Page 27 of The Wrong One

“It’s an orange tabby,” I said. “It just came to me.”

“I would have named it Garfield,” he said.

“Dammit, I should have thought of that,” I replied.

“It’s probably not too late to change the name.” He shrugged. “I mean, does the cat really know its name?”

“Good point,” I said. “The cat could give a shit what I call it. It just wants food. I don’t even think it likes me all that much. It meows, demanding food. I feed it and I get to scratch its ears before it lets me know when I need to leave it alone.”

“Sounds like a cat,” he said.

ChapterTwelve

Cam

We walked back out to the expansive campus. I could feel Izzy relaxing. It was the Izzy I remembered. We started back down the path toward the lab.

“I love all the trees on this campus,” Izzy said with a smile. “MIT is definitely a beautiful campus.”

I decided to extend our little tour. I remembered when I first started working in the lab on campus. It was crazy and exciting. I spent hours strolling around the place, admiring the trees and taking it all in. It was very relaxing, and I wanted to share that with Izzy. She needed to relax and unwind. As we walked, Izzy’s eyes wandered around, taking in the beauty of the surroundings. I couldn’t help but notice how stunning she looked under the sunlight that filtered through the leaves of the trees. Her skin glowed and her hair shone like gold.

As we reached the edge of the campus, I spotted a secluded spot by the woods. It was a place I had discovered during one of my walks around the campus. It was perfect for what I had in mind. I took Izzy’s hand and led her toward it.

“Where are we going?” she asked, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

“Just wait and see,” I said with a smile.

The sun was shining down on us, and the trees provided a cool shade. I could feel the tension in Izzy’s body dissipating as she was immersed in nature. I had read plenty of studies about the benefits of nature.

Izzy smiled. “Thank you.” I led her to a clearing surrounded by trees, and a blanket was laid out.

As we sat down, Izzy’s eyes widened with surprise. “I thought we were going back to the lab,” she said.

“We are,” I said. “But first, I wanted to show you this spot. It’s one of my favorites, and I thought it might help you relax.” I sat down on the ground, not caring that I was wearing my dress pants. It wasn’t the first time I found myself in this exact spot.

Izzy smiled and sat down beside me. The sun was warm on our skin, and the trees rustled gently in the breeze. It was a peaceful moment, and I found myself getting lost in the beauty of the nature around us.

As we sat there, a sense of calm washed over us both. The breeze picked up, sending a few leaves twirling through the air. I watched as Izzy’s eyes followed their path, her expression one of pure contentment.

“This is amazing,” she said, her voice hushed.

“It’s one of my favorite spots on campus,” I replied, feeling a sense of pride at sharing this hidden gem with her.

Izzy leaned back on the ground and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. I watched as her chest rose and fell, mesmerized by the way the sunlight danced across her skin.

I was glad I was able to help her relax. She was my friend. She was Ramsey’s little sister and I needed to take care of her the best I could.

“Thanks for bringing me here,” she said. “I feel a lot better.”

“Anytime,” I replied.

We got to our feet and to my surprise, she hugged me. The warmth of her body against mine sent a shiver down my spine. I had always been attracted to Izzy, but I knew better than to act on it. She was too important to me, and I couldn’t risk ruining our friendship.

“We should probably head back,” I said.

“Boo,” she teased.

I laughed. “Sorry.”

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