Page 32 of Hiding Hollywood

Brian didn’t deserve her. Cameron paced the length of the formal dining room. How had he gone from imagining how sweet her lips would taste when she bit into the biscuit to wanting to smash his fist into her boyfriend’s face?

Because if Brian walked through the door…

Cameron fisted his hands. It’d taken an insane amount of willpower not to answer her phone and tell Brian exactly where he stood in the world. If he ever came face-to-face with the jackass, he’d have a hard time not demonstrating his opinion.

Addie wasn’t arm candy, available whenever the bastard had time for her. Not anymore. He didn’t have any claim to her but he’d sure as hell use the rest of the time she was here to show her there were other options out there. How did she stand being treated like that?

Cameron needed to know more. That was the problem. He wanted to know every single thing that made Addie act the way she did. Brian’s perfect timing had amplified his frustration at being unable to connect with Addie. He ran a hand over his head. The way she’d looked at him a moment earlier. Unsure of herself, wanting him to give her something she needed. He’d have given it to her. Anything she’d asked.

Dammit. A douche bag like Brian didn’t deserve her.

“Cameron, did you see this?” His dad pressed play on the video again. The image was grainy, but it looped. Each repeated section zoomed in a little more to the side yard. Laura’s car sat in perfect view. A shadow appears and then disappears. It came back into focus in the next second.

The fourth loop of video let him see a white male, probably six feet. Young, eighteen to thirty-five, based on the way he moved. Dark sweatshirt and jeans. Tan boots. Great. Half the guys in the town matched that description.

Had Addie made the loops in the videos and zoomed in? How did she know how to do that?

“At least we have something to go on.” His dad sat back and drummed his fingers on the desk. “Cameron, what’s going on between you and Addie?”

He snapped his head up. “Nothing.”

“Something is.” How did his father give him such a stern look when he was over thirty? Damn, it worked too.

He’d hoped to make light of the situation. “I think even in front of mom you’d admit Addie’s pretty.”

His dad’s lips flattened to a thin line, but there was humor in his eyes. “I don’t admit anything of the sort.”

His mom playfully slapped him on the shoulder. “I’m glad I’m married to a respectable man, but I’ll say it. Addie is gorgeous. And I know exactly why you like her.”

Cameron froze. Some things were not up for discussion with his mom.

“She’s sweet. And kind.” His mom motioned to the computer. “And smart. Everyone in this room knows all that eyelash batting is nothing more than some type of cover. Keeps people from getting close.”

His dad shifted in the squeaky chair. “I think you’d do well to remember that young lady has a boyfriend. And she’s in custody.”

Cameron pulled his gaze away. “Yes, sir. I remember.”

“Then don’t go confusing her during this little bit of time she’s in your life. She still has to go back to him. Don’t make it harder on either one of you.”

“Jimmy, just let it play out.” She started to walk away but stopped at the door. “Cam, when you were away at that summer camp, did you know your coach called me?”

“No.”

She tilted her head to the side. “He wanted to let me know that you had a bad habit of fighting.” His mom shifted her focus between him and his dad. “That you needed more structure at home to make sure you didn’t end up in jail for murder because he’d seen the anger inside of you.”

“That’s a little extreme,” Cameron murmured. He’d fought, never intending to kill someone, but he did hit hard enough for them to second guess whatever dumb thing they’d said or did.

“Not that extreme with how hard you hit. I’ve seen you fight. Picked you up from school for fighting. Each time you had a reason, and it was rarely for yourself. You got in fights to defend Becky and Juliana. You flattened that man when he said something about our heritage. You were sixteen at the time, and he had to have been twice your age and size. At camp, do you remember the reason you gave for knocking the front teeth out of that linebacker?”

He’d never forget. “Addie.” He slouched against the wall. “The guy said something to Trevor about Addie. Trevor started into a back and forth shouting match, and I heard what he said.”

“And you ended it. Why?”

“It pissed me off for a guy to say those things about her.” He still got pissed thinking about it.

“Because you thought of her as a little sister?”

Hell, no. He’d never thought of her like that. “She was fifteen. I was about to be nineteen. It creeped me out for even being attracted to her.”

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