Page 21 of Saints & Sailors

“Whatever Cameron said about me…” he began, his green eyes taking me in. “…she was wrong. I’m not so bad.”

I studied him like he was appraising me. “That’s a shame, I was hoping she was right.”

The corner of Bonham’s mouth curled up mischievously. “What’s a guy gotta do to get your number?”

I leaned close, trying to keep my cool. “Impress me.”

Bonham squinted just a little. “I don’t usually chase, but for you I may be willing to make an exception.”

I feigned a gasp as I touched my chest. Like I was honored. “Touched, truly.”

I left him standing there as I rejoined Cameron’s side.

I wasn’t too sure how I was going to play my Bonham card, but having him somewhat interested was a start.

We made it to her father’s Sorento where Cameron was nice enough to open the passenger door for me.

“You sit up front since we’re dropping you off first,” she insisted.

I slid in next to her father, who also was the friendly type. Must’ve been in their blood.

He tipped his baseball cap covered head toward me. “Howdy.”

I managed to offer a genuine smile. “Hello, Mr. Camburn.”

“Call me Larry,” he told me as he started up the car once Cameron was seated and buckled in the back. “You’re practically family.”

Right, because he knew Scott.

“You and Scott pretty close?” I wondered.

Larry focused on the road as he began for my house. “Yeah, I’ve known Scott for years. We grew up together.” For a second he appeared thoughtful. “Although you are quite the surprise.”

Scott probably held a pristine reputation around Meadow Grove. What a rude awakening I was.

“You’re telling me,” I agreed.

It was one thing to know I had a father out there somewhere, but it was another to be shipped to live with the guy. Really, what was my mother thinking? She had to be high off the fumes in her kiln or something.

Larry set the radio on a modern rock station, which I greatly appreciated as I glanced at the scenery out my window.

In a way, it was kind of embarrassing not to know a single thing about my own father. If I was embarrassed, I knew for certain Scott had to be. How was he explaining my arrival to all his friends?

“You and Scott should come over for dinner sometime,” Larry offered ten minutes later as he was pulling up in front of Scott’s house. “It’d be nice to get to know you.”

Both Cameron and her father came off nice and warm. There was no way not to be polite to these people.

“I’d like that.” I tucked some hair behind my ear, feeling awkward. “Does Scott have a girlfriend?”

And if he did, would she know about me? Accept me?

God, this was all so fucked-up.

I didn’t do awkward and uncomfortable situations, because that’s exactly what this entire move was: awkward, uncomfortable, and foreign.

Larry chuckled. “Scott? No, me and the missus have been trying to set him up on dates for years. I think the guy’s a priest or something.”

“Daddy.” Cameron leaned between our seats and smacked her father’s arm as she scolded him. She faced me next. “I always thought Uncle Scott was just nursing a broken heart.”