Page 34 of Just Like This
“Shut your mouth,” Garrett managed through clenched teeth.
“Why? You don’t want her to hear the truth?”
“No, because all you’re doing is hurting your sister more than she already is.”
I hadn’t realized it, but tears were streaming down my face, and my knees were shaking. Garrett spun just in time to catch me as I fell to the ground. “Hey,” he whispered. He gripped me tightly under the elbows and held me. “It’s okay, Cami. She’s hurting too. I can take it because you’re both hurting.”
I leaned forward and pressed my tear-stained face against his chest. “I thought I could do this,” I cried. “I thought I could be strong.”
“You are strong,” Garrett soothed. “You’ll make it through this.”
I nodded and gave myself an extra minute before I slowly stood. Garrett told me he was going to get the flowers and pastries out of the car, which left me staring straight into the angry eyes of my sister.
“If you want to be mad at me, fine,” I said firmly, “but don’t talk shit about Garrett. If you want to have late-night heart-to-hearts with Palmer, that’s your business. But I needed time to think through what I heard yesterday morning. If you have a problem with it, too bad.”
I brushed past her into the house and headed straight to the kitchen. I braced myself against the counter and focused all my attention on the calm waters of the bay. There were so many plans that had to be made now, and I didn’t need Valerie angry with me. Behind me, I could hear the sounds of Garrett coming into the house. I turned and helped him with the armful that he was carrying. I took the flowers from him and went to work cutting the ends and then searched the kitchen cupboards for a vase large enough to hold all of them.
“Dominic’s home,” Valerie said plainly. Garrett and I looked up to see her standing in the doorway, her face now stained with tears. “He’s been home for almost three months.”
“What?” I was confused. “How is that even possible?”
“He didn’t want me to find out.”
“Why not? I mean, you’re engaged!”
She shook her head as she swiped at the traces of tears. “No, we’re not. He ended it.”
Despite the ugly words she’d spewed at me in the driveway, I went to her. She had lashed out at Garrett and me because she was hurt and angry. I wrapped my arms around her, and for the first time in our entire lives, it felt like our roles were reversed. She was the frightened younger sister who needed protection and comfort.
“I’m so sorry, Val. You should have called.”
“No, you’re right. You needed time to process. I know it wasn’t easy to hear what the doctor said.”
“It wasn’t, but I still want to be here for you.” I glanced up to see Garrett watching us with curiosity. He smiled sympathetically and then nodded, like he understood some unspoken request, before heading out to the backyard. “God, Dominic is such an asshole,” I finally said. “That was an amazingly shitty thing to do!”
Valerie and I broke apart. I spotted the pink pastry box on the counter and reached for it, pulling toward us. Slipping a finger inside, I broke the taped seal and flipped the lid opened. We needed the comfort of these French confections.
“Oh, God,” Valerie moaned. “You brought me back éclairs?” Her fingers wiggled and danced as she reached into the box for one before bringing it up to her mouth and taking a bite. The look of pure delight on her face followed by a groan of satisfaction assured me that our conflict was over.
“And flowers,” I said, biting into a heavenly macaron. Valerie’s eyes landed on the fragrant bouquet on the counter behind me.
“Thank you, Cami. I’m sorry that I was such a horrific bitch.”
“I knew you would be mad. I am sorry that I just left and didn’t call. I hope you weren’t worried.”
“Truthfully, I knew you were okay, and it’s probably better that you weren’t here anyway. I drowned my sorrows in a bottle of cheap wine,” she said before taking another bite of her éclair. “Palmer found me wandering the beach.”
“Why was he here?” Palmer was on my shit list for what he said about Garrett. Everyone assumed we would end up together because we’d grown up together and our families were so close. It wasn’t hard to miss the looks he gave me and how they were often filled with unrequited desire. Well, there was no chance in hell anything was going to happen between us.
“Why else? He was looking for you.”
“Did anything happen between the two of you?” I asked with a hint of skepticism.
Valerie looked at me with disgust. “Ugh. No. We both got drunk out on the dock. I was angry, and he was jealous.”
“He can shove his jealousy right up his ass,” I replied the moment Garrett decided to return.
“I thought it might be safe to come back,” he said, but from his expression, he had heard what I’d just told Valerie. “Who’s shoving their jealousy up their ass?”
“Palmer,” Valerie and I answered in unison.
“I’ll talk to him tonight.” He walked into the kitchen, picked up a pastry from the box, and devoured it in two bites. Valerie and I watched him in amazement. “Cami, I have to go, but I’ll call you tonight to check on you.”
Garrett planted a firm, searing kiss on my lips before he left, leaving me a little hot and bothered.
“I’m going to take a shower,” I announced. “And then we can go see Dad.”
Valerie’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “After a kiss like that, I would need a shower too.”
