Chapter 28 Angel
Angel
I ended up taking the whole weekend off, partly because I really needed it, and also because Camille kept demanding I shouldn’t go to work.
The moment I met her I knew she was an angel and this weekend—her looking after me—only proved that fact. She’s my Angel.
Even if she isn’t really mine.
I drag myself out of bed. My cold is still lingering, but it’s nowhere near as bad as it was.
I have to get back to work today. We’ve got a handover for a house this week, and I need to be there to finalise everything.
I also have to make time to look over applicants for the new roles I’ve advertised.
Tyler and I get to the job site just as the sun is starting to rise.
The house is a modern Queenslander-style home, and it still has that new house smell—the one I never get tired of, even after all these builds.
I stand in the kitchen with the trades and run through the final checklist for the week.
Honestly, everything looks amazing. I feel proud of what we’ve done here. The owners are going to love it.
Around midday, I stop in at Gloria’s Cafe to grab a coffee and something to eat.
The bell chimes as I walk in, the smell of roasted coffee beans wrapping around me.
There’s a waitress behind the counter I haven’t seen before.
She flashes a bright smile when I approach, and she keeps throwing flirty looks my way as she makes my order.
Normally, I’d flirt back. She’s cute, and it’s the kind of hookup I wouldn’t usually think twice about. But something holds me back.
I know what it is.
Camille.
Even though we’re not together—she made that clear—my feelings for her are still there.
The waitress hands me my coffee, and I see she’s scribbled her name and number on the side of the cup. She gives me a sultry smile.
I smile politely, then walk out.
Maybe I should call her and try get Camille out of my head? I don’t know.
Later in the afternoon, I’m back at the office—it’s set up in one of our display homes not far from where we live.
My receptionist has already left for the day, so she can pick up her kids from school.
She’s great, but I need someone else in here with her to take on more hours.
That’s why I’m here now, to go through the mountain of applications we’ve received.
I flick through them for hours, making calls, locking in interview times. By the time the sun sets, I’m absolutely wrecked. I’m glad I took the weekend off otherwise I wouldn’t have coped with today.
I shut everything down, lock the house up, and drive home.
The sky is painted in pinks and purples when I pull into the driveway. I step inside and call out,
“Honey, I’m home!”
“We’re out back!” They both yell in unison.
I head through to the patio and find Tyler and Camille hunched over something on the table. As I get closer, I realise they’re waxing a surfboard. It’s lilac and covered in floral designs.
“What do you think?” Camille beams up at me.
“It’s very pretty,” I reply.
“I know, right? I know you said I could borrow yours, but when I walked past the surf shop today, I saw this, and it was on sale! I just had to.” She runs her hands over the board. “I’m obsessed.”
“That’s great, Cammie. It’s perfect for you,” I say honestly. I did offer to let her borrow mine, but it’s always better having your own.
Truth is, I nearly went and bought her one the other day after watching her surf. I always get this urge to spoil her. But I’m glad she picked this one herself, especially seeing how happy it’s made her.
“We’ll have to go for another surf soon,” Tyler adds enthusiastically.
I nod. “Yeah, that sounds good.”
Though I don’t know when I’ll have time. The next few weeks are packed. I really need to visit my family again, I’ve been missing our Friday night catch ups with them lately.
“I’m gonna eat,” I say, pointing toward the kitchen as I walk off.
“Dinner’s in the fridge!” Camille calls after me.
Sure enough, there’s a container of chicken parmi with veggies inside. I make myself a plate and bring it back out to the patio, sitting at the timber table while the two of them keep chatting. I mostly listen quietly, eating and watching how they interact.
Tyler mentioned having a crush on her when they first met, but seeing them now, they feel more like siblings.
Does she see me that way too?
God, I hope not. Because I definitely don’t see her that way.
We end up hanging out for another hour or so before we all decide to head to bed. I pause at the hallway, catching Camille just as she’s turning toward her room.
“Goodnight Angel,” I say softly.
She stops, her eyes flicking up to meet mine. There’s that flicker, of something between us, something unsaid. Every day she stays here, we grow closer. And my feelings for her grow too.
“Goodnight,” she murmurs, her voice soft.
She goes inside her room and I stand there for a moment longer, watching the empty hallway, wondering how much longer I can keep pretending I don’t want her.