by T. K. Leigh
“Why do you want to know where Livvy is?” Mo asked, wanting to protect his friend. “I’m not so sure it’s a good idea, telling you that.”
“Please, Mo. I’m begging you. I know I’ve been such a prick these past few weeks. I should have stopped all this foolishness the second she walked back into my life, but I didn’t. I pushed her away because I was scared of getting hurt again and losing control. I knew that it was the same thing Olivia did so why was it okay for me to do it and not her? Earlier, as I was watching Chelsea walk down the aisle, all I could hear in my head was my mother’s voice, saying to follow my heart and not my head. And when Chelsea’s father pushed back her veil, all I could think about was how I wished it was Olivia standing next to me. And then the minister started going on and on about Adam and Eve, the first woman and man…”
Kiera gasped.
“I think it surprised Chelsea, too. She looked at me and just knew that I was about to walk out. It was almost like it was a sign. Olivia is my Eve, and she always will be. So please, you need to tell me where she is. I’m begging you both.”
Kiera looked up at Alexander, and could see how upset and sincere he looked. “She’s back in Florida,” she whispered.
Alexander’s eyes lit up and he kissed Kiera on the cheek. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”
He ran from the room.
“Go get her, Alex!” Mo shouted. “But if you hurt her again, I swear I have ties to the mob!”
Alexander laughed as he leapt out the front door into the snow storm, speeding to his waterfront penthouse, hoping that the airport had a runway clear.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
SOLACE
AT MIDDAY ON SUNDAY, Olivia pulled her car into the sandy driveway of her little beach cottage. The air was thick with an early season humidity as she hauled her luggage from the trunk into the house, making sure Nepenthe was comfortable with food and water before unpacking her belongings.
Everything looked just as she had left it, including her piano. It was still there. Nothing had changed, but everything was different. Alexander was now married. It was over. She lost him. Trying to subdue the lump that had formed in her throat at the thought of Alexander and Chelsea spending the rest of their lives together, she raided the cabinets, hoping that she had left some liquor behind. No such luck.
Grabbing her purse, not caring that she looked like hell from driving for the past twenty hours with barely any breaks, she headed out her front door, slamming into a tall, hard body wearing a wetsuit from his hips down.
“Jesus!” she exclaimed before looking up. “Cam.” She inhaled sharply when her gaze met his intense silver eyes. “What are you doing here?” she whimpered, unable to avert her eyes from his naked chest and sculpted body, thinking that it was sinful for a psychiatrist to look that good. Damn it, Libby! Get your head out of the gutter!
“I guess I can ask the same of you,” he said, interrupting her thoughts. “But I know the answer.” He lowered his eyes, brushing a wayward curl out of her face. “Are you okay?”
She searched Cam's gentle face, his kindness overwhelming her. After everything she had been through the past several months, after everything she had put Cam through, she was surprised to see him standing on her deck, still worried about whether she was okay.
All of her emotions rushed forward under the gentle stare of Cam's eyes. She fell to the ground, wailing through her tears. She was anything but okay.
“Hey, Libby,” he said, lowering himself and pulling her into his arms. She exhaled through the sobs, savoring the comfort of his embrace. She needed him at that moment.
“I’m not going to say that it will be alright because I’m sure you don’t want to hear that right now.”
“I couldn’t stay there, Cam. I just cracked,” she cried. “I had to leave that city. Everywhere I turned there was another reminder of how I ruined everything. I couldn’t bear it anymore.”
Cam soothed her tears as he held on to her fragile body, worried about how much weight she had lost. “Libby, when was the last time you ate anything?” he asked after several long minutes.
She wiped her face, the tears finally subsiding. “I can’t remember. Maybe Friday?”
“Jesus, Libby. It’s fucking Sunday afternoon. We’re going to get some food right now,” he growled, standing up and pulling her with him toward the Wrangler that she had failed to notice was parked in front of her house.
“Cam, please. I just want some liquor to dull the pain. That’s all. I’m too much of a wreck to be out in public.”
