Cam tousled the top of Tawny’s head before glancing Blue’s way. “How were you feeling this morning?”
“Oh. Good.” She swallowed and cleared her throat. “Fine.”
She could tell he didn’t believe her because it looked like he was trying to hide a smile. He shifted the bags from one hand to the other and looked around. “I need a purple dress.”
“A purple dress for me!” Tawny squealed and twirled in a circle.
“I promised the kid, and I can’t find one. There’s just…” He looked around, his frustration obvious. “I don’t know how you girls do this.”
“Do what?” Blue asked.
“This shopping thing. A guy can walk into one store and buy his jeans, T-shirts, boxers…whatever he needs. He’s in and out in less than thirty minutes. Hell, probably twenty. But this, this shopping for little girls is enough to make me crazy. There’s just too much to look at. Too many stores that sell the same shit—”
“Oh…” Tawny said dramatically. “That’s a bad word.”
“It is,” he replied, looking down at her and not skipping a beat. “And I don’t want to hear it coming out of your mouth. But you got to remember, I’m allowed to say it once in a while.”
“Because you’re a grown-up?”
“Yep. Because I’m a grown-up.” Cam looked at Blue, and warmth spread through her. Which surprised her, but maybe it shouldn’t. She thought of the night before and how she’d felt in his arms.
“I don’t suppose you know where we can find a purple dress, do you?”
Startled, she stammered, “Sorry?”
“I need help finding this dress.”
Tawny jumped up again. “A purple one, Cam.”
Blue looked from Cam to Tawny and then back to him again. He looked out of his element, and Tawny was just too damn adorable. How on earth could she say no? Besides, it wasn’t like there was anyone waiting for her back at the house—other than the cat. And Giselle could look after herself.
“I think I know of a couple places we can look.”
Tawny grabbed her hand and began to skip along, taking Blue along for the ride. She assumed Cam was a few steps behind and guided them toward a boutique geared to all things girly.
“Kid-Let?” Cam said as he followed them inside. “Who the hell comes up with these names? Never heard of the place.”
“That’s because you don’t shop, remember?”
Blue’s practiced eyes ran over the racks, and she led Tawny to the back of the store, where one wall was dedicated to all sorts of summer dresses. And, win! They were on sale.
She spied a purple dress with small yellow suns and stars. It had spaghetti straps, and the skirt fell in gentle waves to just above the knee. It was soft and beautiful and the color would look gorgeous on Tawny.
“It’s so pretty,” Tawny said, looking up at the display.
“Do you want to try it on?” Blue asked. She reached for the dresses and searched for the right size. She found one and grabbed matching sandals, a little purse, and a sunhat as well. By the time they got to the changing rooms, Tawny’s eyes were as big as silver dollars. She was quiet as Blue helped her undress and pull on the dress and sandals. When she was finished, Tawny turned and looked in the mirror. Surprise lit her young face, and she inched forward and touched the mirror.
Her coffee-colored skin glowed, infused with happiness. Her hair, left natural, sprang to her shoulders in perfect corkscrews that bounced as she moved. With those beautiful hazel eyes, she was exotic and so precious, Blue couldn’t help but be drawn to her.
“I look pretty,” she whispered. “Like the princess in the story Cam read to me.”
A big old lump formed at the back of Blue’s throat. She nodded and felt tears prick the corners of her eyes. Was it because the little girl’s love of the dress was so obvious? Or was it because the image of Cam reading to Tawny made something inside her twist?
In that moment, she wondered about another little girl. When she’d been this age had someone read to her at night? Was she loved and clothed and fed?
“Why are you sad?”
Blue’s head jerked up at the question, and she swiped at her eyes, forcing a smile. “I’m not sad. I promise.”
Tawny’s sharp gaze was dubious, and Blue quickly changed the subject by asking her if she’d like to wear the dress home.
“Can I?” Tawny twirled and giggled, and it took a bit for Blue to calm her enough to remove the tags. When they emerged from the change room, she spied Cam up near the cash register smiling at something the sales lady was saying. She was attractive, in her mid-fifties, well dressed, and, from the looks of it, enjoying Cam’s company.
