ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟚𝟡 #2
"I told you not to move." I say.
"I forgot."
"Memory certainly isn't one of your strengths."
"Totally not."
He smiled one last time before grabbing the room key. "I'll be back."
"Okay."
The door clicked shut behind him. Silence settled over the suite.
I waited five seconds, then I pulled my phone back out. The screen practically exploded with notifications.
Twenty-three documents, three voice memos, two photographs, and a scanned interview transcript. I closed my eyes.
Just one quick look.
That's all. Nothing more.
Nobody had ever accomplished anything by looking at one legal document.
I knew that.
Judge Johnson knew that. The legal profession certainly knew that.
Reading one page of evidence was like eating one potato chip at a time. The concept existed, but the reality did not.
I unlocked the first attachment anyway. Just until Cameron got back- then I'd put it away.
I absolutely, definitely, one hundred percent wasn't about to spend my California vacation buried in the Justin Deyes case.
I think.
~
Page eight.
I only meant to read page eight.
Judge Johnson had specifically said page eight.
That somehow turned into page nine.
Then page ten.
Then page eleven.
Then I opened another attachment because page eleven referenced another witness interview and now I couldn't just not read the witness interview because that would be irresponsible.
This was how legal rabbit holes worked. One document became seven, seven became twenty.
Twenty became..
The hotel room door clicked. My entire body jumped.
I slammed my tablet shut so fast it nearly pinched my fingers. The phone disappeared beneath one of the decorative pillows.
The stack of printed notes I'd started scribbling onto went straight under the comforter. Nobody would ever think to look under the comforter.
Actually, that was probably the first place Cameron would look.
Whatever.
Too late now.
The door opened. "Morning."
Cameron walked in balancing a cardboard drink carrier in one hand and two paper bags in the other. "I bring gifts."
"Hey." I smiled a little too quickly.
He nudged the door shut with his foot. "I figured room service would've taken forever."
He held one bag up proudly "Guess who got whipped cream."
I couldn't help smiling.
He carried everything over to the dining table before unloading it piece by piece like he was presenting priceless artifacts.
"Pancakes, fresh strawberries, syrup, and of course, whipped cream."
"The true star of breakfast." He lifted the little cup dramatically.
I laughed softly.
He reached into the drink carrier.
"And," My brows raised as he held up a large iced matcha. "...for my wife."
I stared. "Oh geez-you got me matcha?"
"I remembered the coffee machine wasn't working yesterday. Figured I'd get you your second favorite drink."
He slid it toward me.
"I love matcha." I wrapped both hands around the cold cup.
"I know you do."
My chest squeezed. "Thank you, Cam."
"You're welcome."
He picked up his own drink.
Light coffee, like how he always ordered it. He took one sip before looking toward the couch. Then, toward the bed, then, toward me.
His smile faded just slightly. "You alright?"
"Mhm."
"You seem busy."
"I wasn't."
His eyes drifted toward the tablet.
"You were working."
My fingers tightened around the matcha. "No. I wasn't."
"You were."
"I..."
I looked away. "Okay...Judge Johnson called."
"He found more evidence."
He didn't say anything.
"I was just looking."
He slowly sat down across from me. "You said you weren't going to work."
"I wasn't planning to."
"He called, and it was important."
"I hear you." His voice never rose.
He looked down at the pancakes. "Why'd you have to hide it?"
"I just..." My stomach twisted.
"I knew you'd be disappointed. I mean- look at you right now."
"I broke my promise." I sigh.
"I didn't want...I didn't want you looking at me like that."
"Like what?"
I gestured vaguely at his face.
Gosh, this was worse than him being angry or irritated at me. I would rather have lied to him about work than to watch his face fall like a sad puppy.
"Like that."
"I'm disappointed because you hid. You've never hidden things from me."
He shook his head gently. "I'm not asking you to stop caring, I love that you care."
"I think it's one of the reasons I fell in love with you." He laughs quietly to himself.
I felt tears prick unexpectedly behind my eyes.
"I just wanted a week with my wife, you know? Away from Minnesota, and all that."
It was a dumb thing to say, to be honest. How was he going to expect me not to do work as of right now when he knows how stressful law was?
There wasn't really a true 'break' for me.
"And you'll get it, I promise."
He squeezed my hand.
"We've got brunch in...what..."
He looked toward the hotel clock. "an hour?"
Way of changing the topic, Cam. I was honestly glad he did.
My eyes widened.
"Brody, and Belle. I completely forgot."
They had scheduled a brunch with us as a thank-you for paying basically half their entire wedding. Sometimes I thought Cameron was too nice for his own good.
"I figured."
I groaned dramatically.
~
Apparently California had collectively decided every building needed either palm trees, floor-to-ceiling windows, or an unnecessary amount of expensive-looking marble. This place somehow managed all three.
A hostess led us through the dining room while I quietly admired the giant windows stretching from the floor all the way to the ceiling.
The ocean glittered outside. People actually lived like this?
That seemed unfair.
"Cam Wam!"
An unfamiliar voice called from across the restaurant.
An average looking man with ginger hair, (I'm guessing would be Brody) stood from one of the corner booths, both arms spread dramatically like he was greeting a long-lost family.
Beside him stood his soon to be wife, Belle.
She looked Asian. She was beautiful. Tall, soft features, and dark black hair tucked behind one ear.
She smiled warmly.
"You guys made it." Brody said.
Cameron smiled right back. "We wouldn't miss it for the world."
The two of them shook hands before Brody immediately ignored the handshake entirely, and pulled Cameron into a one-armed hug instead.
"You smell expensive, man."