Page 3 of SALT

"Everett's back," I say as I stand in the doorway as Mackenzie unpacks boxes in the announcer's booth at the Bulldog's new stadium. I knew she'd be in early trying to get things done before she left for Florida for the summer, and I needed to get out of the house. "Did you know he was coming home?"

Her slight pause in movements as she unpacks the box gives her away. "Not really. I mean, yes…" she draws off before returning to the shelving unit she was arranging trophies on. "Connor didn't call him until yesterday. I think he's been trying to convince himself that he could manage things back here while planning the new stadium in Jupiter. He finally came to his senses and called his father, realizing he couldn't be in two places at once–"

"What does Everett have to do with Connor not being able to be in two places at once?" I cut her off as movement down on the field catches my eye.

You've got to be kidding me. I came here to escape him, and here he is. My eyes lock onto his muscular back as he talks with Connor beside the field. Even in a suit and from this distance, his broad shoulders are imposing. I should stop staring. I shouldn't let my eyes drift down to his narrow waist or his toned ass, but I do because I'm a glutton for punishment, and I hate that he looks even better now than when he left. I hate believing that life seemingly went on unchanged for him since he took off without a word.

"I was getting to that. Everett is going to take over for Connor this summer."

That pulls my eyes away from him. "He's what?" I ask as my eyes practically bug out of my head. I mentally remind myself to check my jaw and pick it up off the floor. "How the hell will Everett swing coaching and the law firm?"

"I honestly don't know. This all transpired over the past twenty-four hours. Nothing was planned, which is why I didn't give you a heads-up thathewas coming back. Connor literally called him yesterday afternoon, and even then, he knew his ask was steep. Everyone knows Everett eats, sleeps, and breathes Callahan & Associates." She pauses and tosses the now empty box into the corner with all the others that still need to be collapsed. "I'm not sure Connor was convinced he'd come. You know their relationship has been strained." Joining me at the window, she adds, "Seriously, I planned on telling you all this today. I just didn't realize Everett would book the first flight home and show up before I got the chance."

"Yeah, maybe if I'd had a heads-up, I could have made myself scarce last night and he wouldn't have walked in the door and asked me to move out."

"He what?" Her head snaps to mine. "Oh, Cam…" She throws her arms around me. "I'm so sorry. You can crash at our house if you need a place to stay. We'll be in Florida for the summer anyway."

I hold her tight and try to push down the hurt I feel from the mere thought of leaving his house. My house. "I might take you up on that offer until I can find my own place. I don't want to take the first thing I come across because I feel rushed."

She releases me, concern etched across her forehead. "I can't believe this. Did Everett say you needed to get out right away?"

"No, he said we'd discuss it in the morning."

Mackenzie cocks her brow and puts her hand on her hip. She knows me too well. That's the thing about best friends. If they'rereal, you can't hide shit from them.

"Ah, now I see why you're here so early. Cameron, you know postponing the inevitable will only make it hurt longer, right?"

I turn away from her and find a chair to flop into. I know she's right. I'm hurt, but that's only part of it. I haven't seen Everett since hers and Connor's wedding. He left in the middle of the night, and I haven't heard from him since. That was months ago. He didn't owe me a goodbye, but Ilivein his house. You'd think he'd give me something, a note, an email, a text. The list of acceptable communications is endless, but I still received nothing, and now he's asking me to leave.

"I'm not avoiding him per se. I haven't seen him in months. He knows my birthday is coming up, which also means the anniversary of my parent's accident is approaching, and then he sprung this on me. Does it hurt? Yes, but I'm also mad. I needed some time to collect my thoughts. We both know I'm good at making questionable choices and worrying about the consequences later. I didn't want to fuck this up. It's important to me."

She leans against the front of the desk and crosses her arms. "How did it come up? Did he say he wanted you out right away? Did he sound mad? I need more details."

