Page 44 of The Best I Never Had

“Please don’t let her ruin this, Owen,” I say. “I can’t do that to Addy. Promise me.”

His smile fades. “I promise.”

With one last glance at my lips, Owen jogs off after Camila.

Chapter 14

OWEN

I’m reeling. From the kiss—the feel of Thea under my lips and her taste on my tongue—but also from her comments. I’m angry that she sees herself that way. I’m hurt by her saying I have no sense of humor when it felt like she understood me. And I’m so turned on I don’t think I’ll ever feel anything else.

I let myself have one last look at her, but it doesn’t make me feel better. She’s tugging on her lips, still swollen from mine, while gazing off into the distance.

I sigh, jogging down the hallway and away from her without another word. Camila’s only a few feet away when I turn the corner, too focused on her fingers flying across her phone screen to keep up a normal pace.

I speed up behind her, plucking the phone out of her hands before she can do any more damage. I see one of the dozens of cousin group chats—this one called Gossip Girls—with a text from Camila saying, you’ll never guess who I just caught canoodling in the hallway.

A half-dozen replies have already come through, begging Camila for the latest gossip and throwing out their guesses. I’m relieved to see that none of them are about me. Who would guess I was the one acting inappropriately in public?

Camila lunges for her phone, and I place a hand on her forehead, holding her back with ease.

“Don’t make me wrestle a pregnant woman, Cami,” I say with a sigh.

She stands up straight, crossing her arms, her forearms resting on the small bump. “You can’t keep my phone forever.”

I take a step back, farther out of her reach, and toss the phone up and down a few times. “Do you think this phone should go for a little swim in the pond?”

Her eyes narrow. “You wouldn’t dare.”

I widen my eyes. “Of course I wouldn’t do it. I’m responsible, sweet Owen. But accidents do happen.”

She calls my bluff. “Fine, ruin my phone. I can’t text everyone tonight, but I don’t know how you expect to keep me from telling them tomorrow.”

I slip her phone in my back pocket, holding on to it so I have time to explain, blackmail, or beg.

“Look,” I say. “It wasn’t what it looked like—”

“It looked like you two were having a moment.” She says the last word in that singsong voice she knows drives me crazy and starts making kissing noises.

“Thea doesn’t think about me like that anymore,” I say, desperate to get Camila off our case. “She turned me down, okay?”

Camila’s eyes narrow, and it feels like she’s a telepath, poking around in my brain. “I don’t buy it. What are you hiding?”

“Nothing.” I cross my arms, belatedly remembering that she used to tease me about that tell whenever I was lying, but if I uncross them now, it’ll look even more suspicious.

She points an accusing finger at my arms. “I know you, Owen Hayes. What aren’t you telling me?”

During those summers when we were young, Camila and I had been inseparable. And even though I’d never admit it outright, she’s my favorite cousin. It’s natural with a family this big to find little pockets. I love all my cousins, but realistically I can’t be close with every one of them, and Cami’s only a month younger than me. We’d run like little heathens through the vineyard as kids. She was the person I told about my first—tragically unrequited—crush. My first sip of alcohol was from a wine bottle she stole out of her parents’ tasting room. It had been wild and comfortable at the same time. But life became more complicated as we got older, and by the time I was old enough to drive, I had too many other responsibilities pulling me away from our adventures.

I want to trust her, to have someone to discuss this with, but I also can’t leave Thea unprotected.

“There’s nothing to tell,” I say, trying for nonchalance.

Camila’s face drops. “I know we haven’t spent as much time together in the past few years, but I still considered you one of my closest friends.”

My heart tightens. “That’s some strategic use of the past tense there.”

Her eyes flash. “What do you expect? You almost never come up anymore. When you do, you spend half your trip on your computer. Now you’re here lying to my face, and I’m supposed to believe that our friendship is something you value?”