Page 80 of Midnights
They exchange a look before Raven looks over at me, as if waiting for my input.
Interesting.
She clearly doesn’t even realize she’s doing it. She’strouble. And if she knew what that did to me, she’d run. My cock stirs at the thought.Fantastic.
“Whatever you want, Princess,” I say, keeping my tone casual, even though my thoughts are anything but.
She rolls her eyes but turns back to Cam, and at the same time, they both say, “The forest.”
That's not what I expected.
Cam straightens his jacket with exaggerated elegance and in his best butler voice, says, “Right this way, ladies. It's a bit of a walk, so I’ll regale you with the tale of the restaurant as we make our journey into the enchanted woods.”
I shake my head, laughing under my breath. He’s completely in his element and they’re eating it up. Watching them get sucked into his bullshit is entertaining as hell.
The more we walk, the forest opens around us as the towering trees sway in the breeze. The golden sunlight filters through in soft streaks, casting longshadows across the path. The smell of pine and damp earth lingers in the air, grounding me in a way I hadn’t realized I needed.
For the first time in a while, I feel like today might actually befun.
I hear Cam's voice, and it breaks the moment. “It all started when I was a young lad,” he begins dramatically, making Rachel grin. “My granny, who basically raised me, loved to cook. She taught me everything I know. We’d start every meal by picking fresh ingredients from the garden. According to her, they had to be fresh. Then, we’d try making up our own dishes to add to the family recipe book.”
He pauses, “Of course, there were plenty of disasters. Some of them so bad, even the dogs wouldn’t touch ‘em.”
Rachel bursts into laughter, and even Raven giggles, shaking her head. Cam’s good at spinning stories like he’s been rehearsing them all his life.
Then Raven says something in a quiet voice. “I was raised by my grandparents, too.”
Looking over at her, there’s something different in her voice, something softer. I’ve seen the sass, the sharp wit, and the fire in her. But this? This is something else entirely.
Cam gives her a thoughtful nod. “Really? Guess we have that in common, then.”
The girls exchange a quick glance, and I can see their curiosity practically radiating off them, but they hold back. Cam must pick up on it, too, because he keeps going, smoothly easing back into the story.
I already know this story, I was there for most of it. We grew up together, raising hell.
“Anyway,” Cam waves a hand dismissively, grinning, “that stuff is boring. Let’s skip to the important part.”
“NO!”
They say at the exact same time, their voices overlapping in perfect sync.
Cam raises an eyebrow, clearly enjoying this way too much. I almost laugh, but somehow manage to keep a straight face.Barely.
“We want to hearallof it,” Rachel insists, crossing her arms like she’s daring him to try cutting the story short.
He pauses for a second before sighing dramatically. “Alright, I'll give you the quick-ish version.”
I shake my head, knowing full well thequick-ishis still a long-ass story. But there’s no stopping him now.
“So, where was I? Ah, yes.” He clears his throat. “When the dogs wouldn’t eat my cooking, we’d pull out the fancy china and set the table like it was some five-star dining experience. We'd serve my granddad instead. Granny and I would hide in the kitchen, trying not to laugh as we took bets on how long he’d last. He’d put on a good show and act like it was the best meal of his life. But then, after a few bites, he’d set down his fork, clear his throat, and announce that he wasfulland needed toretire for the evening.”
Cam shakes his head, grinning. “She always made him a proper plate while I helped her clean up.”
Raven’s smile softens, and for a second, she looks… distant. Like the story hits closer to home than she expected.
Rachel, oblivious to her friends distance, bursts into laughter. “Poor granddad! The lengths men will go to, so they don’t piss off a woman in the kitchen. That’s actually adorable.”
Cam winks. “Exactly. He was a smart man.”
