6. Kameron
6
KAMERON
You wanna know what’s worse than your best friend volunteering you to speak to your ex after years to ask for a favor?
Because what could be worse than that, right?
Well, turns out, your ex feeling the need to have constant contact with you.
That’s what.
If I didn’t love Cora, I’d probably trip her on the sidewalk right now.
However, I’m a dutiful little employee and I take my job very seriously.
It’s Halloween, so we’re working the event in town. There’s pumpkins everywhere, kids dressed in their costumes with sticky candy fingers, you name it and it’s probably happening here today.
The team did a great job organizing this event. I didn’t have too much involvement, other than being assigned duties to cover during the actual event.
They have everything here today to bring the community together. A costume contest starts in about an hour; the local fire department has created two haunted houses. The one during the day is for kids, it isn’t as scary as the one they’re running tonight.
They’ve moved their fire trucks to a street over so that if an emergency arises, they’ll be able to leave quickly without traffic being an issue.
I look at the crowded downtown portion of our small town and smile. It’s truly amazing to see so many people, not just from Birchwood, but neighboring towns coming out to the event today. The smiling faces make all the headaches worth it, not to mention the local businesses are booming today from all the foot traffic.
“So, how’s Kris?” Cora smirks, and I want to shove the cupcake in my hand right in her face.
She asks me every day how Kris is, and I tell her I don’t know, because I don’t. I try to keep our contact as minimal as possible, but that’s the thing about Kris.
He’s the most stubborn man I have ever met. And that’s putting it lightly, he was very much a boy when we dated still.
“I’ve told you, for the gazillionth time. I don’t know.” I roll my eyes, making her smile grow.
“If you don’t know, then why do you have four unread text messages on your phone right now from him.”
I jerk my head in her direction so fast, ignoring the sudden pain in my neck from doing so, and snatch the phone from her hand.
“Stop going through my shit,” I say, then cover my mouth when I see a mother and her young daughter nearby. “I’m sorry.”
“No worries, girl. She’s heard far worse.” The woman laughs, leading her daughter down the street.
“See what you made me do.”
Cora’s only response is to laugh.
I take a deep breath and unlock my phone, pulling up the text messages from him.
Kris
What are you doing today?
Still avoiding talking to me?
I’m not doing much today, thanks for asking.
What are you wearing to the wedding? We should match.
I sigh. I’m so not ready for the energy that I will have to exert to spend an entire weekend with Kris. I’ve already requested that Thursday and Friday off, Kris apparently wants to drive up Thursday so he can spend time with his brother during the day Friday, and won’t be as rushed from our seven hour car ride.
I’ve told him multiple times that I’m capable of getting myself to Gatlinburg alone, but he insists I ride with him. Something about it would make him look bad, then he proceeded to blackmail me into riding with him.
Which is honestly probably the better option, considering I still don’t have a car and I wouldn’t want to leave Cora stranded all weekend long without hers.
Me
I’m working today, and I don’t know. I haven’t thought much about the wedding.
His response is nearly immediate, like he had his phone in his hand waiting on my response.
Kris
Well, I need to know. I forgot you had that event today, what time does it end?
Me
It runs all night, until like midnight I think. And why the hell do you need to know what I’m wearing?
Kris
Purely selfish reasons, of course.
I roll my eyes before firing off another text.
Me
I don’t know what I’m wearing.
Cora and I volunteered to work the later shift since most of our coworkers have kids or grandkids to take trick or treating too. Besides, it gave us the chance to sleep in this morning and we didn’t have to be here until one o’clock today.
Kris
Oh, surprise me! That’s more fun. Talk later.
I frown at his text. It’s not his normal tone or verbiage. Considering he’s been blowing me up every day, and his texts from forty minutes ago prove just how manic he has been in the digital world since our agreement was finalized.
Sitting my phone back down, I cover it with my jacket that I brought for tonight. Hopefully that’ll keep Cora’s ass from snooping anymore.
Hours go by as we work the information booth, visiting with everyone that comes in. The sun is finally setting, and we’ve been given the okay to break down our table and move on. All the volunteers today are wearing matching neon colored shirts. That way, if anyone needs help, it’s easy to spot us and tell us apart from those just attending today.
I’ve been assigned to help work the firefighters haunted house tonight, which should be kicking off in about twenty minutes. Cora and I work quickly to get everything packed away before heading that direction.
She’s not at the haunted house, but she’s just a little ways over working the hot chocolate stand. All the money for it goes to the local children’s home. Fifty cents a cup doesn’t seem like much, but when you’ve had hundreds of customers, it’ll help more than we realize.
“Hi,” a deep voice says from behind me as I make my way down the street to my destination.
I freeze. I know that voice, and so help me God.
I slowly turn around, coming face to face with the man I haven’t seen in years.
“Kris.” I almost laugh because his name comes out all whisper-like.
“I wanted to check out what the vibe was like, you know before I commit.” He shrugs, shoving his hands in his pocket.
“Kris, you already did commit,” I remind him, so help me if he tries to bail.
“I know.” He waves me off. “I meant I just wanted to see what I was getting myself into.” He looks around the busy street. “It’s crowded.”
“This is nothing, we had over one-thousand people come through the gates this morning. People from the neighboring towns have come today to bring their kids to the festivities.” I point in the direction I’m heading. “We have a haunted house tonight, too. Thanks to the local firehouse.”
“That’s cool.” He nods, bringing his eyes back to me.
Damn, those eyes. How could I forget them? So clear, and gorgeous.
