Chapter 26

While Cam stood looking out over the dark water and listening to the sounds of the night creatures, he thought of when he’d met Emory only two nights before, just a few yards from where he now stood. He looked out to where the raft would be, at the silhouettes of the pontoon boat and cruiser moored to the dock, and over his shoulder at the house looming above him into the trees.

He sighed. Oh well, the sex was great. It’s ending where it started. Just two horny guys getting each other off, Cam thought, trying to convince himself the rest of it never happened.

Cam turned, trudged back up the path from the beach, and went into the house. As he and Mr. Magee started for the stairs to return to the bedroom, a feeling of uncontrollable sadness crept over him.

“Wait, Magee.”

The dog stopped and looked up at him.

“I can’t do this. I can’t say goodbye. I wouldn’t know how to,” he told the dog. “So we’re leaving tonight. Right now.”