Page 12 of Caught in the Middle

When Emma exited the bathroom and made her way back to the table, she found the waitress there taking drink orders. That was a good thing, she told herself. That meant they probably didn’t have much time to grill him.

She added her order to the list as she retook her seat.

“I don’t know how you kids do it these days,” Henry said once the waitress was gone. “I swear dating was easier back when I was younger.”

“Oh here we go,” Lulu said. “Time for some ‘back in my day’ talk.”

The women chuckled at that, clearly used to his ways.

“Save your commentary for later, Dad. I want to hear Emma and Cam’s story.” Lauren looked at them expectantly, and Cam suddenly found the genuine excitement to be too much. He didn’t know he could find kindness and support annoying, but he was starting to.

Thankfully, Emma took over once again. He wondered if she was always the controlling type or only when she spun a web of lies.

“Technically,” she started with emphasis. “I was the one to message him first, but it was his idea to meet up.”

Cam clenched his jaw. He hoped she had more to add because he was drawing a blank. If this was supposed to be some finish-the-sentence game, he’d lose.

She turned to look at him, her face serene and for a moment, he could’ve believed she was his girlfriend too, if it weren’t for the other four sets of eyes watching them.

“There was just something about her,” he said, giving a small shrug and smile. “Part of me thought she might be a little crazy, but I was still drawn to her.”

That got a laugh out of everyone. Except for Emma, who looked at him with a glare. Thankfully, they ate it up, even if Cam knew her annoyance wasn’t acting.

“He’s full of it,” she piped in. “He was enthralled by me.” She gave him a mischievous smile. “Said I was the excitement he’d been looking for all his life.”

“That’s so sweet,” Lauren said from across the table.

“Indeed,” Lulu said, looking more and more entertained.

The waitress came with their drinks and left with their food orders.

“But what made you message him?” Asher asked.

Cam noticed the slight way Emma’s back went straight. She remembered the half-concocted plan she’d come up with in the bathroom before speaking.

Instead of looking at him, Emma directed her response to those she considered like family. “Remember that gig I took with the outdoor blogger this spring? The one to Banff National Park?”

Lulu sat up a little straighter, looking curious as to where this was going to go. “Yeah?”

“That’s where you went backpacking with her to shoot content for her posts, right? Everyone else had bailed or something,” Henry said.

Emma nodded. That was an unbelievable and unexpected trip for her. She’d been nervous to go because it was only the two of them, which was precisely why Chloe, the outdoor enthusiast who was now a good friend, needed a professional photographer. As it turned out, the people she normally planned trips with were her usual picture-takers. They all played photographer for one another, but the other two had to cancel last minute and she had a brand deal that she planned around the trip. Canceling hadn’t been an option for Chloe.

Lucky for her, Emma had been throwing herself into working and saying yes to new opportunities.

“You went backpacking?” Asher asked, surprise lighting his face.

“Don’t sound so surprised. I’ve always enjoyed traveling.”

“I know. You’re a workaholic,” he said, to which Cam noticed Emma’s smile strain. He wondered if that was a topic of argument in their past. “But I’m surprised you’d go with a total stranger.”

“Emma can take care of herself,” Cam said before thinking, then reached over to grab her hand in his. “She’s smart and careful. Always takes the necessary precautions, planning, and research first.” He had no clue what he was talking about, but he didn’t like the idea of sitting idly by while someone made her sound bad.

He hadn’t even known she was a photographer. Hell, he didn’t know anything about her, but if she was hired to travel along and take photos, especially to beautiful parts of the world, and get to experience what it had to offer, he’d say that was pretty damn spectacular.

Emma was thankful for the support, although a bit unnerved by how comforting the large and rough hand now holding hers felt. When he gave it a little squeeze, she had to mentally tell herself this was all a ruse. He was just helping her like a normal boyfriend would.

“That she is,” Henry agreed, giving Cam a nod. “So were you in Canada, too?” he asked.

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