Page 77 of Camden

Hemade my heart flutter.

Cam broke the kiss when a throat cleared behind me. “I might be cool with you, but I don’t need to see you mauling my sister,” Grayson grumbled, making everyone laugh. Cam’s chest shook against my body as he chuckled.

“I think she was the one doing the mauling,” Haley laughed.

I grinned but didn’t take my gaze off of Cam. “Thank you for this,” I whispered. “It means more than you could ever know.”

“I’d do anything to see that smile on your face.”

* * *

I relaxedinto the black rubber tube as the river water flowed around us. Rylie, Stacey, Haley, and Meghan were all floating in the tubes connected to mine. We spent the last few hours laughing and eating. Everyone got to know my brother, which they welcomed into the fold with open arms. The guys even invited him on their annual fishing trip in a couple of weeks.

Grayson didn’t have the logistics fully worked out yet, but he’d head back to South Carolina next week to get everything packed up. He planned to arrange for a moving company to send everything back here to Sweet Springs. I offered to let him stay in my apartment for the time being, which worked well for Cam because he’d been working on convincing me to move in.

Crazy Man.

It’s not that I didn’t want to live with him. I really did. I just didn’t want to put myself in a position where I’d have to fully rely on another man. I didn’t want to lose all the independence and strength I’d worked so hard to build. Not that Cam would let that happen or ever hurt me.

Maybe with my brother living in my apartment, we could do a full test run.

I’d have to ask Cam his thoughts. Although, I probably already knew what his answer would be.

My eyelids drifted close behind my sunglasses as my hair floated in the water behind me.Is this what peace feels like?I sank further into the tube. “Can we talk about the elephant in the forest?” Haley asked, breaking the silence.

We all popped up to look at her.

“How could we not know that your brother is such a hottie?” She spoke loudly so we could hear her over the sounds of moving water. I laughed. She flicked some water at me. “Seriously. He’s gorgeous.”

“She’s not wrong,” Rylie agreed, pushing her sunglasses into her hair. “But I already knew that.”

“You knew she was hiding him, and you didn’t tell me? You’re a traitor.” Haley pointed at her.

“It’s not like you asked.” I pointed out, laying back again.

“I shouldn’t have to ask. As your best friend, you should’ve divulged this information on your own.”

“Um, excuse me, I’m her best friend,” Rylie said, attempting to be insulted, but amusement lined her tone.

Haley groaned. “We’re both her best friends. And I deserved to know that hot piece of man was out there waiting for me.”

“Waiting for you,” I repeated.

“Yeah. You know, so that we can date and fall madly in love.”

“Don’t I get some say in that?” A humor-laced voice said from the dock. All of our heads simultaneously snapped in that direction. A few feet from our floating bodies stood Cam, Gray, Mason, and an unamused-looking Asher.

“Do you need a say?” Haley asked. Normally, someone who’d just been caught talking about a guy would be at least a little embarrassed, but not Haley. She winked at him.

Gray tossed his head back in laughter. “I guess not. Just tell me when you want to start.” He stood, arms crossed, feet shoulder width apart, challenging her.

“How about tomorrow?” She suggested, not one to back down.

“Sounds like a date.” My brother’s eyes roamed over Haley’s bikini-clad body.Gross.Asher, who had watched the exchange like a hawk, fisted his hands and turned on his heel, walking away without a word. I peeked at Rylie, who winced. She saw the entire thing. I didn’t really think anything would come of Haley and Gray dating. They didn’t really seem like each other’s types.

If Asher wasn’t man enough to step up and go for what he wanted, he couldn’t be pissed when someone else finally caught her attention. “You girls ready to get out? We wanted to take the four-wheeler and side by side out for a ride.” Cam interrupted Haley and Gray’s staring contest.

“You have a four-wheeler?” I asked, surprised.

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