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‘Cameron. Look at me.’ Carrie steps in front of him, facial expression reminiscent of their mother’s when she’s dishing out advice. ‘You’re half in love with her already. You want to be with her. Stop running.’
She shoves the shoes at his chest and he wraps his arms around them.
Stop running. Can he? There’s been times already with Jules where he didn’t want to, when the only running he wanted to do was straight into her arms. But will they still be open for him after he’s fucked things up so badly?
His chest tightens and his hands heat, prickling like he’s pressed them to a hot plate. Goddamn. He’s got to try. Try for something real with Jules, or he’ll be living with that hole in his chest for eternity.
Carrie nudges him and he stumbles a few steps. He’s a mess. Trembling legs and sweaty palms. He stops metres from the car, watching Carrie get into the driver’s seat, swallowing compulsively. Jules is a car ride away and he’s barefoot and scruffy and his tongue weighs 20 kilograms in his mouth.
‘Hey.’ Chloe steps in front of Cameron with a solemn look on her face. ‘Do you really think you don’t deserve Jules?’ she asks softly. ‘Or is that another excuse for you to not try?’
‘I …’ He stares into the steady hazel of his little sister’s eyes, wondering when she got to be so wise. Is this something else he missed while he’s been isolating himself in Canberra?
He’s mostly confident when he answers, ‘The second thing.’
Chloe nods. ‘Good. I’m glad. But I’m going to text you the contact info for my therapist, okay? Just to have.’
He opens his mouth but he has no air to speak. He nods instead.
Carrie honks the horn and Cameron takes a deep breath, straightening his spine.
Dammit, he’s doing this. At the very least, Jules deserves to hear an apology and his explanation. But he’s beyond doing the bare minimum. He’s going to lay his heart bare for Jules because holy hell does she deserve it.
Chapter 33
The Blue Alcott is packed. They’re doing a 2000s trivia night and Jules is convinced every single university student has shown up to play. Nothing like the lure of a free meal to the winning team for those on a student budget.
The excitement of the game and the atmosphere in the pub can’t quite erase the ache inside her, the place that’s needy still for all things Cameron. She hasn’t heard from him or seen him in the office all week and it turns out that ‘out of sight out of mind’ is total bullshit. He’s in her thoughts more than ever. Every time the phone rings, or she hears someone talk about marketing, or synth-pop plays on the radio. And when he’s in her thoughts, that ache in her chest pulses, not ready to give up.
But how long can she wait for him to make his move? She doesn’t want to miss out on opportunities again or become stuck in her comfort zone. If he doesn’t reach out to her, or he does but it’s to confirm his original choice, then she’ll have to move on.
The bartender drops the drinks in front of her and she heads back to the table where several Infinity staff sit with Cat and Tori, who she retakes her seat between before divvying up their drinks.
‘Thanks, lady.’ Tori sips her drink, making eyes with a woman a few tables along like she’s been doing all night.
‘Think she’ll come over before the next round starts?’ Cat whispers in Jules’s ear.
Jules looks between Tori and the woman. ‘I think Tori will go to her.’
‘Hmm. I think you’re right.’
She doesn’t need to live vicariously through Tori’s exploits anymore since she more than made up for her years of inaction at the conference, but watching Tori undressing someone with her eyes makes her stomach tense. Cameron used to look at her like that.
Which isn’t even the look she’s missing most. She wants that other one, the soft one, when he framed her face with his hands and called her incredible.
The MC announces the next round and Jules focuses in. That is, until a familiar voice sounds from behind her with an answer to the question.
‘It’s Universal Studios.’
Goosebumps break out across her skin. That voice. Oh, she’s missed it. Missed the man who it belongs to as well. Her heart flips over then races.
Cat presses a supporting hand to her knee as Jules turns slowly in her seat.
‘Cameron. Hi.’
His caramel eyes are fixed solely on her, reflecting the bar lights. He looks beautiful. Magnetic. Uneasy.
There’s a loosening in her chest despite that last one. ‘Are you … here for trivia?’
