He is silent for a moment. Just as I worry that I somehow hurt his feelings again, a smile tugs at his full lips. “You think that my voice is sexy?”
“You’re insufferable.”
He grins as we pull off the highway. “The coffee shop is just off this exit, and you never answered my question.”
I sigh. “Yes, your voice is sexy. But I’m sure you already know that.”
“Thank you, I think yours is too, but I meant the question where I asked if you had any favorite books.”
I suddenly long for my curse, missing the times when I could count on it to lurk around every corner and strike at any given moment. A telephone pole materializing in the middle of the road would be an easy way to take me out of this misery, so long as we hit it on my side of the car only, of course.
When no such road hazard appears, the awful realization hits me that this awkward conversationismy curse in action, having a little fun at my expense. New and novel, as Monika always says. I sigh and decide to play along. At least this ride will be over soon, and I’ll never have to see Cameron again.
“My mom was a librarian and named me and my brother after authors and names she saw in books, so naturally, I’ve read every Nancy Drew book multiple times. Evelyn Graves is a recent favorite too. Have you heard of her?”
“I have,” he says, and looks like he is going to say something else but stops. After a few seconds of silence, he adds, “It must have been fun having a librarian for a mom.”
“She died giving birth to me,” I say. “So, I didn’t really get the benefit of that.”
I cringe at how defensive my words sound and say sorry at the same second that he does. We make eye contact at our simultaneous apology, and my breath gets caught in my chest.
I clear my throat and quickly look back out the window. “It’s fine. My dad made up for both roles. How about you? Do you like to read?”
“The only thing I’ve had time to read lately is deposition transcripts, but I love reading.”
His answer gives me a clue about what he studied in school, and I completely understand why he would sign up to do this job. Law school is not cheap. He looks to be around my age, or maybe a bit older, so he must have graduated a few years back.
“That’s why I’m doing this,” he says, as if reading my mind. “My mom ran the business, but she and my father both passedaway in November, so I am trying to decide if it’s best to sell it or take over and really be a part of it.”
“Oh.” His parents must have been a fun pair to start a hunk-for-hire business. “I’m so sorry for your loss. I lost my dad too. Eight years ago, so I know how hard it is in the aftermath to balance moving forward while still honoring their legacy . . .” The words die in my mouth as I realize how inappropriate they are. Most people don’t want to talk about the loss of their parents at work, and with his parents’ deaths being so recent, I should have just kept my mouth shut.
He slows the car to a stop in front of the coffee shop, deep in thought. Thankfully, there aren’t any cars behind us to honk at him, because we are not in a parking spot, just sitting in the middle of the aisle.
“Do you want to go inside? Talk a little more?” he asks, looking in my direction but not meeting my eyes.
I blink, trying to make sense of his offer. Is this a consolatory two-adult orphans getting coffee kind of invitation? Or part of the hunky driver package? Something else completely? My fuzzy brain has sharpened some since exiting the plane, but I cannot sort through the mixed cues of this drive to determine which one he is proposing, or which scenario I want it to be.
After a second that feels like an eternity, he takes a deep breath and raises his eyes to meet mine, and in that moment, I know without a doubt what his intentions are and how I need to respond to his pending offer.
Chapter fourteen
CRAZY PLAN
“Thanksfortheinvitation,but I am beat after everything that’s happened today. Do you mind if we just drive through so we can get back on the road?”
He swallows and turns his gaze to the gear shifter. “Of course, I totally understand. No problem.”
I can’t fathom why Cameron would be interested in spending more time with me after the world’s most awkward car ride, but I am a thousand percent sure that I made the right decision by declining. My sole purpose for this trip is to try out Monika’s theory that I can break my curse by not letting it hold me back anymore, and to fight to be a part of my nephew’s life.
Romance of any sort is the absolute last thing on my mind. Especially since last week was uneventful and today’s hijinks have been mostly harmless and only targetedme. I am starting to feel hopeful that this crazy plan might be working.
When we make it to the speaker to order, a man’s voice greets us and names off the specials, including a drink called a chocolate-covered strawberry latte.
“Oh, that sounds heavenly,” I say, momentarily distracted from studying the list of more basic coffee drinks.
“It is,” Cameron says to me over his shoulder, then turns back to the speaker. “One chocolate-covered strawberry latte and an iced Americano, please.”
“Oh, sorry. I didn’t—” I start, but the barista’s voice overpowers mine through the speaker.
