Page 3 of The Fix
Rex turned and began walking toward the gate, his shoulders curled forward per usual, hands tucked into the pockets of his baggy jeans.
“That dude’s a little weird if you ask me,” Hollis said, running his index finger over the edge of her bikini top. “I hope he wasn’t bothering you.”
She had this urge to bat his hand away but smiled instead. “He wasn’t bothering me at all. He was just sitting there. And if you think he’s weird, why invite him to the team parties?” Rex wasn’t a football player, but he did something with the coach regarding stats and was at every practice.
“Out of the kindness of my heart. I didn’t really think he’d show up. He doesn’t even have a car.”
She looked over at Hollis. How was it kind if he was only inviting Rex as an empty gesture, believing the guy wouldn’t show? “Then how did he get here?” Hollis knew Rex didn’t have a car and hadn’t even offered him a ride?
“No idea. But don’t feel too bad for him. I was trying to give him the opportunity to make a play with the ladies. The dude’s probably never been laid in his life. But I guess an eyeful of my girlfriend in herbikini is enough for the spank bank, and now he’s headed home to take care of business.”
She pushed at him. “That’s rude. He was being perfectly respectful.”
Hollis raised a brow. “Well, I don’t plan to be.” He started walking her back in the direction of the pool house, and a wave of nausea overcame her.
She forced a laugh and pushed at him again as he lowered his head to nip at her ear. “Hollis. I have to go, remember? I promised my parents I’d be home. My dad’s leaving on that trip to New York, and we’re doing a family dinner.”
“I thought you had to leave at seven. We still have thirty minutes.”
“My mom texted and asked if I could stop by the store for something she forgot,” she lied.
Hollis lifted his head and sighed. “Can you come back over later? Meet me here at the pool house. My parents will be at a thing tonight.” He pulled her toward him again and kissed her neck. “I need you.” He ground his hips against her to show her how much.
She let out a small moan. Despite the nausea and not being in the mood at all, Hollis was good with his hands and his mouth.And maybe that’swhyyou’re nauseous.
Cami pulled away, then leaned forward and gave him one more kiss before running her thumb over his lips and smiling prettily. “I’ll text you later.”
She turned, and he gave her a soft swat on her behind as she walked away to collect her things from one of the loungers by the pool.
She quickly pulled on a sweatshirt and a pair of shorts and left the party. When she made it out to the street where her car was parked, she looked up and down the block for Rex, but he was nowhere to be seen.
Chapter Two
The pregnancy test felt like it weighed fifty pounds as she carried it to the drugstore’s self-checkout, praying she wouldn’t see anyone she knew. Cami curled her fist around it to hide the packaging as best she could, scurrying to the register and scanning it quickly before dropping it in a bag. Then she paid, her hand shaking slightly as she swiped her bank card, took the receipt, and then double bagged the item.
She headed to the back of the store, where there was a restroom. The last thing she wanted to do was carry the test in the house and then pee on a stick while her mom was downstairs cooking pasta. She hoped to God she’d take the test, see it was negative, discard it underneath some paper towels in the public trash, and go back to living her life.
Please, please, please.
Cami went into the stall and unfolded the directions with her unsteady hands. She went through the outlined steps, swearing softly when she peed on her fingers. But she’d gotten plenty on the stick, and so she carefully repackaged it, wrapped it back in the plastic bags, and left the stall to wash her hands as she waited for the test to do its thing.
As she lathered the soap, for some reason her mind returned to the remark she’d made to Rex Lowe. She’d told him she had a habit of simplifying things, and he’d asked her what she’d simplified lately. Hollis had interrupted them before she could answer, but if she had, what would she have said? Because despite the half-joking way she’d tossed the statement at him, it’d felt like one of the truest things she’dsaid in a long time. She simplified her reactions, and her opinions, and most expressions of her intellect. She did so because it was easier to fit in that way. At least with the crowd she was in.
Not that she thought she was any smarter than any of them. In fact, she knew that she had to work a lot harder than many for the grades she got. No, it wasn’t intellect. She had this feeling that they were all pretending in some way or another. Most of them just weren’t bothered by it. Like Hollis.
Would she have even known how to say any of that to Rex? Cami turned off the faucet and pulled a paper towel from the dispenser. No, probably not. It was the first time she’d really said it to herself.
The door banged open as she was drying her hands, and she held back a cringe as one of her mother’s bridge partners, Mrs. Rolland, came in. “Cami!” She gave a little laugh. “Fancy meeting you here.”
Cami smiled and grabbed the bag containing the pregnancy test off the counter. “Hi, Mrs. Rolland. How are you?”
“Oh, just fine. I swung in to pick up Gerald’s prescription before going to Pilates. Will Farrah be there tonight?”
“No. My dad’s leaving for a business trip tomorrow morning, so we’re doing dinner tonight.” She kept the bag by her side and took a few steps toward the door.
“Oh, safe travels to him, and tell Farrah I’ll see her on Friday.”
Cami pulled the door open. “I will. Bye.”
