Love Burns

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Love Burns Page 14

by Greenleigh Adams


  “So tell me about what’s going on with you.” My father finally broke me out of my silent reflection. “You dating anyone?”

  I scoffed at his comment. “Uh. No.”

  “You are young. You will find a woman that makes you happy.”

  I shrugged off his comment. I had met plenty of women that I had chemistry with, but not one that I wanted to spend time with when we had our clothes on. Well, that is except for… no. I wasn’t going to think about her. I needed to stay away from her. It could never work between the two of us.

  “Something else on your mind, son?” I must have appeared pensive because my father picked up on it. “There is a woman, isn’t there?”

  My withdrawn body language again didn’t go unnoticed. “Dad…”

  “It’s okay, son. We don’t have to talk about it. I know it’s your own business. But just consider what I told you. The one for you makes your heart race and is your friend.” He reached across the booth and touched my shoulder. I hadn’t realized how long his arms were until that moment. “And in the end, everything works out just how it’s supposed to.”

  I texted Cam before I even left the parking lot of the restaurant. I needed a beer, or two, or three. I’m not sure how, but Cam arrived at the bar before I did. He lived closer to the bar than the side of town I had dinner with my dad, but he must have been literally waiting by the phone for me to text.

  As I walked in, I saw he already had two beers on the high-top table where he was sitting in the bar area. It reminded me of the last time I sat with him at this same table. That was when Charlie and I had discussed that night five years ago. We had agreed to move on from there, yet here I was away from her again.

  “Hey, man!” Cam greeted me enthusiastically as I approached. It was good that he seemed genuinely happy to see me. I wasn’t sure what Charlie may have told him, and if she had said anything about me, I knew I was going to come out looking like the asshole I was.

  I did the obligatory fist bump and sat on the stool at the table with him. “Thanks for the beer.” I nodded at the beverage sitting in front of me.

  “I figured you may need it after dinner with your dad.” He shrugged before taking a pull from his beer. “Are you in town for a little while?”

  “Maybe a couple of days. Just for the weekend.”

  “You are welcome to crash at my place whenever you want.” His comment reminded me why I had never had a best friend like Cam. I didn’t even have to ask for a favor. He just knew and offered.

  “That would be great. I’m definitely not ready to stay over at my mom’s again yet.” I lifted the glass bottle to my lips and poured the cold liquid down my throat. “And I don’t even know where my dad is staying, or what kind of accommodations he has. It never came up during dinner.”

  “Well, I always have a couch for you whenever you need it.” He slapped me on the back and then took in a deep sigh. I knew something was on his mind, but he was hesitant to speak about it. I could tell he wanted to say something to me, but his reluctance had me a bit concerned. “Despite whatever goes on between you and my sister, I want us to stay friends.”

  Damn. She had said something to him. “I’m really sorry, man.” This conversation had grown awkward and weird fast.

  “She told me everything. I left you guys to figure things out without my interference five years ago and you ended up apart.” He blew out another exaggerated breath. “Then I forced you guys to mend your relationship, and you still ended up apart.” His sorrowful eyes stared back at me. “I am sorry that I may have pushed you two together. I guess I wanted my two best friends to be best friends, too. But if you aren’t going to be friends, then at least don’t ever make me choose between you and Charlie.”

  “I would never do that! She is your sister…your twin sister.” I ran a frustrated hand through my hair. My agitation was taking hold again. “And I am not going to be one of those guys that bad-mouths her. I don’t even have anything bad to say about her anyway. She is amazing, and I screwed things up.” What the hell was I saying?

  “It’s never too late to right a wrong.” He held his glass up in a salute before finishing the amber liquid. He placed the glass back down on the wooden table with a small thump. “She doesn’t have a bad word to say about you, either. It’s so obvious that you two are into each other.”

  “It sounds an awful lot like you are trying to play matchmaker, Cameron. I thought you weren’t going to push us together anymore.” I relaxed a little and smiled at him because I couldn’t help myself.

  “Is it wrong to want you two to be together?” he said before signaling the waitress for another draft.

  “I just don’t think it’s meant to be.” Even though she was the only woman that I had ever considered a friend and she made my heart race wildly.

  “Well then, I won’t have to see you fight off the other guy for her affection.” His eyes squinted slightly when he made his comment.

  “What are you talking about, Cam?” He was being way too vague.

  “Charlie is seeing someone.”

  My heart rose up into my throat, and my breath was squeezed right out of my lungs. Blurred vision and dizziness developed, but not from the beer. I hadn’t even had a full glass yet. I was unsure what to do with the information he had just shared with me.

  A wave of nausea seeped through from the emotional punch in the belly thrown at me. One little comment couldn’t possibly have this much of an effect on me, could it? And I had no one to blame but myself.

  17

  Charlie

  The drive home was long. It felt so much longer than two hours with everything crawling along in slow motion. My crying stopped halfway home, but as soon as I saw my brother’s truck in the parking lot of my apartment complex the crying resumed. By the time I entered my apartment, I was a blubbering mess. Cam jumped off the couch and swiftly moved toward me. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders and hugged me while I let out more loud sobs. I don’t know where all the water came from, surely I should have dried out by now. He just stood in my living room, holding me in a comforting brotherly embrace as time ticked by.

