Page 36 of Catching Camila

Camila

Thursday 5:45 p.m.

“Lizzy called and when she heard we hadn't had a customer in an hour, she told me to cut back to one.” Travis looked over his shoulder at the empty order window. “Guess everybody’s home with their doors locked.”

Camila swallowed hard. Just another reason she should be home. Who knew if Mama had the sense to lock the doors and not answer for strangers?

“No problem. I’ll go.” Camila said, pushing off the counter.

Camila nodded, grabbed her stuff from the cubby, and headed out the door. She got to the back when she felt a hand on her arm. She whirled around.

Travis dropped his hand, a blush blossoming in his cheeks. “Hey, I…uh…Who’s gonna walk you home? You shouldn’t go by yourself. I mean, not with that mountain lion on the loose.” He pushed a hand through this dark blond hair.

She put her hand on his arm. “I’ll be okay. It’s broad daylight, and my house is only a five-minute walk from here.”

Travis twisted the hairs on his chin beard. “Still, though.”

A voice answered behind them. “I’ll walk her.”

In the alleyway, halfway between the dumpster and the front door, John waited. In the bright sunshine, Camila thought he looked like a bronzed statue, all tan and muscles and sun-kissed hair. His cheeks were flushed as if he’d been running and there was a twig in his hair. Where had he been all day? She smiled at him. Travis took a step forward.

“Who’re you?” He crossed his arms over his narrow chest and stood to his full height.

“John.” He stepped forward and offered his hand to shake.

Travis stared at it. “John who? Camila, you know this dude?”

Camila nodded. “Travis, this is my…uh…cousin. John’s from out of town. Just got in yesterday from Lansing.”

“Lansing, huh?” Travis narrowed his eyes. He still didn’t reach to shake John’s hand. “He’s been in town two days? Weird.”

Camila pressed on a smile. “I've known John since I was a little kid. I’ll be fine. Really.”

Travis furrowed his brow but took a step back into the ice cream shop. “If you’re sure. I mean, I could always run you home.”

“And shut up shop? Nah, it’s fine. John will walk me. Like I said, it’s five minutes.”

“Alright then.” He gave John one last suspicious look. “Later, Joe.”

John just nodded. When Travis was gone, his eyes fell on Camila.

She looked into his sun-kissed face, smiling. “How did you know when I’d get off?”

John shrugged, his broad shoulders tightening the T-shirt she'd given him. “I didn’t. I’ve been waiting in the alley for a while.”

Camila widened her eyes. “You have? Why?”

John shrugged, a blush forming on his cheeks. “Thought I’d make sure you were safe.”

Her mind told her she should be wary, yet her body pulsed with a strange, rhythmic heat and she wondered what fantastic shade of red she was turning.

“What?” he asked, studying her. “Did I do something wrong?”

She shook her head. “No. Somehow you do everything right.”

Now it was his turn to sheepishly rub the back of his neck. “So, can I walk you?”

Camila nodded. They walked past Lizzy’s to the little strip mall next door. Most windows were already dark, odd for six on a Thursday. They rounded onto Sisson Street and passed the Shell Gas Station with the droopy pumps and the ragged-looking man behind the cash register. Camila locked eyes with him through the window and dropped her gaze. He reminded her too much of the story about the dead clerk.

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