Page 100 of Effortless

August shrugged. “It’s nothing big.”

“No, it is. It really is. And you were trying to tell me about it, but I was just over here off in my own world.”

“So you’ve got a lot going on.”

“No, I’m just being a shitty friend lately.”

August gave her a look. “Cam, you’re not being a shitty friend. I think you’ve just got some stuff to figure out in your head, that’s all. We all go through that stuff sometimes.”

“Not me.”

“Well, maybe you don’t usually go through it with a guy.”

And there her friend went …

Calling her out.

Without actually saying Tommaso’s name, of course.

August cleared her throat, and stood up from the coffee table. “Do you know when I figured out something was up with you after last month?”

“When?”

“You had an appointment to get your hair done up in those mermaid colors you wanted, and you totally flaked. You’ve been talking about that style for months now.”

Camilla blinked. “Shit, is Chilla—”

“She’s fine with you missing one appointment, Cam. I might have mentioned you were a little out of it lately.”

“So my missed hair appointment clued you in, huh?”

August laughed. “You don’t miss those. I saw you go to one once when you had the Norovirus.”

Camilla made a face. “I did do that once, didn’t I?”

“Puke everywhere, Cam.”

Yeah, Chilla was not pleased about that. Not that Camilla blamed the woman.

“Hey, my hair looked good, though,” Camilla pointed out.

“That was about the only thing you had going for you.”

Camilla smiled, and for the first time in a month, it didn’t feel forced. Still, as quickly as it had come, it faded. Just like that, her moment of happiness was gone. It was far too easy for her to lose happiness lately than it was to keep it.

August didn’t miss Camilla’s sudden change in mood again. Her friend bent down, patted a hand against her cheek, and made Camilla look at her. Familiar russet eyes told her shit was rough, but it could get better.

One of the many reasons she loved her friend.

“What happened when he came down to visit last month?”

Camilla shrugged. “Things felt too serious, I guess.”

“And you bolted?”

“Like a baby deer.”

August cocked an eyebrow. “You do know there’s nothing wrong with … falling in love, right? Being with one person. Whatever.”