Page 45 of Just Like This
Palmer was stunned. Cami’s words dazed him, and I could tell he wasn’t expecting her to go off on him. He opened his mouth to respond, but Cami held up a hand.
“Save it, Palmer. You hurt me by reducing me to nothing more than a possession. I’ve known you most of my life, and this is how you treat me? I’m done.” Cami stormed out of the kitchen. A few minutes later, a door slammed. I knew there was fire inside her. I turned my attention back to Palmer who looked both horrified and guilty.
“Is this how you want to leave things between us, man?” I asked him. “I’m deploying in a few days.”
“It seems like we just got home from that shithole.” He seemed both surprised and confused because, after our last tour, we thought we’d be stateside for a while.
“It’s getting out of control over there, so I’m heading back.” I didn’t exactly know the specifics myself, but I had been paying attention to the news, and I knew that the surge of rebels in the area was intensifying.
“Why didn’t you say something?”
“Maybe because you punched me in the gut and then told me to get the fuck out?”
Palmer looked away with a grimace. “I’ve loved her for so long, you know? But I never had a chance to leave the friend zone, did I?”
“She’s going to need you,” I admitted. “I’m not going to be here to help her through the death of her father. She’s going to need her best friend.”
“What do you mean?”
“She just found out that the cancer spread. His surgery, the chemotherapy, none of it worked. I don’t know how long doctors are giving him, but I’d be a fool to hope that he’ll survive until I return.”
“Shit,” he muttered.
“Yeah. You have to be there for her, Palmer. I have to be able to count on you while I’m gone. I know it’s unfair to ask you to do this for me, but you’re my best friend.”
He nodded slowly. “Okay. I’m sorry, Garrett. I shouldn’t have lost it like that.” Palmer looked toward the hallway. “I should go and talk to her.”
I held up a hand. “Let me. Just stay here.”
Slowly, I walked down the hall to the closed bedroom door. I knocked softly before entering. Cami sat on the bed, her eyes red from crying.
“Hey,” I said. “Are you okay?”
Cami wiped the streaks of tears from her cheeks and sniffled. “I have so much to worry about, Garrett. I don’t need to deal with this too, you know? He’s acting selfishly.”
I nodded my understanding. “I know, and I think he knows that now too. He let his own jealousy get in the way, but I think he understands what we’re all dealing with now.”
“How? Did you punch him in the face or something?”
I couldn’t help the loud burst of laughter that escaped. “No, I didn’t punch him in the face.”
“Well, can I punch him in the face?”
“Easy there, Rocky. No one is going to punch anyone, okay?”
Cami legitimately pouted, and I couldn’t resist. I leaned forward and nipped her bottom lip with my teeth before kissing her hard. “Come on,” I told her before the kiss led to something more. “Palmer’s waiting.”
She whined but eventually followed me back to the kitchen where Palmer had helped himself to a few confetti pancakes. He set the plate down and held up his hands.
“I’m sorry,” he said with a mouthful. “I couldn’t resist. You know how much I love these damn things.”
Cami walked up to Palmer and snatched the plate away from him. His eyes were as big as saucers, and he backed away from her slightly. “Garrett said I couldn’t punch you in the face, so I’m taking away your pancakes until you really apologize to him.”
I intervened before she became violent. “It’s okay, Cami. He did apologize.”
She looked between us skeptically. “You’re still not getting any more.”
“Cami, I owe you an apology,” Palmer started. With his eyes on the plate in Cami’s hand, it was hard to tell if he was simply apologizing to get his plate of pancakes back or if he really was sincere. “You were right. I did treat you like a possession, and I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
