Page 42 of Hiding Hollywood

The rain slacked off, back to the fine mist from earlier, and Cameron’s lungs burned from exertion. At the edge of town, they paused on the street corner for a tractor-trailer to pass.

He leaned over his legs, supporting himself as he gulped in large amounts of air. She’d almost killed him those last two miles. He checked his running watch. At the end of a nine-mile run, she’d pulled out two sub-seven-minute miles. Those long, lean legs were more than for looks.

“You run track or something?”

She walked back and forth on the corner, glancing at her own watch. “Yeah.”

“Damn.” He straightened, holding his arms over his head. “Could’ve warned me.”

She rolled her eyes and shook one leg at the time before holding onto the light pole and stretching her quads.

Now that they weren’t pressed up against each other, and his brain was functioning back at a normal level, they could talk about her break-up with Brian. Sort through this entire situation before they both went too far.

“Want to get something to drink?”

She shrugged. Her teeth chewed on her bottom lip. He’d walked away from her. From those lips.

He pulled on his sweatshirt. This was, by far, the most interesting situation he’d ever been in. A woman exacting revenge on himnotkissing her more by almost killing him with their run and pouting when he offered her something to drink.

The light changed. Cameron grabbed her hand and tugged her into the crosswalk. Ms. Iris’s restaurant, Daylight Diner, would be empty this time of day. He could persuade Addie to open up there, talk about this thing between them and understand why he couldn’t go any further with it. That kiss in the woods replayed in his mind, like a repeat loop that might never stop. God, he wanted more.

The doorbell jingled above them as they walked into the overly warm diner.

“Mornin’,” Becky called out from the corner of the room. She straightened, watching Addie a quick second before a calculating expression appeared. The diner wasn’t the best place to bring her, after all.

Cameron motioned to the counter, ignoring Becky’s interest. “We can sit here.” Not that he could keep Becky away from Addie. His childhood friend had a way of nosing into everyone’s busy life. Strangers included.

Addie hitched herself up onto the worn, orange stool.

Ms. Iris came bustling in from the kitchen.

“One of our first customers of the day.” She wiped down an already pristine counter, her gray hair pinned up, the same way it had been since Cameron could remember. “Not used to seeing you in here so early, Cameron. Day off?”

“Yes, ma’am.” It wasn’t a scheduled off day, but his dad had offered. “Can we get two smoothies and two waters?”

Ms. Iris arched her eyebrow in his direction, setting her hand on a wide hip. Point taken.

“Addie, I’d like you to meet Ms. Iris. This is her diner.”

Ms. Iris beamed a warm smile at Addie. “Nice to meet you now that Cameron remembered his manners. You’re the young lady staying with his parents.”

“Yes.” Addie fidgeted on the stool. He set his hand over her knee to calm down the bouncing.

“I’d be disappointed to not have met you sooner, but Cameron’s mom is an excellent cook, so I understand.” Ms. Iris winked at Cameron. What was that for?

“And now you have to introduce me.” Becky’s sudden appearance behind him forced him to drop his hand from Addie’s knee and swivel around on the stool. Becky shot him a devilish grin. “Please don’t stop touching her on my account. I’ve already heard all the gossip. If only half of that is true, a simple hand on the knee is as PG as it comes.”

“Gossip?” Cameron crossed his arms. “Please, do tell.”

“Ruth O’Brady told Ms. Iris at the grocery store that you were seeing a glamorous woman and planning sinful trips.” Becky lowered her voice to a mock whisper. “With hot tubs. And she told Ms. Peggy that her grandson might give you a run for your money.” Becky waved her hand in the air like she shooed away a fly. “Ms. Peggy and I both knew that was a crock.” She reached out and poked her finger in Cameron’s cheek, right on top of a dimple she’d pointed out the same way since fourth grade. “Nobody is cuter than Deputy Dimples.”

“Shut up, Becky.”

“Mr. Hugh came in and mentioned that he’d seen the two of you arguing…”

Addie rested her forehead in her hands on the counter. “Great.”

Cameron patted her back. “Don’t worry. Someone is bound to do something stupid soon, and you will be old news.”

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