Typical. Was there no woman on the planet immune to his charm?
I am.
He turned as they approached, and his eyes softened. “Hey, Peanut, that’s a good look on you.”
Tawny preened at his compliment, and the thread that connected the two was obvious. Blue felt like an outsider and turned away, heading for another display, and busied herself picking out new undies and socks. From what she’d seen, Tawny’s were in sad shape. She returned to the counter and set them down.
Cam gave the woman, Hazel was her name, his credit card, and she rang the purchase up. Hazel handed over the bright orange bag that contained Tawny’s old clothes along with the extra purchases and smiled.
“You have a lovely child.”
Cam didn’t skip a beat. He nodded and gently pushed Tawny toward the door. “Thank you.”
That simple gesture made Blue’s heart constrict. She followed them out, and once more, Tawny had Cam by the hand, chattering constantly as he led the way outside. The little girl looked up at Cam as if he were her world, and Blue supposed that he was.
“Where you parked?” Cam asked suddenly, turning to Blue.
“Oh.” She frowned and glanced around. “That’s me over there.” She pointed to the sleek black Mercedes near one of the light standards and blushed at the look on Cam’s face. “The Honda is still, um, at the Coach House.”
Cam nodded a few rows over. “I’m here.” He paused. “Thanks for helping us out. The dress meant a lot to Tawny.”
“No problem.”
She almost said anytime, but that would imply some sort of relationship. And they didn’t have a relationship of any sort, other than employer and employee. Notwithstanding the dancing. But she wasn’t going to think about that.
“Are you coming for our barbecue?” Tawny pushed a handful of curls from her face and grinned up at Blue.
“I don’t…” She shook her head. “No.”
“Why not?” Tawny turned to Cam. “Can’t she come? Pretty please? We made enough cupcakes.”
“Cupcakes?” Blue’s gaze shot to Cam. “You made cupcakes?”
“I frosted them,” he replied daring her to say something.
Tawny nodded. “He did. And he put unicorn sprinkles on top.”
“Unicorn sprinkles. They must be impressive cupcakes.” Blue hid a laugh.
“Come for barbecue, and I promise you can have one.” Cam smiled wickedly.
Blue’s head snapped up, and her eyes slammed into Cam’s. “Oh no. I don’t want to impose.”
“You wouldn’t be.” His voice was warm with a hint of rasp, and she shivered in the heat, which was absurd. What the hell was wrong with her? “Do you have plans?”
She could lie and say yes.
She should lie and say yes.
But Blue found herself doing the exact opposite. She slowly breathed out and answered quietly. “No.”
“Then come. Let me thank you for helping us out today.” He winked. “What do you say?”
She should say no. Sorry. Can’t make it. But thanks anyway.
Instead, she found words tumbling from her mouth. Words that changed the game. “Okay. Can I bring anything?”
“Nope. Just yourself.” He nodded toward her car. “I’ll pull up, and you can follow us back.”
Cam disappeared before she could change her mind, and she jogged to her car. Her stomach fluttered. Her cheeks were flushed. And a nervous energy slid over her. This probably wasn’t a good idea. Mixing it up with Cam Booker could only complicate things.
Right?She looked at her reflection in the mirror. At the wide eyes, shining with something she hadn’t seen in a very long time. A horn honked, and Cam waved at her from his truck.
He slowly rolled away, and after a few seconds, Blue followed.
9
When Cam was fourteen, he pulled off an incredible feat.
Only the week before, he and his brother Nash been in the kind of trouble that would sideline any kid’s life at least for a month. Maybe two. Without permission, they’d taken their mother’s shiny new red Mustang to the comic book store because Cam wanted the new Batman. It was a limited-edition release, and he’d been dying to get his hands on it since the day before, when his pal Dustin Chardis shoved it in his face. Cam managed to acquire the last one in the store while his brother sat in the parking lot, in the Mustang, which managed to acquire a nasty dent on the side panel when a bunch of teenagers rolled up in an old Ford pickup and slammed their door into the car.
