Page 13 of Just Like This
Chapter Six
Cami
Palmer walked into the kitchenfollowed by a tall, leggy blonde with perfectly blown-out hair and broke the tension that had started to fill the kitchen. They had been talking, but as soon as the blonde noticed Garrett, she let out one of those annoying squeals and threw herself at him. She practically knocked me out of the way as she tackled him.
“Oh my god, Garrett!” She pulled back and ran her fingers through his dark beard before kissing him squarely on the mouth. “You look amazing!”
To Garrett’s credit, he seemed stunned by the woman’s bold display of affection. “Oh, hey, Nikki,” he mumbled once he was finally able to pry her away.Nikki.I instantly hated her. Not because she was gorgeous and fit and her hair was perfect but because she knew Garrett. She knew what it was like to wrap herself around him; she knew what his lips felt like pressed against hers; she knew what it felt like to have his hands on her, touching her, holding her close. Those were things I was desperate to know.
I excused myself from the kitchen, grabbed the tray of steak, and headed out to the sanctuary of Palmer’s backyard. Nikki made every insecurity I had about myself bubble to the surface. I looked down at my navy blue tank dress. I felt short and frumpy compared to Nikki in her body-hugging shorts that showed off legs that went on for days and a too-tight T-shirt that emphasized she had more than just a handful. I toyed nervously with the end of my braid, thinking about her shiny golden waves. Garrett had already chosen her once, so why wouldn’t he pick her again?
I glanced back at the group gathered in the kitchen. Jackson and Nikki seemed familiar enough as they talked, but it wasn’t hard to decipher her body language and determine that she wasn’t interested in him. Meanwhile, Palmer and Garrett seemed to be deep in conversation. Whatever they were talking about, they both kept sneaking looks out toward the patio, and Palmer appeared angry. He finally threw up his hands and stormed away. I wasn’t expecting him to burst through the patio doors and stop right in front of me.
“Is he the reason you turned me down?” Palmer demanded angrily.
I shrank back against the grill. “What are you talking about, Palmer?”
“Garrett. Did you turn me down again because he’s here?”
Garrett stepped out onto the deck and placed himself almost directly between Palmer and me. He pressed a cautious hand against Palmer’s chest. “Back up, man.”
“Fuck off,” Palmer growled, batting Garrett’s hand away. “Answer me.”
“I’ve already told you I don’t feel anything more than friendship for you,” I told him through gritted teeth. “I’m sorry you don’t want to believe me, but it’s the truth. Please accept it and move on or our friendship is over.”
That wasn’t what Palmer wanted to hear. He spun on his heel, latched onto a patio chair, and shoved it across the deck. I took a step back, bumping into the grill. Just as I started to tumble, Garrett reached out to steady me. He kept a firm hold and brought me closer, which calmed me. From the corner of my eye, I saw Jackson and Nikki watching the drama unfold from inside the house.
“Why her?” Palmer roared. “Out of all the women in this goddamn world, why her?”
“Palmer, you need to calm the fuck down,” Garrett said, his voice low and gravelly. I could tell that he was trying his best to keep his cool, but sooner or later, his patience would run out.
“You’re my best friend,” Palmer choked out. “You’re not supposed to steal the girl I’m in love with.”
A bit annoyed at being the crayon these toddlers were fighting over, I interjected. “Doesn’t it matter what I want? You’re acting like this is all about you, Palmer. But what about what I want?” Palmer’s eyes were glossy and wide as they landed on me; the heartbreak he felt over his perceived loss burned deep in them.
Except he wasn’t ready to listen to what I wanted. “Fuck the both of you,” he hissed. He flicked his cold stare to Garrett. “Get out of my house. You’re not welcome here.”
Palmer brushed past us and disappeared into the house. Wordlessly, I walked toward the overturned chair and righted it before straightening the table and arranging the chairs neatly around it. Tidying felt like the best thing I could do to take my mind off the stressful situation.Just keep busy, I told myself. I took the platter of steaks back into the kitchen and covered them before placing them in the refrigerator. When I closed the door, a pair of golden brown eyes were staring directly at me.
“What?” I asked defensively.
“Don’t worry about Palmer too much. He’s a grown man. He’ll get over his hissy fit,” Garrett reassured me.
“I don’t think that’s going to happen. He’s asked me out literally every year since the seventh grade.”
“He should still respect you more than that.”
“He should respect you too.”
“I’ll be fine.” Garrett grabbed my hand and pulled me back toward the patio. “Come on, let’s go for a walk.”
“Garrett, are you okay?” Nikki asked breathlessly as she rushed toward us. Garrett dropped my hand just she clutched him in a tight hug. Stepping back, I looked around the kitchen confused. Where did she even come from?
“I’m fine,” he told her curtly, pushing away from her. “Cami and I were just going for a walk.”
Nikki’s narrowed gaze landed on me. “Oh,” she said dismissively. She turned back to Garrett and put the honey back in her voice. “But I haven’t seen you in so long. I was hoping we could catch up and maybe go out for a drink later.” She licked her lips suggestively.
“I’m sorry, Nikki. Maybe another time,” Garrett replied before turning back to me with a hand extended. “Are you ready?”
