Redeeming You (Before You #2)(49)
Evelyn: BTW I saw a picture of you and Cam in Vegas on the internet…
Taylor’s heart nearly jumped out of her chest. Please be harmless.
Taylor: So? What’s your point?
Evelyn: You two looked involved.
Taylor: Involved???
Evelyn: You know…very into each other. Miles is pissed. He stopped by to ask if anything happened between you two.
Not sure she wanted to answer the question, Taylor dropped her phone on the counter and tested the temperature of the water. Her phone buzzed two more times. Apparently, she wouldn’t give up until she answered.
Evelyn: Hello?
Evelyn: Don’t ignore me.
Taylor: Cam and I are friends.
Evelyn: What kind of friends?
Taylor: Not your business, but just friends.
Taylor turned off her phone. She didn’t want to talk about Cam and Evelyn wouldn’t stop until she had details.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Taylor didn’t see Cam again before the show that night. By the time he finished sorting out the logistics of the unique stage configuration, she already left the hotel. She decided to spend the afternoon shopping for some new clothes. When Alec asked her to meet Chasing Ruin on tour, she had stuffed as much as she could into her small suitcase, but she was in serious need of some variety. She couldn’t stand the thought of picking something out from her small medley of choices for one more day and she could use some shopping therapy.
Beyond finding new clothes, she really wanted to change the hair color of the small streak near her face. Cam liked it blue. He said it matched her eyes, but she decided to do something a little different. After thirty minutes of deliberation, she dyed it lavender. At first she wasn’t sure she liked it, but by the time she finished getting ready for the show, it had grown on her. She may not do it again, but she couldn’t deny that it looked good with her silver silk halter-top and her black skinny jeans.
The last thing she’d done before she took a cab to concert was check into another room in the hotel. She didn’t want to spend the night in Cam’s bed again. She didn’t know how she would explain it to him, but she needed distance if she wanted to make the right decision by the time they reached Seattle. The minute she crawled into bed with Cam or kissed him, she knew she’d never have the strength to resist him. He was her kryptonite.
By the time she arrived at the concert venue, Chasing Ruin only had a few songs left in the show. Part of her regretted not soaking up every second she could of their performance when so few remained, but the other part of her liked that she took the entire day taking care of herself and her needs. She needed to put herself first for once. She hadn’t done that with Miles and she didn’t want to make the same mistake with Cam.
Besides, she needed to regroup before she saw Cam again and she could only do that by avoiding him for the day. She was proud of herself. She didn’t answer one phone call from him the entire day, and she only responded to his texts when he threatened to place a missing persons report or call Alec, and even then, she had responded with three words—see you tonight.
Walking backstage, she flashed her badge to security as she made her way through the maze of hallways until she reached the side stage where she knew she’d have the best view of Cam. She stood behind a couple people gathered near the opening, but almost immediately she felt Cam’s gaze burning into her.
When she looked up, Cam spun to face her as though he didn’t have thousands of people watching his every movement. The crowd disappeared and the room narrowed to the two of them. His face was an impeccably controlled mask, void of emotion, but when her eyes met his, they were angry and heated. A horrible feeling slithered through her chest. Regret? Guilt? She didn’t know, but the look on Cam’s face told her that he had no intention of letting her walk off the premises tonight without talking to him, and if she wanted to sleep in her own room tonight, it would be a big deal—a very big deal.
When Chasing Ruin finished the final song, Cam stormed off the stage directly toward her, only stopping to hand his guitar to a stagehand.
“We need to talk,” he said, circling her upper arm with his hand and her body stiffened.
“I need to talk to my brother,” she blurted out, not wanting to hear what he had to say at the moment. She would prefer if he had a beer or two first before talking about anything. In fact, maybe she needed one too. Cam’s clear blue eyes narrowed into slits, and she looked over his shoulder pretending to search for her brother. A flash of hurt drifted across his face, and her gut twisted, but then she reminded herself to be strong. She didn’t give a shit if Cam had his feelings ruffled. Welcome to life.
Cam leaned toward her, coming within an inch of her ear. “Come with me now unless you want to do this in front of the entire band and any other person who wants to listen,” Cam said. Each word fanned the side of her face with his warm breath.
“You wouldn’t.”
“I most definitely would.”
Looking around the immediate vicinity, Taylor noticed curious faces turning in their direction. Chewing on the corner of her lip, she wanted to walk away, but she couldn’t do it. Cam wasn’t kidding. He’d spill all their dirt in front of everyone, and now that she knew he still loved Bre, she didn’t want anyone to know she was the fool who fell in love with someone who’d never love her back.