Finally Found

Adam woke up and headed for the bathroom. He had just finished peeing. “One, two, three shakes,” he muttered before tucking and turning around. Then he jumped. Cammie was standing there looking…annoyed…already…and on a holiday no less. “Crap. What?”

He stumbled over to the sink as he prepared to brush his teeth. Still she simply stood there. “Are you going to say anything?”

“You snuck in. Are you happy now? I’m so sexy first thing in the morning?” She crossed her arms over her chest.

He sighed and spoke. “Doll, I have my own door. Sneaking is not required. Now lose the ‘tude or leave me in peace. This is no way to start a day.” He shoved the toothbrush into his mouth and turned to face the mirror. He caught a glimpse of a pink face as she pushed through her door and back into her room. He heard her head down the hall. Must be she was starting work in the kitchen.

By the time he made it there, the coffee was made and there was a chafing dish with an egg casserole in it. The chafing dish beside it held ham slabs. And there was a fruit salad in one of his mother’s crystal bowls to accompany it all. He was standing there in shock, sniffing and smiling with a plate in his hand. As she turned he said, “Apology accepted.” He nodded and started loading his plate.

She opened her mouth as though she wanted to say something, snapped it shut like she thought better of it, and walked out of the room.

“Enjoy your shower!” He called after her.

Within seconds she had stomped back into the room. “What makes you think I’m sorry?”

He smiled warmly at her while he set his plate down. “Come here.” She hesitated. “Really, come here.” She slowly edged toward him. The minute she was close enough, his arms encompassed her. He felt her tense for a moment, and then he spoke into her hair as he pressed his face against the top of her head. “Doll, I’m joking with you. I make funnies. I don’t know any other way to be.”

Slowly she relaxed in his arms. He rubbed her back, alternating between cuddling her close and running his hands up and down her arms. After a few minutes she melted completely into him and he smiled.

“I know. You don’t always suck,” she admitted quietly.

“Yet you are always tense with me. Why is that? What have I ever done to make you hate me so, to make you mistrust me? I know you’ve seen me take home 117 women that weren’t you. Can’t we clear the air, move on, and get past this?” He drew her close and planted a reassuring kiss on her temple. “I know I was a jerk in the past. I’m sorry that I never noticed you. But can’t we just appreciate that life has a funny way of bringing people together and run with it?”

She leaned back and gazed up at him. Cammie was silent for a moment. “Maybe,” she said carefully, “but sex has a funny way of tearing people apart.” Slowly she backed out of his arms.

“I don’t get it. The sex with you, if anything, made me feel closer to you,” he said in a strained voice. “You didn’t feel that way, too?”

Sadly, she shook her head. “For me, it only reminded me about the sex you had with my sister.” Turning, she headed out of the kitchen before he could even consider a reply.

He was still standing there in shock, picking at the egg casserole when Sam and Haley walked in, so obviously happy and in love. They took one look at him and paused.

“What happened, Adam?” Haley questioned her face full of concern.

“I slept with her sister,” he mumbled.

Looking around, she tried to understand. “Cammie’s sister is here?” He watched as she glanced up at Sam in bewilderment.

Adam shook his head. “Nope. Some time in the past, I slept with her sister. That’s why she hates me. That’s why she refuses to trust me.” He felt empty as though that one mistake from his past was not only going to haunt him but alter the potential course of his future.

“Who’s her sister?” Haley asked, simply blurting out the question.

Adam looked up, stared at Sam for a moment, then at Haley, and finally responded. “I don’t know.”