MRS. WEST

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟟 #2

"I'm irritated and annoyed," I correct.

I try reading his eyes as he just stares at me dumbfounded. I hope there wasn't something on my face.

I grab my bag, slinging it over my shoulder. "I have to go."

"Dix," he reaches out, catching my wrist gently before I can walk past him.

I stop, looking down at our hands before looking back up at him. "What?"

"Have you eaten yet?"

I blink, a little taken aback. "What?"

"Did you eat?" he repeats.

I stare at him, raising my eyebrows. "You're asking me that right now?"

"Yes," he says simply.

"No," I answer flatly. "I didn't."

"Okay," he nods once. "Then eat something."

"I don't have time-"

"You have time," he cuts in gently. "Even if it's something small."

I sigh. "I'd rather not, Cameron."

"Dixie."

"I said no."

"And I'm saying eat something," he replies, not backing down.

I stare at him for a second then roll my eyes.

"Okay. Sure. I'll eat," I say, clearly just trying to move past it.

Instead of leaving me alone, or dropping it, he steps closer. Before I can process what he's doing, he closes the distance between us, his hands coming up, cupping my face.

A quick warm kiss falls on my right cheek. Then another, and another. Soft, exaggerated, almost ridiculous little popcorn pecks all over my face.

"Cameron-" I try to pull back, but his grip is firm, and he chuckles quietly, still holding my face.

"Eat," he murmurs between kisses.

"Stop it-"

"Eat," another kiss lands on my forehead.

"I will-!"

"Eat."

"Okay!" I finally push at his chest lightly, breath catching somewhere between annoyed and something else. "Okay, I will."

He leans back just enough to look at me, and his expression reads satisfied.

"Good." He grins, his voice low.

I shake my head, wiping at my cheek even though I know there's nothing there. "You're so annoying."

"I love you too, Mrs. West."

"Are you ready? Because I don't want to be late." I groan, glancing at my watch. We still have a good one hour until it actually starts, but I like to be early.

He throws a sweater on before grabbing the keys. "Yeah, c'mon let's go."

We walk outside, my heels clicking, while his sneakers don't make a sound.

He unlocks the car with a soft click, walking ahead of me to the driver's side while I slide into the passenger seat, setting my bag down carefully like it contains something fragile.

He gets in a second later, starting the engine, one hand resting loosely on the wheel while the other adjusts the mirror.

"Seatbelt," he says casually.

I roll my eyes but click it anyway. "Yes, Dad."

He hums quietly, merging onto the road smoothly. The morning traffic is light, the sun is slowly rising, setting a nice pink and orange sunrise on the sky.

"Are you hungry at all?" he asks.

"No." I glance at him.

"Don't lie to me, Dix."

I scoff, looking back out the window. "I'm not lying. I told you this back inside"

"You didn't eat," he says, like it's obvious. "You told me that."

"That doesn't mean I'm hungry."

"That's exactly what that means."

I cross my arms slightly, I needed something to say quick, because I wasn't going back and forth with Cameron at six in the morning.

"I'll eat later."

"Mhm," he hums, unconvinced. "Later usually turns into never with you."

"That's not true at all!"

"It is," he says lightly. "I think I've been married to you long enough to know."

I glare at him. "Yeah, well I think I regret it."

He gets quiet. I'm hoping he takes it in an unserious, joking manner because I wasn't in the right headspace today. I don't think anyone else could tolerate me like Cameron does, but sometimes he just got on my nerves.

"No, you don't mean that." he glances at me briefly.

"Can you just drive?"

"I am driving," he says.

"What do you want?" he continues again.

"For what?" I reply sharply.

"Food, baby," he says. "I'm stopping somewhere."

"If you're so determined, just get something quick. I don't care."

"Quick like what?" he asks.

"I don't know. Coffee. A granola bar. Something small."

He makes a face. "That's not food."

"You either get it or you don't, choose your battle." I retort. How about that, Cameron.

"That's barely a snack, Dix."

"It's enough."

"For who?" he asks. "A squirrel?"

I shoot him a menacing look, though it doesn't scare him as much as it should. "Very funny."

"I try," he says.

He taps his fingers lightly against the wheel, thinking.

"Alright," he says after a moment. "What about that place downtown-"

"No," I cut in immediately.

He sighs. "I didn't even finish."

"I already know what you are going to say."

"Do you?" He glances at me.

"Yes," I say flatly. "And no."

"Okay... what about something a little nicer then?" he suggests. "There's that restaurant you liked—"

"I don't have time for a 'nice restaurant,' Cameron," I interrupt. "I have work."

