Page 21 of Baby Me

“You said family? Are you acousin?”

Was that too much to hope for? I couldn’t just ask her how long it had been since she’d fucked myboyfriend.

“No, definitely not a cousin, silly,” she laughed, adjusting the bottle of milk in her grip. It couldn’t have been comfortable to hold it with those long claws. “I was married to Brook. We have adaughter.”

“Oh,Sophie?”

“Yes. I so needed a break from life. There’s so much hassle in the big city. Her grandparents are babysitting right now. Sometimes we need to go where the wind takes us, youknow.”

And the wind just so happened to bring her here. She didn’t strike me as the spontaneous type, but I’d been judged wrongly before, and so I decided not to pass judgmentmyself.

“I was going to come up to the cabin, but then the storm hit and it was too dangerous to drive up the road at night, so I stayed atSilvia’s.”

“Well, you should be glad you didn’t make it up last night because the cabin’s been damaged. One of the trees fell on top of the roof and broke through. I thought it was anearthquake.”

“Oh, no! I’m so sorry. Is Cameron allright?”

“Yeah, he’s at thefront.”

“Thank God! I couldn’t live if something happened tohim.”

My head jolted up at the odd comment. It wasn’t even what she said, but the way she said it that made me feelawkward.

“Yeah, me too,” I said. “So, it looks like we may be crashing at Silvia’s until the cabin’sfixed.”

“Yay! We’re going to be bunkbuddies.”

Bunkbuddies?

I quickly said a silent prayer that Silvia had at least a single bed in a separate room. As I finished, Cameron walked around the corner. He stopped mid-step as soon as he saw my newfriend.

“Evie, what are you doinghere?”

“Oh, Cameron. Thank God you’re here!” She yanked the bottle out of the fawn’s mouth and ran to Cameron, throwing her arms around his neck, bending one of her knees to lift her foot over-dramatically. For an ex-sister-in-law, she certainly seemed to feel comfortable in his arms. I picked up the half empty bottle she’d dropped and gave it to the other fawn, who was trying to steal his sibling’sfood.

“I had an argument with Brook before he left on his secret mission. Sophie wanted to go with him, but he said no and she was crying and he left me all aloneagain.”

“Is Sophie with you?” He ignored her laments and uncoiled her tentacle arms from around hisneck.

“No, she’s with your parents. I just needed some time to think things over, youknow.”

Cameron sighed. “I guess things are serious with Lola and you don’t likeit?”

“How can he like someone like her? She’s nothing likeme.”

I wanted to roll my eyes but thought that would be a little rude. I could see exactly why someone like Cameron’s brother wouldn’t want to be with her. In fact, I questioned how in the world they’d ended up together in the first place. Evie didn’t seem to have much in common with my friendLola.

“Did you ever think he likes her because she’s nothing like you?” Cameron replied without missing a beat, and I chuckledinside.

“Sure, Cameron. Why don’t you stab me in my heart again? I don’t think it’s bledenough.”

“Did you come alone?” His browsnarrowed.

“Of course I camealone.”

“Didn’t Brook explain to you how dangerous the family situation is? No one’s supposed to come up here. That includes you,Evie.”

“He did, but I was careful. No one followed me, and when I was on my way up to the cabin, the wind was so strong I thought the car would flipover.”

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