CAMBRIA

SIXTEEN

A Sunday afternoon outing to the grocery store resulted in an unwanted run-in with a stranger from the past.

Lawson was browsing the shelves as Cambria pushed the cart down the aisles. What she liked most about Lawson was that he always needed to be touching her. Whether that was holding her hand, keeping his hand on the small of her back, or slinging his arm around her shoulders. She relished any moment their skin made contact.

"Lawson?" a voice said.
Both their heads turned at the mention of his name. And there, standing in the middle of the aisle, was a petite blonde with big brown eyes.
Lawson did not respond. Cambria looked at him questioningly.
"Got your claws in another one already?" the girl said.
"Do I know you?" Lawson finally spoke.
The girl laughed. "You've got to be fucking joking. Are you seriously going to play that card right now?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about." He turned to Cambria, "let's go," he grabbed her hand and began to pull her.
"I'd be careful if I were you," the girl said, looking directly at Cambria.
At this, Cambria stopped abruptly.
"He's not who you think he is," the girl told her.
"I'm sorry?" Cambria said.
"Just watch out," she said. "And be careful."
"What are you talking about?" she said to the girl. She could feel Lawson pulling her and fought every urge in her body to resist, allowing him to lead her away.
Cambria looked back at the girl in the aisle, who stood there staring at them as they left.
"What the fuck was that?" she said to him once they had turned the corner.
Lawson would not look at her, just kept walking, his hand still in hers.
She let go, dropping his hand, stopping in her tracks. "Lawson," she commanded, her voice stern. "Answer me."
He looked back at her. "Not here."
"Why?"
He looked frustrated. "I'll tell you once we get outside."
They abandoned their groceries, leaving the cart pushed off to the side. Once they were back in his truck, Cambria stared at him, awaiting a response.
He took a moment to think. "That was my ex. Heather."
"Why did you pretend not to know her?"
"Because she's crazy."
"That's... weird. Why would you pretend not to know someone?"
"I just told you," he snapped. "Do you not listen?"
"I don't understand. Why was she telling me to be careful?"
"Because she's a fucking lunatic, that's why. She'll do anything she can to ruin my life. She obviously saw me in there happy with you and is jealous."
"When did you guys break up?"
"A while ago."
"How long is a while ago?"
"Over a year ago." This was a lie. They broke up at the beginning of December, only a month before he met Cambria.
She had no other options other than to believe him.

It was the last day of February when he said it. They were in bed together, bodies tangled beneath the sheets. He stroked her skin with his finger, pressed his lips to her shoulder and kissed it. "You're so perfect," he said.
"No, I'm not."
"Your skin is so smooth. How do you keep it so smooth?"
"Moisturizer, and Victoria's Secret body lotion."
He laughed, finding this amusing. And then he said it. "I think I'm in love with you."
This caught her off guard. Of course, she was feeling the same way, but it had only been two months. It was still so early, so new.
She had never exchanged such words with Theo. That love was the worst kind: unrequited.
She didn't think she had ever exchanged such words with someone and actually meant it.
"You think?" was her response.
He smiled demurely. "Sorry. I am in love with you. I love you, Cambria."
She couldn't contain a smile of her own. "I love you, too."