— 11:11 am | november 18, 2024
THE ELLIOTT LAKEHOUSE
hickory, north carolina

THE SMELL OF BARBECUE drifts through the air, mixed with the sound of laughter and conversation as the Elliott family's backyard fills with close friends. It's those rare warm and sunny fall days in their small town. But Cameron stays on the back porch, away from it all, her laptop open on her lap as she scrolls through drafts from work.

She tells herself she's just trying to stay productive, that she's not actively avoiding the party, or a certain someone in particular. But she knows better.

It's been a couple of days since that night by the lake, since she walked away from Drew and didn't look back. She thought it would be easy to move past, just like she always had. But now, with their families together again, it's impossible to ignore the way her stomach tightens at the thought of facing him.

"Still working?" Cameron tenses at the voice, already knowing who it belongs to. She schools her expression before glancing up.

Francesca leans against the railing, holding a bottle of soda, a teasing smirk on her lips. "You do know this is a barbecue, right? People actually talk to each other at these things."

Cameron exhales, running a hand through her hair. "I just needed to check a few things."

Francesca tilts her head. "Or you needed a reason to sit out here alone."

Cameron doesn't respond, her gaze shifting back to her screen. Her best friend sighs, taking a sip of her drink. "You do realize who just got here, right?"

Cameron's fingers freeze over her keyboard. She doesn't need to ask. Francesca motions with her head toward the yard. "Drew's with Logan and your dad by the grill."

Of course he is. Cameron keeps her expression neutral, but her pulse betrays her, picking up just slightly.

Francesca studies her for a moment before lowering her voice. "Are you planning to actually talk to him?"

Cameron finally looks up, her jaw tightening. "What's the point?"

Before Francesca can reply, Joanne calls from the yard, motioning them over. "Girls! Stop hiding and come eat!"

Cameron exhales sharply, her grip tightening on her laptop. She hesitates for a brief second before closing it and setting it aside.

Francesca grins. "Guess you're about to find out what the point is."

Cameron shoots her a glare but follows her down the steps, her stomach knotting as she makes her way toward the table where, of course, Drew is already sitting.

Cameron puts on her best smile as she steps off the porch, slipping effortlessly into conversation with the familiar faces gathered around the long picnic table. She greets her parents first, then Brooke, Oliver, and everyone else, before making her way down the table, exchanging warm smiles and lighthearted banter with family friends.

Drew watches her, his beer bottle paused halfway to his lips. She's different from the last time he saw her. No tension in her shoulders, no sadness weighing down her expression. The girl who had walked away from him that night by the lake had been distant, closed off, hurting.

But this version of Cameron? She's glowing. Laughing at something Logan says, shaking her head at one of Oliver's dramatic comments. It's effortless, like the past few days and the past few years, never happened.

Drew isn't sure why that gets to him the way it does. When Cameron finally slides into an empty seat across from him, their eyes meet for the briefest moment. And it's enough to make his chest tighten.

"Drew," she acknowledges with a small nod, still wearing that polite, easy smile. "Didn't see you there." It's a lie. She definitely saw him.

Drew leans back slightly, tilting his head. "Guess I blend in well."

She hums, reaching for a pitcher of lemonade. "Not really. But if that's what helps you sleep at night."

A small smirk tugs at Drew's lips. This is different. She's different. Not cold, not distant. Just... unreadable. And for the first time in a long time, he's not sure where he stands with her.

— 11:11 am | november 18, 2024
THE ELLIOTT LAKEHOUSE
hickory, north carolina

DREW STANDS NEAR THE grill, nodding along to whatever Logan is saying, but his attention keeps drifting. His eyes flicker toward the spot where Cameron had been sitting just moments ago, now empty.

She had excused herself from Brooke with a soft smile, phone in hand, slipping away toward the side of the house where it was quieter. He doesn't know why it bothers him. Or maybe he does.

"You look like you're thinking too hard," Francesca's voice cuts in as she steps up beside him, arms crossed.

Drew exhales, shaking his head. "Didn't know I had a tell."

"You do," she says simply, taking a sip of her drink. "And I'd bet good money that whatever's going on in that head of yours has something to do with Ms. Cameron Jade."

Drew scoffs, shifting his weight. "She's not exactly making it easy to figure her out."

Francesca smirks. "Yeah, well, can you blame her?"

Drew glances at her, expression unreadable. "She seems fine."

Francesca tilts her head. "Does she?"

Drew doesn't answer. He knows what Francesca is getting at. Cameron had walked into this barbecue all smiles, charming as ever, but there was something just beneath the surface. Something guarded, something intentional.

"You know," Francesca continues, lowering her voice, "just because someone looks like they've moved on doesn't mean they have."

Drew's grip tightens around his beer bottle. He doesn't respond. Because deep down, he knows she's right. Francesca watches Drew carefully, noting the way his jaw tightens, his grip firm around the bottle in his hand. She takes another sip of her drink before continuing.

"You know," she starts, keeping her voice low, "Cameron hasn't been the same since that night at the fundraiser."

Drew's eyes flicker to her, his brows pulling together slightly. He doesn't say anything, just waits for her to go on.

"She told me what happened at the dock," Francesca adds, watching his reaction closely. "How you talked about that day—the day you were supposed to meet up again."

Drew exhales through his nose, staring at the ground for a moment before looking back at Francesca. "And?"