He sighed. “Fine. Then I’ll take you to my place and cook for you. No argument. If I have to kidnap you, I fucking will, Libby.”
Her eyes grew wide as she listened to his voice full of anger and passion. It reminded her of Alexander. Her Alexander, except he wasn’t hers anymore and he never would be again.
“I’m sorry,” Cam said quietly, getting his emotions under control. “You need to eat, Libby. Please. Come with me. We’ll open a bottle of pinot.” He winked.
“Fine, but I need to shower.”
“You can shower at my place while I’m cooking. If you think I’m going to let you out of my sight right now, you’re crazy.”
She went inside and packed a small bag of things that she would need to shower at Cam's. When she emerged, he snaked his arm around her too small waist and led her down her deck to his Wrangler.
She stepped up into the Jeep and closed the door, admiring the view of the beach. It was her solace from the pain. It was exactly what she needed to get through this rough patch in her life. And maybe Cam was what she needed. Maybe she had been looking at things all wrong. Maybe all the troubles she had with Alexander were meant to lead her to Cam.
“Hey, Libby?” Cam said, pulling Olivia out of her thoughts as he drove away from the beach.
“Yes?” She glanced across the car at him, admiring his wayward sandy hair blowing in the wind.
“I’m glad you’re back.”
Olivia reached over and grabbed his hand as he shifted into fourth. “Me, too.”
~~~~~~~~~~
A few minutes later, Cam pulled up in front of an old Victorian-style home just a few blocks from the downtown area of Fernandina Beach. The wrap-around deck boasted several lounge chairs as well as a porch swing, complete with nautical themed pillows. Olivia made a mental note to use that swing sooner rather than later. It looked so peaceful.
Cam led her up the steps and into his house, giving her a tour of the lower level.
“Did you decorate this?” Olivia asked, astonished at the décor throughout the bottom floor. To the right of the entryway sat a large living room, the walls painted a light shade of yellow with a rather comfortable-looking sofa and love seat against the walls. Natural light shined through the entire house. Cam nodded as he led Olivia past a staircase and down a narrow hallway leading to a gourmet kitchen, the large windows overlooking a rather nicely manicured backyard complete with in-ground pool and hot tub.
“Swing set?” Olivia asked, raising her eyebrows at Cam, eyeing the large wooden play set in his backyard.
“I have nieces and nephews who like to come visit. Don’t worry. No kids, or at least none that I know of,” he replied, lightening the mood, happy to put a smile on her face.
She looked at the crystal clear water in the pool, wishing she had packed her bathing suit. Oh well. Maybe next time, she thought. She surprised herself, thinking about a next time at Cam's. It felt refreshing, as if maybe she would survive life after Alexander.
“Come, Libby. I’ll show you the rest of the house.” He led the way upstairs where there were two guest bedrooms complete with bathrooms, and an even larger master bedroom. Everything was decorated in light yellows, greens, and blues. The house definitely belonged in a beach community, that much was clear.
After Cam left her, Olivia ran the water in the master bathroom, hopping in the shower and savoring the feeling of the warm water on her skin. Her eyes b
egan to droop slightly, the long drive finally catching up with her. For the past few hours, she had been running on pure adrenaline. Now that she had reached her destination, the lack of sleep over the past several days came rushing forward. She just needed to get through the shower and lunch, and then she could collapse.
“Feel better?” Cam asked when Olivia walked into the kitchen, the smell of garlic making her stomach growl.
“Yes. Slightly exhausted, but I’ll be okay.” She grabbed the glass of wine Cam held out to her.
“Do you like salmon?” He raised his glass to his lips and swirled the wine around in his mouth.
Olivia stared at his gorgeous face as he savored the taste of the wine, the liquid dancing across his tongue. Stop it, Olivia! she screamed in her head. She couldn’t help it, though. It had been far too long since she had sex and, for lack of a better word, she was horny. And Cam was hot.
