Gannon laughed, leaning forward and resting his arms on his desk. “I didn’t figure you would.”
“But it worked, didn’t it?”
“What? You sticking your nose in my business?”
Another smile, this one had her cheeks turning pink. “You would’ve done the same for me.”
Maybe. Gannon tried not to interfere in other people’s business, but he had to admit, Milly was probably the one who’d salvaged the most important relationship Gannon had ever had.
“Did he stay the weekend?” she asked, curiosity making her crystal blue eyes sparkle.
“He did.”
“You’re not gonna tell me the details, are you?” Milly’s smile turned into a frown.
“Nope.”
“At least tell me when the wedding is.”
Gannon choked and spurted, sitting up straight and trying to catch his breath. “No wedding.”
“Not yet, you mean.”
He didn’t know what he meant. At this point, he was simply content to continue moving forward with Cam. They’d been through a lot, and because Gannon would continue to travel, he knew that they had a long road ahead of them. Milly might’ve saved the day this time with her quick thinking, but she wouldn’t be able to do it going forward. Not every time, anyway.
Counseling would probably do them good. No matter what, Gannon was willing to give it a shot. Anything to help Cam, because he’d seen it firsthand when he’d mentioned Singapore. The mere thought of someone going away sent Cam spiraling into a panic attack.
“You think it’ll get easier for him?” she asked.
“What?”
“The traveling?”
Gannon shrugged. He didn’t know how things would go in that regard. He wanted to believe that Cam could eventually come to grips with it, but even he knew it wasn’t that simple. And like Cam, Gannon still had his own fears, as well, knew they could get out of hand with little effort. He’d merely managed to keep them contained all these years, tucked away in a box. Out of sight, out of mind.
He’d done a pretty good job of dealing with them until that night when Cam had broken up with him. They might’ve worked things out this time, but he still worried. What if Cam did it again? What if they couldn’t get past the fact that Gannon had to travel to keep his company running smoothly?
Those were questions Gannon wouldn’t have answers for until the next time. Or the time after that. All in all, his love for Cam still scared him, still made him wary.
That didn’t mean he wasn’t willing to go the distance. To persevere.
“Y’all are good for each other,” Milly told him, brushing her long blonde hair over her shoulder. “Don’t let him screw it up.”
“Him? What about me?”
“Well, if you fuck it up, I’ll just kick your ass. But you’re my best friend. I can do that.”
Gannon chuckled. “I appreciate what you did, by the way.”
Milly’s smile lit up her entire face. “I figured you’d be pissed.”
He’d wanted to be, but she’d saved his relationship, convinced Cam to give him another chance. So he couldn’t be too upset. “Just don’t do it again.”
Holding up her hands, fingers crossed, Milly said, “I promise.”
Of course she did. That was Milly.
“But you have to promise me something in return,” she prompted.
“What’s that?”
“I want to be the maid of honor at the wedding.”
Gannon felt his face flame from embarrassment. As much as he liked the idea of marrying Cam, spending the rest of his life with the man, they had a long road ahead of them. They’d made it this far, but it had been rocky to say the least. Being optimistic was one thing, but jumping into something that he still had doubts about was something else entirely.
He loved Cam. There was no doubt about that. He wanted to spend every waking moment with the man.
However, he had a feeling that loving Cam might possibly be the hardest thing he’d ever done.
“What’s up, part timer?” Dare greeted when Cam walked into the office.
Cam gave his friend the finger, smiling as he did. Even Dare’s taunting couldn’t affect Cam’s good mood. He’d just spent an entire weekend with Gannon. Practically three entire days they’d been together, and from the minute he stepped out of Gannon’s front door that morning, he’d been ready to go back.
Dare clutched his chest dramatically. “Ouch. I’m hurt, man.”
“Thanks for fillin’ in for me,” Cam told his friend, grabbing the coffee carafe.
“No problem. Just remember my generosity in the future when I need to run away for the weekend.”