Cam and Nash’s punishment had been swift and well deserved. A) Nash only had his beginner’s permit and shouldn’t have taken the car out on his own. And B) Cam was already grounded for riding his dirt bike without a helmet. No sports. No TV. No social life whatsoever. And they’d had to pay for the damages with their own money.
The look of disappointment in his mother’s eyes was worse than the punishment, and Cam was determined to do something special for her. Something to make his mother realize how sorry he was and to erase the look that made him feel like crap.
On that particular Sunday, which happened to be Mother’s Day, he got up hours before anyone else and prepared the most delicious breakfast for his mother, full of her favorite things. Eggs Benedict, roasted potatoes, biscuits and gravy. Everything was from scratch (he’d been practicing after school at his grandmother’s), with a lot of effort to make it perfect. He had flowers at the ready, fresh-squeezed orange juice, and banana cake from the local bakery for dessert. Heck, he would have baked those as well, but he knew the time crunch was too great.
At exactly eight o’clock, he gathered up a large tray and marched into his parents’ bedroom. His dad took one look at Cam and gave him the room, while his mother squealed in delight. Her smile was everything he’d hoped for. He wasn’t off the hook by any means, but his mother hugged him tightly and kissed him on the forehead, her fingers lingering on his cheeks for a few moments.
“Thank you,” she’d said quietly.
“I’m sorry.”
“I know.”
“Happy Mother’s Day.”
His mother nodded slowly, a small smile touching the corner of her mouth. “You’re still grounded at least for another month.”
That was the first time Cam understood the power of food and the reward of doing something for someone else. It also kick-started his interest in the kitchen, and he was damn good at it. Which was something he’d forgotten until Tawny showed up. It wasn’t as much fun creating a great meal for just one person. With Tawny, he had an excuse to up his game.
Tonight, Mrs. Eddy was joining them, and now, Blue.
He’d sent her out back with Tawny and Rufus about two minutes after she’d walked into his home, along with a tall, cold glass of water--she’d been horrified when he asked if she wanted a glass of wine. He chuckled at the thought.
He pulled out a small platter of brie from the oven and had just finished drizzling balsamic overtop of it when Mrs. Eddy ambled into his kitchen. His neighbor wore another tent dress, this time in an eye-popping shade of green. Her silver hair was up in a bun, and bright pink gloss shone on her lips. Heavy jewelry adorned her neck and ears, and several bangles clinked at her wrists.
“That’s a nice green dress you got there, Mrs. Eddy.”
She set down a fresh-baked apple pie. “It’s chartreuse.”
“That’s a nice chartreuse dress you got there, Mrs. Eddy.”
“Cameron, you are insufferable.”
“I’ve been called worse.”
She looked over his shoulder and smiled. “Brie?”
“Sure is.”
“I enjoy it with roasted red pepper jelly.”
“This here is a bit different.” He winked. “I think you’ll like it.” He’d added caramelized onion and peppers.
“Whose fancy car is in your driveway?”
He was wondering how long it would take her to start in about his guest.
“Just a lady who helped Tawny and me out at the mall.”
“Just a lady.” Mrs. Eddy moved until she was beside him and could see into the backyard. “She’s a pretty lady.”
“Is she?” Cam didn’t look up.
“Nice figure. Good posture.”
“If you’re into that sort of thing.”
“All men are into that sort of thing.” Mrs. Eddy moved closer still. “She must have money.”
“Lots of it.”
He felt Mrs. Eddy’s eyes on him. “She’s not local.”
“Nope.”
“Name?”
He was saved by the bell, so to speak, when his cell phone rang. A quick glance told him it was his mother—her smiling face was unmistakable—but his hands were greasy and slimy from the toppings he’d put on the brie, and he asked Mrs. Eddy to answer for him.
