Love, Scars, & Shooting Stars

Chapter Twelve

Cameron made the final turn, watching in his rearview mirror as the headlights of Julie Callahan's battered sedan arced around the same corner and fell in behind him once again. At each of the three turns along the way, Cam had kept a steady eye on those headlights, half-expecting her to fly right on by and disappear into the night. A small part of him wished she would do just that, although he knew that a bigger part would compel him to chase after her. Still, he couldn't help but wonder what he was getting himself into.

It's just for a day or two, Cam told himself as he swung into his driveway and pulled to a stop in front of the two-car garage. Just until—

Until what? Until she found a place? Hell, Julie Callahan had been in town eight days that he knew of, maybe longer—surely if she'd had the means to rent a room somewhere, she'd have done it by now. And even though he was paying her a reasonably decent wage for her work at The Sub Shack, it could be weeks, maybe even months, before she'd have enough money saved up for the security deposit on an apartment—had she really planned on living in her car until then? Why hadn't she sought some other kind of public assistance? How were they bathing, or washing their clothes, and what were they doing for food?

Christ, no wonder she looks exhausted all the time!

Cameron circled around the back side of his truck just as Julie Callahan was climbing out of her car.

"Wait here," she said quietly to her son, whose face peered out wide-eyed from between the bucket seats. She closed her door and scanned the surrounding area, looking more than a little anxious herself. "What is this place?"

Cam didn't respond, just turned and started up the driveway toward the garage.

"This way," he directed over his shoulder.

"What are we doing?" she called, trailing him at a sizeable distance.

I have no idea, Cam thought as he slipped around the side of the garage. He started up the stairs that led to the second level, slowing his pace to ensure that she was still with him. He paused on the small stoop at the top, and Julie Callahan stopped three steps behind.

"It's not much," he forewarned, sidestepping her second query as he turned a key in the lock and swung the door inward. "But it's comfortable, and it's better than sleeping—"

Cameron broke off, leaving the unspoken 'in your car' hanging in the air between them. He flipped the switch on the wall just inside the door, and the interior walls were instantly bathed in the soft, buttery glow of incandescent light. Once inside, he set about removing the old sheets that he had draped over the aged, mismatched furniture, giving Julie the freedom to follow at her own will. When she had taken one hesitant step across the threshold, he stood in the center of the room and directed her attention to the most important aspects of the living space.

"That door there is the bathroom, and the other one is the bedroom," Cam said, pointing them out as he spoke. "Only one twin bed, though, but one of you can sleep on the couch, I guess. To your left is the kitchenette, and this here would be the living room, I suppose, if it were about four times bigger. No room for a table, but there are stools at the kitchen counter, and a couple of TV trays under the couch. That there is the only closet, but there's a small dresser in the bedroom and some shelves in the bathroom. Oh, sheets and blankets are in plastic bins under the bed, and there are extra towels are in the bottom drawer of the dresser. Like I said, it's not much, but it's comfortable..."