  He didn’t let go until my sobs were mere sniffles, and I had thoroughly saturated his shoulder with the avalanche of tears that escaped my eyes. “Thanks for coming over.”

  The worried look on his face made me feel guilty for bringing him into this situation. “Why don’t you come sit on the couch and tell me what happened.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me in the direction of my sofa.

  I sat down with a plop against the cushions. “I don’t even know where to begin.” I took a deep breath in and released it slowly.

  “I am here to listen to whatever you want to tell me.” He sat next to me on the couch, still wearing that look of brotherly concern. “Do you want me to make you some tea? Mom used to do that for us when we were upset.”

  I huffed out a laugh at his suggestion. As if anything was going to heal my broken heart. “No thanks. But I appreciate the offer.”

  He sat quietly, waiting for me to fill the silence. He had always been uncomfortable around crying women, but he tried not to show it during my waterworks display.

  “I fell in love with him, Cam. I know it’s stupid and too fast for that to happen, but it happened, and I did.” The burning in my throat occurred again as if I was going to expel more tears. I don’t think I had ever cried that much in my life.

  “Do you want me to hurt him? I can you know.” His grim look was stern as his clenched jaw twitched.

  I scoffed at his comment. “No. He is already hurting. He doesn’t need you to add to it.”

  “So he’s hurting and you’re hurting? How did you both get to here? I thought you two were getting along fine.”

  I rolled my tear-filled eyes. “We were getting along. It was amazing. Once we got past what happened five years ago, we decided to work on being friends again. However, we developed an attraction to each other during the time we spent together.” Cam�
��s shifty look indicated he was uncomfortable with the conversation—even more uncomfortable than my crying had already caused. “If this is too weird, then we don’t have to talk about this. We can just watch a movie or something.”

  “Lean Bean, I am here for you. And like always, you can tell me anything. Please remember that.” I am glad he reassured me, because I really wanted to talk with him about this. He has always been my best friend, and he always knew how to make me feel better.

  “We began to run together. You know I don’t like to talk when I run, but he didn’t seem to mind. He simply seemed to enjoy being with me, and I was happy to have the company.” I grabbed a tissue from the box on my side table and wiped the dripping snot leaking from my nostril. I would die if any other man saw me ugly cry like this. “We went out for a couple of meals. We ate ice cream. We held hands. We cuddled on the couch and fell asleep.” I needed to take in a deep breath for the next part of the story. “We kissed each other. Like the ohmigod this is the best kiss I have ever had kind of kiss. But because we were trying to get used to being friends again, we decided to come up with some rules so we didn’t get carried away.”

  Cam’s curiosity was obviously piqued because he straightened his posture. “Rules?”

  “Yes. Rules.” I filled him in on rules one through four. Hand holding was okay, but no caressing each other with our hands. Closed mouth kissing was okay, but no open-mouth kissing. Our clothes always stayed on when we were together. And of course sleeping together was okay, but no sex.

  “And how did that work out?” He smirked because he knew I was going to admit to breaking every one of those rules. It was better to see him smirk than continue to carry the worried look he had been wearing since I got home.

  I slapped him on his shoulder. “He slept in my bed the night he stayed at my house, but we didn’t have sex.” Cam wiped his hand across his brow in relief. “We didn’t have sex until the day he found out about his parents’ divorce.”

  A visible shudder went through my brother. “And then what happened?” He cringed slightly as if I was about to deliver news he didn’t want to hear.

  “I told him I loved him and he left, walked out on me, left me alone and naked in my bed without even saying goodbye.” Cam rubbed the back of his neck. I held up my hand in his direction to stop him from saying anything. “I know. Claudette already told me that I shouldn’t have said I loved him right after sex. It sounds desperate and clingy.”

  “Maybe with someone else, but Louis loves you, too.” More tears escaped my eyes.

  “Did he say that to you?” I already knew the answer. My brother was just trying to make me feel better. That was his job… o make his twin feel better. He slumped his shoulders forward and hung his head low. “I know he didn’t tell you that because that’s not how he feels. I left Claudette’s house early this morning so I could go see him.”

  “And I guess that didn’t go well.”

  I snorted a fake laugh as a response to his statement.

  We continued to talk for the next several hours. I was already feeling better by the time he left. I decided to grab some junk food to drown my sorrows after I said goodbye to Cameron. When I opened my freezer, I saw several quarts of ice cream. It was ice cream I hadn’t purchased. Of course, that is why my brother is truly my best friend.

  Found the ice cream stash. You are the best. As I have come to expect, he responded with a smiley face text.

  I ate ice cream and fell asleep for twelve hours. I woke up early the next day, so I decided to go for a run. I only made it three miles before I turned back and headed home. Running wasn’t the same anymore. Louis had ruined that for me. I considered going to the gym to run on a treadmill like Cameron. It just wasn’t the same outside without Louis’s feet padding along next to me. I could still hear his increased breathing even though he wasn’t with me that morning.

