The Fine Line - Rafe Cameron

Chapter Five

Alexandra stood before her mirror, heart pounding as she adjusted the hem of her blue dress for what felt like the fifth time. The satin fabric hugged her too tightly, and the color seemed all wrong against her skin. With a frustrated sigh, she ran her fingers through her hair, which stubbornly refused to behave.

What if she looked ridiculous? What if Rafe's attitude ruined the evening?

Each worry spiraled in her mind, adding to the weight on her chest.

Suddenly, the familiar sounds of the Cameron family filled the house as they arrived. She froze for a moment, feeling an anxious knot form in her stomach, then took one last breath before stepping out of her room.

As she entered the living room, Sarah's face instantly lit up. "Alex!" Sarah called out, hurrying over for a hug. "You look so fucking good," she whispered with a playful grin.

"Ugh, I love you," Alexandra smiled, pulling her best friend into a tighter hug.

Rafe stood a few steps back, his face expressionless.

Ward quickly noticed Rafe, who was lingering behind the rest of his family. Alexandra swallowed as Ward's hand clamp firmly on Rafe's shoulder. He flinched slightly at the grip, his eyes tightening as Ward silently reminded him, "Be polite."

Ward promptly stepped forward, flashing a bright smile before pulling Alexandra's dad into a warm hug.

When Alexandra and Rafe's eyes met, he flashed a fake smile that sent a wave of discomfort through her.

"Alexandra. Nice to see you," he said, his tone devoid of sincerity.

"Rafe. Nice to see you too," she replied, mirroring his forced cheerfulness.

Alexandra's dad stepped aside and extended his hand to Rafe. "Hey there, son. Good to see you again—we've missed you around here."

Rafe took his hand shyly, a small smile creeping onto his face. "Thank you, sir."

Alexandra was open with her family, but her falling out with Rafe was something she never shared. She felt ashamed to tell them that their "golden boy" had turned into a complete asshole. Instead, she simply said they had drifted apart; they didn't need to know the fine details.

Ward walked over to give Alexandra a hug. "Hi, Alexandra. It's good to see you."

"Hi, Mr. Cameron. It's good to see you too," she replied, feeling uneasy returning the hug as she recalled the last time she saw him was when he pinned Rafe against a wall.

As she stepped away from the group exchanging greetings, images flashed in her mind—Ward cursing out Rafe and the way Rafe flinched at his father's touch.

Was Ward always that way, and she just never knew?

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"We really need to do this more often," Alexandra's mom chuckled, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.

Rose laughed at her words, holding her wine glass in the air. "I need to have you come over this week. I have the most amazing blueberry muffin recipe to show you."

While the mom's went on about recipes they discovered on TikTok, her dad and Ward strongly debated which football teams would make it to the playoffs. Beside them, Wheezie and Ethan were deep in conversation about weird snack combinations.

Meanwhile, Sarah leaned in close to Alexandra, a mischievous grin on her face.

"Remember when you hooked up with pineapple and he threw up on you," Sarah whispered, barely containing her laughter.