My chest warmed in a way I wasn’t used to. Josie liking me was important. I needed an ally in Green Oak and I… liked this.
“So,” she resumed, popping a macaron into her mouth. “I have questions.” Her eyebrows arched. “First one is, did Cam show up at practice today?”
Something in the middle of my chest twisted at the reminder. “He did. He stormed in and out, not even sparing a glance my way.” I’d thought I would appreciate him ignoring me but I hadn’t. I felt horrible over what I’d done. But I also needed him, so how was I supposed to take my words back and have him stay? “Diane was also there, by the way. She dropped off Chelsea and kept watch from her car.”
“Expected. But I told you he’d be back,” Josie pointed out with a tilt of her head.
I checked the nearby tables, confirming Josie’s Joint was still mostly empty. “He believes I blackmailed him, Josie. Of course he was back.”
She shrugged, grabbing another macaron and chewing on it slowly. “You forget he was coaching the team before. And I don’t know Cam super well, but I know enough of him. He probably took the whole thing about you b-wording him as playful banter.”
Not that again. “We don’t banter, trust me.” And also, “B-wording him?”
Josie chuckled. “That was cute, wasn’t it? It’s like we’re back in high school and we’re two girlfriends whispering about going behind the bleachers with a crush.” She grimaced. “I don’t think you should go behind the bleachers, though. The structure is really old and I should probably ask Robbie to have a look at it. He’s María’s dad and Green Oak’s unofficial handyman.”
“Sure, I’ll try not to sneak behind the bleachers until Robbie checks them,” I conceded in a dry tone.
“Unless the proposition comes from someone… interesting,” she countered, lips curling in a way I didn’t like. “Someone banter-y who has jokingly been b-worded like—”
“Nope,” I cut her off. “Not even a possibility.”
“Fine.” Josie rolled her eyes. “But—”
“So, games start in a week?” I deflected by asking even though I already knew. I knew everything there was to know by now.
Her face scrunched up with thought. “Oh! You could approach him to talk about that. Make a little small talk to smooth things over. First team to beat is the Grovesville Bears and they’ll be a tough cookie to crack.” That got my attention. “You don’t even need to wait until next practice on Monday. Just go to him and say—” Josie’s words came to a stop. “Code yellow.”
My brows furrowed. “Why would I—”
“Code yellow,” Josie insisted through a toothy smile, her eyes jumping quickly behind me. “Code bright-Diane’s-hair-yellow.”
“You need to stop calling for codes I don’t—”
The bell on the café’s door rang.
The sound of heavy footsteps followed.
“Act cool,” Josie whispered. But one of her eyes started twitching.
I opened my mouth to ask her if she was okay but before I could, a large hand was flying in front of my face.
A palm that ended in five long and strong fingers—some crooked, and a pinky wearing a signet with a C—placed something right beside the macaron tray.
I waited, but Cameron didn’t speak.
“Odd way to say hello,” I finally said, feeling the weight of Cameron’s gaze on the top of my head. I nodded at the flyer in front of me, still not looking at him. “What’s this?”
Nothing came from him.
“That’s Green Oak’s activity brochure,” Josie whispered loudly, leaning in. “It has the full list of seasonal activities on offer. There’s sports, our end of summer celebration by the lake, arts and crafts, our fall fest, the—”
I shot her a glance, and she answered me with a complicit glance. “Well, this is great. But I don’t see why it’s been thrust in my face.”
Instead of talking, Cameron let out one of those throaty noises that made him sound like someone straight out of the Paleolithic era.
I felt my throat work. “I don’t need this.”
“Oh, you do,” he finally said, and it was his tone—or maybe his voice—that brought my gaze up. Green eyes were pointed right at me and he looked so… cocky. Smug. “I signed you up,” he announced. “For every single activity on the agenda from this weekend to the end of fall.”