Chapter 383: Complications All Around

“We’re not dating,” Cameron said, looking embarrassed, clearly not eager to elaborate.

“You’re chasing her?”

“Not really,” he mumbled, his eyes darting around. Morty immediately sensed the odd vibe and barked, “Cut the crap. Say it straight.”

“It’s… a mutual thing,” Cameron said vaguely, given they were in public. The kind of mutual thing that didn’t involve feelings. Morty got it instantly—and didn’t even know what to say.

After that confession, Cameron leaned in slightly. “Okay, but why are you so interested in Maya all of a sudden?”

Cameron had been surprised when Morty and Easton stopped speaking. Now this—Morty going out of his way to question him about Maya. Definitely strange.

“Why shouldn’t I be?” Morty shot back.

“It’s not that you shouldn’t. It’s just… you and Maya don’t have any kind of relationship. Kinda weird for you to be so involved.”

“Who told you we have nothing to do with each other?”

“My eyes,” Cameron gestured toward his face.

“Drop it,” Morty said, signaling for Cameron to back off.

“No way,” Cameron retorted. “You grilled me, didn’t you? I haven’t even asked how things are going with the girl you like. So, when are you gonna introduce us?”

Last year, whenever Morty mentioned the girl he liked, his eyes practically lit up. But come to think of it, it had been ages since he’d brought her up. For a moment, Cameron thought maybe he’d imagined the whole thing. But now that he remembered, he figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask—just showing a little friendly concern.

“You know her,” Morty said calmly.

“I do?” Cameron’s brain instantly scanned through every woman he knew. “Which one?”

“Can’t say yet.” Morty wasn’t trying to be dramatic—he just knew Easton was still chasing Ellis. Since Ellis hadn’t completely reached her limit with him, Morty had paused his pursuit. Telling anyone now would only make things more complicated.

“Wow, so secretive. Playing it mysterious now?” Cameron said, narrowing his eyes as he mentally filtered through the most likely candidates.

Meanwhile, back at home, Ellis looked up when Maya walked through the door. “I thought you were spending the night with Cameron?”

“Changed my mind,” Maya said, setting the food on the table. “Ran into Morty while we were eating. I bailed.”

“Why? Worried he’d figure out what’s going on between you and Cameron?” Ellis raised an eyebrow. “If Cameron already told him, you can’t hide it anyway.” From that time they’d needed Cameron’s help to get Maya out of trouble, Ellis could tell Cameron and Morty were close.

“No, I just didn’t want Morty asking me for favors or whatever,” Maya said, opening the food containers, setting out utensils, and shoving a fork into Ellis’s hand. “Your ex is already enough to deal with. I don’t need another guy giving me work on the side.”

Ellis immediately understood what she meant. Because of her, Easton occasionally asked Maya to help with random things. Like she was some kind of shortcut to get to Ellis. They were small tasks, but still annoying.

Ellis picked up a piece of beef, chewed slowly, and said, “Morty hasn’t come looking for me in a while. Maybe he’s finally given up.” She wasn’t entirely sure how Morty felt now, so she didn’t want to speak too definitively. But she owed Maya some honesty.

These two men are seriously exhausting. Why can’t they just come straight to me? Why does everything have to go through Maya first?

“I doubt it,” Maya said, giving a tight smile and looking at the ceiling. “Your ex has persistence in spades.”

“Don’t bring him up,” Ellis scowled. Easton had sat in her car. If she hadn’t been trying to salvage her weekend, she would’ve driven straight to a car wash and had them scrub every trace of him out of it.

“Speaking of him—doesn’t he know Morty’s into you! If Morty’s still hanging on, why hasn’t your ex…,” Maya searched for the right phrase, “…you know, acted like a proper jealous guy?”

“Aside from beating him up at the hospital. I don’t know what else he’s done,” Ellis said, not hiding anything. She hadn’t followed up on it. Morty seemed fine. And she had told Easton she didn’t like Morty. Maybe that was enough to get him to back off. They’d grown up together, after all. Easton might’ve spared him a little respect.

Maya had barely eaten earlier, but now the food didn’t appeal anymore. She slouched back in her chair and glanced sideways at Ellis.

“If I’d known Morty liked you, I never would’ve taken Nexus Group as a client.” Big clients were too risky to upset. Maya had no choice but to carefully balance business and personal lines. One wrong move, and she’d fall into a mess—and probably drag Ellis in with her too.

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