Page 20 of Baby Me

“It’s okay; we’re okay.” Cameron kept his arm around me. “Come on, let’s get someplace warm. I need to have an engineer assess the damage before we can go backin.”

I cranked up the heat inside the car to the max. “This is going to take forever to fix. Looks like the bathroom took most of thehit.”

I twisted in my seat to look back at the house as Cameron pulled away, and I shivered. My chills were not only the result of cold weather, but also because I knew that the tree could have done much more damage than it did. It could have killedus.

“I’m sure it’s nothing that can’t be repaired, but with winter coming, I don’t have much time to doit.”

“You’re going to doit?”

“With some help,yeah.”

“Thanksgiving’s end of nextweek.”

“Don’t worry about that. We were going to celebrate it in townanyway.”

“I thought your family was coming over to thecabin.”

“They would have if Cortez was caught. Hopefully by Christmastime.”

I didn’t understand what that had to do with Thanksgiving, and I frowned. Cameron must have noticed my confusion and explained. “The family can’t come until we know he’s behind bars. I can’t afford to take a chance that he’ll follow anyonehere.”

“Where are we gonna stay in themeantime?”

He glanced at me from the side with a cocky smile on his face. “You’re going to lovethis.”

I immediately knew that he was driving to Silvia’s, and I shuffled my feet in one spot like an overexcited girl. “I should be grateful for the tree, but that would bemean.”

“No, it wouldn’t. Maybe it’s a sign. It will do you some good to take your mind offthings.”

Cameron twisted uncomfortably in his seat and grasped the right side of hisabdomen.

“Are you okay?” Iasked.

“Yes, all’s good. Just a littlecramp.”

Moments later we pulled up to Silvia’s animal sanctuary. The same little pup, Max, greeted us at the front, and Silvia came with her arms wide open. As Cameron told Silvia what had happened to the cabin, I strolled around to the back. It appeared that the animal sanctuary had sustained some damage as well. As soon as I stepped through the gate, the two fawns came rushing toward me. I peeked into the tub where Silvia had previously held their feeding bottles, but I couldn’t findany.

The back door opened, and a blonde bombshell wearing five-inch heels stepped outside. Her perfect curls swayed from side to side as she fluttered her extended eyelashes. It was the same woman who had asked for Cameron outside thediner.

“Are you looking for these?” she asked, passing me one of the two bottles she washolding.

“Yes, thankyou.”

The fawns were stumping their little legs over the wooden porch, begging forbreakfast.

“I was about to feed them. They’re gorgeous, aren’tthey?”

“Yes, they are. I’m Kate.” I was going to extend my hand, but one of the two babies nudged me for the bottle, and so I aimed the nozzle at its mouth. He was suckling on the nipple inseconds.

“Oh, I know all about you, Kate. You could say that we’re almost likefamily.”

“I’m sorry, but who areyou?”

And how did you get that makeup done so early in themorning?

“I’m Evie. It’s nice to officially meet you. I’m an old friend ofCameron’s.”

Her tone of voice told me exactly the kind of old friend she was, and I wondered whether she lived nearby. Looking at her long nails, trimmed brows, and enlarged boobs, I had mydoubts.

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