Page 18 of Taming the CEO

Not that I was paranoid, but I was certain that comment was just for me.

"So, where is that hundred-year-old tree?" Gran asked.

Cami looked at me, narrowing her eyes, before focusing on Gran again. "This way. Follow me."

Gran turned to me. "Maddox, darling, I know trees aren't your thing. Why don't Cami and I go there on our own? We won't be long."

Nice try. I should have known she wouldn’t give up.

"I’m coming with you," I said, and Cami sucked in a breath.

Don't look at her mouth, Maddox. Don't look at her mouth.

Of course I looked at her mouth. Her lips were so damn full.

Fuck! I can't fixate on her.

She turned around, leading us through the trees at a very slow pace. A few seconds later, I realized it was for Gran's benefit, and that earned her points in my book.

"So tell me, Cami, how long have you and your father run this place?"

"Dad's worked here since he was very young. I only started working here after college."

"And what does your mother do?"

I realized this was a mistake before Gran even finished the sentence.

Cami flinched. Actually flinched. Her shoulders went up to her ears for a split second, but then she played it off as if she was trying to roll her shoulders. "My mom passed away before I graduated from college."

The force of her words hit me straight in the chest. Fuck, her father was still wearing his wedding ring so many years later.

"Oh, I'm very sorry. That was very inconsiderate of me!" Gran sounded horrified.

I shot her a warning look. That was the risk of prying. Sometimes you stumbled over old wounds and learned they still had scabs on them.

But I was starting to put two and two together. She'd started working here shortly after losing her mother. Was it because she wanted to or out of necessity? To help her father?

Regardless of the reason, Gran was right. This was definitely not about the money.

Chapter Five

Cami

The path was completely empty as we went deeper into the forest. When I was a kid, Mom and I used to play fairies in this area with Miriam, who had been my best friend since we were four years old. We'd only been apart when I went away to college. Miriam stayed here, and I lived in New York. She was now an elementary school teacher and had a jewelry business on the side. I tried to buy from her as often as my budget would allow. Her creations were exquisite and one of a kind.

"There aren’t any stations here anymore?" Maddox asked.

"No," I replied. "We used to have another one for tree climbing, but the trees were getting too thick. We had to cut too many of them, so we decided to stop at Station 11."

"By the way, darling, we tasted some of that banana bread, and it is amazing," Jeannie said.

"Thank you." My heart soared like it did every time someone complimented my cooking.

When Dad told me that Maddox showed up with his grandmother, I had absolutely no idea what to make of it. But I liked Jeannie. She was a warm and sweet type of person.

We reached the tree she'd wanted to see only a few seconds later.

"This place is very peaceful," she said quietly.

---