Which the lady did with great gusto and importance. As she chatted with his mother, no doubt filling her in on all his business, Cam slipped downstairs to the bottom fridge and grabbed the steaks he’d marinated. When he returned to the kitchen, he sent Mrs. Eddy outside with the brie and pita squares, put his cell on speaker mode, and said hello to his mother.
“You’ve got Mrs. Eddy for dinner,” his mother said before he got a chance to say anything.
“That would be correct.”
“I’m surprised.”
“Yeah?” Cam rooted around for his barbecue utensils. “Why’s that?”
“Cameron, she’s a little old for you, don’t you think?”
Cam smiled at that. “I don’t know. She makes a mean apple pie.”
His mother laughed, and Cam’s smile widened. “And how is little Tawny?”
Cam glanced out the window. Tawny was running after Rufus, the dress she’d wanted so badly billowing around her thin legs. Her cheeks were flushed, her smile as big as the sun, and when she fell down beside the dog and hugged him, something twisted up inside Cam. He had to take a moment to answer his mother.
“She’s doing real good. Settled in.”
“Have you heard from your lawyer yet?”
He shook his head. “We managed to get a temporary guardianship in place, but there’s still a lot to figure out. She’s on vacation right now but will look after things when she gets back.”
“And who is the woman you have over for dinner?”
“Woman?” His gaze moved to Blue. She was near the large oak tree and bent low to listen to whatever the little chatterbox was sending her way. Her dress clung to her body like skin, pressed tight because of the wind. And her hair was loose, flying this way and that, obscuring a face he knew was about as close to sex-kitten territory as was possible. She was so much more than that. His chest tightened at the thought, and he gave himself a mental shakedown.
This was dinner. That’s all. Nothing more. Nothing less. He was just thanking her for helping him and Tawny out.
Okay, big guy. If you say so. His sister-in-law’s voice rang through his head, and he frowned.
“Cam? You there?”
“Yeah.” He grabbed the platter of steaks once more. “I gotta get the meat on the barbecue, Ma.”
“Who’s the woman?”
He winced and looked up at the ceiling. His mother was stubborn as hell and wouldn’t give up. He could lie, but what was the point? A) He was a shitty liar a
nd B) This was Crystal Lake. Half the town probably knew who was at his house for dinner, and she’d find out sooner rather than later.
“Bluebell Barnes.”
“The widow Barnes? The woman who hired you for that big job?”
“That would be the only widow Barnes in Crystal Lake, Mom.”
There was a pregnant pause, and then he heard his mother clear her throat. “She’s your boss, Cameron.”
Great. The full Christian name was never a good thing. “Yes, she is. I’m doing her landscaping and her decking.”
“I hope that’s all your doing.”
“Christ, Mom. Really?”
“I’m just saying I haven’t heard good things about her is all. Macy Darlington told me she’s on a committee with her and that the woman doesn’t talk to anyone. She’s thinks she’s better than them.”
“Maybe that’s because Macy Darlington is a snob and the rest of the women give her attitude. This is a small town, Mom. It’s pretty cliquey.”
His mother ignored him.
“You do know David was old enough to be her father and then some. That she was a showgirl in Vegas, or a stripper even. And that Edward—”
Okay. Cam was shutting this down. “I’m not doing this with you, Mom. You don’t know anything about Blue. And as for Edward, that guy is a grade A douchebag.”
“That may be, but getting involved with her will be messy.”
“I’m not involved.” He clenched his teeth, and a muscle worked its way along his jaw.
“She’s at your house for dinner. I’d call that involved.”
“Not in the way you think.” He sighed. “Look. I know you mean well, but, Mom, I’m a big boy, and I can look after myself. Blue helped me out with Tawny, and I invited her for dinner as a thank-you. There’s nothing more to this. Honestly, Bluebell Barnes is the last woman in Crystal Lake I’d get involved with. Too much trouble. You don’t have to worry.”
Liar.
The word slipped through his brain as he ended the call and tossed his cellphone on the counter. He scowled, grabbed the steaks, and turned around.
The Thing About Trouble Page 7