“Libby?” he asked, smirking as he watched her stare at him with heat in her eyes. “Everything okay?”
“Yes,” she replied, still openly gawking at the little tufts of hair that were visible beneath his V-neck t-shirt, wondering when he had changed out of his wetsuit.
“So, do you?”
Her eyes met his. “Do I what?” she asked breathlessly.
He took a step closer, their bodies almost touching. Olivia could feel the electricity coming off his body. “Like salmon?” he asked, his voice husky.
“Yes,” she whispered.
“Good.”
Desire flooded through her body as she continued to gaze into Cam's eyes. But he looked troubled.
Slowly shaking his head, he turned away. “Sorry, Libby, I just…”
Olivia looked away, embarrassed. “No. It’s okay. You have nothing to apologize for,” she spat out, downing her glass of wine, needing to feel the burn of the liquid, her face turning a shade of red similar to that of the wine.
“Libby, don’t be like this. Please. I just…”
“What, Cam? Spit it out already.”
Taking a deep breath, he gazed at her. “I was fucking heartbroken when you left back in January, but I know I sent you away. It was for your own good. You had to do it, but there was this part of me that didn’t want you to go, that wanted to keep you for myself. And now that you’re back, I just don’t know how to act around you. I love you, Olivia. I know you don’t feel the same way. I don’t want to be your rebound. I want something so much more from you, but I know you’re not ready for that. So until you are, please, let’s just be friends. It hurts too much otherwise.”
Olivia opened her mouth to respond, unsure of what to say. Cam loves me? She was shocked.
“Please. Don’t say anything. Let’s just go back to how things were five minutes ago. Wine?” He winked.
Olivia nodded, still reeling from his admission. “Yes, please.”
After enjoying a filling lunch of salmon with mango salsa, exhaustion caught up with her as she lay on the sofa, Cam rubbing her feet. On the TV, The Dude kept shouting that he wasn’t Mr. Lebowksi as Olivia slipped into unconsciousness. Cam gingerly raised himself off the couch, not wanting to wake her up, watching her chest rise and fall in an even pattern. He grabbed a blanket and draped it over her shrunken frame. Placing a gentle kiss on her temple, he whispered, “Sleep well, angel. I love you.”
His heart stopped when Olivia shifted. “I love you, too, Alex.”
Cam shook his head, knowing deep down that Olivia would never get over Alexander enough to pursue any sort of relationship with him, even though his heart yearned for it.
Olivia slept all day and into the night. Cam thought about waking her up so she could eat dinner, but she looked so tired. She had barely stirred all afternoon as she rested on his couch. And, for once, she didn’t wake up screaming every few hours because of the nightmares. No, he’d let her sleep.
When the clock struck midnight and she still hadn’t awoken, Cam gingerly wrapped her in his arms and carried her upstairs to his bedroom, laying her down gently before crawling in next to her. He knew it wasn’t the smartest idea, but he desperately wanted to feel her body in his arms. He wrapped himself around her and fell asleep dreaming about what life would be like if Olivia had never met Alexander.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
SECOND CHANCES
THE FOLLOWING MORNING, CAM woke up as the sun shined brightly through his bedroom windows. Looking over at Olivia, he smiled as she continued to sleep. He quietly slipped out of the bed, seeing that it was practically noon. He wondered if Olivia was ever going to wake up. Then he thought about her cat. He wasn’t sure how long Olivia would sleep, and he wanted to make sure Nepenthe didn’t starve as she rested in his bed. He secretly loved the sound of that. He found her keys and headed over to her house so he could check on her cat.
Pulling up in front of Olivia’s house, he was surprised to see a rental car parked in her driveway. Grabbing her house keys, he walked up to the front door.
“Hey, buddy. Can I help you with something?” Cam bellowed to a figure slumped over, sitting on her deck and leaning against the railing. The figure jumped, startled, and raised his head to look at Cam. Shit, it’s him.
Pushing past him, Cam walked to the front door, not wanting to look into the face of someone who had damaged Olivia past repair.
