Ken: Can I let you know?
River swallowed at that because Kennedy might actually be stopping by to pick up a piece of fudge.
“No, you idiot. She’s not coming here for fudge that she could get anywhere. She’d be coming to see you. Fuck, River. Be careful,” she said to herself before she typed back.
River Ervin: Of course. I’m here all the time anyway. If you can’t make it soon, I can freeze it for you, or I can make a new batch whenever.
Ken: Hey, I made a new playlist. Want to check it out while you do whatever it is that you’re doing over there?
River Ervin: Boring inventory. And yes.
Then, a link appeared, followed by a message.
Ken: Let me know what you think.
And that was an opening. For the first time, there was an opening for them to see each other again and to continue to talk, and as much as River knew she shouldn’t take it, she couldn’t help it.
River Ervin: Can I text you later, when I’m done, so that I can focus?
Ken: Of course. Until then.
“Until then,” River muttered under her breath.
CHAPTER 24
Cameron
Cameron sat on her sofa, nervous. She still couldn’t believe she’d asked for this; she had asked Lacey, of all people, to give her and her girlfriend a massage. What was wrong with her? She liked Lacey, and she was pretty sure that Lacey liked her, so when she had been worried about never seeing Lacey again unless she set something up that final morning, the only thing that had entered her brain had been to ask Lacey for an appointment and make her do work.
As she sat there in her living room and looked around, she wondered if saying something years ago about not liking the paint color as much as Kennedy had and maybe asking for them to pick out a different color together would have changed where they were now. Maybe they would’ve broken up a long time ago because Kennedy wouldn’t have wanted her opinions on how to decorate their house, or maybe they’d still be in love because they would’ve compromised and both gotten a little of what they wanted. Cameron didn’t know, and it was too late to ask about it now.
When her phone beeped, indicating that a car was at the gate that led to their short driveway, she nervously tapped on the notification and saw a car with Lacey behind the wheel. She thought about saying something through the speaker at first, butshe chose to just buzz her in instead and locked her phone. She set it on the coffee table, stood, and straightened her shirt, which was dumb because she’d be taking it off soon anyway. Cameron walked to her door, looked out the window beside it, and saw Lacey walking to the back of her car.
“She has a giant table. Go help her, dumbass,” she told herself and opened the door. “Hey,” she greeted.
“Oh,” Lacey said, looking a little surprised. “Hi.”
“Let me help,” she offered, hurrying out to where Lacey was tugging on a massage table.
“It’s okay. I do this all the time. I think it’s given me some real muscle definition in my arms. Besides, you’re the client, Cam.”
Cameron looked at Lacey’s arms covered in a short-sleeved polo shirt and had to agree. She had seen them bare before, when Lacey had been in her bikini, but she hadn’t exactly been paying attention to Lacey’sarmsthat day on the beach.
“I’m notthatkind of client,” Cameron replied and held out her hands. “Table, please.”
“What do you mean, you’re not that kind of client?” Lacey asked, not giving her the table.
“Oh. I’m paying you, Lace. I didn’t mean that. Just that you know me. I’m not, like, a regular client who you don’t know.”
“Cam, if I’m here as a friend, I can leave the table in the car. If I’m here to give you a massage, I kind of need to keep it professional. This is my job, you know?”
Cameron dropped her hands and said, “Yes, I know. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you think… Sorry. Anyway, you can come in. Do you want help carrying anything? I’m already out here. I can at least help.”
“You can carry that bag if you really want to. It has lotions and stuff in it.”
“Got it,” she said.
She pulled the bag out of the back seat and led Lacey into the house, feeling like the worst kind of person for not carrying the clearly heavy folding table for her. Cameron liked taking care of her people, and she considered Lacey one of those people now.
