ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟚𝟝 #3
She looked down at me, trying very hard not to smile. I looked at her properly now that she was eye level.
She was beautiful. Not even beautiful could describe how perfect she was. It pained me that she had absolutely no idea what she looked like to me.
"You look lovely." I tell her.
She rolled her eyes.
She sighed before wrapping her arms around my neck properly.
I hugged her tighter. It is long enough to remind myself she was here, she was okay. She eventually patted my shoulder.
"Okay, big guy."
"What?"
"You're getting soot on my sweater."
I laughed before finally setting her back on the floor. She immediately pushed both hands against my chest.
"Bathroom," She pointed toward the hallway. "Go."
"Bossy."
"I learned from the best."
I kissed her forehead as I walked past.
She sighed again, almost smiling, "Shower."
"Yes, ma'am."
~
Twenty minutes later, I smelled significantly less like fire. I wandered through the hallway, towel draped around my neck.
I smiled to myself.
I knew exactly where she'd be.
The library.
Calling it a library almost felt insulting. It was more like a small bookstore that happened to be attached to our house.
Dad used to joke it looked more like a university than a house. Dixie had to make it even worse.
There were floor-to-ceiling shelves, rolling ladders, huge windows, and thousands of books. Half of them were hers. And the other half eventually became hers too.
I stepped inside quietly. There she stood on one of the lower ladder steps, scanning an upper shelf. She hadn't noticed me just yet. She was mumbling to herself.
"No...not criminal procedure...where did I put constitutional..."
I smiled. Slowly, I walked behind her, and without warning, I slipped my hands around her waist.
She squealed. "Cameron!"
I laughed as she nearly dropped the law book.
"Oh my-" She turned, glaring. "What is wrong with you?"
"You looked lonely."
"I was actually reading."
I lifted her off the ladder with almost no effort.
"Cameron!"
"I had to catch you before you had the chance to fall!" I smile.
"I was standing perfectly fine!"
She sighed as I set her back on the floor. I watched as she immediately adjusted the glasses on her face.
"You're really annoying, you know that?"
"I've heard."
"Twice today. You've been told twice."
"I'll hear it a third."
She smiled despite herself.
"So, I have news." I say, breathing in.
Time to bring out the wedding.
She folded her arms. "What'd you do this time, Cam?"
"What? It's not me. It's Brody."
She glanced up at me. "Who?"
I maintained eye contact. "...Brody?"
She continued staring.
"My firefighter friend. Tall. Brown hair, talks way too much."
"Oh," recognition lit her face. "The strange one."
I laughed. "Yeah, that one."
"What's he done?"
"He's getting married."
"Oh, good for him."
Her nonchalance surprised me.
"To whom?" she asked.
"Belle. They've been together about a year."
She rose her brows. "Only a year?"
I shrugged. "Apparently that's enough."
Hey, if you could find true love quickly, I wasn't going to blame.
She looked impressed. "I suppose congratulations are in order."
"Mhm, they are."
"Good for him." She said, her eyes still glued on the book.
"He invited us."
"Aw. That's sweet."
"There's just..." I rubbed the back of my neck sheepishly. "...one tiny detail."
"I'm listening."
I leaned against one of the shelves. "The wedding's in California."
She looked up at me before shaking her head. "That won't work."
I palm my forehead. "How did I know you were going to say that?"
"Cameron, my job."
"I know."
"Unfortunately, I have trials with Georgia. I can't just disappear for several days."
"Trust me, I know."
I stepped closer, playing with one of the curls in her face. "I could talk to Ted."
"No, absolutely not." She looked horrified.
"Why no?"
"You're stupid if you think I'll have my husband ask my boss for vacation."
"I can be persuasive." I grin, biting my lower lip.
"Gosh no, you are not persuading Ted."
"I could."
"I know you could, but you won't." She smirks.
"I won't."
She gave me a face. "I'll arrange it."
I felt giddy. "You sure?"
She nodded. "I have vacation days. I'll move some hearings around, request the days."
"It'll be fine." She concluded.
Relief washed over me. This would be the first time in years we had agreed to going to an event.
"Thank you, baby."
She smiled softly, quietly whispering: "You're welcome."
I leaned down and gave her a gentle kiss. Just enough to steal another smile from her. When I pulled back, she pointed toward the bookshelves.
"I still have work, so let me work."
"I know."
She started walking away.
I watched her disappear between towering shelves, one finger trailing along the spines of old law books as she searched for whatever she'd forgotten.
Sometimes I wondered if she realized what she looked like through my eyes.
To everyone else, she was the best attorney in the state. But to me, she was just Dixie. My favorite person in every room she'd ever walk into.