Page 60 of Two Tickets to Paradise

Cameron raised an imperious reddish brow at him. "You wouldn't be the one I want in my dreams either."

"Touché."

The two looked at each other for a moment before Cameron got up from the couch and let out a breath. Vince got up from his couch and watched Cameron look over at Marikit who was standing stock still behind the front desk.

"No bloodshed," she grinned. "I'm impressed by your restraint."

Cameron puffed up a little. "I was never going to do anything to him."

Marikit's lifted eyebrow spoke volumes as she turned, and Vince saw her gaze land on him. "I was talking to Vince."

Vince admired her. She showed nothing like fear when she talked to Cameron the way she did. She knew that Cameron could get angry, but he wasn't the kind to hurt her.

He turned back to Cameron. "What time do you want me to be there? I'll get a ride."

Cameron shook his head. "I doubt you'll find rideshares or even taxis that will come over here on the regular. Remember that gate you passed through before getting on the bridge? Military property."

Vince nodded. He did remember the gate. He just hadn't thought of it.

"Uh, okay."

"I'll come and get you."

Vince barely kept his jaw from dropping when Cameron offered.

"I can get here without any trouble, and I think it'll be good for Cora to know that I brought you. To know that I'm okay with you and that you're okay with me."

There wasn't a question in his words, but Vince felt like it was implied.

Without much hesitation, Vince reached his hand out.

Cameron shook it a moment later and Vince nodded. "Yeah, I am."

"Good."

They dropped their hands and Cameron took a few steps toward the door before turning back to look at him. "I'll be over at ten to pick you up."

"Okay." Vince agreed. "I'll see you then."

FIFTEEN

Cora volunteeredto head to the bowling alley early trying to avoid another awkward interaction with her brother. She planned to find a moment to get on the phone and call Vince. She'd messaged him late the night before but hadn't gotten a reply.

It kind of made sense.

It had taken a while for her to work through the seething anger she'd had roiling inside of her since her brother had thrown Vince out of the house.

She knew she could have stopped it, but she understood why Vince left. There was only so much that you could fight against a rock without breaking yourself into pieces. It was the reason why she'd sent the lotion out with Buck.

She was determined not to be 'that girl.' The one crying like a baby.

She was the adult she was trying to convince Cam that she was. She sucked it up and as much as she hated to say it, she'd pulled up her big-girl panties and sent the lotion as that olive branch to Vince.

Cora had kind of hoped that she might have heard from Vince sometime last night, but nothing had come through on her cell phone.

They had each other's numbers, but she had been determined not to get upset if she didn't hear back from him.

He might be more upset than he let on.

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