Love, Scars, & Shooting Stars

Chapter Fifty-One

Julie tromped down over the stairs and rounded the front corner of the garage just as Cameron's truck pulled to a stop in the driveway. She waited as he climbed out, and he greeted her with that boyishly charming smile of his, the one that hit her right in the chest and gave her a funny, tingly feeling in her solar plexus.

"You're home early," she noted, not even trying to hide her pleasure over the fact. "Slow day at The Shack?"

"Dead," Cameron confirmed, circling around the front of his truck to join her. "And I was kind of hoping to see Finn before he left. I thought I might slip him a little spending money for the trip, if that's okay with you."

"Fine by me, if I can manage to find him," she said. "He rode his bike to the library to return a book, but that was almost two hours ago and I haven't seen him since!"

"He probably just lost track of time," Cameron assured her, and then his brow furrowed. "You weren't hovering, were you?"

"Hovering?" Julie asked, crinkling her nose. "No, I wasn't hovering!"

Cameron tipped his head and quirked an eyebrow, clearly not buying her story. "Did you remind him more than twice to pack enough underwear?"

"No! I—" Julie stopped midsentence, realizing that she had in fact asked her son about underwear that morning. Numerous times. She flipped her hair back over her shoulder and crossed her arms in petulant protest. "That's not hovering, it's careful planning!"

Cameron's laugh was full and resonant, and Julie couldn't help but smile.

"What's so funny?" Finn called, sailing into the driveway at breakneck speed.

"There you are!" Julie cried, throwing her hands up into the air. "I was just about to— Oh, my word, look at you, you're all sweaty!"

"I know. I'm going in to take a shower right now," Finn called back, already rounding the corner of the garage.

Julie shook her head and turned back to Cameron.

"See? He's fine," Cam said. "Now, how are you doing?"

"Don't ask," Julie groaned, slouching back against the side of her car. "This is going to be the longest three days of my life."

"You'll make it," he promised, falling in beside her. "I, uh, was wondering... Do you have plans for later? After Garrett comes to pick Finn up?"

"You mean besides sitting home and worrying obsessively? No, why?"

Julie eyed him curiously as he glanced up at the windows of her apartment. Cameron stepped beneath the eaves of the garage, out of sight of possible prying eyes from above, and motioned for her to do the same.

"I, uh... I was thinking we could go out for dinner," he said, when she'd joined him in the subterfuge. "And maybe catch a movie or something afterward?"

He kept his head down as he waited for her response, avoiding her gaze as he bounced the heel of his running shoe lightly against the side of the garage. Was he... nervous?

"Why, Mr. Shepherd," Julie grinned, coquettishly batting her eyelashes. "Are you asking me out on a date?"

Cameron did his best to hold back a smile, but inevitably lost the battle.