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“Right,” Cami said, hoping down from the desk and taking the chair next to mine. She smoothed her skirt down, probably sensing the shift in my mood. That was another reason I liked hanging out with her, she knew how to read me.
“Sorry. I—I don’t think we can do this tonight,” I said, turning to face her.
Cami shrugged. “I overheard your conversation out there a little. I’m not exactly mad that you made me come all the way over here to make someone else jealous, but you could’ve given me a heads up first.” She playfully punched my arm.
“I’m sorry, Cami. I should’ve told you what was going on.” I felt like shit. Emma was pissed off at me and on a date, and I did Cami wrong.
“No sweat,” she said, sounding like she meant it. “You can buy me an island or something to make up for it.”
I laughed, genuinely this time. “Deal.”
“What’s going in with you and—” she tilted her head toward Emma’s desk out in the hall.
I could’ve told her nothing, I could’ve brushed it off and acted like nothing was wrong, but I didn’t want to.
“I…have feelings for her. We’ve known each other for a long time but it very recently became more. It’s complicated.”
“Kyle Beckford is all in his feelings,” Cami said, her smile too big. “I am loving this.”
“I’m not.” I pushed up from my chair to resume my pacing. “She’s out on a date and I invited you here to try and fuck her out of my system.” Then, I realized what I’d said. “Shit. I didn’t mean—”
Cami stood, waving her hand. “Please, Kyle. I’m actually flattered.” Cami pulled a face. “Sheesh, what does that say about me? Anyway, we both know what our relationship is, that’s why get along so well. If I was in your position, I would’ve called you and tried to do the same exact thing.”
“You’re being too easy on me.”
“Well, like I said, I could use an island,” she teased.
“Tell me what to do and I’ll get you a yacht to go with it,” I said, only half joking.
Cami closed the distant between us, placing her hands on my chest. She was so familiar, so beautiful, but she wasn’t Emma. I was totally, royally, completely fucked.
“Listen, Kyle. I’ve known you for years at this point, intimately. I have never seen you like this. Hell, you’ve never opened up like this to me before. What ever Emma is doing to you, is a good thing. You’re making this far more complicated than it needs to be—”
“You don’t get it. I know people say it’s complicated all the time, but I mean it. There’s my sister, and her daughter, and her ex-husband, and—”
Cami cut me off this time. “Kyle, you’ve never, ever let anything stand in your way before. Those all sound like lame excuses. Just make it happen.” With a wink and quick kiss on the cheek, Cami hurried out of my office.
“Caribbean?” I asked, yelling after her?
“Sounds perfect,” she called back. “Can’t wait for my own island.”
Shaking my head, I pulled my cell out of my pocket and composed a text to Emma.
No one said I had to play fair to get what I wanted.
Chapter 12
Emma
We’dbeenatthebar, First Pour, just down the street from the office for a half hour and I still wasn’t sure if we were on a date or not. A few other co-workers, some I recognized some I didn’t, lined the bar and nearby tables, but Jerry and I mostly kept to ourselves.
Jerry ordered us both a couple of happy hour cocktails, something fruity for us both, while I secured us a high-topped table in the middle of the bar. A young waitress with rainbow hair who couldn’t seem to be bothered with us plopped down a bucket of peanuts and some menus and left without a word.
The bar was nice enough with highly polished wooden tables, chairs, and a long bar that wrapped around the whole place, a dartboard in the back, and stained glass windows that made it feel a little like an Irish pub. But, it wasn’t my normal scene.
Jerry started shelling peanuts for us both to eat while I sipped my drink.
“Did you call to check on Lily?” Jerry asked.
