The Date (Magnolia Grove #2)

Chapter 2 - {Holden}

AFTER I LEFT Cammie last night, I went back to my place, changed, and went for a walk on the beach. The roar of the waves, the glittering of the moon illuminating my path, and the smoothness of the sand beneath my toes is my escape—my solace. When I need clarification, time to think, the beach is where I go to.

Just like so many other parts of our lives that are similar, it's Cammie's calming retreat too. I knew those other dates weren't hers because the only time she really liked being outside was at the pool or the beach. Any other time, she was swatting at bugs and huffing and puffing like the wolf in the Three Little Pigs. But when she's on a beach, she's carefree. Oliver knew just as much as I did that package was Cammie's at the auction. But for as much as I wanted to win it, to win her, he wanted to lose. Well, he wanted to lose the date, but not her. Fuck. That pissed me off. Because if I had her, there's no way in hell I'd let some other guy win her date. I don't even know who the moron was I was bidding against, but he seemed hell-bent on winning. It just motivated me that much more.

I strolled down the shore as the waves ebbed and flowed. I couldn't help thinking about how I got to this point. Was it all my fault? Had I been a coward? Did I refuse to go after what I wanted? Was I wrong to behave the way I did in high school? I mean, after all the shit went down, all I did was act the way everyone expected me to. It was easier that way. Then, I was thankful for a moment. Thankful that the way I seek escape from real world problems is harmless to others. My love of the beach doesn't destroy my family or friends. It doesn't slowly take my life into its grips, making me do shit that will hurt other people.

It didn't matter the water was frigid, the air too cool. I'm not into those old wives' tales that say I'll get sick if my feet get wet or cold. I'm sure Cammie thinks I buy into them because I wouldn't let her walk around last night without her feet killers on. The truth of the matter is I just wanted a reason to have her in my arms. The weather or trying to spare her pretty toenails, those were just excuses. Neither mattered to me other than having her body touching mine, her heart pounding into my chest, her breath blowing on my neck.

Everything went from being fun and games with a side of seriousness to so fucking complicated in a matter of a sentence. Thanks to Oliver. In a way, I wanted to hug him because he essentially ended their engagement for me. I wouldn't have to consider myself a homewrecker when I convinced her on my date that we were destined to be together. That she had it all wrong. That it's always supposed to have been us.

It makes me sick to think about her sharing a place with him. According to fucked up high society expectations, of which I couldn't care less, they are doing things a little backward. While surprising that Cammie would risk being the talk of Magnolia Grove for this, it makes sense now why Oliver would want that kind of attention. I guess him having her in his bed made the charade more believable to her and everyone else.

But when she looked me in the eyes after she rammed into me, I studied her like I have at every opportunity over the course of my life. It was obvious how conflicted she was. My heart plummets because I'm not even sure their engagement is over. It was like I could see her going through the guest list, thinking about how she was going to tell her mother, about how she was going to become the laughing stock because she was the fool who fell for it all.

I don't think she's a fool, but I know everyone else will, just like they formed opinions about me because of my circumstances. It was like they were just waiting for me to screw up again, so I went ahead and did it quickly so they could go ahead and get the talking out of their systems.

After I locked her in that cabana, made my way to my car, and then to the beach, all I could think was how Oliver had potentially just hit me with a devastating blow. Rather than me taking her on a date and convincing her he was the wrong man for her, she now had more motive than ever to stand by his side.