Page 66 of See You Again
“It’s not a big deal. It’s a self-defense class.”
“I don’t understand why you aren’t sleeping with him. Shouldn’t that be one of the benefits of fake-dating a super-hot guy that you’ve always had a major thing for? Make a move! You’re all grown up now. You don’t have to wait for him.” Madison’s face grew serious. “Why don’t you ask him out for real?”
Cami sighed, wishing it didn’t sound as wistful as she knew it did. “It’s for the best. James made it clear he doesn’t do relationships, and I’m already… It’s just really nice spending time with him again. He’s a lot more reserved than he used to be, but once we got past the first awkwardness, he was still the same James.”
“Oh, Cam.”
Cami shrugged one shoulder. “What can I say?” she joked ruefully. “I’m pathetic.” There was no point denying it to Madison. Her best friend knew her too well. “One amazing night of sex and one fake date is apparently all it took to reignite my crush.”
Madison pushed out her bottom lip in sympathy. “Maybe it will be different?—”
Cami shook her head hard. She couldn’t afford to entertain the idea, even for a second. It only meant she’d end up with a broken heart for a second time. “He was clear,” she repeated. “However, I think there is the very real chance we could be friends again. Sex will only make it more complicated.”
Gerry rapped a knuckle against the open conference room door, a worried look on his face. “Can I show you something?” He held an iPad in his hand.
“Sure, what’s up?” Madison reached for her coffee.
“I was going over the comments under the trailer for next week’s episode. You know, the one that talks about finding a new witness.”
Madison and Cami exchanged a look. The trailer was a generic spot designed to drum up interest. Classic click bait.
“We had a comment under the trailer?” Cami squinted at him.
“Yeah. I was surprised, too.”
“That’s good. It means people are invested already… What’s wrong, Gerry?” Madison asked when the receptionist looked dour.
“Here,” Gerry thrust the device at them, and both women leaned their heads together to see. “Just read it.”
Sure enough, there was one comment under the trailer titled, “New breakthroughs!”
Pick a new topic. Before you end up like Amy.
Madison cast her a worried glance. “You don’t think it could really be the killer?”
Cami gave her friend a reassuring smile that defied the ice tickling her spine. She was glad she hadn’t told her friend about all the odd things at her house or the car in the parking garage.
“It’s fine. Probably just a troll. Besides, as far as threats go, it’s pretty unoriginal. I bet it’s some thirteen-year-old sitting in his bedroom.”
Gerry’s shoulders relaxed. “You might be right. It sounds like the kind of thing my nephews would do. Little savages.”
“See, even Gerry agrees.” Cami grinned. Madison offered a weak smile, clearly not convinced. “Let’s get to work. People are already waiting for the episode.”
But as they spent the afternoon incorporating the snippets from Cami’s interviews, she couldn’t shake the foreboding feeling. Maybe the self-defense class wasn’t a bad idea, after all.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
The rhythmic thuds of gloves hitting flesh helped settle James’s mind—the precise movements, watching his friend carefully, always looking for an opening. He dodged a jab Brady threw at him and countered with a quick combination to his friend’s ribs.
Brady danced back in the ring, his smile revealing the mouth guard he wore. “Someone’s worked up today. Anything to do with your hot little girlfriend you’re borrowing my gym for?”
James didn’t respond, his eyes pinned on his opponent’s movements. He advanced on Brady again. Sweat dripped down both men’s bare torsos. He swung for his friend’s jaw, but Brady dodged with a laugh.
“Not the moneymaker, man. If I’d known you were in a mood, I would have made one of the trainers spar with you,” Brady said.
James knew his friend enjoyed their matches as much as he did. “If that’s your moneymaker, then you must be broke.”
“Funny.” Brady took an opening and landed a combination that had James bringing his gloves up to block his face. James shoved him back, followed by a flurry of punches to Brady’s abdomen.