Page 56 of Staying for You

Something in her shifts, that hint of memory that always brings her back to her past. I could ask, press for more information but quite honestly, I’m ready to move on. Forget the ex and her past for a few days and focus on learning more about Cami. I only have a few weeks with her and I’m not going to spend that time talking about some idiot who wasn’t worthy enough to keep her.

* * *

“What sounds good?”I ask her.

“Still have the stuff for mac and cheese?”

“Sure do.”

Unfortunately, we’re both dressed. Fortunately, though, she’s in a pair of my boxers, a The Escape sweatshirt, and her fuzzy socks she wore here earlier. Her hair is a mess from my fingers running through it, a little bit of mascara is smudged under her eyes, but the smile on her face is what I can’t stop staring at.

It’s brilliant and wide. Teeth white and a little imperfect. Lips naturally a little rosy. Soft and pliant. The bottom a little more plump than the top.

“Keep looking at my mouth and we’ll never eat.”

I grin, wink, and move around the kitchen to grab what we need along with Cami, who’s already filling a pot with water.

I’m shredding a block of cheddar cheese while she’s digging around in my fridge.

“Whatcha looking for?”

“Velveeta. It’s so gross by itself but it makes the best mac and cheese.”

“Behind the container of eggs.”

She pushes a few things around and announces, “Got it! Oooh! You know what? Let’s make Rotel dip, too! And maybe tacos! Doesn’t that sound yummy?”

“Yummy?”

She shrugs a shoulder and then raids my pantry to see if I have any Rotel tomatoes and tortilla chips. Her arms are loaded with everything she needs, including some taco seasoning. “I’m going to start thawing out hamburger for the tacos, okay?”

I can barely speak because she’s just taking control and I love it.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve had to make every single decision. From the little ones like what to have for dinner or what kind of toilet paper to buy, to the big ones for The Escape like whether or not to build another set of cabins or offer on-site fishing boat rental.

She’s confident in herself, not assertive or pushy, but certain in what she wants and isn’t afraid to go for it. It’s not what I expected from her. Up until today, she seemed a little insecure. Maybe a tad bit timid, even. Something changed and I’m not sure what it is.

“Sounds good,” I eventually say and she tosses me a smile over her shoulder, already getting to work on our meal. “Still need the shredded cheese?”

“Yeah, we can use it with the macaroni, too, but also for the tacos. We might have to have the macaroni and cheese as an appetizer since the other stuff needs a little more time.” She gasps. “Have you ever put taco meat in the Rotel dip? It’s amazing! You have to try it,” she insists without giving me time to answer.

The water is boiling so I salt it and toss in the noodles. She starts cubing up the Velveeta and sets some aside for the macaroni and the rest for the dip.

The other night we made sandwiches together but this is different. It feels familial.

“Awful domestic, isn’t it?” she voices my thoughts.

“Little bit,” I tell her, turning around so I’m resting against the counter next to the stove and facing her.

Her head is dipped, looking down at the counter where she’s using a can opener on the can of tomatoes and chilis. “I never really had this,” she says quietly.

How can that be? She was married. “How long were you married?”

“Eight years.”

My eyes bug out. Eight years? And she never had… what?

“I have a few questions.”

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