Cam looked away, his neck heating as he thought about how he’d spent the last three days with Gannon. And it had been the best damn weekend of his life.
“How was it, anyway?” Cam cast a sideways glance at Dare.
“No problems on this end. Teague took one of my appointments, but that’s it. Honestly, it was kinda slow.”
Reaching for the appointment book after pouring himself a cup of coffee, Cam looked up to see Roan heading toward the door.
“That’s my cue to jet,” Dare whispered loudly, then bolted out the back, mumbling as he went. “Do not want to see the fiery crash this morning.”
Cam glanced over his shoulder, then returned his attention to the door when the alarm sounded. Because of the chime delay his friend had already entered the building, so Cam studied him briefly, noticing he hadn’t shaved in a couple of days. His hair was mussed as though he hadn’t bothered to brush it. And to go along with the scraggly appearance, Roan did not look happy.
“Mornin’,” Cam greeted, watching him.
“Yeah,” Roan replied, not looking at Cam.
Shit.
He couldn’t say he hadn’t expected Roan to be pissed at him for taking a few days off without talking to him first. If he had to guess, Roan had been surprised since Cam rarely took time off, and never did he take more than one day off at a time.
Nor did he spend the weekend with a guy. But in his defense, Gannon wasn’t just any guy.
Cam decided to extend the olive branch, not wanting the tension between him and Roan. “How’s your sister?”
Roan glared at him. “Fine.”
“She go to rehab?”
Roan stopped a few feet away, staring at Cam as though he didn’t know him. “What the fuck do you care?”
Cam felt as though he’d been slapped. He didn’t know what to say to that, didn’t know if he should even attempt to smooth things over with Roan or merely give him some space. Had something happened to Cassie? Or was Roan seriously pissed at Cam?
Then he remembered his conversation with Dare.
Why didn’t Roan give me this encouragement?
Are you fucking serious? The guy can’t see past his own love for you.
What? What the hell are you talking about?
Ah, hell. I forgot. You can’t see it, either. He’s so fucking in love with you—or thinks he is—it’s awkward to be in the same room with the two of you together.
Cam still didn’t believe it. There was no way Roan had feelings for him. No matter what Dare said.
Only, standing there now, it looked as though Roan’s anger was directed at him. Since Cam had called Dare and asked him to fill in, he couldn’t imagine that Roan had been inconvenienced by his absence.
Could it be true?
Was Roan jealous? Of Gannon? Or was something else bothering him?
“I care,” Cam retorted. “She’s like family.”
“Then I guess you shoulda been here,” Roan snapped.
“What the fuck is your problem?” Cam spat, angry that Roan would treat him this way. They’d been friends for too long for Roan to act like this.
“Not a goddamn thing,” Roan yelled. “Why don’t you go back to your boyfriend and leave me the fuck alone?”
No.
God, no. It couldn’t be
true.
Cam didn’t say a word, didn’t know how to address this in a civil manner. Not to mention, he didn’t want to jump to conclusions. Accusing Roan of being jealous—when there wasn’t anything to be jealous about because their relationship wasn’t like that—would only piss him off more.
Roan held his stare for another few seconds, then spun around and hauled ass out the front door, not looking back.
Cam remained where he was, confusion and, yes, anger replacing the giddiness he’d felt that morning when he’d woken up beside Gannon.
Just when he’d thought he had overcome the toughest hurdles this relationship had brought thus far, Roan had to go and do this.
Thirty-Three
At seven o’clock that night, Gannon stepped into the marina office, hoping to find Cam, but a quick perusal told him that Cam wasn’t there.
But Dare was.
The man’s head lifted from the magazine he’d been reading, hazel eyes leveling on him. “Hey.”
“Hey.” Gannon glanced around, trying to appear casual. “Cam around?”
Dare leaned back in his chair, flipping his ball cap around backwards. Gannon noticed, unlike most of the other times he’d encountered Dare, the man was shirtless. It was hard to miss the muscles in his chest flexing as he crossed his arms. “Everything cool?”