My eyes roam the rest of him, he’s bigger than he was in college when we dated. I guess he still works out because his arms are massive. I’ve never understood in romance books when they described how the sleeves that wrapped around biceps were so attractive, I’ve never seen it before.
Until now.
And it just has to be on Kris of all people.
But damn, does he look good.
A deep chuckle brings me back to reality, with Kris’ eyes filled with amusement.
Dick .
“You’re drooling, honey.” He reaches between us, pretending to brush away drool from my bottom lip.
“Don’t touch me.” I swat his hand away, making his smile grow. “And I’m not your honey.”
“Spunky as ever, I see,” he teases.
“Yeah, that’s it.” I roll my eyes. “Well, enjoy the event. If you need anything, Cora is over there and is more than happy to help you.” I point in the direction of Cora, but naturally Kris’ gaze doesn’t leave me.
“What if I want you to help me?” he asks.
“Afraid that’s a bit of an issue.” I hook a thumb over my shoulder. “I’m needed at the firehouse.”
“Maybe I’ll check out the haunted house.”
“You should, ticket fees go to a good cause.” I slowly take a few steps backward, my eyes taking in how damn good he looks. Life is really unfair sometimes.
“Hey, Kam?”
My eyes shoot up to his.
“There’s a wall there.”
I hit something hard against my back. It takes a second longer than that for his words to register. And two seconds beyond that, I feel the heat creeping up my neck and the tips of my ears burning.
My eyes collide with Kris, and his gaze has changed. It’s his eyes that roam over me now, and there’s a fire lit in them. One I remember all too well, and I know if I don’t get out of here, I’ll do something I regret.
So, naturally, I straighten my shirt and turn my back to the boy who broke my heart years ago.
And pray the entire time that my ass looks good in these jeans.
A few hours later, I’m working tickets at the haunted house with Cora.
Apparently we underestimated the turn out for the haunted house, and I couldn’t keep up with ticket sales. We currently have about an hour long wait in the line to just get into the haunted house, and still have two hours left for the last ticket sales, and a long night of cleanup.
“I’ve got to go pee,” I tell Cora, and thankfully the line has dwindled down for tickets giving me the opportunity.
“Go, I’ve got it here.” She waves me off.
I run as quickly as possible a block down the street to where the porta potties were delivered.
I always want to shower immediately after stepping inside one of these, and you know when you think about it? I bet they’ve all been knocked over a time or two. And how do you really get a porta potty clean? Ain’t no way.
I use the bathroom quickly, trying my best to hover over the giant hole and without touching anything. When I step outside, there’s a small line forming at the other two stalls. I move over to the portable wash station and wash my hands and arms twice, just in case.
One of the porta potty doors opens, and a guy I recognize comes into view.
He’s dressed in fire gear, but smeared blood covers him. It takes me a second but I realize it’s the same guy from the bakery the other day. The one that stared at me long enough that I took notice.
“Hey,” he says, stepping next to where I am to wash his hands.
“Hi.” I smile.
“I saw you in the bakery the other day.” He smiles, and my eyes immediately go to his teeth.
For a firefighter in a small town, he sure is nice to look at.
“I remember.” I nod, stepping back so he can grab a paper towel to dry his hands with. He’s muscular, not as muscular as Kris, but he’s definitely putting in the work at the gym.
And why am I comparing this man to Kris?
“You’re working the line at the haunted house?” he asks, tossing his towel in the trash before giving me his full attention.
“I am, that’s where I got stuck the rest of the night.” I smile.
“I’ll walk you back.” He holds a hand out in front of us for me to lead the way.
Despite the event coming to a close soon, and most of the town being in line for the haunted house, the street is still fairly busy. We weave through the crowd slowly, and every time we have to walk in line, his hand finds the small of my back letting me go first.
“I’m Damon,” he tells me.
“Kameron, I work for the Chamber.”
“I figured.” His eyes drop to my chest, and he points. My immediate response is to be angry, I mean the guy is literally pointing at my boobs, but then I realize my chest says Chamber of Commerce volunteer.
“Right.” I laugh, feeling silly.
“Are you new here? I don’t really remember seeing you around, and I have no doubt I would have.”
We get closer to the haunted house, and our steps have slowed slightly, as if we both don’t want the quick walk to end.
“I’ve only been here a short time. I just graduated from U of T, and moved here for the job opening with my best friend.” I point in the direction of the ticket table, Cora is busy handing out tickets and accepting cash.
“Maybe we could get together sometime.”
I open my mouth to tell him that I’m new and trying to get settled in before I even attempt to date but before I can, Kris, of course, ruins the moment.
“There you are.” He throws his arm over my shoulder. “You almost done yet? We have to discuss what you’re wearing to the wedding.”
Now, I can admit that my brain doesn’t always fire on all cylinders when Kris is around and I do get distracted easily by his looks, but that last sentence made it through loud and clear.
My jaw drops open, and I feel the embarrassment heat up when I sneak a look at Damon. He frowns slightly, his eyes bouncing between the two of us trying to figure out what’s going on.
“I’ll, uh, if you’ll excuse me, I should get back.” He points to the haunted house before stepping away.
I can’t seem to find my words to clear up the mess Kris just made.
The second that Damon is out of range, I whirl on Kris.
“Were you dropped as a baby? Why would you do that?”
He just smiles down at me, and I have to repeat to myself over and over again,You cannot knee this man in the balls, in a public area, while on the job.
Your job, Kameron. Don’t forget your job.