Page 48 of Brand
“The hell you talking about?” Lake said shooting him a look like he was crazy.
“Hairless dog, they’re called Chinese Crested,” Blade clarified.
“Anyway,” Chris said, pulling the word right out of my head.
“You’ll never believe this. And I am going to nut slap Sketch the next time I see him. Remind me of that,” I said trying to hold back my laughter and looking directly at Chris. “She thought we were together.”
I was failing horribly at holding in the humor of it all, and as Lake barked out a laugh, I let go and joined in.
“Like...together, together?” Chris asked as an amused smile graced his face. He could see it too. I mean, we were pretty close and had a connection that we didn’t even care to hide. Like BFFs for life.
“I could see where she’d get that,” Blade said nodding his head a bit.
“That’s what I said!” I chuckled. “I corrected her. She did this cute as hell freak out, then I kissed her. And if it wasn’t for the bullets that flew at us, I would have done it again.”
“How romantic…” Lake mumbled and I couldn’t tell if he was being sarcastic or not. “Think Chris is right, give her a day or two. I’m sure she’ll be alright, it’s just a lot to take in. She handled herself really well from what I’d seen, almost like she was made for this life.”
Now that was funny to me. Because in my mind, she was so far removed from this lifestyle. She didn’t deserve it and she sure as shit shouldn’t be able to handle it.
We polished off both pies then got to work. It didn’t take long to get everything patched up.
About ready to call it a day, I dug around in the back storage room and pulled out the paint cans that had the leftover shop colors. As I shook one of them next to my ear, I hoped there was enough left to cover the patched holes, and that it wasn’t too old and dried out. That would have been just be my luck. I really should have popped them open, given them a good stir, and answered those wonders right then, but I didn’t. I was over it, and I knew Iron needed me back at the compound soon anyway. If I left now, I’d have enough time to shower and try to call Cami…again.
She hadn’t called me or so much as sent a text all day. It irked me. I thought for sure there was something there between us.
Maybe in my absence, she had figured out what I had known all along. That she was too good for a guy like me.
After a long, hot shower, I sat on the edge of my bed and toyed with my phone. This would be it. I didn’t want to seem like a desperate man, after all. If she didn’t answer…well, I’d either get the hint or freak out that something had happened. Let me be real, I’d definitely jump to the latter first.
It rang.
And rang and rang and rang.
Voicemail, again.
I opted to leave a message this time.
“Cami.” I cleared my throat. “I don’t know what’s going on, but I really need to hear your voice. Please call me. Even if it’s to tell me it will never work out. I…I need to know that you’re alright. Word of warning, if I don’t hear from you, Iwillcome looking.”
I left it at that, hoping that everything was alright and that she’d find a bit of humor in my message. That we’d be able to laugh it off later and everything would be right again.
Then my phone chimed with a text. One that crushed everything inside of me.
It is not going to work out. I would appreciate it if you did not call this number again.
