Page 20 of Camera Shy

“Okay,” I grunt, trying desperately to save face. “I can do that.”

“So…we’re…interested?”

I’m numb. I’m numb. I’m numb.

So why does it hurt so fucking much?

“Yeah, Mason, I’m interested. Set it up. I’ll start the industry research right away.”

“Okay, great. I’ll do that. I’ll email you all the details.”

The line is silent between us for a moment. It’s easy to talk business. It’s all we’ve been talking about for months now, apparently. How do we sign off? How do I say goodbye to the man who ripped my heart to pieces but apparently still has the power to put it back together?

“Thanks for calling—”

“Hey, Ave—”

We both try to speak at the same time.

“Go ahead,” I say.

He pauses for a moment more before he says, “I, um, I just wanted to let you know that I’ll take care of the rent here while you’re in Vegas.”

I clear my throat as it catches. “You don’t have to do that—”

“No, it’s only right. You’re not living here. You shouldn’t have to pay for it. As for the furniture and stuff—”

“Mason?” I interrupt.

“Yeah?”

I decide to acknowledge the hurt for the first time since my birthday dinner. It took almost two weeks, but I finally let my heart shatter. “I don’t want to talk about all that right now. I’m still hurting over everything. Can we deal with furniture after the summer?”

“Of course.”

“Okay, good night—”

“Avery,” he interrupts.

“What?” I ask in exasperation. Let me go, so I can melt.

“I don’t know if I’m allowed to say this…but I’m hurting too. I don’t want you to think I don’t miss you every day.”

And that does it. I hang up the phone and become a puddle of hysteric, blubbering tears. Curling up into a ball on the couch and clenching my eyes shut, I see her face. Her shiny rich brunette waves, her tan skin, flawless smile, flat stomach, and the perfect curve of her ass.

The woman he wants.

The woman I’m not.

6

Finn

I charge through the gate separating my yard from Dex’s. I’m not angry. The damn springs have too much tension. You have to rip through it or it’ll snap back and smack you in the face. I learned that lesson the tough way.

Innocent or not, me barreling through the gate like a bull startles the woman who is already in the hot tub. Her eyes bulge in surprise as her arm instinctively flies across her chest, sending a spray of water in my direction. I recognize her immediately from outside of Dex’s driveway today.

Neither of us says anything.

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