Gannon wasn’t sure at this point. He’d texted Cam several times throughout the day, letting him know he’d be stopping by if Cam was up for company. Never heard from him. Then, when he’d left work, before he’d pulled out of the parking lot, Gannon had shot off another text, letting him know he was on his way. And when he still didn’t get an answer, he had attempted to call only to get Cam’s voice mail.
It appeared as though Cam was avoiding him. Or perhaps that was his own insecurities talking. It was possible that Cam was just incredibly busy, making up for taking off the weekend to spend with Gannon.
“Yeah,” Gannon said. “Just wanted to see him.”
“How’s work?” Dare asked, getting to his feet and moving to the counter.
“Good. Busy.”
“Any upcoming trips?”
Dare seemed oddly curious, but Gannon didn’t mind. Considering he knew that Cam was close to them all, he welcomed the casual conversation.
“Yeah. Gotta go back to California in a couple of weeks.”
“The travelin’ thing…” Dare said, resting his arms on the counter. “It’s not easy for Cam.”
He knew that already, but still, Dare’s blunt assessment of the situation sparked Gannon’s curiosity. He knew he shouldn’t encourage Dare because it was an invasion of Cam’s privacy, but he couldn’t help himself. The words simply came out. “I know. It’s been tough, but I think we’ll make it work.”
“Think?”
Gannon swallowed hard, trying to figure out what Dare expected from him. What was he supposed to say?
Dare continued to study him. Gannon fought the urge to fidget.
“You’re good for him, you know.”
Well, that wasn’t the direction he’d expected the conversation to go, but it did help to alleviate some of the tension. “Thanks.”
“It’ll take him some time, I’m sure. But don’t give up on him.”
He hadn’t planned on it, but still, something seemed off about this conversation. “Is there something I need to know?”
Dare glanced behind him, then met Gannon’s gaze again. “Do you love him?”
Gannon didn’t feel comfortable telling Dare how he felt about Cam, so he lifted his eyebrows in question.
Dare smiled. “Fine. Not my business. But if you do, just fight for him. That’s all I’m sayin’.”
Fight for him?
Gannon forced his jaw to remain closed, although he was sure he looked as confused as he felt. He wanted to know what Dare meant by that, but he couldn’t bring himself to ask. Nodding, as though he understood completely, he looked around again. “So, is he here?”
“Out in the shed. He’s been runnin’ around like crazy today. I think he’s helpin’ Roan put some stuff up.”
The door chimed and Gannon looked back to see a young couple coming in.
Dare smacked the counter, nodded at Gannon, then greeted them with a smile.
Gannon gave a curt, two-finger wave and then headed outside. He needed to talk to Cam.
Making his way down the pier, he noticed that the doors to the shed were open, so he figured Cam and Roan were still inside. He didn’t want to surprise Cam, but he didn’t know what else to do. Maybe Dare was right and they’d just been busy, which was why Cam hadn’t answered him.
But if not, and Cam had once again gotten cold feet, Gannon knew he needed to address it before they took two steps back and ended up right where they’d started.
Considering how much work it’d required to make it this far, Gannon damn sure wasn’t about to let that happen.
Cam had followed Roan out to the shed, wanting to get him to talk. After the way they’d left things that morning, he couldn’t sit by and allow this rift between them to grow. If he didn’t address it now, he risked losing Roan completely. And that wasn’t something Cam was willing to do.
Clearly something was bothering Roan, and Cam needed to get to the bottom of it, even if he didn’t want to know. And if Roan’s issue had to do with Cam and Gannon, he definitely didn’t want to know.
For weeks now, Roan hadn’t been himself. Every time Cam attempted to talk to him, he found himself shut out. At first, he’d thought it was just the summer months arriving and work increasing. Then, he’d figured it had to do with Roan’s sister and her relapse.
Now, he wasn’t so sure it had anything to do with those things.
