Page 32 of The Fallacy of True Love
Chapter Eleven
Alonzo
Trying my best to be quiet, I eased my door open and tiptoed out into the living room with my phone’s flashlight on.
The door next to mine swung open.
I glanced back at Cam, who stopped short at her doorway, a look of pained resignation on her face. She held her hand in front of her eyes, and I lowered my phone, which I’d instinctively pointed at her.
Closing the door, she strode toward me with quick, light steps, waving at me to go on. I opened the front door for her, and she slipped out. When I finished locking up, she was already trotting away in the direction of the beach.
Luckily, I had longer legs and had no problem catching up to her.
As I came up to her side, she let out an aggravated sigh. “Shouldn’t you have a hangover?”
“I have a slight headache, but the water should take care of it,” I said, matching my pace with hers. “And I’m used to waking up at five a.m.”
She harrumphed, and I wondered if it was because I was spared from the full consequence of drinking alcohol or because we had our early-bird tendencies in common.
She seemed determined to hold on to her dislike of me. I couldn’t fault her for that, especially after I’d snapped at her again last night. So much for making things up to her for the accident. “About yesterday?—”
Her groan tore through the quiet street. “We don’t need to talk about it.”
“Let me apologize, and I’ll stop talking.”
She gave the side-eye. “Are you actually capable of that?”
“Not talking?” I chuckled. “My girlfr—" I clamped my mouth shut. I didn’t have a girlfriend anymore, did I?
I’d always known there was a chance Dani would break up with me. That she’d realize she could do better. I just never imagined—never let myself consider—that she might step out on our relationship the way she did.
“So that’s why you’re here.”
I glanced at her, but she was looking straight ahead. All the better.
“She cheated on me.” The words shot out of my mouth before I could think twice. It was the first time I’d said them, and they tasted just as acidic on my tongue as they felt in my gut.
Cam turned her head, her face clear of any expression. No surprise, no pity. “How did you find out?”
“She told me. The day after Christmas when I picked her up for our date.”
A nod. “Damn.”
“Yeah.” My jaw tightened. “Of course, she did it with the guy I always thought would be perfect for her.” In fact, after Dani introduced me to Aaron, I asked if she’d ever had feelings for him. She’d vehemently said no. Told me she saw him as a brother.
Had that been a lie, or had her feelings simply changed?
I didn’t know what to believe anymore.
“That’s fucked up.”
“Yeah.” Cam didn’t say anything else, but she didn’t tell me to leave either. I took that as a sign that I could continue talking. Not that I could have stopped if I’d wanted to. “I knew she was too good for me, but I tried to give her everything she wanted. We were going to be lawyers together before she caved to her parents’ demands. We planned to see the world together. Have two kids. I thought she was it for me.”
“You thought she was the one even though you weren’t good enough for her?”
“I know. I was reaching?—”
She shook her head. “That’s not what I meant. Look, I don’t do relationships. But if I did, I’d want the two of us to be on equal footing.”
