Page 24 of In Her Arms

Cameron’s smile faded as the debate swirled around her. While her friends passionately discussed the drink names, her thoughts drifted elsewhere. To Goldie.

“Earth to Cameron? Are you with us?” Sasha’s voice cut through.

“Yeah, totally. Sorry. I was just thinking,” Cameron replied, shaking her head as if trying to dispel the fog of her thoughts.

Esme leaned in, her expression softening. “You’ve been a bit off. You sure you’re okay?”

“Honestly, I’m fine,” Cameron insisted, knowing every word was a lie.

“Come on,” Esme urged gently. “You’re in safe hands. You know you can talk to us.”

Cameron hesitated, glancing at her friends. They had always been her support system, but this was different. The emotions she carried felt too complex, too messy to share. Yet, as she looked into their concerned faces, she felt the urge to open up.

“It’s just…I’ve been dealing with some stuff,” Cameron finally admitted as she shuffled from one foot to another and stared down at the undone laces on one of her boots. “But I can’t really talk about it.”

“Why not? Is everything okay?” Sasha pressed.

“I… I’m… You know what I’m like, ladies,” Cameron mumbled, the words tumbling out in a rush. “There’s someone I’m involved with, but I can’t tell you who it is. It’s complicated.”

“Cameron,” Esme said softly, her tone encouraging. “Really? You mean, someone you like? Listen, whoever it is, we promise to keep it between us. You know we won’t say a word. Usually you love to tell us the gossip, so why is it a secret all of a sudden?”

The sincerity in Esme’s voice made Cameron feel slightly ashamed for not having spoken about it sooner. She took a deep breath, weighing her options.

“Promise?” she finally asked, her hands trembling slightly as she reached for her notebook.

“Promise!” Esme and Sasha replied in unison.

“I’m talking about someone I really like. But I’m terrified of messing it up.”

Sasha raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “You mean like a crush? But this never happens to you, Cam. You kiss and tell. You love and leave.”

“I know. But this time, it’s more than that. I sound crazy, don’t I?” Cameron replied, her cheeks flushing. “This person—this woman, obviously—is important to me. But I keep sabotaging things because I’m scared of how it could affect my life, my career, everything.”

Esme nodded, and Cameron could see it on her face that she understood. “That’s a pretty heavy burden to carry, sweetie. But you deserve your happy ever after too. Have you talked to her about it?”

“I don’t know how to,” Cameron said, shaking her head slowly. “What if she can’t handle me? The real me. What if I ruin everything? I kinda freaked out and ran off.”

Sasha leaned in closer, her expression earnest. “But isn’t this the cycle you’ve been stuck in for years, Cam? You’re letting your anxieties control you. You can’t keep sleeping around forever, you know?”

“I know,” Cameron admitted, feeling the frustration bubbling beneath the surface. “But it’s hard. Every time I think about reaching out to her, I freeze. I don’t want to put myself out there and then wind up getting hurt. Or worse, hurting her.”

“Cameron,” Esme said gently, “you’ve already slept with her. And you’ve both grown from that, huh? Isn’t that worth something? That’s so not you. You’re changing—with her, for her.”

Cameron bit her lip as she contemplated Esme’s words. She knew her friends were right; the relationship had grown, and every moment they’d shared felt significant. Yet the fear of losing that connection was almost paralyzing.

“I just want to figure things out,” she said, conviction beginning to seep into her voice. “I want her back. I need to find a way to make it right, but I think I’ve probably fucked it up already.”

Sasha grinned. “Okay then. Let’s put the menus and cocktails to one side for now and turn our problem-solving skills to this situation you’ve got going. If you want to make some grand gesture, you know we’re the ones you need on board. That’s so our thing. We can help you fix this.”

“What do you have in mind?” Cameron asked.

“Something movie-worthy,” Sasha suggested, her eyes lighting up. “A public declaration! Think about it. How many romcoms have you seen where someone makes a big scene to win back their love?”

Cameron rolled her eyes. “You mean like holding a boombox outside her window?”

“Now you’re talking!” Sasha exclaimed, her excitement becoming infectious. “Or a scavenger hunt where you’re the prize at the end. It could be totally cute!”

Esme laughed, shaking her head. “As much as I love the romcom idea, let’s get more personal. It does sound a little Hollywood cliché. What does she like? What are her passions? What’s meaningful to her?”

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