Page 9

9

CAMERON

“Levi?” I stepped outside of my cabin that morning, finding flowers on my doorstep.

They were in a huge bouquet, but there wasn’t a letter or note with them. Confused, I brought the bouquet inside, wondering if they were maybe from Amber instead of Levi, wanting to thank me for helping her raise money last night. I set the flowers down in the living room before I flopped down on the couch.

Last night was truly awful.

Was there anything more embarrassing than literally throwing my arms around a man and assuming we felt the same about each other? I cringed away from the memory, how hopeful I had been, how badly I wanted Levi to take me back to his cabin. I saw it all as some kind of happily ever after even though I knew I was still lying to him about who I was. But if our connection was real, wasn’t that part forgivable?

He could forgive me, couldn’t he?

Bzz.

Bzz. Bzz. Bzz.

I reached for my phone, still lost in thought. “Hello?”

“You should’ve told me you were planning this!” My manager’s tone was happy and light. “This is great press for the movie and for you personally! Everyone loves a star with a heart of gold.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Oh, please. This fundraiser headline. Don’t pretend like you didn’t know!” He laughed. “I couldn’t have done a better job myself. I’m also loving the overalls look. Very chic. I feel like if we play our cards right, you could get one of those social media sponsorships for whatever brand that is in the photos?—”

“Oh, my God.” My heart sank as I looked up my name. An article popped up as the first result, with a photo from the fundraiser. I placed my manager on speaker so I could still hear him, even though he now sounded like he was a million miles away. “No, no, no. No one was supposed to—how did these pictures even get out?”

“Someone tagged you on social media. I think they meant it as a joke, like, doesn’t this guy look so much like Cameron Clarke? But then an eagle-eyed pop culture journalist realized that it wasn’t a look-a-like,” he explained. “But you don’t need me to tell you all this, Mr. Mastermind.”

“This is bad. This is very, very bad.” I was spiraling in real time. “Is there a way we can bury this?—”

“Why would we want to bury it? Everyone loves that you’re in Montana right now! And that you’re helping the local community. This is literal gold, Cameron. We’re going to be printing money over here?—”

“I have to go.”

“Wait, can we circle back about that music video real quick? That popstar is dying to work with you now and even agreed to increase the daily rate?—”

“I have to go!” I quickly hung up the phone, all the air in the room disappearing. I sank back down on the couch, my hands pressed against my knees. I had no idea what I was going to do, where I was going to go first. Was I supposed to just pack my bags and never come back? Would anyone here trust me anymore?

Would Levi trust me anymore?

Levi.

I forced myself to get up from the couch and headed for my front door. I needed to talk to Levi before he saw the article, assuming he still hadn’t seen it. It was going to be bad, but it was going to be even worse if the truth didn’t come from me. And even though I grew more anxious with every step, I eventually made it outside, my head on a swivel as I searched for any sign of Levi.

* * *

I hadn’t been able to find Levi anywhere, almost like he was hiding from me.

Is he hiding from me?

I checked various barns, Big Sky Rescue, Levi’s cabin. I was now walking up to the Stratton’s main cabin, which seemed to be reserved for family only. When I got there, I noticed Virgil sitting out on the front porch, as if he’d been waiting for something. When he spotted me, his face broke out in a wide grin. “There you are, trouble.”

“I can’t do this today, Virgil, I need?—”

“You’ve caused quite the commotion, haven’t you? I knew you would. Although, I didn’t think Levi would be so affected by you.”

“Affected… by me?”

“Yes, you’ve cast a spell.” Virgil nodded. “But are you a good witch? Or a bad witch?”

“I think, technically, I’d be a wizard…”

“Virgil, who are you talking to—Oh.” Jolene stopped herself, mid-sentence, as her eyes met mine. “Well, if it isn’t the rising superstar himself.”

“Hey, Jolene.” I waved awkwardly. “How have you been?”

“Virgil was right about you. Which pains me to say, because I hate admitting when Virgil is right about anything,” she replied. “But what’s worse is the number you’ve done on Levi.”

“I didn’t mean to?—”

“If you were studying cowboys for your movie, I think your lessons are complete. The one thing about cowboys? They’re total heartbreakers.” She shook her head. “And if you’re looking for Levi, I think it’s best if you give it some time.”

“Well, now, Jolene…”

“What, Virgil?”

“These things have to play out on their own, don’t they?” He looked over at her. “It’s not up to us to decide how it goes.”

“I don’t care. He hurt Levi!” she snapped back. “You know how protective I get.”

“He’s done with that now. No more hurting Levi,” Virgil murmured. “I’m right. Aren’t I?”

“Do you know where he is, Virgil?”

Virgil motioned with his head, pointing towards the back of the main cabin. “Been there all morning. Ever since he found out. You should say something to him.”

“Something nice. Something honest,” Jolene chimed in. “Or else.”

I cautiously walked past Jolene and Virgil as I made my way around the side of the main cabin. Within seconds I spotted Levi, working on what looked like an old car engine or something. His hands were dirty from the work, and he seemed completely focused on it, barely even noticing as I slowly approached him.

“Levi?”

“Cameron Clarke,” he replied, his tone pointed. “Is there really anything you need to say to me?”

“Levi, I’m sorry?—”

“Don’t.” He held up a hand. “You just wanted to be immersed in cowboy culture for your breakout movie role. You never planned on sticking around or ever seeing us again. Why not lie to us? Why not treat us like stage rehearsal? Even though this is our actual lives. The rest of us aren’t playing pretend.”

“That’s not fair.” I took another step closer to him. “Levi, what we have is real. The connection you feel between us. No, I’m not trying to buy a farm, but everything else about me is the same?—”

“Why me?”

“What?”

“Why’d you spend so much time with me, Cameron?”

“Because we got along so well and I?—”

“Is that all? Because we got along so well?” He pressed. “Just tell me the truth, Cameron.”

“That is the truth, Levi. I’ve enjoyed every second I’ve spent with you.” I hesitated to go on, not wanting to see his reaction to my words. “But I also… wanted to base my character in the movie off of you. The way you are. I thought you were perfect, Levi. Made for the big screen. Everything about you… the way you walk, the way you talk, the way you think. You’re perfect, Levi Stratton.”

Levi let out a pained laugh. “You don’t see how fucked up that is, Cameron? Fuck. Is that why you let me—last night when we—did you just want to know how I would kiss you? How I would touch you? For your fucked up character research?”

“You don’t get to talk about last night,” I shot back. “You’re the one who pushed me away. You’re the one who tried to turn everything between us off like a faucet?—”

“Yeah? And you put the final nail in the coffin.” Levi moved away from the engine he’d been working on. “I trusted you, Cameron. I let you in. I wanted you. I was falling?—”

He suddenly cut himself off as he shook his head. “It doesn’t matter anymore. None of it matters anymore.”

“Levi, don’t do this,” I begged. “We can fix this. Just talk to me?—”

“There’s nothing to fix, Cameron Clarke,” he replied, his tone dejected. “You and me? We never had anything between us. Because I don’t know you, Cameron Clarke. I don’t know you, at all.”

“Levi? Levi!” I shouted after him, as he turned to walk away from me. A part of me wanted to go after him, but I knew there was no use.

He wasn’t going to come back to me. No matter how much I wanted him to.

I watched Levi Stratton walk out of my life, I sank down to the grass below me, my hands catching my fall. All I could think about was the connection between us, that piece of invisible string being cut and frayed, fizzling out into nothing.

Fizzling out inside my chest.