“Hey! What are you doing here?!” Alexander roared, following Cam into Olivia’s house, Nepenthe stalking the front door, hissing at both men.
“What am I doing here?!” Cam shouted. “I’m taking care of my fucking friend! That’s what I’m doing. What the fuck are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be off on your honeymoon with your wife?!”
Alexander shuddered at the term.
Cam lowered his voice. “Please. You need to leave her alone. She doesn’t need someone like you in her life.” He walked toward Nepenthe’s food bowls and began filling them up, freshening his water before throwing some cat nip on the ground for him to roll around in.
“You barely know that fucking girl,” Alexander growled. “Who are you to tell me who she needs in her life? What is this? You want her for yourself?”
Cam exhaled, not wanting to tell Alexander what he thought he needed to hear, wondering if Olivia had told anyone about what happened the night she found out that Alexander had gotten engaged.
Lowering his voice, he turned to face Alexander. “Listen, when Olivia first got here, she was so sad. I knew she was depressed. All the signs were there. Then we started to spend some time together, and I got to know her.”
Alexander’s temper flared just thinking about someone else being able to spend time with his Olivia.
“She started to come out of her shell. Then she found out you were dating that girl and she broke down again. And I was stupid enough to give her space. I knew it was the last thing I should have been doing, but I fucked up. I pissed her off and then let her stew. Weeks later, my friend texted me, letting me know about your engagement, and I rushed over here. Olivia didn’t seem to know about it just yet, which was good. So I left her with the promise of coming back in an hour to take her to dinner. When I got here…” Cam trailed off, remembering the scene he saw when he kicked in the door.
“When you got here, what?” Alexander inquired, his voice shaky, unsure of whether he wanted to hear what Cam was about to tell him. He followed Cam’s eyes to Olivia’s front door, noticing the repaired door jam.
“When I got here, I knocked and no one answered.” Cam gulped, remembering the sinking he felt in his chest that night. “So I knocked again, but there was still no answer. Then I heard a scratching.”
“Nepenthe…” Alexander breathed, looking down at the cat.
“I knew something was wrong so I looked into the window…and she was lying on the floor over there, a pill bottle spilled out on the coffee table and an empty liquor bottle next to her. She was unconscious. She had taken four valium and drank far too much liquor…”
“Fuck…”
“If I arrived any
later, I wouldn’t have been able to get those pills up. But I did. And then I pushed her out the door, thinking that if your love for her was as strong as it seems hers is for you, then maybe you’d forget about all this bullshit and take her back. It killed me to do it, but I knew she needed the closure at least. But now, I don’t know. She’s just so empty, as if she’s just going through the motions, waiting…”
Alexander sat down on the couch, trying to process everything Cam had told him. Olivia hadn’t mentioned any of that to him. “How is she? I mean now? Is she okay?”
“She’s pretty banged up, mentally and emotionally. But she’ll smile again one day. She’s stronger than this.”
“Why didn’t she tell me?” he asked, staring at the floor, unable to truly comprehend what he had done to Olivia.
“Would you have listened if she did? Please, you need to let her heal, and the only way she can is with you out of her life. I can’t bear the thought of walking in on her and seeing her like that again. Please. You need to leave. Go back to your wife. It will be too painful for her to see you now that you’re married.”
“I didn’t do it,” Alexander said quietly.
“Do what?” Cam asked.
“Get married,” he replied, still processing everything Cam had just told him. “I left her at the altar. Literally. We were about to say our vows and I left.”
Cam chuckled. “Seriously?”
Alexander simply nodded.
“Come on. Want a drink?” Cam asked, gesturing Alexander out of the house toward his Wrangler.
“I could definitely use one after the week I’ve had,” Alexander said, standing up and following Cam out the door.
~~~~~~~~~~
Olivia woke up, unsure of where she was. Sun seeped in through large windows, illuminating pastel blue walls with beige trim. Inhaling deeply, she knew she was in Cam's bed. It smelled like him.
