Page 30 of Until I Find You

Cami?“Right,” I say with a vigorous nod of my head.

“I was getting so tired of the Stock Market. It took come convincing, but she stuck around long enough to push me to follow my goal of…coffee.” The last word is a strange conclusion to the sentence.

“You know, he’s such a coffee fiend, it only seemed natural.” I shrug.

Dammit, why am I interjecting?

Mari’s smile hasn’t faltered the entire time we’ve been talking, but Geoff quirks an eyebrow from behind his dark rimmed glasses. “And you’re helping?”

“She’s my business partner.” Jack squeezes my shoulder. “You know, she’s already my partner in life, so it made sense.”

I gulp. Partner in life is a big leap away from girlfriend.

“So, you’ll be getting engaged soon, then,” Mari says. Statement. Not question.

I let out gasp and immediately cover my mouth with my hand.

Jack’s grip on my shoulder turns into a claw. “You know, we don’t feel the need to rush things.”

Mari’s big smile falters. “You’ve always taken after your father that way.”

“Mari…” Geoff admonishes.

Beside me, Jack’s body is as rigid as a pole.

“I’m just saying, you know, there’s nothing to be scared of when it comes to getting married. It’s better for both of you.” Mari’seyes lock with mine, and she points a finger at me. “Better for babies.”

Jack puts a hand over his face and rubs his eyes. “Oh my god, Mama, please. This is–”

“It’s my choice,” I blurt out. “Not Jack’s. If we had it his way, we would have flown out to Vegas after three months of knowing each other.”

This seems to placate Mari, though I can feel Jack’s body burning beside mine.

I shrug and lower my eyes for a second. “I’ve just got things I have to get sorted before such a big step.”

Geoff slides his hands in his pockets. “Building a business together is a pretty big step.”

Mari looks at Geoff, then at me. “Well, marriage is sort of like a business.”

“Oh look! Our bags!” I point at our bags round the carousel. I slide out of Jack’s embrace, my body a bit colder without his touch, and run to the bags to have a moment to myself.

What the heck.

I reach for the bag but am cut off by another hand. Jack’s. I look up at him as he pulls the bag off the carousel.

“I’ve got it.”

I reach for the next one, but he interjects again.

“I can get a bag,” I say, placing my hands on my hips, the urge to let the brat in me stomp my foot so strong, but I hold her back. Just barely.

“Well, you shouldn’t have to,” he says without lifting his eyes to mine. He extends the handles on both rolling suitcases and takes them in his hands.

“I can roll my own suitcase too,” I say before he can step away.

Jack finally lifts his eyes to mine. They are a little tired. A little sad.

“You’re my girlfriend, Camilla,” he says. A reminder. This is our status in life. Boyfriend and girlfriend. “And I am my father’s son, after all,” he adds in a quiet voice before letting his eyes fall away from mine as he goes and joins his family near the exit.

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