Page 47 of Perfect Matcha
Chapter Seventeen
Three days later,Theo’s tea was still sitting on Camden’s kitchen counter. Camden stared at it every morning but hadn’t worked up the resolve to toss it.
Yep, he had an unhealthy attachment to a full, untouched, three-day-old, medium matcha tea. Super mature. He was really killing it in the adulting department that week.
Freddie reached over the table and tapped Camden’s forehead. “Hello? You alive in there?”
Camden rolled his eyes and smiled. “Yeah. I’m alive.”
They were at a trendy wine bar, post tuxedo-fitting. Freddie was making his groomsmen wear bottle-green velvet tuxedo jackets for the wedding. It wouldn’t have been Camden’s choice, even though Freddie said it brought out the “burnt umber tones” in Camden’s irises.
Camden had also discovered that the groomsmen, on both sides of the matrimonial aisle, were being asked to learn a big, videotapeable dance number as a surprise for Freddie from his husband-to-be. Camden was less than thrilled by the idea of learning choreography, but he didn’t have the energy to grumble about it.
All his mental bandwidth was consumed by thoughts of Theo’s date with Hawke taking place in Laurelsburg eighty miles away. He’d managed to get the details from Hawke since Theo had been pretty tight-lipped this week. They were going ice skating, which would probably lead to lots of touching because Theo was a wreck on skates and would need help. Then dinner at Olympia Greek Restaurant because that was Theo’s favorite, but he only ate there on special occasions. Camden had given Hawke that information, though it had hurt to divulge. After dinner, if all went well, drinks at Bold Brew.
Camden hoped it went well. Truly.
Mostly.
“Okay, Mr. Mopes. What the hell is going on?” Freddie’s voice took on an amused, biting edge.
“Nothing.”
“You’re acting so weird, and if you don’t tell me why, I’m going to call Cassie and ask her. Or Theo.”
“No!”
Freddie froze with a glass of pinot grigio halfway to his mouth. “Struck a nerve, Camden Ray? Who don’t you want me to talk to—your sister or the man you’re in love with?”
Camden almost knocked over his own glass. “What did you say?”
Freddie smirked. “Ooo, got your attention now, don’t I?”
“I don’t—I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Well, Cassie Ray is your twin sister. She’s got gorgeous blonde hair and is whip smart. She’s a flight attendant. You’ve met her, I’m sure.”
“Freddie.”
“And the man you’re in love with … I’m sorry. I thought you knew.Ah, well.Let me educate you. You’ve known him since we were seven. You’ve wanted him for ages, but your other best friend, Freddie—that’s me—is a big fucking jerk who intervened because he was selfish and not a very nice guy.”
Camden closed his eyes and tried to breathe through his shock. He’d had too many intense conversations this week. He didn’t think he could handle another.
“You’re not a jerk. You loved him.”
“I did. But I also knew that I wasn’t the only one, and I wasn’t the right choice for him.”
Camden shook his head. “I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”
“Camden, hey,” Freddie said. Camden’s eyes flew open. “I was trying to jolt you into paying attention to me. Not a nice guy, remember? I’m sorry. We don’t have to talk about this, but you don’t have to keep it a secret from me. I’ve always known.”
Camden was so tired of fighting his feelings, his secrets. “I am so screwed up, Freddie.”
“No, you’re not. Do you want to talk about this? Because I’ve been dying to for ages.”
“Okay.”
“How long have you loved Theo?”
