Close to You (Fusion 2)

“How do you know he will get tired of being here?” she asks.

“Landon’s always had a wandering soul. He’s talked about living in far-off places for as long as we’ve known him. I like it here, Addie. I don’t want to move away. I don’t think I could. I have a home and a business to run.”

“Whoa, Cami. He hasn’t even said anything about moving away.”

I blow out a breath. “I know, I’m overthinking it.”

“What are you really worried about?”

I bite my lip and feel the tears that I’ve been trying so hard to keep at bay fill my eyes. “What if he doesn’t feel the way I do?”

“How do you feel?”

“I love him. But I’m afraid to tell him because what if it sends him running?”

“Sometimes you just have to take the risk,” Addie says.

“I’m not a risk taker, Addie. I always play it safe. I’m the numbers girl. But being with Landon has been the biggest risk I’ve taken because I’ve fallen completely in love with him, and not in a childish crush way, and he could just be in it because I’m a distraction that he needs. This whole thing makes me very, very nervous.”

“I think you’re way overthinking all of this,” Addie says. “Which shouldn’t surprise me because you’ve always been an overthinker. Cami, he’s always cared about you. Always. You’re the one that he’d pull aside to ask your advice, or hang out with. And the way he looked at you at my house on Sunday? A guy doesn’t look at a girl like that if she’s just a convenience.”

“Maybe.”

“I’m not blowing smoke up your ass.”

“Well, that’s a relief, because that just sounds uncomfortable.”

Addie smirks. “Right? I don’t understand that expression.”

We laugh and glance at the door as Riley comes inside and looks back and forth between us. “Did I interrupt something?”

“Just me trying to talk some sense into her,” Addie says.

“Did you lose your sense?” Riley asks. “Because I can help.”

“She thinks that Landon’s just biding time with her.”

“That’s not exactly what I said,” I reply, glaring at Addie. “I said it all makes me nervous.”

“Girl, he looks at you like you’re an ice cream cone and he wants to lick you all day long.”

I purse my lips. “He is good with his tongue.”

“Atta girl,” Addie says, giving me a high five. “Is he good with the other stuff too?”

“Why does this feel icky?” Riley says, her face pinched like she smelled something gross.

“Because it’s Landon and he’s like a brother to us,” Addie says. “But, he’s her man, so we have to still ask the questions.”

“He’s good at all of it,” I reply. “Better than anything I might have daydreamed about over the years.”

“That must be good because you’ve had a lot of time to daydream,” Riley says, smiling. “I’m happy for you. And I know you. Don’t overthink it. Just enjoy him. Take it one day at a time. Don’t worry about what might happen, because you’re not a psychic. You don’t know what’s going to happen.”

“That’s a lot of advice,” I reply. “And how is it that you all knew I overthink everything and I didn’t know it?”

“Because we’ve known you forever,” Addie says. “And we love you.”

“We pay attention,” Riley agrees.

“I have one more thing,” Addie adds. “If you love him, tell him. Life’s short, and sometimes even the girl who doesn’t take risks needs to make the leap. Just be honest.”

“I’ll think about it,” I reply. “Thank you.”

“Can we have chocolate now?” Addie asks hopefully.

“We can always have chocolate.”

I go to the safe and pull out the deposit bag for yesterday. Each evening, the last waitress and bartender on shift close out the tills, put the cash and credit-card receipts in this bag, and stow it in the safe. I reconcile it the next day.

Riley and Addie are chatting about going shopping for baby clothes and Addie wants us to come over later to help her design the nursery. I’m listening with half an ear as I count the money for the fourth time.

It’s still short by eighty dollars.

I frown and count it again, still coming up eighty dollars short.

“What’s wrong?” Riley asks.

“The bar till is short eighty dollars.” I glance up at the girls, then back down at the cash and receipts on my desk. This is weird. The numbers always add up. We may be a dollar short here and there, but never this much. “It’s so odd. This is the fourth time this week. I’m losing it, guys. I can’t even balance the damn daily till. I’m supposed to be the numbers girl, and all I am is a big, giant mess!”

“Take a deep breath there, tiger,” Addie says, and stands to come look over my shoulder. “Want me to count?”

“Sure, a second pair of eyes is never a bad thing.” I stand so she can take my chair and add all of the money, coming up with the same conclusion. “Seriously, what’s wrong with me? My personal life may be in chaos, but the numbers always add up. I’m losing it.”

“You’re not losing it,” Addie says as she counts the money. “You’ve been working your ass off, and we’re only doing as well as we are because of you.”