7
After I put Gary's food cup away, I hurried into my bedroom to get ready for the day. I might be on vacation from my day job, but after seeing how hard Cam worked at Crave, I couldn't shake the guilt of not helping more. She insisted I was a silent partner and she was paying me back via installments for the initial investment I'd made into the business, but I was more than her business partner. I was her friend. It wasn't right that I was reaping the benefits of her business without helping her now.
Sure, I'd given her money to start Crave, but I despised the idea that she might be working herself to the bone to pay me back.
And since I knew she wouldn't let me cancel the debt, I would make her life easier.
Plus, she basically challenged me to a competition to see who could get ready the fastest. Considering she wore make-up a lot more often than I did, I was pretty confident I would beat her.
I jumped in the shower and sped through my typical wash and rinse routine. My hair was too long to dry completely before I had to be out the door, so I scrubbed most of the water out of it with a towel and gave it a five-minute blow dry. It was still wet when I wove it into a braid and then wound it up in a bun on the crown of my head.
I was dressed, with my shoes in my hand, when I opened the door to my bedroom and heard the radio playing in Cam's room. I grinned. I was going to beat her after all.
Then, I realized I hadn't brushed my teeth.
Shit. I closed the door gently behind me so she wouldn't think I was leaving and run out of her room. Then I hurried into the bathroom to brush my teeth.
Was it more than a little juvenile to race while getting ready to leave the house?
You bet, but it was fun, too. It was also the only way we'd ever gotten anywhere on time when we were roommates, so it was a comfortable habit from our college days.
So, in short, it was immature, but I didn't care.
With my teeth brushed, I grabbed my shoes and stuck my feet in them as I snuck down the hallway. I decided that I couldn't do without another cup of coffee, even though Cam was quick and it had already been nearly forty minutes. She would definitely be ready to leave soon, but caffeine was worth it.
As the coffee brewed, I thought I heard the front door close quietly.
Shit! I stuck my head out of the kitchen, but Cam's door was shut and the radio was still playing.
Coffee forgotten, I crept out the front door, a grin on my face, and promptly ruined my efforts to be sneaky when my sandal caught on the edge of the welcome mat. I managed to stay on my feet for a few staggering steps, knocking stuff off the porch and making the most godawful racket. There went my advantage of stealth.
Finally, gravity took over and I ended up face-first in one of Cam's flowerbeds.
"Fuck," I grumbled, lying still in the dirt and bushes. I needed a few seconds to come to terms with my humiliation before I got up. It was unlikely anyone had seen me, but it was the principal of the matter.
As I lay in the dirt, contemplating my life choices, I heard footsteps approach and lifted my head when hands closed over my arms to haul me to my feet.
Apparently, I wasn't alone after all.
"Where in the heck did you come from?" I asked Cam as I brushed dirt, leaves, and broken flower stems from the front of my body.
"I've been waiting out here for the last ten minutes." Cam smirked down at me before she reached up and removed a small twig from my hair.
"Ugh. I thought I beat you! I can't believe you cheated!" I groaned.
"Cheated? Me?"
The serious side-eye I shot her said what I thought of that innocent question. "You left the radio on in your bedroom. You knew I'd think you were still getting ready."
"Sucker," she laughed.
"Shut up. Shit, I forgot my coffee." If I had already lost, then I definitely needed some caffeine.
Cam grabbed my arm. "Don't worry. I made you a travel mug. It's in the car. I also have a machine at the shop, so I can brew more later if I need to."
"I guess I can forgive you for cheating then," I acquiesced. I was actually kind of impressed. Not only had she gotten ready faster than I had, she'd even had time to make me a cup of coffee to soothe the sting of losing our good-natured competition.
I climbed into the car and buckled in as Cam went to the driver's seat. I could practically hear the gears in her head turning as she backed out of the driveway and started toward the shop.
