Page 55 of What He Doesn't Know

“I remember.”

Reese’s eyes found mine, and I let him hold my gaze a moment before I took another drink.

“Congratulations on your new gig, by the way,” I said. “I’m excited to come see you play.”

“Thank you.” Reese smiled, but it was weak. “I love teaching, don’t get me wrong, but I miss playing for me. I’m hoping this will get me back to that.”

He opened his mouth to say something more, but Cameron and Dad joined us in the kitchen before he could.

“I think I’d like to go home, if it’s okay with you,” Cameron said softly, and I could tell by the heaviness in his eyes that my dad had forced him to talk. Cameron hated to talk, and my heart ached for him, my hand reaching out for his.

“Of course. I’ll grab our coats.”

He leaned into me, wrapping me in a hug before he let me go, and I slipped into the foyer. Mom was coming down the stairs after taking a phone call, and I let her know we were leaving just as everyone else joined us from the kitchen.

We all hugged goodbye, Dad and Reese lightening the mood with jokes as we did. Cameron was quiet, but he did shake Reese’s hand with a spoken apology before we left.

“It’s all good, man. Rematch sometime.” Reese smiled, shaking Cameron’s hand firmly with a wink. “This time, you can be banker.”

Cameron forced a smile, but I knew he was tired and desperate to get out of there. I promised Mom we’d set a date for dinner soon, and with that, Cameron and I were out the door and on the road home.

The first few miles were silent, but once we were on the highway, I reached over and squeezed Cameron’s knee.

“You okay over there?”

“I’m fine.”

I nodded, knowing he wouldn’t want to talk more than what he’d already had to do with Dad. So instead, I slid my hand up the inside of his thigh, slowly trailing my fingers up until they brushed over the zipper of his jeans.

He inhaled a stiff breath, his eyes flashing to mine before they were on the road again.

I rubbed the bulge there, and Cameron groaned, squirming under my hand. I wanted him to take me again, the way he had the night after happy hour. It’d been weeks, and I knew that release would help alleviate the pressure he felt from the night.

So, when we finally made it home, I crawled on top of Cameron in the driver seat. I kissed him hard, letting him know I was there, that I wanted to take whatever it was he needed to give. He worked me to a release with his fingers under my dress, but when I was done, he wouldn’t let me do the same for him.

“I just want to go to sleep,” he said softly, kissing my lips with a gentle need. I grinded my hips, rolling against him, but his hands gripped me a little tighter. “Please.”

After a quick shower, we both laid down in bed, and Cameron finally seemed to be feeling a little better. His fingers drew circles on my shoulder and mine skated lightly over his bare chest.

“I love you,” I whispered after a moment.

He sighed, kissing my hair, and with a gentle squeeze of where he held my shoulder, he said, “I love you, too.”

He was right there, my husband, and yet he was nowhere near me at all.

I wondered if we’d ever really be in the same room ever again.

Reese

That night when I’d made it home, I propped myself up by the sliding glass door and lit a cigarette, my mind on Charlie.

It was my first real interaction with Cameron, and I’d studied him the way I used to study music as a kid. I wanted to know what made him tick, what made him falter — and both answers seemed to lie within Charlie.

He was so tuned into her, into her every move and word, but in a way that made me think he was unsure how he felt about her anymore. I couldn’t quite figure him out, but one thing was sure — I’d gotten under his skin.

Charlie couldn’t see it yet, but I already knew her feelings for Cameron were muddled. She loved him, that was a fact, but he didn’t love her the same way he used to. It bothered her. She was trying to reach him, but it was like being on the inside of a black mirror. She could see him, but he couldn’t see her — couldn’thearher as she tried to break through to him.

Neither one of them was happy, least of all Charlie, but it wasn’t my place to show her that.