"It's a quick stop, not a five-course meal."

"I said no."

He nods slowly. "Alright."

I wish he just dropped this whole topic of food. I mean, it's not like I was withering away, I was just a bit skinnier.

"...what about sushi?"

My head turns toward him immediately. "No."

"You used to love that sushi place."

"I know," I say, a little meaner than I meant to. "I remember, Cameron."

"Then what's the problem?"

"It's a lot," I say vaguely.

"A lot of what, Dix?" he leans back in his seat at a red light.

"Food." I breath out.

He almost laughs. "Sushi is not 'a lot of food.'"

"Yeah, it is."

"It's just rice and fish."

"And calories," I mutter under my breath, but I can tell he heard it.

His fingers are still on the wheel for a second, then he looks at me, before putting his hand on my thigh.

"..that's what this is about?" he asks, softer now.

I immediately straighten slightly. "No."

"Dix-"

"I said no," I cut in, my voice higher this time. "Can we drop it?"

He doesn't respond right away, however I can tell he's thinking, and I hate it. I hate it because it means he's not dropping anything, and he'll just bring it up later.

The car makes a turn, when the light turns on, and I can tell it's not toward my law firm.

I sit up. "..Cameron."

He doesn't even look at me.

"Cameron!"

"Relax, baby." He squeezes my thigh

"No- where are you going?"

"You'll see."

"I already said I don't want sushi." I groan, rubbing my temple.

"And I heard you," he replies smoothly.

"Then why are you still going?"

"Because," he says, finally glancing at me, "you haven't eaten, and you like sushi."

"That doesn't mean I want it!"

"Yeah," he says, turning back to the road, "I don't believe that either."

I let out a sharp breath. "You're actually so irritating and I hate you."

His grip on my thigh tightens. "I'll still love you if you hate me. You're literally the love of my life, Dix."

I shut my eyes at his adoring words.

"Also, you're really hungry," he adds.

"I'm not hungry."

I lean back in my seat defeated as he pulls into the parking lot of Kung Fu. I watch as he turns off the engine before turning to me.

"Alright, let's go." he unbuckles his seatbelt.

"I'll stay here." I tell him.

Cameron, already halfway to opening his door, freezes slightly and looks back at me.

"What?"

"I said I'll stay in the car," I repeat, prying his hand off my thigh. "You, just get it."

He frowns like a little boy who just got told no.

"Why not?"

"I just don't feel like going in," I say shortly.

He studies my face before biting his lower lip.

"I'd rather you come in with me," he says.

"And I rather not."

"Dix-"

"I said I'll stay in the car," I cut in, firmer this time. "It's not a big deal."

"It kind of is," he replies softly.

"No, it's not," I say, already turning slightly toward the car. "You're getting food, I'm sitting down. Simple as 123."

"Dixie."

The way he says my name makes me stop again, though I don't turn around.

"I don't want to go inside," I say, slower now, more deliberate. "Can you just respect that?"

"Okay," he says.

I nod once. Finally.

"Can you look at me for a second?" he adds.

I close my eyes briefly, before turning around slowly. "What?"

"I'm sorry about last night," he says.

He leans over a bit. My expression doesn't change.

"For what part?" I ask dryly.

"All of it," he replies. "The argument. The way it ended. You being upset-"

"I was upset because of the case," I interrupt.

"I know," he says gently. "But I didn't help."

I look away slightly, not wanting to meet his gaze.

"You didn't know," I mutter.

"I still should've handled it better," he says.

"You handled it fine." I reply, unbothered.

"I didn't," he insists. "And I hate that you went to bed like that."

"Well, it happened." I cross my arms lightly, sinking into my seat.

"Yeah," he says quietly. "I'm sorry."

"I'm not trying to make things harder for you," he continues. "Even this-" he gestures toward the restaurant, "-I'm not doing it to annoy you."

I let out a small breath. "It's definitely working."

"Yeah, I can tell." He looks down for a bit.

"Come inside with me," he says again, softer this time. "Just for the order."

"I already said-"

"Please." He cuts in.

I look at him, and I can tell he's being genuine. I mean, when has he not been? He wasn't being pushy or smug, so I do the only thing that makes sense.

"Fine." I mutter.

His shoulders relax just slightly. "Thank you, baby."

"Don't make it a thing," I add quickly. "We're going in, getting food, and leaving."

"Yes, ma'am," he says lightly.

Then he adds, "I also want you with me so everyone else can see my beautiful wife."