Page 52 of What Should Have Been Ours

I groan, dramatically flopping back onto my bed. “I’m not overthinking. I’m just…I don’t know what to wear.”

“Mmhmm.” She smirks, setting down her nail file. “Maybe if you tell me where you’re going, I can help.”

I purse my lips, sitting back up. “I don’t know. He said it’s a surprise.”

Kinsley’s brows shoot up. “Ohhh. A surprise? That’s very ‘boyfriend-coded’ of him.”

I roll my eyes, but my stomach flips at her words. “It’s not a date or anything.”

Kinsley deadpans. “Babe, let’s be real here.”

I groan, tossing a sweater at the phone camera. “Okay, fine. I don’t know if it’s a date. I mean, it feels like it kinda should be…could be? But he hasn’t been pushing for anything more since I basically turned him down a couple of weeks ago. So maybe it’s just…a friend thing?”

Kinsley scoffs. “Yeah, sure, cause friends totally surprise each other with mystery dates. That’s a very well-known platonic activity.”

I sigh, pulling my legs up onto the bed, wrapping my arms around them. “I think I want it to be a date. I mean, I feel like it’s inevitable at this point. The feelings are only getting stronger, and I’d be dumb to keep pushing them away just because I’m afraid of getting hurt. At this point, I have to stop lying to myself. He’s not trying to win my heart back…he doesn’t need to because he never gave it back. He’s always had it.”

Kinsley lets out a dramatic gasp, pressing a hand to her chest. “Ohhh, my heart! That was sooo cute. I love this for you. I love this for me. I love this for us!”

I roll my eyes, but can’t help smiling. “You’re so dramatic.”

“And you’re so in love.” She wiggles her brows. “Which, by the way, means you need to wear something that screams I’m totally dateable, but you’re still gonna have to work for it.”

I snort. “So…sexy but not slutty?”

“Exactly. Sexy but functional.” She scans my options before pointing. “That. Wear that.”

I hold up the off-the-shoulder sweater and high-waisted leather skirt, giving it a once-over. “You sure?”

“One hundred percent. Now go finish getting ready, and let me know how your not-a-date-but-maybe-a-date goes.”

I shake my head with a laugh, hanging up the call.

Just as I finish curling my hair, a knock sounds at my door. My stomach flips.

I take a deep breath and open it.

And—damn.

Cam stands there, effortlessly put together in a dark sweater and dark slacks, his hands shoved into his pockets.

He doesn’t look overly dressed up, so we can’t be going anywhere too fancy. Thankfully, I picked something that said casual while secretly hoping it still caught his attention.

His gaze sweeps over me, and for a split second, I swear I see something hungry in his eyes before he reins it back.

“Wow.” His voice is lower than usual, rougher. “You look…” He exhales through his nose, his jaw ticking. “Really…good.”

My face heats instantly. “Um, thanks.”

His eyes flick down to my lips for a beat before he shakes his head, smirking. “Come on. Let’s go before I do something stupid.”

I laugh, grabbing my bag and stepping out. “Like what?”

He grins, but he doesn’t answer. Just reaches around me and closes my door.

* * *

I recognize where we are the second we pull in.