Serendipity // Camren

Chapter 8

Camila looked at the sign hanging off the side of an immaculately restored 1920s era brick building in Echo Park and smiled. "Sage Organic Vegan Bistro," she read aloud. "This is the second vegan restaurant you've taken me to. Have you given up bacon?"

Lauren smiled and shook her head. "Not entirely. I have cut back on how much I eat though. I just like to eat healthy and have managed to find a few places like this around the city."

Camila tucked her hand into the crook of Lauren's arm and smiled up at the woman. "Well, I must say, I am very impressed, Miss Jauregui."

Lauren chuckled and reached for the door. "Then my day is now officially complete." She pulled the door open, her smile growing wider as Camila refused to let go of her arm and instead steered the both of them through the narrow doorway.

"Oh wow." Camila came to a stop just inside the restaurant. The bistro was spread wide open in front of them, full of small square tables covered with pristine white tablecloths that were nearly all occupied by people who were talking and laughing as the waitstaff bustled about. It was busy, crowded, a little loud, but the restaurant still had an extremely relaxed vibe to it.

The hostess, a pretty twenty-something redhead who was definitely checking Lauren out, led them through a maze of tables to a quiet spot in the back. "Is this okay?" she asked, ignoring Camila completely as she sought Lauren's approval.

Lauren groaned inwardly at the girl's attention even as she smiled and nodded. "Perfect. Thank you," she said dismissively as she pulled a chair out for Camila to sit, hoping that the young girl would get the hint and leave her alone. She heard a huff of breath and the sound of retreating feet and when she took her own seat, she was pleased to see that the girl had left.

Camila, for her part, had immediately caught on to the young woman's interest in Lauren, and she was surprised to realize that, far from being amused by the fact, she instead felt mildly jealous. Or, if she was being truly honest with herself, her level of jealously was nowhere near mild. "I think she's into you," she pointed out, trying hard to keep her tone neutral as she picked up her menu.

"I noticed," Lauren muttered, rolling her eyes. "At least it was just the hostess and we won't have to deal with her anymore."

Lauren's disinterest in the other woman was obvious and Camila found herself relaxing because of it. "Does that happen to you a lot?"

Lauren frowned as she reached for her own menu. "Does what happen a lot?"

"Women just falling over themselves in front of you like that."

"Um," Lauren stalled, a light blush creeping up her neck. "Define 'a lot'."

The idea of enough women trying to get Lauren's attention that the raven-haired woman wanted a definition of 'a lot' was distinctly upsetting to Camila, and she pursed her lips thoughtfully as she appraised the woman across from her. Lauren was smart, funny, beautiful, kind, and talented. It made perfect sense that other women would want her. "Never mind. Of course, women are attracted to you," she said as she looked back at her menu, hoping to distract herself from her confusing thoughts with the task of finding something she wanted for dinner. "Who wouldn't be?" she muttered under her breath.

Lauren's frown deepened as she watched Camila's expression shift from curious, to jealous, to upset. It was quite a range of emotions to be hit in such a short period of time, even for Camila, and she could not help but wonder if James' observation about the chemistry between the two of them had been right on. She was curious and wanted to ask Camila about what had just happened, but she could tell that the brunette wanted to drop it, for now, so she just opened her menu and did not press her on it.