Almost Just Friends (Wildstone #4)(50)

Emmitt was going to have to wait.

She got down to the marina and came to a halt just before the docks. Because of course Cam was on the longest one, which jutted straight out at least a hundred feet over the lake.

If she wanted to get to him, she’d have to walk it.

Oh, boy. She took a few more steps, but stopped right before stepping up onto the actual dock itself.

She was already sweating. “Hey.”

He didn’t hear her.

Damn wind. She drew in a deep breath and stepped up onto the dock. She swiped her clammy hands over her thighs and took another step. Suddenly she felt ill. Maybe she’d caught Winnie’s flu. Maybe she should turn around and go straight home.

Except Winnie had texted her earlier not to worry, she didn’t have the flu. Maybe food poisoning, but whatever it was, she was fine now.

Great. So Piper couldn’t even use “close to death” as an excuse. “Cam.”

He still didn’t turn around. Well, shit. She managed another few steps, getting past the sandy shore now. Which meant she was directly over the water, specifically the waves lapping at the beach. Perfect, and now she was starting to hyperventilate right on cue.

Which was of course when Cam turned and caught her standing there, very carefully dead center of the dock, hands to her pounding heart.

“Hey,” she managed with a pretty good false cheer, if she did say so herself. “Whatcha doing?”

“Swimming.”

This had her fear momentarily forgotten. “In the lake?”

“No, in the air.” He shook his head, a small smile playing around his mouth, but not making it to his eyes. “Yes, the lake. I swim it every day.”

“The whole thing?” she squeaked. “On purpose?”

He lifted a shoulder. “I’ve always used swimming to blow off steam.”

Well, hell. Something most definitely wasn’t okay. “What’s wrong?”

He didn’t answer, which meant—dear God—she was going to have to move closer.





Chapter 17


“I remember all my promises.”

Cam heard Piper’s question; he just had no idea how to answer. What was wrong? Every-fucking-thing, but that seemed overly dramatic, and he didn’t do dramatic. Or emotions. Not since he’d bottled everything up, including Rowan’s death, and shoved it down deep.

For him, it was the only way to deal. Keeping it deep, however, was proving all but impossible. Three-plus months. Three-plus months Rowan had been gone, and whoever had said time heals all wounds was full of shit.

“Cam?”

She’d taken another step toward him but was still only halfway to him. She was standing oddly, as if every muscle in her body was strung too tight and on high alert. He realized the wide-eyed look she was wearing meant she was too petrified to walk out on the dock to get closer to him, and yet she was doing it anyway, inch by inch.

For him.

He shook his head. “Go home, Piper. You’ve had a long day, you’re exhausted.”

She swallowed, but didn’t retreat. “Something’s wrong.” Her eyes were now once again locked on his, like he was the only thing keeping her sane, telling him without words what trying to support him was costing her. “I’m coming to get you.”

With a sigh, he rose and met her. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, he started to lead her back to the shore.

She gulped hard and stopped him. “No. The other way. You weren’t done sitting out there.”

“You sure?”

She nodded, and not about to argue with her, he walked her to the end of the dock. He once again sat and hung his legs over the side, waiting for her to do the same.

Slowly, arms out, legs bent at the knees like she was a cat on ice skates on linoleum, she lowered herself onto all fours. She paused in that position for a long beat, then finally sat, hugging her knees to her chest.

To her credit, she didn’t push him to talk; she just reached out and took his hand in her clammy one and held tight, whether from sheer terror or wanting to comfort him, he wasn’t sure.

“You seriously swim the lake?” she asked.

“Usually twice.”

She gasped in horror, and in spite of what he was feeling, he smiled. “You think I’m nuts.”

She managed a small smile. “You’re my friend, and no matter what life choices you’ve made, I support you. Even if I think you’re nuts.”

He actually laughed when he hadn’t thought he could, and his frozen heart thawed a little bit. “Thanks for supporting my choices. FYI, I’ve just made another one.” Cupping her face, he kissed her, a soft kiss with a hint of a promise that he hoped she took him up on sometime. But it was her move to make, not his.

She put her hands over his and kept her eyes closed as she slowly pulled back. “You’re good at that. And I’m betting you’re good at all the stuff that goes with it.”

“There’s only one way to find out.”

She smiled. “I’d like that. But . . .” She opened her eyes. “Something’s wrong.”

He shrugged. Yeah, there was something wrong with him, probably a whole bunch of things, actually. But he didn’t have words for it right now. So he leaned back and stared at the water.