I head across the room to the bathroom. Looking in the mirror, I hardly recognize myself. When did I become this person? With stubble on my cheeks and circles under my eyes. Hell. That’s where it happened, even if I’m not sure when.
I walk back into the bedroom and sit down on the squeaky bed. Pulling the card from my pocket, I dial the number on the thick paper.
A gruff voice answers. It’s loud in the background, and I can barely hear him. “Hello?”
“Wilson? It’s Stewart.”
“Oh hey, man, what the hell is up?”
“I’ve been giving some thought to your offer.” I need purpose in my life. Something to do besides get drunk and sit at some crummy ass hotel.
“Yeah, and?”
“I want in. I want to prospect, or whatever you called it.”
“Come by the club tomorrow, man, we’ll talk it over with the members. But for now, there’s some pretty little ass at the bar I’ve got to take back to my room. You just wait, the women here are going to think you’re a god.”
That sounds good. I could use a little ass in my life. “Ok brother, I’ll see you then.”
I shut off my phone and lean back on the bed. I need sleep. I would get up early in the morning and grab my brother’s bike. Lucy hasn’t seen any use since he left for Afghanistan. It’s time for her engine to roar once again. I’m ready. This is the right call.
9
Cami
Everything has been absolutely perfect since Ty quit drinking. We’re raising Ella together and he’s acting like a father. We’ve been going out and doing things together, and he hasn't had any strange late night phone calls. He’s actually dating me, telling me how beautiful I am, and how much he cares about our family. He’s going to work and staying focused. Of course, I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. I’m not an idiot. I know this isn’t going to last forever.
The ringing doorbell draws me back from where my mind has taken me. Opening it, I am surprised to see my cousin Julie standing on the doorstep. I haven’t seen her in almost a year and now she pops in out of the blue?
“Cami, oh my God, you’re looking so good!” she says, pulling me into her embrace.
“You look great too, Jules,” I reply as I pull away. Sure she looks great, she always does. But what the hell is she doing here?
Standing there with her sends a twinge of jealousy through me. Her blue eyes sparkle in the light, even under the cover of clouds, and her clear, tan skin is just unbelievable. My aunt did a good job finding her dad, who was some Italian hunk. She won in the gene pool; between my aunt and the Italian sex god, they created one hell of a knock out.
“I should have known you’d be in a dress,” I mutter under my breath. She hears me and shakes her head at me with a smirk, causing her dark hair to blow in the cool breeze. Julie has always been pretty, but damn has she bloomed into a voluptuous beauty.
“It sure is cold down here. I thought Tennessee was supposed to be sunny and hot.” She wraps her sweater around her.
“It’s only January, so it’ll start warming up soon,” I reply, leading her into the house. I shut the door behind her before starting my questions. “What the hell are you doing here?”
Ty and I finally have our lives together, and here is the other shoe. A perfectly manicured bombshell. It’s not that he’s cheated before, not on me at least, but I get the feeling he’s done it. To other girls. I don’t want to fall into that category.
“Oh you know, just thought I’d come visit.”
“That’s bull and you know it. What happened, Julie?”
“Well, I mean… I kinda lost my apartment back home.”
“Uh huh… what’s his name?” There’s always a guy, with her. I cross my arms, waiting for her response. Sometimes, there’s more than one.
“Oh, it wasn’t like that, Cami, come on. I’m not some slut.”
That determination isn’t really up to her. I love Julie, but she treats guys like garbage. Hopping from one to the next with no interest in their feelings. It’s pretty sad.
She sighs. “Fine, Louie. He was nice and all, but God, Cami, he wanted to get married and some shit. I can’t be held down by some loser. That’s not me.” And there it is—nice guys always finish last with Julie.
“So what’s your plan? Show up here to crash with me?”