Page 98 of His to Cherish
“Good night,” he murmured into my ear.
“You don’t want to come in?” I asked, hopeful and yet nervous.
Aidan stepped back, dropped his hands from my cheeks to my hands, and shook his head. “Not on a first date. I told you I wanted to do it right this time.”
Then he left, leaving me falling in love with him more than I already had been.
“Sorry,” I told Camden, and dragged my eyes off the bleachers. “I was just thinking about Aidan.”
“Again?”
I grinned. “Shut up.”
“You love him.” She stated it as matter-of-factly as Camden stated everything else in life. But she hadn’t been shocked when I’d called her early this morning, packed the bags I had used when I’d stayed with her, and brought everything back to my own house.
It was time I stopped hiding.
Time to stop being so worried. Giving Aidan a second chance meant giving myself one as well.
“I do.” I smiled, biting my bottom lip again, and I couldn’t help how my mind wandered to Aidan once more.
“Ugh. You’re doing it again.” She scolded me, but her voice was light with teasing. When I looked over, Camden rolled her eyes. Her left foot kicked out to the side and she playfully hit me in the butt, almost making me trip on the rubber track.
Then she took off and I sprinted to chase her. I was barely on her heels as she veered off the track at the open gate and we finished the half-mile run back to my house at full speed.
Gasping for breath, my fingers laced behind my head so I could calm my breathing, I walked in a large circle around my front yard, trying to cool down.
Camden collapsed onto the grass, arms and legs splayed as if she were trying to make snow angels in May.
“You’re going to get a cramp,” I said, smiling down at her. It wasn’t often Camden let loose, and even though it was just a run, it was nice to see her not so uptight and without her auburn hair fixed in a tight bun at the base of her neck.
“I’m going to die before the cramps hit.”
I walked over and tapped her playfully in the ribs, returning the favor from earlier. “Get up. I’ve got cupcakes.”
“Oh!” She scrambled to her feet and rushed to my front door. I stood back, laughing at her speed. We shared a love for Kate’s Kakes. “Double fudge?”
“It’s like you know me,” I replied, reaching my kitchen where Camden had already dug through my cupboards and found my stash of chocolaty goodness.
“Suzanne called me last night,” she said around a mouthful of decadent fudge.
“Did she tell you that she’s pregnant?”
Camden’s mouth dropped open. “How’d you know?”
I rolled my eyes. “Come on, we’ve known each other forever, and not only has Suzanne been hinting for the last year that she wants a baby, she didn’t have a drop of the margaritas the other night.”
She frowned, staring at her cupcake as if it’d suddenly sprouted wings. “She was afraid to tell you.”
“I know, but it’s not necessary, and you guys hiding your good news from me like that, knowing I’ll never get to make that announcement, doesn’t make me feel better. Don’t hide the good shit from me.”
I pointed a finger at her, scolding her, and Camden looked away. “Got it?”
“Got it.” She nodded and took another huge bite.
Around a mouthful of my own cupcake, I asked, “Should we take her out to celebrate tonight?”
“Fireside?”
