Page 43 of Hiding Hollywood

“You went for a run in the rain, Cameron. I think you’re still at the top of the list for dumb moves.” Becky angled her body, blocking him as she spoke to Addie. “By the way, I’m Becky. Gossip aside, we’ve all been dying to meet you.”

“Who’s ‘we’?”

“Not now, Becky.”

She ignored Cameron’s warning. “Cameron’s friends. He does have a few despite the grouchy attitude. Even if the rumors aren’t true, anyone that could snag Cameron’s attention is worth meeting.”

“It’s only work,” he ground out between his teeth. She better not mention Jennifer to Addie.

Becky’s smile grew, her eyes locked on Cameron. “Funny. It looks like a lot of play and no work.”

Addie blushed under her already flushed cheeks. Becky never changed. He set a hand on her knee again and gave her an easy squeeze.

“Don’t you have some work to do of your own.”

“I am working.”

“I don’t think you’re earning much of a tip from me.”

“I might when I slip you one of my orange cranberry muffins I baked this morning.”

He raised his eyebrows and nodded his head. “Yes, please.” Becky might be a pain in the butt half the time, but her baking skills were amazing.

She lifted her shoulder. “We’ll see.” The door jingled.

A man walked in. His shoulders and arms barely fit in the button-up shirt he wore. Fake muscles. Could lift weights in a gym but not much use in agility. Or a fight.

“Man, oh, man. The fates have given you and your boys some competition. Y’all aren’t the cutest guys to ever set foot in Statem anymore.”

Addie glanced over her shoulder. She snapped her head back, her eyes wide. Her voice mixed with a little disbelief and a substantial amount of worry. “That’s Brian.”

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“Excuse me,” Brian said in that deep rumble she knew too well. It was his ‘strong voice’ he thought made him sound more authoritative. He once said, “You know, in case I get cast to be in an action movie and a bomb is about to explode.”

Becky’s eyes, a unique sky-blue color offset by her dark, brown, shoulder length hair, shifted between her and Brian before she straightened her shoulders and plastered a lethal, female smile on her face. Despite her petite frame, Becky looked ready for war. “Do we like Brian?” she whispered like they were best friends. At least she might have a female ally.

“Ex-boyfriend,” Addie replied. “As of yesterday.”

“And a major piece of crap,” Cameron added.

Becky nodded once and strode toward the door. Cameron mumbled something, but his posture remained stick straight, partway blocking Addie from Brian’s view. Addie was happy to take refuge behind him as long as possible.

Brian shot Becky a toothpaste commercial ready grin. “Hi.”

“You can take a seat, sugar,” Becky said with a slightly deeper Southern accent than before. She wiped her hands on the towel hanging from the back pocket of her jeans. “I’ll be with you in a moment.”

Disgust flickered over Brian’s face as he glanced around the diner. “No, thank you. I need directions. I have an address, but my GPS keeps taking me in circles.”

Addie watched the interaction in the reflection from the mirror behind the counter. Cameron’s lips twitched, but the humor didn’t reach his eyes. Cold. Focused. Controlled. Opposite from the heat in his kiss. Addie didn’t want the two men to meet. It was like two sides of her personality on a slow collision course.

She might not survive the explosion.

“Let me see that address, sugar.” Becky took his phone from him.

Ms. Iris swung through the back door with a tray holding two smoothies and two glasses of water. She set them down and eyed the new customer. “Here you go, Cameron.”

Cameron shifted forward to grab his water, and Addie followed his movement still hiding behind his broad shoulders that blocked her view of Brian. She twisted in her seat and grabbed the water. She sucked it down, quenching her thirst and wishing she could disappear at the bottom of the glass.

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