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CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Coming to Baltimore was the best decision he’d ever made. Adrianna was calmer, happy if he went by the smile on her face. When her gaze landed on him, Cam was euphoric, like when he’d struck out the last batter to win the first round of the playoffs. She was quieter than usual and mostly listening and laughing at the way Bron stole his fries.
“These are really good,” he said, holding up a fry.
“They’re made in house, with organic potatoes. They’re chopped and marinated in cold water with basil. Then, we season them with sea-salt and crackled pepper and fry them in duck fat at three hundred and seventy degrees for eight point five minutes,” Bronwyn said.
He looked from her smile to Adrianna’s pride flushed face. “Wow. How do you know all that? Have you made them before?”
Bron shook her head. “No. I’m not allowed too close to the fryers but I sit on the stool and supervise. I always help out the newbies on the staff by watching the timer and making sure they add the right stuff. They always give me extras—” She clamped her lips shut.
Cam laughed. It was great to be home.Home? “What else do you know how to make?” he asked Bron.
“Everything in the bistro. Right, Mom?” She didn’t wait for Adri’s answer. “She says I need to know all aspects of the business because it’s mine too. I bring out the dessert menus and I helpMomwith the flower arrangements. She told me yesterday during our flight that we are doing orange and pink Ranu-somethings in the summer.”
“Ranunculus. They look like small—”
The knock on the door had her springing to her feet mid-sentence. “It’s probably Lo. She’s only knocking because you just got here.” She went to answer the door.
“When is Aunt Lux coming with Frida and Diego?” Bron asked for the third time in the past hour.
“She’ll be here next week. Okay? Now you have to give me all your attention and we can start brainstorming for yourArtscapesolo piece. I’m so proud of you.” He kissed her forehead. It was true, his heart was bursting at how talented and dedicated she was.
“Hey, Cam, I have a question for you,” Lauren yelled from the door.
Where was Adri? Why was Lauren the one calling him? He stood up from the couch but kept his face neutral.
“Can I finish your fries?” Bron asked.
He nodded and made his way to the door. Lauren and Adri wore matching strained looks.
He sighed. “What the fuck did Walter do this time?”
“He showed up,” Adri said.
“I told him to leave but he refuses.” Lauren sighed. “He wants to talk to you and won’t leave until you see him.”
“Fine. Let’s get this over with.”
Adrianna’s hand clamped over his wrist. Cam could barely take the weight she carried but she squared her shoulders back. “Tell him to leave us the hell alone.”
They still had a conversation pending and it would have to be tonight. He’d dispatch Walter and come upstairs so she could tell him what the hell his father had on her. He kissed her and followed behind Lauren down the stairs.
On the last step, she turned to him. “She has nothing to be ashamed of and your father is a grade-A asshole for what he’s done to her.”
He couldn’t have agreed more. “It stops today.”
She shot him a wry smile over her shoulder and pointed him to the table at the corner of the room. Walter sat there, facing away from the window. He glanced at his watch several times, the vessel glinting against the light of the table candle.
“I’ll bring you a beer, unless you need something stronger?” Lauren asked.
“Beer’s fine, thanks.” He made his way to the table, ignoring the rage and urges to haul Walter by the neck of his shirt and kick him onto the sidewalk.
His father looked up, a happy-to-see you smile creeping up his cheeks. Cam dismissed the fresh wave of heat creeping up his spine. He wasn’t going to let anger get the best of him. He was going to listen to Walter, then tell him to get the fuck out.
“Cameron.”
“Walter.”
