When We Left Page 3

  Not that he cared enough to see her or hear about how she was doing.

  The anger and resentment that was becoming all too familiar bubbled up to the surface, but Cam pushed it down again before it could take root. She had too much to do. She couldn’t afford to let thoughts of Ryan in. Not today. Today was going to be a good day.

  She looked at Morgan and couldn’t help but notice that despite the heavy makeup, she’d put on her nice jeans and a clean black top. She may be trying to make a statement of some kind, but she still cared. At least a little bit. Cam reached out and squeezed her hand, trying one more time. “You know,” she said. “The school also has an amazing drama program. For a small-town school, they produce some pretty impressive productions. Always have.”

  Morgan shrugged, but she didn’t pull away, so Cam gave her hand another squeeze. It might take a little time, but they’d be okay. She knew it.

  The high school was almost exactly the same as she remembered it, down to the brick walls painted a strange, almost sickly shade of green, the trophy cases where if she stopped to look, she could probably still recognize some names, and the rows and rows of grey lockers. She smiled to herself as they walked through the foyer and the familiar feelings washed over her. She’d expected to be embarrassed to walk through those big doors again after all this time, but it was quite the opposite. She’d had some good times at Timber Creek High. Maybe some of the best years of her life.

  Mrs. McReedy, the school secretary, greeted her with a hug. She’d always thought the woman was the oldest person she knew, and that was over fifteen years ago. Now, Mrs. McReedy must be at least a hundred. But she still had that sweet smile and strong arms that could either hug you or smack you depending on the situation. Although Cam was pretty certain smacking the students across the knuckles was no longer a common or accepted practice. Even for Mrs. McReedy.

  She ushered Cam and Morgan into the office, where Cam signed a stack of papers, Morgan was handed a schedule and just like that, her daughter was a student at Timber Creek High. Just the way she herself had been a lifetime ago.

  “Do you want me to walk you to class?”

  The question was met with an eye roll and an exasperated look that Cam should have seen coming.

  “Your first class is just down the hall, dear.” Mrs. McReedy pointed the way. “Second door on your left. Mr. Muldoon, science. Just give him your enrollment slip here and he’ll get you all settled in. If you have any questions at all, you know where to come.”

  Morgan took the slip, shrugged and without a backward glance at Cam, made her way down the hall. Nostalgia and a mixture of hope and anticipation filled Cam as she watched her go. She had a lot of good times at Timber Creek High. Some of the best days of her life with a group of great friends and a boy she thought she’d spend the rest of her days with. It would be good for Morgan. It had to be good for Morgan. Because if it wasn’t, she had no idea what else to do.

  The last few months had been rough for her daughter, and that was putting it mildly. Her troubles had begun before the divorce: skipping classes, hanging out with the wrong crowd. Little things that mostly Cam could chalk up to typical teenage rebellion, but after everything went down with Ryan, things only got worse. A lot worse. And Cam definitely couldn’t ignore the phone call from the principal when Morgan had been caught cheating on an exam, and then lipping off the teacher who busted her. The behavior was so unlike her soft-spoken, studious child, it didn’t take a parenting expert to know something was up.

  They’d both needed a change of scenery. A fresh start. Hopefully Timber Creek was just the place for them to get it.

  “She’ll be okay.”

  Cam was jarred from her thoughts by Mrs. McReedy, whom she’d forgotten was still standing there.

  “I’ll keep an eye out for her, but I’m sure there’ll be no need. She’ll fit right in and make friends in no time, just like her mama. Don’t you worry about it.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. McReedy.”

  The older lady waved her gratitude away. “No need for that. I sure was sorry to hear about what happened with your husband. Couldn’t have been easy on your girl. A little change of pace is exactly what the child needs.”

  The blood drained from Cam’s face. “You heard? What happened with Ryan, I mean?”

  “I’d reckon everyone heard, dear. At least everyone in the West Coast broadcasting district. We get the KQRZ Nightly News here, ya know? And knowing his connection with our little town…” She gestured to Cam in case she didn’t realize Mrs. McReedy was referring to her being the connection. “Well…word’s going to get out. But don’t you worry. No one around here is going to judge you for a single thing. Divorce happens every day and if you ask me, you’re much prettier than she is.”

  Cam swallowed hard. She knew Mrs. McReedy was lying, but she’d take what she could get. But one thing Mrs. McReedy was most certainly not right about was that no one around there was going to judge her.

  Cam had grown up in Timber Creek; she knew how things worked and she definitely knew that whatever else happened, she was definitely going to be judged. Especially if word had already traveled as far east as a small, nothing town in Central Washington.

  She sighed and managed a small smile and a word of thanks before she left. All Cam really wanted to do was go back to her tiny apartment, crawl back into her lumpy couch bed and forget everything. But that wasn’t an option. She was running out of money fast and even though her little apartment over Junky’s didn’t cost much, it still cost something. Cam needed a way to make money. Fast.

