fear love¹ | rafe cameron

thirty-seven

As Wheezie went back into the water to spend the rest of the time gliding over the waves on her surfboard, I thought about her words.

I picked up the shells again and placed them back on my hand. What if she was right and he deserved a second chance?
But he killed a person and that's not a simple mistake that ruins a relationship.

Something in me wanted to make me give him this one chance and help him, make him feel that I love him and appreciate him, but that's what made me think if there was something wrong with me.

I would give a murderer a second chance but that was the point. He did it out of desperation and because he wanted to protect himself and Barry.

But were those thoughts exactly why we weren't working, because we both think it would work with any excuses between us?

»You guys were great today« I praised everyone and smiled at Wheezie as a thank you for talking to me earlier when the kids came out of the water later because the surf lesson was over.

»See you next week at the same place and time« I added and as everyone disappeared behind the dunes I went into the club house to check out with Sam, the boss and owner, and collect the money for today and the last three surf lessons.

»Oh uhm...«  said Sam hesitantly who was standing behind the counter putting wax on a board.
»You need to go to the Cameron's to get a check written« he said without looking up from the board.

»Great« I smiled annoyed, even if he couldn't see it. I ran out the door and behind me it fell back into the lock and banged against the bell hanging from the ceiling.

I ran to the Cameron's property and hesitated for a moment at the corner whether I should go there at all. But I saw that Rafe's car was not there, which reassured me and I persuaded myself to knock on the front door.

Nervously I pulsed at the cuticle around my fingernail, not knowing how to step into that house without thinking of Rafe.

The door was unlocked and the door opened. Stiffly I stood on the carpet in front of the front door when I saw who opened the door for me.
Rafe looked blank. He had the same look again as he came around the corner when I had heard him talking about me to Topper and Kelce.

I would have liked to turn around again and pick up the money at some other time. His car was gone but he was there and it was a mistake to come here.
But now I was here and I couldn't just turn around.

Without any comment that Rafe was standing in front of me, I scurried past him and ran to Ward Cameron's room.

Before I knocked I stopped, my fist almost touching the wood of the door, and turned around. I took a deep breath before speaking. »Is your dad in his office?« I asked, with Rafe still standing at the door.

»Yeah« he replied in a raspy deep voice.
I knocked on the door and heard a quick »come in« and entered the office and closed the door immediately when I heard Rafe say something else and was on his way to me.

»What can I do for you Grace?« Ward asked me.
»Uhm« I started to say as I sat down on one of the brown leather chairs and looked around. »Sam told me to come to you for the money from the surf lessons« I explained my appearance in his office since he was sponsoring the surf lessons.

»Yeah, of course! Wait a minute« he said kindly and handed me a check a few minutes later. When I saw the amount, which was at least three times what I was supposed to get, I turned back around and was about to say that was too much when he interrupted me.

»Just keep it to yourself« he said quietly as he peeked through a crack in his door. Confused, I looked at him. »Rafe... The cop« he enumerated and hesitantly I nodded.