strong script. There’s just one problem.”

“It’s filming in Australia,” Victoria finished for him.

If there had been a single cricket outside, you would have heard it chirping. Cam and I both stared at the couple in silence, unsure of what to even say. My silence broke first. “Australia like the continent?”

“I think it’s a country,” Cam whispered at my side.

“It’s both,” I bit back, holding my hand to quiet him. “And no one was talking to you. ”

Victoria chewed on her lower lip, glancing over at Adam. “This might not be such a great idea.”

Adam squeezed her hand. “Yes, that Australia. And normally, I would say no. I hate the idea of being away from home for that long, but I’ve always dreamed about working with this director, and the script is pretty great. I can’t pass that up.”

“No, of course not,” I said. “When do you leave?”

“Next week,” Adam answered. “I have to go to LA for a month for rehearsals and coordinating the stunts with the team, and then I’ll leave from there to head to set.”

“How long is filming?” Cam asked.

“At least six weeks.”

“Six weeks?” I gasped. I looked over at my best friend.

She was trying to hold back tears, but I saw how much she was dreading this.

While Victoria knew traveling was part of the deal when she started dating Adam, it didn’t make these long stretches any easier.

But she would never stand in the way of his dreams, supporting him every step of the way.

I moved over to her side and wrapped my arms around her shoulders. “What are you going to do, Tori?”

“I’ll be okay,” she said. “It’s not that long, and luckily, we’re going to FaceTime every day. But three months is a long time to be apart, which is why we wanted to talk to both of you.”

My spine instantly stiffened as I peeked over at Cam, who looked at Victoria with the same uneasy expression.

She inhaled slowly. “Adam asked if I’d visit him in Australia, maybe meet him in LA, and then I’d be there for the first couple weeks of filming.”

“Of course you should go!” I said as I squeezed her tightly. “You’ve always wanted to go to Australia, and you deserve a fun trip.”

But Victoria’s eyes stayed fixed on Cam. A silent conversation brewed between them, and I couldn’t help the pang of jealousy that struck my gut. I had no right to feel that way. They were each other’s first loves, and even if it hadn’t worked out, there would always be a connection between them.

Cam nodded. “I’m here for Emilia. Go, Vic. You need to go.”

“I know, but it’s in the middle of your season?—”

“I’ll figure something out.”

“I can help,” I blurted. Everyone in the room turned to face me, all with different expressions etched on their faces.

I didn’t dare glance over at Cam, instead focusing on my best friend, who gave me an appreciative smile.

“It’s not like it’s out of the way for me.

I can help Cam when he’s traveling or if he has a game. ”

“Are you sure?” Victoria asked. “I know you love Emilia, but she can be a lot, and this would put a ton on your shoulders.”

“Please.” I rolled my eyes. “First—don’t disparage the good name of my niece. She is a precious baby angel who does nothing wrong. And second—I’ve helped before. Between Cam, me, and your brother, we have plenty of people to keep her happy and safe.”

She chewed on her lower lip, looking over at Cam, then back at me. “Are you sure? Obviously, I would be more comfortable with both of you keeping an eye on her, but this is a big ask, Hadley. If you aren’t sure?—”

“It’ll be fine,” I said. “Cam and I can work together to figure out a plan. We’ll make it work.” Adam and Victoria shared a look. “Okay, I saw that. We survived each other before, and we’ll survive each other again. Right, Cam?”

I finally forced myself to glance in his direction, and I wished I hadn’t.

Cam was staring at me with the same intensity as he had outside, except this time, I couldn’t read what he was thinking.

Had I crossed some line by offering to help?

Did he not want me around? Had we flown too close to the sun, and now, he wanted to get as far away from me as possible?

While all those thoughts stung, none of it really mattered, not when Victoria needed me. We might have had a passing moment, but she was my everything. If my best friend needed me, I would step up, no questions asked. I’d handle anything for Victoria, even dealing with her annoyingly handsome ex.

“Cam?” Victoria called out. “Are you okay with Hadley helping?”

He never broke his stare, keeping his dark eyes trained on me. If I could melt into the couch, I would have. There was an intensity there, one that rivaled what I noticed on the field. It made me want to squirm, but I refused, not wanting Cam to realize he affected me.

After a long, drawn out silence, he finally nodded. “Fine. Let’s see how this goes.”