ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟚𝟡 #3
Cameron laughed. "The cologne worked well."
He stepped back dramatically. "Didn't think firefighters knew how to use cologne."
"Only for special occasions."
That earned another laugh.
I stepped forward. "It's really nice meeting both of you."
"Dixie," Belle immediately offered her hand. "It's so nice to finally meet you."
"I've heard a lot about you."
I shook her hand. "Nice meeting you too."
"Dixie Jones." Brody suddenly reached for my hand next.
"West." Cameron corrected automatically.
I looked over.
Brody smiled sheepishly. "...West."
I hadn't even noticed he'd corrected him. Belle had- her eyes flickered toward Cameron for only a second before smiling to herself.
Interesting.
Brody clapped once. "Alright, enough standing. I've got reservations expensive enough. Wouldn't want it to go to waste."
"That would've been entertaining." Cameron said.
"For you." Brody stuck his tongue out.
"Very."
We followed them toward the booth. Cameron rested one hand lightly against the small of my back as we walked. He always seemed to need one point of contact whenever we were together.
The waiter handed everyone menus before disappearing. For a few seconds all we heard were pages turning.
Then Brody turned to Cameron.
"I mean- how's it been, man?" He said.
Cameron nodded his head. "Good...good. Same old. You?"
Brody made eye contact with me before smiling back at Cam.
"Good? That's it? That's all I get after flying you halfway across the country? Just good?"
Cameron laughed quietly. "What do you want me to say?"
"I don't know." Brody shrugged. "Tell me you missed me."
"I didn't."
"That hurts. I knew there was a reason I shouldn't have invited you."
Belle reached over, patting Brody's arm once.
"He's kidding."
"I don't think he is." Cameron smiled.
"I'm not." Brody pointed across the table. "You cost me enough already."
I frowned slightly. "Oh, we did?"
Belle immediately looked horrified.
"Oh my gosh, no." She looked at me first, then Cameron. "Please don't listen to him. He says that to everyone."
"What? No I do not."
"Remmeber last time, you told my grandmother she was expensive last time we went to dinner. "
"She ordered lobster. Do you know how much that goes for nowadays?" Bordy took a sip of his water.
Belle pinched the bridge of her nose. "Brody, no-you cannot tell my seventy-eight-year-old grandmother she ordered too much lobster."
"I apologize."
Belle sighed for a moment, letting him go before smiling at us.
The waiter came back just long enough to pour everyone water before disappearing again.
Belle finally looked at us.
"I've actually been wanting to ask..." She smiled at me. "how are you two doing?"
I glanced over at Cameron. He answered before I could.
"Oh, Dixie and I are great." he starts, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.
"But busy." I finish.
"Very busy." He says.
Belle nodded knowingly. "Cameron said you're an attorney."
I sighed dramatically. "Unfortunately."
Cameron immediately frowned. "Unfortunately?"
"Oh don't get me wrong, I like my job. I just don't like the people."
He smiled.
Brody leaned forward. "So you're the smart one."
"What?" I blinked.
I was starting to get the ick every time he talked.
He pointed toward him. "I've known Cameron since we were kids. I know what we're working with."
I rested my arms on the table. "Well I suppose."
"I like you two." Belle spoke.
"I like us too." Cameron answered.
Brody nudged Bella's elbow a bit.
"You want to tell 'em what happened when I proposed?"
All eyes turned to Belle. She glanced at Brody awkwardly, almost like she didn't want to but then she smiled sweetly at us.
"I answered work calls while he proposed."
I nearly choked on my water. "You did what?"
She covered her face. "I know, I know. It was terrible."
Cameron let out a deep laugh.
"I wasn't expecting him to propose."
"I had the ring in my pocket, she's responding to somebody named Gary, I thought maybe Gary was dying. Gary was asking where she'd saved a spreadsheet."
"I don't know, that's kind of romantic. Good story to tell, right?"
Brody cackled, then turned to me. "So, you ever get tired of him?"
I looked at Cameron. He looked back at me, waiting. Like he already knew my answer.
I pretended to think. "Hm, I'll let you know."
Cameron laughed, kissed my cheek. "She loves me."
"I ask myself the same question every morning." I smiled back at him.
"I usually wake up and wonder how I got so lucky instead."
Belle smiled first. "That's sweet."
"Gross." Brody immediately made a face.
"Oh, don't give me that." Cameron laughed.
Even I smiled.
Cameron had always been like this. He made people comfortable. Somehow every conversation circled naturally around him without him demanding it.
People liked talking to Cameron, that was obvious. People trusted him.
And Cameron had this strange little habit of making everyone feel like they were the most interesting person in the room.
Even when they definitely weren't.