Page 114 of Rewrite Our Story

MARE - PRESENT

“I feelthis is really poor planning on your part,” Pippa chides from the other line of the phone.

I sigh, taking a seat on one of Linda’s front porch rockers. “I understand that now. However”—I say dramatically—“you lecturing me doesn’t help whatsoever. Are you going to come pick me up or not?”

Pippa sighs. “I’m just saying thatmaybeif you and Cade had just texted one another that you were planning on doing these big, elaborate gestures, that the two of you wouldn’t have literally missed each other at the airport by a couple of hours.”

“I wanted to surprise him in Sutten, Pip. Not once did I think Cade would be planning on flying all the way to Chicago at the same time.”

“You know if you would’ve just told me you were coming back, or called me when you landed instead of hiring a driver, I could’ve told you he was planning on surprising you.”

“Yes. I should’ve told you. For once in my life, I’m sorry I kept a secret from you.”

She laughs nervously. “Technically, it’s not the first. I’m on my way, but there’s just one little thing…”

“Wait to tell me when you get here. Focus on driving. Speed a little. Sherriff Phillips will understand.”

“Miss Betty is a huge fan of yours.”

I turn pink thinking about trying to talk Pippa out of a speeding ticket by offering up a signed book to our sheriff’s wife.

“No more talking,” I instruct. “Get here so we can hopefully catch Cade at the airport.”

* * *

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I mutter under my breath, gawking at the man sitting in the passenger seat of Pippa’s work van.

Pippa leans forward, her hands gripping the steering wheel as she stares at me with wide eyes. “Mare,” she begins, looking from the man to me and back again. “Youmightremember Camden.”

My mouth hangs open as my eyes bounce between the two of them. Yes. I remember Camden. It’s hard not to remember the asshole of a man sitting shotgun in Pippa’s work van.

He stares back at me, an unreadable look on his face. I don’t know why on Earth he’s willingly sitting in Pippa’s van. And why she’s letting him.

“Oh my God, Pippa, did you abduct the asshole tourist?” I try to whisper inconspicuously.

Pippa laughs uncomfortably. “Technically, no.”

Camden shoots her a look. His jet-black eyebrows rise to his hairline. “Abduct might not be the best use of words. Blackmail? Maybe that’s better…”

Pippa rolls her eyes. “Don’t be so dramatic.”

“The last time you talked about him you said, and I quote, ‘There’s no way that man has a big enough dick to be that big of a dick.’ And then I think you said something that his terrible attitude is his way of compensating for his ‘small dick’ and ‘lackluster looks.’”

Pippa squeaks as Camden aims a menacing look her way. It’s so cold and intimidating that I get goosebumps just from witnessing it. Camden is quiet for a moment, running his finger over his lip. When he turns to face me, there’s a fake, cold smile on his lips. “Pippa didn’t seem to think my cock was small when she was trying to fit it in her mouth when you sorudelyinterrupted us with your rather desperate call for help.”

Pippa’s forehead falls to the steering wheel. The van lets out the tiniest squeal of a honk.

I stare between the two of them, wondering what in the actual hell is going on.

Pippa is hooking up with a tourist?Thistourist?

Apparently more has happened in my absence than I was expecting.

“Pippa, it appears we havemuchto catch up on,” I say, still completely shocked about what’s transpiring before my eyes.

“Pippa,” Camden begins, copying me. His voice is low as he turns to look at her. “You’ll be paying for those little comments of yours later.”

I try not to grimace when my best friend looks excited by the words coming from Camden’s mouth. A weird sound comes from my mouth as my lips flap open and shut like a fish because I can’t comprehend what’s going on in front of me.

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