Redeem Me (Kin #6)(15)
Author: Jennifer Foor

I dialed again, and just before the forth ring I heard her voice. “Hello?”

“Cam, it’s me. Are you alright? I went to your room and a note says you’re gone for the weekend.”

“I’m in the Poconos. Why? What’s wrong?”

“What are you there for?” I had to ask, since the last time we’d gone it had been for a romantic getaway.

“I came here to forget about you, Parker.” In the background I heard someone calling her name. The voice was male, and it wasn’t her father.

“So that’s how it’s goin’ to be? You’re just goin’ to move on?”

“Apparently so.”

The line went silent for a moment, but I knew she was still on the other end of the call. “Good luck with that.”

“Goodbye, Parker.” She didn’t wait for a reply before hanging up. Not only did it annoy me, but it left me wondering if she was there with someone else, so soon after our breakup. Even though it was completely out of character, it still consumed my thoughts. She obviously wasn’t planning on telling me, and it was apparent that she wasn’t alone. If this was some stunt to make me jealous, she would have rubbed it in my face, but instead she hadn’t. That could only mean that Cameron was there on her own free will. It was a definite kick to the gut.

For the rest of the morning I hung out at the frat house. Since moving there only a couple days ago, once the last guy finally moved his shit out, things had gotten easier. I no longer had such strict curfews, unless it was football season. My new room wasn’t in great shape. The last person who used it had banged holes in the walls, and scratched the old hardwood floor up to shit. I hung several posters, and even some pictures of Cameron and myself.

I was pissed, although probably more jealous. I finished up my game and headed in my room to rid my walls and tables of memories of us.

After ripping the first picture, I pulled another off the wall and flopped down on my mattress. In the photo, her hair hung halfway down her back. Her smile was so full, and in the background was the lodge that we’d stayed at. The picture was taken in the Poconos, just after a big snowstorm. She’d taken me there to ski, but we’d spent half of the time in bed, warm and cozy in the nude. She’d been so nervous about being with me, but this particular trip had changed that. It hadn’t been our first time together, while it was a turning point in our relationship. It was where she learned to trust me; a mistake that she probably now regretted.

The thought of her being there with someone else made my blood boil. The ultimate payback would be to enjoy the company of another man where we’d made memories together.

The longer I laid on my bed thinking about it, the more upset I became. By three in the afternoon I was heading north. Hell or high water, I was finding her, and getting back what was mine all along. I wouldn’t let her move on without a fight, even if I had to tell her the awful truth about everything.

Cameron

Why did he have to call me? It felt like every time I took one step forward, I was falling two steps behind. As unfortunate as it was for my emotional state of mind, I knew it was important to make the best of my time away.

I turned and looked toward Seth Rodgers, a junior partner at my parent’s firm. He’d started his career with them as an intern, and finally made a name for himself within the company. On several occasions he’d made it very obvious that he’d found me attractive. I ignored his suggestions of having a relationship, until this very moment, when I desperately needed a distraction.

Seth wasn’t a bad looking guy. He had medium brown wavy hair that he wore longer on the top. His eyes, a cocoa in color, were always calm, no matter what the circumstance he was dealt with. I’d gotten to know him at my home, during a crucial trial when I was just sixteen. He and my parents were spending countless hours trying to go through boxes of files for a case.

Seth stayed with us for two weeks, as we combed through phone logs, bank statements, and even emails. My father thought it was good experience for me to learn the ins and outs of the business, so I worked alongside Seth. For me, it was easy to stay focused, even when Seth made it hard to concentrate. While my parents left the house to work on other business, we were left alone for hours. Obviously nothing major happened between us, albeit it wasn’t without effort on his part.

First came the staring. Then it was the countless advances.

One night, after I’d turned seventeen, I’d stopped by the office to meet my parents for dinner. They were stuck in a preliminary hearing, so I decided to wait for them there. Seth walked out of his office, spotting me straight away. He snickered to himself, held out his hand, and led me into his office.

I don’t know why I let him do it, or if I even wanted to, but he kissed me right there against his door. His hands lingered, and for a few minutes I considered letting him do more.

Since I was socially awkward, it was easy to push him away, and run out without an explanation. After that night he’d never tried to hit on me, until now. As soon as we’d arrived I spotted him at the bar. He turned and cocked his head to the side, letting his eyes linger from my head to toes. I could feel my cheeks blushing, realizing how uncomfortable it felt to be near my parents getting such inappropriate attention.

I immediately turned away, pretending that I’d never noticed, all the while thinking about that heated kiss he’d given me years ago, and how I was anxious to get my mind off of Parker.

Feeling like I was a strong enough woman now, I waited until we’d checked in and gotten our separate rooms before heading down to the bar. Much to my dismay, Seth wasn’t anywhere to be found. I’d declined dinner with my parents, on account of forging forward with my plan to get over Parker.

By the time I ordered my first drink I was having doubts. It was ridiculous for me to even contemplate hanging out with one man to rid myself of the pain I was in from another.

Just as I was turning to head up to my room my phone started to ring. “Hello?”

“Cam, it’s me. Where are you? I went to your room and a note says you’re gone for the weekend.” My heart began to race just hearing his voice. How dare he call and act like he cared, after hurting me so much.

I took a deep breath and stayed calm as I answered, just in case he wanted to make up. “I’m in the Poconos. Why? What’s wrong?”

“What are you there for?”

Did he really have a right to ask? I thought he didn’t care. Then I heard my named being called, and without turning around I knew who it was. Since Parker continued to torture me, I said the first thing that came to mind. “I came here to forget about you, Parker.”