Francesca shrugs. "And she didn't know what to do with it."

Drew shifts uncomfortably. "She seemed fine when I got here today."

Francesca lets out a quiet laugh. "That's because she threw herself into work." Drew raises an eyebrow.

"Work gives her peace of mind," Francesca explains. "Keeps her from thinking too much, from feeling too much. And since that night, she's been keeping herself as busy as possible."

Drew looks away, his jaw tightening. He knows Cameron is passionate about her job, but the thought of her using it as a way to block everything else out—including him—settles uneasily in his chest.

Francesca nudges his arm lightly. "Look, I'm not saying this to guilt-trip you or anything. I just think if you actually care, maybe stop standing around and do something about it."

Drew scoffs lightly, running a hand through his hair. "And what exactly do you suggest I do?"

Francesca smirks, taking another sip of her drink. "You're the actor, Drew. Get creative." And with that, she walks off, leaving Drew standing there, his mind spinning with everything she just said.

— 12:02 pm | november 18, 2024
THE ELLIOTT LAKEHOUSE
hickory, north carolina

CAMERON SITS AMONG the other women, a warm smile on her face as she watches Jodi proudly show off new pictures of Mackayla and her newborn baby. The group is buzzing with excitement, cooing over the sweet photos, talking about how much the little one looks like her mother.

Cameron listens, nodding along, genuinely happy for Mackayla. There's something comforting about moments like these simple, wholesome, untainted by the past. But just as she reaches for her drink, her phone vibrates in her lap. She glances down at the screen. Work.

The name of one of her editors flashes across the screen, and without hesitation, she stands up. "Sorry, I have to take this," she tells the women with an apologetic smile.

Jodi gives her a knowing look. "Always working, huh?"

Cameron just chuckles. "Something like that."

She steps away from the table, making her way toward the side of the house where it's quieter. The call connects as she presses the phone to her ear. "Hey, what's up?"

She listens intently as her editor speaks, her expression shifting into something more serious. Whatever is being said, it has her full attention. And she doesn't notice that, from across the yard, Drew is watching her.

Drew watches from where he stands near the grill, his eyes tracking Cameron as she moves further away from the crowd, phone pressed to her ear. Her posture shifts, her shoulders straightening, expression sharpening as she listens intently to whoever is on the other end.

He doesn't know why he does it, but before he can second-guess himself, he lifts a hand and tries to catch her attention with a small wave. Cameron doesn't even glance his way.

Her focus remains entirely on the conversation, her free hand gesturing slightly as she speaks, the way she always does when she's deep into work mode. Whatever is being discussed, it's clearly important.

Drew drops his hand, exhaling through his nose. Of course. She's busy. Just like Francesca said. And maybe it's stupid, but something about seeing Cameron so engrossed in her work and so completely shut off from everything else, including him, stings more than he's willing to admit.

Drew forces himself to look away, masking his disappointment by taking a long sip of his drink. He knows better than to take it personally. This is Cameron. She's always been driven, always thrown herself into her work with everything she has.

But now, more than ever, it feels like she's using it as a shield. He glances back one more time, watching as she paces slightly, nodding along to whatever is being said on the other end of the line.

Her brows furrow in concentration, lips pressed together in that way they always do when she's deep in thought. He remembers when he used to be the thing that had her full attention.

Logan claps a hand on his shoulder, breaking him from his thoughts. "You good?"

Drew blinks, shaking himself out of it. "Yeah. Just tired."

Logan smirks knowingly. "Right. Tired." Drew rolls his eyes, but he doesn't argue. Because what's the point?

A few minutes later, Cameron finally hangs up, exhaling as she tucks her phone into her pocket. She smooths her hands over her jeans, centering herself before making her way back toward the group.

Drew watches her return, watches the way she slides seamlessly back into conversation with the women, acting like she hadn't just completely shut out the world a moment ago.

And maybe he's imagining it, but when she finally meets his gaze across the yard and just for a split second there's something there. Something unreadable. And then, just like that, she looks away.

As Cameron settles back into her seat next to Brooke, the younger female nudges her lightly with her elbow. "You know," Brooke starts, a teasing lilt in her voice, "you've got my brother all kinds of distracted today."

Cameron huffs a quiet laugh, shaking her head. "I doubt that."

Brooke raises an eyebrow. "Oh, come on. You didn't see him staring at you while you were on the phone?"

Cameron's fingers tighten slightly around the hem of her sleeve, but she keeps her expression neutral. "I was working."

"Yeah, and he was waiting for you to not be." Brooke smirks, leaning in conspiratorially. "It was kind of funny, actually. He tried to wave you over, and you just completely ignored him."

Cameron sighs, rubbing her temples. "I didn't ignore him on purpose. I was busy."

Brooke hums, unconvinced. "Sure."

Cameron shoots her a look. "You're enjoying this way too much."

Brooke grins. "Maybe. But hey, it's not every day I get to see my brother act all... I don't know, off his game. It's so much funnier knowing how much teenage girls are head over heels for him and he has such an ass game."

Cameron swallows, forcing herself to focus on anything other than what Brooke is implying. She had spent years avoiding any thoughts about Drew and what he was doing, how he was feeling, if he ever thought about her.

But now? Now, he was right there, a lingering presence in her life again. And no matter how hard she tried to convince herself that it didn't matter... Brooke's words had planted something in her mind. And that was dangerous.