Mackenzie is the only other person I would ever give detailsto. We got close working at the concession stand at Hayes Fields together last summer. She had secrets, and so did I. It was during that time I divulged my crush on Everett Callahan. Having a crush on a guy isn't a crime, but when there's a twenty-plus-year age gap and the man is your dead father's best friend and business partner, not to mention the same one you went to live with after your parents died in a tragic car accident, it gets a little complicated. At least for some. Not me. In my eyes, love is love. I have fawned over that man for as long as I can remember. He's been my first and only crush since I knew what the word meant, and now he's all I have, and he wants me gone.When it comes to Everett,I knowI don't have a clear head.It's hard to step back, so hearing Mackenzie's thoughts will help me better understandmy own.

"I was in my swimsuit searching for a glass, completely unaware he was home, and literally the first words out of his mouth were, 'I think it's time for you to move out.'I haven't seen him since your wedding, and those are his first words to me." I can't help the indignation in my tone at the end.

"Was it the white thong bikini?" she questions as though that makes a difference.

"Yes, but I'm not the only one who wears those. Everyone wears those these days. Watch when your Midwest ass goes to the beach in Florida. You're suddenly going to feel like you're wearing one of grandma's moo-moos with how covered you'll be compared to most. Evan's dumbass threw a freedom party to celebrate his divorce. Of course, I put on my swimsuit. I planned on sitting poolside and having a front-row seat to the shitshow."

"Back up," she starts to pace the space in front of the desk, "So Everett walked in, saw you in the kitchen, and immediately told you he thinks you need to move out. You realize he probably thought you were the one throwing the party, not Evan, right?"

I lay my head back and stare at the ceiling. "Yes, he insinuated as much before he stormed out of the kitchen to shut it down."

"And you didn't stand up for yourself? That's not the Cameron I know. Why didn't you tell him it wasn't your party?"

I spin in the desk chair and close my eyes. Why didn't I defend myself? There are a few reasons, but the first and most glaring was the suffocation I felt being in such close proximity to him. The man makes me weak in the knees, and it's only grown disgustingly truer the older I get. Even disheveled from a long day at the stadium, he was ridiculously attractive, maybe even more so because the lock of hair that fell onto his forehead as he spoke to me wasn't something the world gets to see. Nor do they get a sneak peek of his chest hair because he was so hot in the humidity he couldn't help but unclasp the top two buttons in search of relief. The world gets to see the mask. I get to see the soul behind it, and what a beautiful soul it is. Until he opened his damned mouth. Being head over heels for someone who doesn't reciprocate the feelings sucks. But I can't let it go. I've tried. Even if he never loves me back, I'd still love him because he deserves it, because he's worth it.

"What would you have done if the person you want more than anything in the world asked you to leave?"

"Easy. I'd fight forhim. I don't think Everett wants you gone. I think he's jealous and doesn't know what to do with the way you make him feel. Think about it." I sit up in my chair and give her my full attention. "The day of my wedding, you showed up on Parker's arm. You'd already been hanging out together, but that day, you let Parker put his arm around you and kiss your neck. To anyone else in attendance, you looked like an official couple.Everett couldn't take his eyes off you that day, and thenext day, he was gone.Before then, you had saidyou feltthings between the two of you were changing. Like he was finally seeing you the way you wanted him to. Didn't you say he caged you in at the sink while you rinsed vegetables one night the week before the wedding?"

"Yes, the kitchen is one of the only other rooms he ever frequents besides his office,” I say quietly as her comment has one of my favorite memories flooding vividly into my mind.

Cooking is not my specialty, but I had just gotten home when I overheard Everett flippantly mentioning to one of his associates that he hadn't had a home-cooked meal in ages as I walked past the cracked door of his home office. With a bit of extra pepin my step, I hurried to the kitchen, determined to make him a meal.Thereweren't manyingredients in the fridge, but he had peppers and meat, the main ingredients for stuffed bell peppers.So, I pulled up a recipe and got to work.

I was browning the meat on the stove when he walked up behind me and placed a hand on either sideof meas I sliced and cleaned the peppers. "What are you doing?" Every hair on my body was acutely aware of his proximity. It felt as though literal electricity was zinging between our bodies. I wouldn't haveevenneeded to take a step to be firmly plastered against his front. I could have simply leaned back, but I didn't.

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