Page 193 of From Rivals to I Do

Chapter Ten

A few days after Abel came into her office to ‘talk,’ she was starting to feel something like her old self again. Whether or not that was a good thing was up for debate.

She started to notice the imperfections of her staff again and busied herself with keeping up with everyone around her. By her estimation, they’d all been slacking off since she and Abel got together. In a way, Camilla was grateful to be back to whipping everyone back into shape.

In the back of her mind, she was thinking about Abel and how he’d so skillfully deceived her. In a way, it was a little embarrassing. She didn’t think she could be taken so easily after all these years. And this had been the worst possible scenario she ever could have conceived of.

What was worse was his brother. He really was no better in her mind. He did call the morning after attacking Abel and apologized for his behavior, but Camilla could not help but get the creeps about the way he’d gone about confessing himself to her. Brawling outside of a club was just barbaric. She didn’t know how he would ever think that she would respond to that in any favorable way.

Camilla, of course, had no intention of starting anything with Rafael despite his phone calls over the week and his popping up at the restaurant a little more than usual. While she enjoyed verbally stabbing Abel with the idea that she was interested in him now, she was trying to stay well away from him as well. A part of her felt a little bad for being that way. She imagined that he was just trying to repair their friendship after his big blow-up at the club. Still, her instincts told her to stay well enough away from him.

It was just as well. This was clearly a sign that she needed to stay single from now on. Coupling up was not for her. And who knows what might have happened if she’d carried on with Abel. What would her life be if she’d never thought to ask about what he’d gone to jail for?

As the week went on, Abel gave her a wide berth and that was fine by Camilla. She stayed away from him as well. The only time she even had to deal with him directly was when he told her that he was going in to see his probation officer the morning after their big argument in the office. At least he was still keeping up with staying straight.

The next week, Camilla started to remember why she’d fallen for him in the first place. Abel seemed to be working through whatever grief he was feeling and was starting to focus more on the job and the customers again. She caught him walking Ms. Margaret out again and talking to the customers as he hopped back and forth from the kitchen. She’d wanted to chastise him, but in the end, she thought better of it. Whether she liked it or not, the customers liked him and that’s all that mattered.

By the end of the following week, she found herself backed up with paperwork. She stayed working in her office until it was past closing. When she looked up and saw the clock, she went to leave, stopping in the kitchen to check to see if everything had been cleaned. Everything was spotless as it always had been, but Abel wasn’t there. Had he left? He was usually the last one out. Even with him being out of favor with her, he still hung around the restaurant until she left to make sure she was okay.

When she walked to the front desk, she found him standing in the dining area, looking outside the windows. “Abel?”

He jumped and turned to look. As soon as he saw her, his face relaxed. “Hey.”

He turned back around, looking out of the window. Camilla frowned. What was he doing?

“Hey,” she said. “Are you waiting for someone?” she asked.

“My brother,” he said without turning around. “He’s picking me up.”

She nodded. “I see. Well, I would better head out.” She walked out from behind the counter and passed him to go into the dining room. Suddenly, he grabbed her by the shoulder.

“Hey,” he said. “Listen, I…need a favor. It is a pretty big favor.”

Camilla turned all the way around and frowned a little at him. “A favor?”

“Yeah. Listen…I know things have been kind of tense between us, but I really need this from you. I would not even bother you to ask if it wasn’t important.”

“Okay.” Now she was a little bit intrigued. “What’s the big deal?”

“Do you think you could hang around in the kitchen for a few minutes? Just until my brother and I leave?”

“Why?”

He opened his mouth for a moment, then closed it in defeat. Camilla cocked her head at him. “What’s going on?”

“I can’t talk about it yet,” he said. “Just…do me a favor and stay in the kitchen. Please?”

Camilla started to drill him about it. In fact, she felt it would have been right to. The sincerity in his big puppy dog eyes stopped her, however. Also, her curiosity was getting the better of her. “Will you tell me what’s going on later?”

“Honestly, with any luck, I won’t have to.” She scrunched her nose for a minute, and he rolled his eyes. “Please, I’m not asking you for much. Just wait in the kitchen until we leave.”

She chuckled and started to walk away. Almost fell for it. “Camilla—”

“I don’t really have time for this,” she said. “I have things I have to do. Charlie needs picked up—”

“I’ll work overtime.”

She scoffed incredulously. “Abel…”

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