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Literally—in both the good and bad sense of the word.
“I understand.” Skye sipped her coffee. “What would you have liked him to have done?”
Vivian sat with that, knowing with anyone else she could start listing off ridiculous, overly emotional answers. But with Skye, she lived too much by truth—both because it’s what she thought was right and because it’s who she was.
“I don’t know. I guess just… be there?”
She sat back in her chair because she knew the answer was heartbreak and lack of trust and abandonment issues and whatever else a good therapist would call it.
But she didn’t think it was fair to expect her to divorce Cam from Cam.
She wasn’t asking anyone to separate teen her from adult her—not that anyone had anyway.
“He didn’t even say goodbye.”
Skye reached out and touched her hand. “Yeah. That hurts.”
It really did.
18
Cam
He staredat the door for what felt like hours thinking she’d come back, thinking maybe they could work this out. Hoping beyond hope it wasn’t really over before it even began for them.
He thought back to that time and of course kicked himself in the rear again for having broken up in the first place, but still. He wasn’t sure what else he could have actually done.
This was it though.
He went back to his bowl but just couldn’t get himself to even pick it up. He couldn’t picture making a gift for someone while feeling so defeated. He wasn’t a woo-woo person, but he believed in bringing joy and positivity to his work.
He set it aside, needing to get out. To get some air. He locked up the workshop and started walking, not sure where he’d end up.
He had a lot to think about and most of it was around what to do now. He’d thought his future was just a matter of winning Vivian back, but now he knew that was
not going to happen…
He could keep pushing. She might eventually cave. But that seemed cruel. To both of them.
And to Tyler.
She had a point about Tyler and him. But, man, he loved that boy. He didn’t think he could love him more if he were his biological son. Could he step away from Ty?
Not if he stayed here. Not if he was in Starlight Harbor.
And that was the crux of it.
He loved her. He loved them both. He’d been building a dream of a family in his head and she… what? Did she tolerate him? Was she hurt when she saw him? Did he make her think of her stolen childhood and abusive mom?
If any of those were true, then that made the decision easier.
It was one thing to leave because he was being hurt and stubborn. If it was just because he couldn’t have what he wanted, that seemed childish. If that was it, maybe a trip to study with the Highland artist who was creating gorgeous dovetailed chairs would be a good break.
Focus on something new.
Before he could change his mind, Cam pulled his phone out and emailed the contact Alex McGregor had given him when they’d met two summers ago at a retreat. There was no sense putting off the ask, and he felt better just knowing he’d reached out to see if that proverbial door was still open.
Then he’d play it by ear and come back when he was ready. When he could just be her friend. When he wouldn’t want to die every moment of every day when she met someone else.
