Reese

 

I was beginning to think Cam had taken my challenge of proving our situation was different than all the rest entirely the wrong way.

I thought he would push and push me to my limits, until he thought I was malleable enough that I would bend to his will. Or break altogether. Instead, he’d given me space and kept his distance, for the most part. He still made his presence known around practices and games, brushing up against me or throwing me sly glances whenever he could.

But there were no more make-out or groping sessions for over a week after the party. And every time we actually had to speak to one another our conversations were full of smart ass comments and backhanded jibes. Rather than subtle compliments and sweet endearments, which was what I would have expected from him if he were actually attempting to woo me.

Not that I wanted him to.

Without realizing it, I’d taken Gemma’s advice and tried to keep things just physical between us. Being in an actual relationship with Cam would be way too messy. There were too many factors at play here—the team’s reaction, the press, other students at school. My dad. No matter how I felt deep down about him, it was probably best to leave well enough alone.

But as much as you’d think him maintaining his distance would help with that, it was actually making it worse.

Had he planned that?

Was he some kind of sexual genius?

If his kisses and the way he worked his fingers were anything to go by…yes. Yes, he was.

I had about an hour after my last class to run home and change clothes, scarf down an early dinner, and make my way back over to the arena for tonight’s game. I was in the process of eating said dinner when Syd whooshed through the apartment door, dropped her bag on the living room floor, and faced me in the kitchen.

“If I’m about to encounter any pranks,” she said, “I suggest aborting them right now, or my head’s liable to spin around three hundred and sixty degrees and then I’ll vomit on you.”

I snorted. “As fun as that experience would be, I’ve been too busy to devise another one. I can’t speak for Gemma, though.”

Satisfied with that answer, she walked over to the fridge and pulled out her open bottle of Pinot Grigio. And then she proceeded to drink straight from the bottle. She never did that. Her pedigree wouldn’t allow it.

“You might want to slow down on that, or we’ll have to scrape you off the bathroom floor like we did the night of the party.”

She groaned, leaning her forehead against the freezer door. “I thought we agreed never to speak of that night again.”

“Oh, you mean the night you called Boyd out on staring at your boobs?”

She spit wine out all over the fridge doors and spun around to face me. “I said what?”

I tried to act like I wasn’t laughing my ass off inside my head. “Did we forget to mention that part?”

She covered her face with her hands to hide her extreme blush. “Please tell me I didn’t do anything else that humiliating.”

I shrugged. “Other than requesting someone to play ‘Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy’ at the top of your lungs while you and Boyd were dancing, I can’t really think of anything. FYI, I’m pretty sure Boyd would have let you ride him like a horse all night long if you’d wanted to.”

“I can never show my face around those guys again,” she moaned, falling onto the stool across the counter from me.

I took another bite of my turkey pesto panini I’d picked up on my way home. “Oh, come on, it wasn’t that bad. Everyone has nights like that. Don’t worry about it. It was actually pretty funny.” Her eyes flew to me. “Not in a, ‘ha-ha, look at that girl’ funny,” I assured her. “But in a, ‘that girl’s freaking hilarious’ funny. Trust me, Gemma and I would have pulled you out of there if it was that bad. Boyd seemed pretty enamored, though.”

“He did?” she asked, unable to mask her curiosity.

I bit back my grin and nodded. “He’s asked about you, you know.”

She sat up straighter in the stool, clearly now more interested in the conversation. “What did he say?”

“He was just asking basic questions like what you did for a living, how we met, stuff like that. He also asked for your number.” Her eyebrows drew together in concern. “I told him you had a boyfriend.”

Her shoulders slumped, her face falling in what I could only guess was disappointment. All be damned. She might actually like Boyd.

“Thanks,” she mumbled.

Then she went right back to chugging down that wine, sans glass.

“So…?” I tipped my head down at the bottle in question.

Her eyes went flat. “My mother took me out for lunch today. She and Dad are talking about an engagement.”

I shook my head, positive I’d heard wrong. “I’m sorry, what?”

She sighed. “Apparently, the two of them and Caleb have been discussing it. Although, no one said a word to me about it until today. They prefer a year-long engagement and a wedding next spring.”

Dropping my sandwich, I slammed my hands onto the counter. “Hold on. Do you hear yourself right now? What century are we in? Syd, you’re talking about your parents arranging a marriage for you to a man you don’t even love.”

For once, she actually didn’t deny it.

“I’m aware of my current situation, Reese,” she said wryly.

“Then do something about it,” I said probably a little too loudly. “I know this isn’t the life you want. No one can make the decision to get out of this and break up with Caleb but you. Stop letting them control you like this.”

She pursed her lips. “It’s not that simple. There’s a lot going on here with my dad’s and Caleb’s dad’s businesses. There’s Caleb’s career to consider. And if I ended this with him, I would be throwing my family and a lot of the people I grew up with away. They wouldn’t forgive me, and my parents would basically disown me.”

“Then you shouldn’t want them in your life,” I shrieked. “If they’re going to treat you like that, they aren’t worth your time.”

“Right. Because it’s so easy for you to throw people out of your life, like you did with your dad?” she shot back, sending a dagger straight through my heart. “Well, not all of us can do that.”

She must have seen the hurt on my face because hers instantly crumbled. “I’m sorry, Reese. I didn’t mean that. I know that’s not what happened with your family.” She took a deep breath and let it out. “I’m just really stressed.”

I reached across the counter and squeezed her shoulder. “I just don’t want to see you end up unhappy, Syd. You’re my best friend, and you deserve someone who actually loves you for you.”

Her smile was tired. “Thanks. I’ll figure it all out, though.” She walked toward her bedroom, bottle still in hand. “I’m going to go take a long hot bath. Have fun at the game.”

My gut twisted at her defeated tone. I’d always assumed she would eventually come to her senses about this whole Caleb thing before things got really serious. Now, though? With talks of an engagement and marriage?

I was really starting to worry about her.