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Lana finally spares me a glance once she parks the car outside of Cami’s school. “Thanks for letting me borrow your car.”
“Anything for you.” I offer her a half-assed salute.
Her back goes rigid.
That’s the second time she’s done that. What’s that about?
Lana doesn’t give me time to second-guess what I said as she opens her door and steps out of the car. “Come on, Cami. Say thank you to Cal.”
“Thank you!” She claps her hands together in the back seat.
“Let’s get you out of there.” Lana grabs the treats from the trunk while I help Cami. It takes two failed attempts and nearly getting stabbed in the eye with the corner of her graduation cap for me to realize two-door cars and kids are a no-go.
Cami finally climbs out of the back, her gown a wrinkled mess and her hat completely off-centered again. I’m not sure how she managed to wreck her outfit in the five-minute car ride, but I’m weirdly impressed.
Although her gown is a goner, I do my best to help her with the hat.
“You remind me of your mother,” I say absentmindedly.
Cami looks up at me with wide blue eyes. “Really?”
“Oh yeah. She was a wild child just like you.” I wink.
Cami giggles, making my chest all warm and tight from the innocent sound. She looks up at me with the goofiest smile, and I return the gesture.
The side of my face tingles, and I look over to find Lana staring at me with a strange expression on her face.
“Everything okay?”
She clears her throat. “Yeah. Just realized I forgot the camera.” She turns toward her daughter. “We better get going before your teacher gets worried.”
“Are you coming?” Cami holds out her hand for me to grab.
I stare at it.
“No. Cal is busy,” Lana answers before I have a chance to even consider.
I look up at her, finding her working her jaw.
“Right. Do you need me to pick you up once you’re done?”
Her head shakes. “Thanks, but no. Wyatt and Delilah can give us a ride back to the house.”
“What about the car seat?” I blurt out.
“I’ll grab it from you tomorrow if that’s okay.”
“Of course.”
I expect to feel a warm rush of relief as they walk away, but my chest throbs instead. A sense of longing, deep and forbidden, takes over. The kind of longing I haven’t allowed myself to feel foryears.
This is for the best.
Then why does it feel so shitty to watch Cami and Lana disappear into the school while I stand by myself, looking in like an outsider?
Because youarean outsider.
I try to shake off the feeling and get in my car, but I hesitate outside the vehicle.