  Wanting some warmth and comfort, when I got back to my apartment instead of hopping into my shower, I grabbed my purse and hopped into my car instead. I decided to treat myself to coffee and a muffin from the local coffee shop.

  There were way more people at the coffee shop than I had expected on a weekday morning. If I had thought I would have to stand in line with a lot of other people in their search of caffeine and sugar, I would have opted to take that shower before I left my apartment.

  “I guess I should have gone to Dunkin’ Donuts.” I heard a voice over my shoulder say.

  I turned around to a very attractive man around my age standing behind me. He was dressed in khaki shorts and a golf shirt, and his wet hair was combed in place as if he was fresh from a shower. I must have looked like a disaster compared to the well-put-together guy that just made the Dunkin’ Donuts comment. “You still can,” I responded finally after adequately checking him out.

  A small laugh emitted from him. “Yeah, I suppose I could.” After I threw an eye roll, I turned around from him and faced forward again. “I’m Travis, by the way.” I swiveled on my feet again to face him.

  “I am sorry if this sounds rude, but you are obviously a morning person. I am not. I really don’t like to speak to anyone before nine.” He was a good-looking man with dark hair and eyes the color of coal, but I really just wanted to be left alone.

  “It’s Charlie, isn’t it?” Why was he still talking to me? And why did he know my name? I turned around to face him once more as the line inched toward the cashier. “I’m a teacher at the high school. I’m friends with your brother.”

  Of course he was. Everyone was friends with Cameron. I smiled at him awkwardly, obviously aware of how rude I had actually sounded. And now he would probably go tell my brother how I was rude to his friend. I had promised him I wouldn’t brood over Louis, yet here I was, being rude to the first man to speak to me since I came back home. “I’m really sorry for not engaging in friendly, casual conversation to pass the time.”

  “I’m not offended, really. And I wasn’t trying to hit on you if that’s what you think.” Where had that come from?

  “Are you saying that because you were, but you don’t want me to know you were?”

  A megawatt smile shone in my direction then. “I don’t know how to say this without sounding rude, but you’re not exactly my type.”

  “You probably go for freshly showered blondes, rather than brunettes that just ran several miles and are saturated with sweat.” I knew I looked a mess with my unruly ponytail, a glistening sheen over my skin from perspiration, and my non-matching tank top and running shorts.

  He laughed again. “You make me laugh, Charlie. I like that about you. Do you feel like getting coffee again sometime?”

  What harm could there be in that? Louis and I weren’t together, so coffee with a cute guy couldn’t hurt. “Sure. I will shower and be more presentable next time.” I returned a smile to him as I approached the counter to order. I spouted off my request for coffee and a blueberry muffin. As I glanced over my shoulder at Travis, I watched him cover his mouth in an attempt to stifle his laughter. “Did I say something else funny?”

  “No. You just ordered the same as my usual.” He winked at me and handed me his phone. “Enter your number, and I’ll text you.”

  He seemed nice enough, but he didn’t make my heart pound in my chest. He didn’t take my breath away. Dammit, Louis. He quite possibly ruined me for other men. I programmed in my number and handed his phone back to him. Travis punched some things into his cell, and I felt my own phone vibrate.

  Coffee tomorrow? I glanced down at my phone and looked back up at Travis.

  It made me smile that he texted me while I was standing right next to him. Sorry, can’t. I work tonight. How about the day after tomorrow?

  Sure. How about 9am when you feel like talking to people?

  I smiled and even let a giggle escape. Sounds good. Same place? I felt my phone vibrate almost immediately, but one of the baristas called my name because my order was ready, so I didn’t look down at my phone right away. Tr
avis took two side steps in my direction as his name was called only a moment later.

  “See you day after tomorrow,” he said to me as he picked up his coffee and the bag that contained his muffin. “I’m off to play a round of golf.” He gave me a friendly wave and swung the door open to leave.

  I moved away from the counter and looked down at my phone.

  It seems only right, since this is our place now.

  I wasn’t sure how to take that text. I hoped he knew it was just coffee. I certainly wasn’t looking for anything more. I knew I looked a mess, but he still wanted to hang out with me. I guess I should feel good that looks weren’t important to him. At least I would be able to be myself around him. And he played golf—that was the only sport I think Cameron hadn’t played. Maybe I should ask Cam about Travis.

  So I texted him after I got back to my apartment. I still hadn’t showered. I decided to drink my coffee while it was still hot and eat my muffin before I did my best to wash away my lingering Louis sadness.

  You know a teacher named Travis? He is a teacher at the high school where you work.

  Yeah. He texted me about you a little bit ago.

  Interesting. He did? What did he say? I should just call my brother. It is stupid how we engage in the texting back and forth. But before I could even pull up his number, I saw his name and number dance across my screen. Of course he knew I was thinking about speaking with him on the phone. He always knew what I was thinking. “Hey, Cam.”

  “Hey, Lean Bean. I didn’t realize you were ready to get back on the horse.”

  I chuckled at his comment. I knew he was thinking about how I was just crying to him over a guy yesterday, and today I already made a date with another. “I learned from you.”

 

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