Page 46 of Ruled By Fate

“Very nice to meet you, Mike.” Cameron stepped back quickly, giving Brie a steadying squeeze on her shoulder. “Brie and I have been looking forward to it.”

Brie startled at his use of her nickname. He was usually so formal. She was definitely still having heart palpitations but approved the general sentiment.

“Nice to meet you, too.” Mike continued to stare at Cameron’s face, perplexed, before suddenly blurting, “Are you a model or something?”

Sherry spun around to look at him. “Right? I told you. If Hollywood ever gets ahold of this one, it’ll be a hot minute before he graces our Virginia shores again.”

“No, it isn’t that. It’s just, you look so familiar.”

Cameron froze for a split second, then flashed another blinding smile. “I’ve heard that since I was a kid. Just have one of those generic faces, I guess.”

Sherry let out a bubbling laugh. “‘One of those generic faces?’ Oh, you sweet summer child. If your face were in any way standard, the rate of human scientific accomplishment would slow to a crawl, as no one would ever leave the bedroom.” She gestured brightly towards the tables. “Shall we go sit down? I need a glass of wine, an oyster shooter, and a fantastic conversation with my best friend.”

Brie allowed herself to be swept along by the group, willfully ignoring the way the marine life followed their party as the hostess guided them to a table on the patio under an ivy-laced arbor lit with little white lights.

“I’ve been wanting to try this restaurant for months but couldn’t talk him into it.” Sherry tipped her head towards Mike as he held the chair for her. “More comfortable in a uniform than a suit and tie, I suppose.” She playfully grabbed his tie and tilted her head up, pulling him down for an upside-down kiss. “Then, out of the blue, he called yesterday and said he’d made us a reservation.”

Cameron and Brie shared a quick look before he pulled out her chair as well.

“What a thoughtful idea,” he replied. “It’s a shame I didn’t think of such a thing myself. Could have scored some big points with this one.”

He cocked his head suggestively at Brie, who was gulping down water at an unreasonable rate. Every so often, her eyes would flash to the aquarium, dilated in secret fear.

Mike nodded graciously, settling down, but his eyes kept shooting back to the angel. Perhaps it was the cop in him, maybe it was that handy bit of hypnosis rising back to the surface, but no matter how hard he tried, he was utterly unable to let it go.

“Okay, this is not one of those faces.” He kicked back in his chair, only to earn a sharp look from the maître d’. “Are you an actor? Were you ever in a commercial?”

Cameron self-consciously laughed and shook his head. “No, I’m…” He blanked and looked at Brie.

She was hiding behind the wine list, silently willing him to remember: Weather, sports, hobbies, job. Art if you’re stuck.

“I’m afraid not. No acting skills whatsoever. Not even as a hobby,” he concluded with a bashful grin. Then he held up his hand like he was checking for rain and, quite incorrectly, chose to pair this gesture with the comment, “My, isn’t it unseasonably warm tonight?”

“It really isn’t,” Mike murmured. “And I could swear I’ve seen you before.” His eyes glazed over, scrolling through a list of possibilities. “Maybe it was something through school…?”

Cameron shifted ever so slightly in his chair but never lost that perpetual calm. “You know what? I was actually thinking the same thing about you.” He leaned forward and casually slid Brie’s water out of arm’s reach. “What do you do for work? Sherry mentioned you’re more comfortable in a uniform?”

“I’m an officer with the Yorktown PD. Definitely more comfortable in a uniform. But for Sherry?” Mike pulled in a quick breath, his eyes sweeping the wealthy establishment. “I’m willing to venture out of my comfort zone a bit.” He glanced down at the menu, trying and failing to find anything resembling beer. “They’re not going to force-feed us frogs or something, are they?”

Sherry touched his arm. “Not unless you catch them yourself, dear.”

Brie sank deeper into her chair and stared blankly at the wine list, wondering where in the Virginia State Penal Code it expressly prohibited tampering with the mental faculties of a policeman and what the penalties might be.

I wouldn’t be having this problem in Venezuela.

“So, not a model and not an actor.” Mike abandoned the menu and turned again to Cameron, steady and unblinking. “What line of work are you in?”

“These days, I’m in private security.”

Mike tilted his head curiously. “And before that?”

“I conducted a long-term study about human attitudes regarding thanatological care.”

Everyone at the table paused. Brie peeked out over a list of Australian pinots.

Well, that certainly counts as improvisation.

“An academic!” Sherry beamed. “Beauty and brains. Excellent. Now, Mike, stop interrogating the poor man. Shall we get a bottle for the table? And who wants appetizers?”

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