Page 5 of Promise To Marry You
SAWYER: How are you Beckster?
I can’t help but smile at all of their concern. I hit the jackpot with my family. Of course, that thought makes the smile instantly fall as I realize Cam has no family left now. In what world is that fair? That I have four siblings and two parents, plus future siblings-in-law, who are all awesome and supportive, and she has no one?
BECKETT: She’s okay. Exhausted, emotionally drained, but that’s to be expected. Her grandfather’s lawyer showed up tonight with some letter that hit her really hard. I’m worried guys, she’s all alone out here.
BECKETT: And I can’t stay forever. I’ve got to come home at some point.
MAX: Would she consider moving? Or at least maybe coming out to stay here for a bit to get away from it all?
My fingers pause in typing a response. Would she?
BECKETT: I don’t know, but it’s worth asking. I’d do anything to help her right now.
JUDE: We’re here for you. Whatever you need, man.
BECKETT: Thanks.
I let the phone fall, only to pick it up again when it rings with an incoming call from Sawyer.
“Dude, be careful.”
I heave a sigh at my twin’s opening line. “Why?” I don’t know why I ask, I already know what he’ll say.
“Look, I know Cam’s important to you. You can’t fool your twin, Beck. You’ve been hung up on her ever since university. But in all that time, she’s never shown any indication that she feels the same. I don’t want you getting hurt because you sacrificed everything to try and be someone she doesn’t want you to be right now.”
And there it is. Sawyer the cynic, who unfortunately knows me better than anyone else on this planet, thanks to our sharing a fucking womb for nine months, has ripped off the careful Band-Aid I placed over one section of my heart years ago.
“She’s one of my best friends. I’m only going to do what anyone would do in this situation.”
Sawyer grunts. “Okay, so you’ll come home in a couple of days? Back to your life, instead of upending it for someone who doesn’t share the same feelings with you?”
“Sawyer, I’m telling you, it’s fine. I got over my feelings for Cam years ago. We’re just friends.”
“Just friends. Just remember that, Beck. Remember that when you feel like you need to be her knight in shining armour and fix everything. Okay?”
“Yeah. Got it,” I reply, the words sounding hollow in my ears. “Listen, it’s late, I need to get some sleep. I’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay?”
There’s a beat of silence, and in that beat, I know my twin brother sees right through me.
“Sure. Talk tomorrow.”
This time, when I put my phone down, I turn on theDo Not Disturbfunction and make myself set up the pillow and blanket on the couch. But sleep still eludes me for another couple of hours as I stare at Cam’s ceiling, thinking about what Sawyer said.
Would I upend my entire life for Cam? No. I realized long ago that she could never want more from me than friendship. She’s too wounded, too broken from the way she lost her parents to ever consider opening herself up to a relationship. I know that, without a doubt.
Yet, even still, I won’t leave here until I know she’s okay.
And I’ll do whatever it takes to help her be okay again.
Chapter three
Cam
I step out the front doors of city hall with only my anger keeping more fucking tears at bay.
How dare he. Howdarehe.
I arrived at work today to find my entire desk packed up into a box, my personal items included. Joseph came strolling out of his office as I stood there, staring at it all, trying to comprehend what he’d done. And the smug look on his face made me want to haul back and punch him.