  As she drove away from the high school and into the main part of town, her cell phone beeped. She risked a glance at it, despite the fact that the officers in town were clearly on the watch for distracted driving. Not officers necessarily, but one officer in particular. Evan. Just remembering his smile and the way his eyes lit up when he realized it was her behind the wheel filled her with some kind of feeling she couldn’t completely define. And even if she could, she didn’t have time for it anyway. First things first: she needed to get back on her feet and make sure Morgan was okay. That was the only thing that mattered.

  Before Cam had a chance to click open the text message on her phone, it beeped again.

  Stop hiding.

  Followed by, I mean it, Cam.

  Christy.

  Only one of Cam’s best friends had elected to stay in Timber Creek to raise her family. The only problem was that Christy and her high school sweetheart Mark had never actually had that family they so desperately wanted. But Christy still loved Timber Creek and everything the town had to offer, and when Cam told her she was going to be in town, she’d not only been excited, she’d prepared a bedroom and insisted that Cam and Morgan stay with them. An offer Cam had politely declined. Having their own space was important right now; they needed to heal. At least that was her excuse. It was also her excuse for not seeing Christy yet. They’d been in town three days and Cam still hadn’t called her friend. She couldn’t get away with it for much longer. Not without a really good reason. And she didn’t have one except that she was embarrassed and exhausted plus the last thing she felt like doing was talking about her failed marriage. Even with one of her best friends. And that wasn’t a good enough reason to put Christy off any longer.

  Cam pulled her car into the parking lot of Daisy’s Diner and texted Christy back.

  I’m at Daisy’s.

  She half expected, and maybe hoped, for Christy to say she was busy, or maybe even at work. It embarrassed Cam that she didn’t know whether Christy had a job or not. She hadn’t been a very good friend lately.

  Her phone beeped with a response almost immediately.

  I’ll be right there.

  She was not going to love Timber Creek High. That was Morgan’s distinct verdict after spending one full day in the classrooms full of kids she didn’t know. Kids who definitely weren’t anything like the kids back in Portland she’d gone to school with.


  Nothing was like Portland.

  But that was a whole lifetime away, or at least it felt like it.

  As soon as the bell rang for lunch, Morgan pushed out the back door of the school into the field. There was a grassy berm with some pine trees that edged the football field, and sitting alone under a tree was a whole lot more appealing than sitting alone in the middle of a cafeteria.

  Morgan moved quickly across the grass until she found a spot close enough to hear the bell that would signal the start of afternoon classes, but far enough away that she’d be able to pretend she was anywhere else.

  The grass was cool beneath her when she laid back to stare up at the clouds.

  For once, she didn’t put her earbuds in, choosing instead to listen to the birds that chirped and flitted through the trees above her. At least Timber Creek had that going for it. It wasn’t a big city.

  Not that she didn’t like the city, but she couldn’t remember the last time she’d heard birds chirping, or seen a deer just wandering around. Well, okay, she’d never seen a deer wandering around like she had the day before.

  And that was kind of cool.

  If she had to be ripped out of her life, at least that part of Timber Creek wasn’t too bad.

  Morgan pulled her phone out of her pocket and checked again for any messages from her dad.

  Nothing.

  She tried not to let it bother her. He was probably busy with a meeting or something at work. She opened his contact but hesitated before calling him. Instead, she tapped out a text message.

  * * *

  Hey Dad. I started school today. It’s great.

  * * *

  It was a total lie, but her dad wouldn’t know that. Besides, if she told him the truth, that she hated everything about her new school and she was miserable, he’d probably only get all defensive and tell her that it was her mom’s fault they were there.

  But it wasn’t and she knew it.

  It was his fault. He’d cheated on her mom. It was totally his fault her life had been flipped upside down.

  But she still missed him.

  * * *

  Sounds great! He texted back.

  * * *

  I miss you, Dad. When do I get to see you?

  * * *

  Morgan held her breath as the text sent. She squeezed her eyes shut until the ding that announced an incoming message sounded.

  * * *

  Sorry, princess. Things are kind of crazy right now, I’m not sure when I’ll be able to get out there.

  * * *

  The sharp stab of hurt hit her in the gut, but Morgan was determined not to let him see it.

  * * *

  Okay. I get it.

  * * *

  She didn’t get it. Not at all.

  Morgan tucked her phone back into her pocket and looked out over the field. She wasn’t the only one who’d escaped the confines of the brick building to enjoy the spring day. A group of kids sat a little bit away. Far enough that she couldn’t hear their conversation, but close enough so that when one of the boys looked over, he saw her looking at them.

  Shit.

  The last thing she needed was to stand out.

  The guy waved at her, but she didn’t return his greeting. Instead, she laid back on the grass, closed her eyes and waited for the bell to ring.

  Chapter Three

  The moment she walked in, the smell of coffee and freshly baked bread filled the air. Cam closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. The bright and cheery diner was almost the same as Cam remembered it, with bright walls painted cheerful yellow and white tables with vases of silk daisies sitting in the center of each. The paintings and shelves showcasing local artwork were new, and Cam stopped to admire some of the pieces, before ordering her coffee.

