She studies me for a few seconds, giving me a dirty look, but then mutters, “Whatever,” and walks away, leaving the door open. I follow her inside, closing the door behind me, then join her on the couch.
“Now, I know you’re pissed,” I say, turning to face her. “But hear me out. The second Jo and I met, there were sparks flying. While working together to find you, we grew really close. We fell for each other. Jo only knew me as Ranger, not as Cam, so she didn’t know who I was. I didn’t know you had any kind of feelings for me or even thought about me for the last few years, so I didn’t think it would be a big deal if I went for Jo. You and I were friends. Yes, as you kindly pointed out, we slept together once, when we were drunk and you wanted to lose your virginity to someone you trusted, but that’s all it was. So please, do tell me why the fuck you’re so angry and why you’re acting like Jo stole your boyfriend when I was never yours to steal?”
I’ve decided to go with some tough love. She needs to know the truth, and there’s no point babying her anymore.
“Are you serious right now?” she snaps, shaking her head. “I woke up and wanted you. Why didn’t the two of you just tell me straight out you were together to save me from looking like an idiot? I’m glad Jo didn’t know who you were, that makes the betrayal a little less cutting, but still, no one told me shit, and I feel stupid now. How about some honesty?”
I cringe when her words ring true. “You had just been rescued. After going through everything you did, you expect us to hit you with this too? We were waiting for the right time to tell you, which turned out to be never. And Jo feels like shit, Elizabeth. She’s been questioning us the whole time, and I love her. She’s the only woman for me.”
“You love her?” she asks, eyes narrowing. “Truly?”
“She didn’t know that we’d slept together, and now she hates me, but yes, I love her,” I say, smiling sadly. “I’m sorry, Elizabeth. You know I care about you and I never want to hurt you and I’m an asshole, but Jo doesn’t deserve your anger.”
She sighs and buries her face in her hands. “I don’t know what you want me to say, Cam. I’m sorry that she’s angry at you? I can’t believe you came here and spent those nights with me just because what . . . you thought I’d have a nervous breakdown if you rejected me?”
When she puts it that way, it sounds fuckin’ ridiculous. “We just didn’t think you needed any more pain in your life. For fuck’s sake, you’d just been kidnapped and almost sold off as a slave! Can you really blame us?”
“What do you want me to do?” she asks after staying silent for a while, thinking.
“I want you to talk to Jo.”
She crosses her arms over her chest, making me think she’s about to say no, but then she says, “Fine.”
“Really?” I ask with suspicion. “Just like that.”
She sighs and says, “It sucks. I think you were both wrong for not telling me, but I don’t want to stand in the way. I care about you both and if you make each other happy, then fine. I’ve met someone now, and he’s a nice guy and treats me like a princess. It will take some time for me to get over everything, but yeah, I’ll talk to her. She’s family, and she saved me. I can’t forget that.”
“Thank you,” I say, pulling her in for a hug. “Now I just have to get her to forgive me.”
“Good luck,” she says, smirking. “Jo holds a mean grudge.”
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I leave her alone for one more night before I show up at her house. I walk in and find her on the couch in nothing but a T-shirt and panties. I love her like this. No makeup, no fancy clothes, just her. She’s most beautiful like this, in my opinion.
“Hey,” I say, sitting down next to her. I pull her into my arms and kiss the top of her head. “I shouldn’t have lied. I was wrong, and I will never lie to you again, Jo. I’m so fuckin’ sorry, babe. I’ve tried to give you a little space, but fuck, I’m going crazy without you and I’m not ashamed to admit that.”
“How do I know you’re never going to lie, conceal, omit—whatever you want to call it, again? And I’m just supposed to forget that you’ve slept with my cousin?” she asks, sadness and resignation in her tone. “I don’t know, Ranger. I was willing to do anything for you. To have people judge me at work and possibly fuck up my career, to go behind my cousin’s back, to change all my rules, and you couldn’t even give me honesty in return.”
Her words hit me right in the chest, which has suddenly become tight, because she’s right. I’ve really fucked up, and getting her to forgive me is going to be a lot harder than some nice gesture and sweet words. I’m going to have to get her to trust me again. I don’t care what I have to do though—I’ll do it all and more.
Anything to go back to how things were.
THIRTY-SIX
Johanna
WHEN Elizabeth reaches out to me, I’m nothing short of surprised. She comes over and we order a pizza and have a chat.
“Cam came to speak to me the other day,” she says, wringing her hands together. “He explained what happened, how you two fell in love when you didn’t know who he was to me. I wish you’d told me, Jo. Things could have ended up so differently. Yes, I would have been upset and disappointed but I wouldn’t have felt betrayed. Still,” she says, smiling sadly, “I shouldn’t have said what I said.”
“It’s me who should be apologizing,” I say, looking into her beautiful face. “If I knew Ranger was your Cam, I wouldn’t have touched him, Elizabeth. When I found out, it was too late, and I guess I’m selfish because I couldn’t give him up.”
“Yet now you’re still angry with him?”
“He never told me the two of you slept together,” I say, awkwardly laughing. “So you weren’t the only one surprised that night.”
“It was years ago, and it meant nothing to him, as much as it hurts me to say. He loves you, Jo, and him admitting that is something huge. The Cam I know wouldn’t let any woman get her claws into him—he never got attached and always kept the upper hand. With you though, even just the way he talks about you, it’s something. So he fucked up and kept something from you. Maybe you should give him the chance to redeem himself?”
“Now you want us to be together?” I ask, wondering how she can feel this way. Maybe she’s falling for the guy she’s seeing, or maybe she’s just not as selfish as me.
“I want you both to be happy. Cam’s not mine, with or without you in the equation. I’m not going to be the reason the two of you aren’t happy. Stop being stubborn and forgive the man, Jo.”
“Team Ranger, hey,” I grumble, taking the biggest slice of pizza and taking a bite out of it. “I don’t know what to do.”
“Forgive him.”
“That easy, huh?” I ask, chewing and swallowing thoughtfully.
“It is if you let it be.”
Those words ring in my head for the rest of the day.
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