Wait for You - Armentrout Jennifer L.. Страница 48

“Well, that’s a damn shame,” the guy said with a slight grin. “Cam orders this every month and you coming would be something else to look forward to.”

I didn’t say anything to that and turned back to the TV, running my hand over my knee.  The shots and beer were making my muscles warm and my thoughts fuzzy. The guy asked if I wanted another drink and I realized my bottle was empty.

“Sure.” The smile that crossed my face felt overly wide and bright.

Returning with a cold one, he sat on the arm of my chair, and beyond him, I saw Cam look up and his eyes narrow. “Here you go.”

“Thanks.” I took a drink, now to the point where I could easily ignore the nasty after taste that filled my mouth. My gaze collided with Cam’s for a second and I forced myself to look away. I ended up staring up at the guy beside me. “I’m sorry. I didn’t catch your name.”

The guy nudged my shoulder. “I don’t think we’ve meant before. I’m Henry.”

“Avery,” I said.

He repeated my name with a smile. “Like it. It’s different.”

“Like my socks?”

Henry laughed as he glanced at the screen. “Yeah, like your socks. So you going to college, Avery?”

I nodded. “You don’t?”

“Nope. Graduated a couple of years ago. I know Cam from… well, from this thing we do.” He took a swig from his beer as I tried to figure out what that meant. He looked down at me, brows furrowed. “Are you old enough to be drinking.”

I giggled. “Nope.”

“Didn’t think so. You look pretty young.”

“I’m not that young. I just turned twenty.”

“Thank God you’re legal,” he said, shaking his head as his brows rose. “I just won’t tell anyone about the beer in your hand.”

Cocking my head to the side, I tried to figure out his age. “How old are you?”

He glanced down at me. “Old enough to know better.”

Before I could get him to elaborate on that, Cam yelled out. “Hey Henry, come here a second.”

Henry pushed off the arm of the recliner and made his way around a couple of the other guys. Steph sat back and crossed her arms as Cam motioned Henry to lean down. I had no hope of hearing what Cam had said to him, but Henry backed away and headed over to where Jase was leaning against the bare stretch of wall.

More than curious to what was going on over there, I felt the strong urge to do some investigation. I opened my mouth, because why the hell not, but Steph had a hold of Cam’s arm, and I was distracted. He was whispering to her. She jerked her hand back and shot me what could only be described as a ‘bitch’ look.  Frankly, it was a fucking work of art and I was sort of jealous of that level of mastery.

I glanced over at Henry, and he looked up. He winked, and I smiled in returned, feeling sort of giddy. My skin prickled along my neck and I turned to where Cam sat. He was staring at me, and I started to smile at him, too, but then he glanced toward Henry.

Cam muttered something, and Steph shot to her feet, stalking back toward the hall bathroom, yanking the door open. Then Cam was up, coming toward me, and my giddiness was all consuming. A big, stupid smile broke out across my face. It had been so long since we talked, and I missed him, I really did.

Cam was… he was special… to me, and I wanted to go back in time, to Thanksgiving, and not have overreacted . I wanted to take back dropping astronomy and I wished I hadn’t avoided him. I wanted to not be that girl who did stupid, stupid things like that. I wanted Cam to smile at me like he used to.

He wasn’t smiling now, that’s for sure. “Come with me for a sec?”

I’d go anywhere with him.

Jumping up, I swayed as the room seemed to tilt to the side. “Whoa.”

His jaw clenched as he caught my arm. “You okay to walk?”

“Yes. Of course.” I took a step and bumped into Cam. I giggled at the doubtful look that crossed his face. “I’m okay.”

Cam shot Ollie a dark glare as he led me into the brightly lit kitchen, backing me up against the counter. He stood between me and the doorway, arms folded over his chest. “What are you doing, Avery?” he asked in a low voice.

I held up my bottle. “Drinking. What are you doing?”

His icy blue eyes narrowed. “That’s not what I’m getting at and you know that. What are you doing?”

Damn. Hello attitude. I tried to give Cam the bitch look Steph had mastered, screwing my face up until I’m sure I looked like I was having a seizure. I sighed and gave up. “I’m not doing anything, Cam.”

“You’re not?” He raised his brows. “You’re drunk.”

“Am not!”

He gave me a bland look. “A drunk’s famous last words before they fall flat on their face.”

“That has not happened… yet.”

Cam shook his head and then he grabbed my arm, pulling me back into the living room. I thought he was going to make me sit beside him or something, like I was in a time out, but he opened the front door and led me out into the chilly stairwell.

“Um…” Not what I was expecting.

“You need to go home, Avery.” He let go of my arm and pointed at my apartment door like I had no idea where I lived.

My mouth dropped open as I clenched the bottle to my chest. “Are you serious?”

“Yes. I’m fucking serious. You’re drunk and that shit is not going down in front of me.”

“What shit?” I took a step back, bewildered. “I’m sorry. Ollie invited me—”

“Yeah, and I’m going to kick his ass later.” Jaw set in a hard line, he ran his hand through his hair. “Just go home, Avery. I’ll talk to you later.”

The back of my throat burned. A thousand thoughts raced through my head as I stared at him. “You’re mad at me—”

“I’m not mad at you, Avery.”

Sure as hell didn’t seem that way. I shuffled side to side. “I don’t want to go home. There’s no one there and I…” I trailed off as the burn in my throat grew.

Cam drew in a deep breath, closing his eyes. “I’ll come over later and we’ll talk, okay? But go home. Please just go home.”

Chapter 24

I opened my mouth, but there was nothing I could say. Cam actually kicked me out of his apartment. He was begging that I go home. The burn encompassed my lungs now and red-hot tears pricked the back of my eyes.

“Okay,” I mumbled.

“Avery…”

“It’s totally okay.” Turning away, I stumbled back up the hall and to my door. I heard his open and close before I could even open mine. Pressing my forehead against my door, I squeezed my eyes shut, but a tear snuck out, running down my flushed cheek.

Cam had kicked me out, and my apartment was empty. I was empty. Everything was empty. It would be just me and my stupid beer bottle.

Okay. Maybe I was slightly drunk.

I moved away from my door, not sure where I was going, but I couldn’t go inside my apartment. By an act of God, I made it down the five flights of steps and out onto the sidewalk without breaking my neck.

The cold pavement seeped through my thick socks, numbing my feet as I stumbled along, taking another drink. I found a vacant parking spot and plopped my ass down on the curb. Tilting my head back, I stared up at the sky riddled with stars. Hey, there was the Corona Borealis.

Still didn’t look like a fucking crown.

Or maybe it wasn’t the Corona Borealis. How the fuck would I know?

The stars… they were pretty, though, and so far away and really blurry. Tears built in my eyes, coating the back of my throat. My arms fell between my legs, bottle dangling from my fingers.

It was official. I really was Senorita Fucktard. And I’d fucked everything up with Cam—the ‘what was’ and ‘what could’ve been.’ Because there could’ve been something there, and I was just so fucking stupid. Worse of all, I’d slaughtered our friendship and he had been such a good friend. In the short time I knew him, he’d become the best friend I’d ever had. Seriously.

Wiping my cheek on my shoulder, I took another drink. A cool wind whipped around me, tossing my hair across my face as I lowered my head. I wasn’t cold, though, which probably meant I was pretty drunk.