Page 20 of The Stranger's Code

“Sounds like you’re trying to figure out if I’m seeing anyone, Amber.”

“What? Me?” She pretended to be insulted. “I would never!”

“Drop the act.” I chuckled as I shook my head. “If I was seeing anyone, you’re on my shortlist of people to tell.”

“How long is the shortlist? Am I at the very top of it?”

“Amber.”

“I’m legally allowed to care about my brother’s life!”

“Thank you for caring. Don’t you have other guests to mingle with?”

“You’re right. Off to mingle, I go.” She grinned. “But I’ll be circling back for you, Levi. Don’t think you’re off the hook for one moment.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” I replied, my eyes once again searching through the crowd?—

And there he was.

Cameron was wearing black overalls, with his shoulder straps covering a white t-shirt. His white tennis shoes matched his shirt underneath, but his toned arms were the center of attention, his build standing out from the crowd. He was laughing about something or another, surrounded by a small group of people, each of them now laughing right along with him.

I started to walk over to him but hesitated at the first step.

If he hadn’t been interested in talking to me for the last few days, what would’ve changed tonight?

Instead, I chose to have a seat at my assigned table, nursing my drink as I watched him work the room. He effortlessly moved from group to group, going from ranch hands, to farmers, to some of Amber’s friends, to locals we’d known for years. Each group ended up laughing with him, smiling with him, enjoying their time together. I was honestly impressed with the way he handled himself, without an ounce of shyness in the situation, like he’d done it a million times before.

But soon, being impressed by him shifted into something else.

There was a man I didn’t recognize, maybe a farmer from out of town, someone Amber had invited because of their deep wallet. He walked up to Cameron as he was going between groups, getting him alone for a minute or two. While chatting with Cameron, the stranger placed a hand on the small of Cameron’s back, pulling him in closer as they spoke.

And in that moment, all I could see was red.

It was such a casual movement, way too familiar, way too comfortable.

And before I realized it, I’d crossed the barn. I stood in front of Cameron, with the stranger long gone, somewhere on the other side of the fundraiser.

“Can you come with me?” I started. “I want you to come with me, Cam.”

“Come with you where?” he replied. “And maybe. Later. When the fundraiser is done. I’m a pretty good schmoozer at these things and I like helping to raise money for?—”

“Please, Cam. Come with me. Right now?” There was urgency lining my tone, even though I couldn’t explain why. “I just… I need you.”

“All right. Fine,” he acquiesced. “But only for a few minutes.”

* * *

“Levi, where are we going?”

I had no idea. I’d been walking with no destination in mind, but I knew that I wanted to get far away from the fundraiser, far away from that stranger touching Cameron like Cameron belonged tohim. When we reached one of the further barns on the property, I stopped and turned around, Cameron’s eyes meeting mine.

“Levi? What’s going on with you?”

“I…” I started and stopped, my heart hammering in my chest. “Cam, I don’t want…”

“You don’t want what?”

“I like how much you dazzle everyone, everywhere you go,” I started again. “I like how much people like you, how you try and get along with everyone. But I… I don’t like it when… the guy that touched the small of your back…”

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