Page 60 of My One and Only

“Yeah, give her a call. I’ll sign a contract, pay for you to protect me and Fiona until we figure out who’s behind the bribes and the sabotage of the houses.” His jaw worked. “As well as the attack last night. Until everyone involved is locked up.”

Jo nodded and grabbed her cell phone. Tapped a number, waited a moment, then said, “Hey, Mel.”

Her boss responded, and Jo eventually said, “No, everything’s not going well. Can you send a contract for Cam to sign? We had an incident last night. Armed intruder at Cam’s house.”

She recited his email address and gave her boss the details of the break-in the previous night. “I won’t leave until whoever’s behind these incidents is apprehended and in jail. God knows what would have happened last night if I hadn’t been here.” Her knuckles whitened on the phone. “He has a six-year-old daughter, and she was in the house, as well.”

Jo listened for a moment, then laughed. “First time I’ve heard about that. Clearly, marriage has made you soft, Mel.” She grinned as she listened to her boss, then said, “Tell Dev he’s a lucky guy. I’ll talk to you soon.”

When she hung up, she shook her head, still smiling.

Cam said, “Your boss say something to amuse you?”

Grinning, Jo said, “Mel said she was giving you the ‘friends and family discount.’” Jo shook her head. “She and her partner Dev got married a few months ago. The tough woman I signed up to work for wouldn’t have said anything about a friends and family discount.”

“The power of love?”Cam said, his mouth twitching.

“Must be.” Jo smiled back at him. “She and Dev went through a really rough patch before they worked everything out.”

“She doesn’t have to give me a discount,” Cam said. “I want to pay you what you’re worth. And besides, the company will be paying for your services, since this is a company problem.”

“She was just yanking my chain,” Jo said. “As far as I know, there’s no friends and family discount.” She smiled. “But it’s really good to see Mel happy.”

Cam’s face flushed. His pupils dilated, and he held her gaze for a long moment. “I hope you and I are much happier in the next few days, as well.”

Jo’s expression tightened and her cheekbones reddened as she leaned toward him. “I think there’s a very good chance that we will be.”

They stared at each other for a long moment, and Jo looked away first. But he saw her hands shake as she picked up her pen.

Satisfied, Cam turned back to his to-do list. He’d opened his computer to check on the delivery status of flooring he’d ordered for the houses that were almost completed when there was a knock on his door.

“C’mon in,” he called.

Don opened the door and walked in. He studied Jo for a long moment, his mouth tightening, then looked at Cam. “Heard you had some excitement at your place last night.”

Cam frowned at his partner. “Who told you that?”

“I ran into a cop I know early this morning,” Don said. “I was getting my morning coffee and he was coming off shift. He knows we’re partners. Told me what happened. Said you didn’t recognize the guy.”

Cam wasn’t surprised. Don probably knew every police officer in Ogden. Now that he was an adult, he was the kind of guy who had a huge network of friends and acquaintances.

Don glanced at Jo, who had headphones on. Jo must have felt his gaze, because she looked up. Held Don’s gaze for a long moment, nodded, then looked back at whatever she was working on. But Cam didn’t miss the way her mouth tightened.

“Nope, didn’t recognize the guy,” Cam said. “No idea who he was or what he wanted. But whatever it was, it wasn’t good. The guy had an arsenal with him.”

Don glanced at Jo again. “The cop said Jo was there. That the guy was on the floor, trussed up, when they got to your place.”

“What if shewasthere?”Cam shot back. “We’re both adults. Both unattached. Since when did you become the morality police?”

“Hell, Cam, I’m not judging anyone. Good for you. Jo’s an attractive woman, and I know you were close back in high school. I’m glad you’re fucking her.”

Don’s crude words lit a flash of anger in Cam’s chest. He glanced at Jo, but she had her headphones on. Hopefully she hadn’t heard Don.

“That’s a disgusting thing to say,” he said to Don, trying not to clench his teeth. “It’s disrespectful to both me and Jo, but especially to Jo. I know you and Silvia have had your problems, but I’ve never stuck my nose in your business. So keep your nose out of mine.”

Don held up his hands. “Easy, partner. I didn’t mean to get you all riled up. Guess I should have left it at ‘I’m happy for you’.”

Cam nodded slowly, holding Don’s gaze. “Yeah. Would have been a good idea.” He cleared his throat and forced himself to relax against the back of his chair. “What’s up? You have some business we need to discuss?”

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