Page 86 of The Boyfriend Gamble

“Well, all of three houses down.” He brought a container to the table, opened the lid, presented it to me, and then sat.

“Oh, minis! They’re my favorites.” I dug in.

“Everett’s family headed back to New West as soon as the snow started. I saw Rayne and Champ just after you left—”

“Right, I thought that was him waving as we pulled out.”

“Yep. He saw I was alone and asked me to come.” He straightened. “Champ asked as well. He’s a rescue and I hate disappointing him.”

I grinned because Cameron was proving to be even more of a softie than I could have predicted. “What did you do? Examine their teeth? I can’t believe you took sweets over. But I’m glad.” I popped another mini into my mouth and grinned.

He rolled his eyes. “Not all sweets are bad. You just have to ensure you brush your teeth afterward. We watched a movie with Peter Erickson and Cole Hamilton. I’ve been meaning to watch it for years. They were watching it for the third time.”

“That bittersweet movie?” I nodded. “I watched it on the Internet a while back. I’d love to see it on a regular screen.”

“I happen to have a television. And I can get the movie. So let’s plan to watch it when you’re finally done with work.”

“That might be three or four days from now. Wally won’t have anything for me, so he’s happy Taryn’s keeping me busy.”

“I guess not a lot of lawn maintenance right now.”

“Nah. He clears a whole bunch of people’s walkways, though. And some sidewalks for elderly folks. He’ll be plenty busy.”

“That’s good of him.”

“Well, a chunk of that is paid work. Below what he’d normally make, though. He is a good man.” He’d only been my boss for a month, but I really liked the guy. “Oh, and school’s canceled for tomorrow. If the snow keeps up, that might stretch to Tuesday. And since Wednesday is the last day before Christmas break, that might be it for the year. Are you closed over the holidays?” I ate a fourth pastry.Man, these are so fucking good.

“We are closed. I like to give Kyla, my receptionist and Marcel, my hygienist, a couple weeks off. But Inez, my assistant, and I are on call through the holidays. Dental emergencies don’t follow a calendar.”

“True that.” I eyed the last éclair.

Cameron smiled and nudged the container my way.

Gleefully, I took the final one. After I’d chewed and swallowed, I grinned. “Thank you. Truly.”

“I’ll make sure I always have some. I didn’t think I’d find someone who enjoys them as much as my dad. Apparently, I’m wrong.

“Ilovethem. Honestly. My favorite. Well, and blueberry milkshakes. Which is so random and weird.”

“Have you been to Fifties yet?”

I blinked.

“The diner down on the highway.”

I shook my head.

“Ah, well, we definitely have to go. They have, like, forty flavors of milkshakes. Their blueberry is exceptional, I must say.”

“Like a date?” I nudged his arm.

His eyes went wide.

Oh shit. “I’m kidding. It’s a joke. Nothing to worry about.”Because Everett and Rayne won’t say anything, right?Well, Everett, I could trust to be discreet. Rayne was a whole other ball of wax.

Champ would definitely keep his mouth shut.

“I want to take you to Fifties. I…want you to have a blueberry milkshake.”

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