  If Cam had been hoping to slide under the radar, Daisy’s Diner was the worst possible place to do it. A fact she realized about thirty seconds too late. She’d done her best, smiling and nodding and trying to look unaffected as old neighbors, classmates, and even a handful of people she didn’t remember at all greeted her with hugs, knowing nods, and sympathetic smiles. Cam knew her town and the people who called it home far too well. They may be smiling and polite on the outside, but there was no doubt that as soon as she turned her back, they’d be whispering and talking about how she’d returned home in shame.

  But she couldn’t allow herself to care about that. She needed to stay focused on what really mattered. And it certainly wasn’t the busybodies of Timber Creek. As soon as she could politely slip away to a table in the back of the busy diner with a newspaper and her coffee, she made her escape. She barely had time to flip to the small section of help wanted ads before she heard a familiar voice ring out across the diner.

  “Cam Riley! It’s about time I got to see your beautiful face.”

  She couldn’t help it; a smile lit up her face at the sound of her friend’s voice and the use of her maiden name. Christy always did know how to handle a situation. Cam pushed up from the table to meet one of her oldest, and bestest, friends in a surprisingly strong hug. She did her best to hold back the emotion that threatened to spill out as her friend squeezed her tight. Cam hadn’t shed a tear since her life had begun its death spiral, and she wasn’t about to start now. Any slip of emotion, and there was no doubt, the floodgates would open and it would be very hard to close them again.

  “It’s so good to see you.” Cam meant every word. It was good to see Christy again and for the life of her, she couldn’t remember why she’d been avoiding this reunion. “You look—”

  “Fat.” Christy laughed and waved her hand.

  “I was going to say great.” She did look great. Sure, she’d put on a few pounds since the last time Cam had seen her. But who hadn’t? Besides, she wore it well. Her blonde hair shone in the sunlight coming through the window, and her slightly rounder face made her look healthy and happy.

  “It’s okay.” The women sat, Christy gesturing at Daisy for a cup of coffee. “I know I’m fat. It’s all the hormones and fertility drugs they have me on. They wreak havoc on the body.” There was a glimmer of something in her friend’s eye, and her bright smile slipped a little. “But it will all be worth it,” she said, and the smile was back in place, if not slightly forced.

  Something was going on there, something Cam promised herself she’d ask about as soon as she had a chance.

  “Tell me everything.” Christy never was one to beat around the bush. “I mean, if you want to.” She was also the one out of the four of them who was most likely to respect boundaries and feelings. Unlike Drew and Amber, their other best friends. They, on the other hand, would have already been interrogating Cam for details. It was nice to have a reprieve. Even if Cam knew it was short-lived.

  “If it’s all the same to you, Christy, I really don’t want to talk about it. Not yet.”

  Christy nodded and smiled sympathetically. “I totally understand. Besides, as soon as Drew and Amber get here for the anniversary party, you’ll—”

  “The what?”

  “The fiftieth anniversary.” Christy looked at her sideways. “I know with everything you have going on, it probably slipped your mind. But Timber Creek High is celebrating its fiftieth year in a few weeks. There’s a huge dance. I’m on the committee.”

  Hearing Christy say it out loud sparked some sort of a memory in Cam. She sort of remembered getting an invitation in the mail, but with everything going on, she’d completely forgotten. “And Drew and Amber will be here?”

  Christy nodded enthusiastically. “Won’t it be great? That’s just what you need right now—to have all your best friends together in one place. So don’t worry about telling me anything. At least not yet. You’ll just have to explain it all again when they get here. Because there’s no way they’ll let you get away without telling them everything.”

  They both laughed, because it was definitely the truth. Daisy brought Christy her coffee, and topped up Cam’s. Christy waited until the older lady,
who’d been serving coffee in her diner for as long as Cam could remember, went back behind the counter, before she reached across the table and took Cam’s hand in her own. “Seriously,” she said. “I’m glad you’re here. There’s no better place to recover from a broken heart than right here at home where you belong.”

  Cam nodded in agreement, despite the fact that her friend was both right and wrong at the same time. There was no better place to heal, but what she didn’t realize was that it wasn’t Cam’s heart that was broken. At least not because of Ryan. Their marriage had been broken for a long time, and although Cam had known on some level for years that there would be no happy ending for them, she certainly hadn’t seen it coming the way it had. No, it wasn’t a broken heart. It was a broken spirit. She’d been embarrassed, disrespected, and the friendship she thought she’d shared with Ryan, the partnership they’d built, had been completely shattered. Yes, her heart hurt for her daughter and the pain she was going through, but Ryan hadn’t broken Cam’s heart. That had happened years before, and not by Ryan…and she certainly hadn’t stuck around to try to heal anything back then.

  He was only two hours into his shift, and already Evan could feel the dreaded afternoon slump hitting him. The only problem was, it wasn’t afternoon yet. Not even close. He really needed to get more sleep. No, what he really needed to do was to put Cam Riley out of his head. But there was no way that was going to happen, which meant Evan wasn’t about to get a good night’s sleep anytime soon. She was occupying every one of his waking moments, and now, when he could finally manage to drift off, his dreams, too. It had been years since he’d let her get to him like this. Clearly, time held no meaning when it came to Cam.