They’d been friends for so long, and Roan had always talked to him when he had a problem, and now it seemed as though his best friend was purposely avoiding him. Which made Cam think that Dare might be right.
Although he hoped that wasn’t the case.
He really hoped that wasn’t the case.
“Hey,” Cam called out to Roan when he stepped into the shadows inside the large shed they used to house tools and extra equipment. He’d expected to see Roan moving things around or getting supplies.
That definitely wasn’t what Roan was doing. “What’s wrong?”
Roan’s head jerked up, his hands sliding up to wipe what looked a hell of a lot like tears from his face.
“Is your sister okay?” Cam asked, immediately assuming something had happened to her.
Dare had filled him in earlier after Cam’s failed attempt to get Roan to talk. According to him, Roan’s family had attempted to get her into rehab, but she’d refused to go. Dare hadn’t expanded on the details, probably because he didn’t know the details, but Cam knew how hard that must’ve been on everyone.
And Roan was right about one thing, Cam hadn’t been around much lately. He should’ve asked about her more often, offered to go with Roan to see her even though Roan had shot him down the first time.
“Yeah,” Roan said gruffly, getting to his feet, turning his back on Cam.
“Then what’s wrong?” Cam asked, placing his hands on his hips and watching Roan closely.
“Nothin’.” Roan moved toward the opposite wall, messing with one of the life jackets hanging there.
Cam studied him momentarily. As he saw it, he had two choices. He could either walk away, accept that Roan was pissed at him, and leave this thing between them unsettled, or he could confront Roan by pissing him off and forcing him to address the issue.
Cam decided to go with option two. “Bullshit. If nothin’s wrong, then why are you hidin’ in here?”
Roan’s body twisted around, his golden eyes pausing on Cam’s face. “I’m not hiding.”
“Sure looks like it to me.” And now that he’d gotten Roan’s attention, Cam didn’t want to argue. Lowering his voice, he added, “Talk to me, man. What’s bothering you?”
He fucking hated this silent treatment.
“Something’s obviously wrong, Roan. And I’m pretty sure you’re pissed at me. I deserve to know why.”
“Nothin’ to talk about,” Roan said and Cam knew he was lying.
“So you’re in here having a breakdown for no fucking reason?”
“Fuck you,” Roan bit out.
Cam held his ground when Roan moved toward him, hands balled into fists. Maybe he was a little masochistic, but he definitely preferred Roan pissed than seeing him falling apart. That was so unlike him Cam didn’t even know how to approach the issue.
“Talk to me,” Cam said, keeping his voice low, even.
Roan’s gaze remained locked on Cam’s face, and he fought the urge to squirm. Something was definitely up, but he couldn’t, for the life of him, figure it out.
“Where’s Burgess?” Roan asked.
“His name’s Gannon,” Cam corrected. Again. No matter how many times he did, Roan still insisted on calling Gannon by his last name.
“Where is he?”
Cam shrugged. He figured Gannon was at work. He hadn’t talked to him all day. Since he hadn’t charged his phone all weekend, the damn thing had died on him, and he’d hooked it up in his apartment earlier, figuring he wouldn’t need it.
“He back from his trip?”
Roan already knew the answer to that. Cam wouldn’t have been gone all weekend otherwise. Still, he answered, “Yeah. He got back on Friday.”
“Is that where you were all weekend?”
Cam nodded.
“I thought y’all broke up.”
Cam didn’t want to go into the details of his relationship with Gannon. “We worked things out.”
“So you’re not gonna freak the next time he goes on a trip?”
Cam narrowed his eyes at his friend. Roan was baiting him, he could tell. And he didn’t fucking like it one bit. Roan knew Cam better than anyone. He knew how hard it was for Cam. Hell, when Holly and Keith had gone on their honeymoon, Cam had been a basket case. His father had had to sedate him to keep him under control.
And that same terrifying panic had returned when Gannon had left.
But they were working through it. Because Cam loved Gannon.
Reckless (Pier 70, 1) Page 25