Page 28 of The Easy Way
Any way you sliced it, he had nobody to blame for his misery but himself, and the last thing he needed was Drew McMann driving that pointhome.
“Right. Well, when he calls back, you tell him I already have a meeting scheduled afterall.”
“Alright,” Margaret saiddubiously.
“Margaret,” he warned, sitting forward in his chair. “Seriously. You are my only hope. Do not fail me in this. You just went over everything on my agenda today, and the last thing I need is Drew barging in and making himself at home in that chair while he tells me all the ways I could be doing things differently and thereforebetter.”
She raised one eyebrow and pursed her lips. “You should tell himthat.”
Cam snorted. “Right. Tell him to mind his own business and stop trying to tell me I’m incompetent. That’ll go over well. Do you do family counseling as a sidejob?”
Margaret threw up her hands in defeat. “You three boys will be the death of me. I watched you all grow up together, thick as thieves, and now I’m seeing you tear each other apart.Youare so convinced you don’t deserve your job, you won’t look up and see exactly how well you’re doing and how valuable you are.Drewis so devastated about Amy and Bas and his parents’ divorce, he’s determined to take care of everyone he has left, even if he smothers you all to death in the process. AndSebastian…” Shehesitated.
“Oh, don’t stop now,” Cam told her, folding his arms across his chest. He smirked. “This I want tohear.”
“Fine,” she said, raising her chin defiantly. “Bas is so damn guilty helived,he’s determined to kill himself one way oranother.”
Direct hit.Cam’s stomach bottomed out and his smile diedimmediately.
Margaret closed her eyes and gave a slight, rueful shake of her head. She stood, clasping her tablet to her chest, and picked up his empty coffee cup. “I’ll get you more coffee Mr. Seaver,” she saidsoftly.
Cam nodded, accepting the peace offering. All the coffee in Boston wouldn’t bring the world into focus today, but he’d give it a decenttry.
He tried to focus on the new designs for their virtual reality program which could help pediatric neurosurgeons, but a commotion out in the lobby caught his attention. Margaret was talking to someone out there – through the open door, he could hear a deep voice arguing in counterpoint to Margaret’s sweet soprano. He checked the time on his phone.Nine forty-five.Probably Drew, goddamn it, not bothering to call back to check and simply assuming Cam wasfree.
He hesitated, girding himself mentally. If Drew was so worked up he was harassing Margaret, Cam shouldn’t put off this meeting anylonger.
Polite but firm NO. Polite. Firm.NO.
“Margaret, send himin.”
Her head appeared in the doorway, and she frowned. “But Mr. Seaver, he doesn’t have anappointment.”
Cam sighed and minimized the design specs on his computer. “I know. And he really should, but it’s okay. Maybe offer him coffee so he’s not quite such an asshole while he’shere.”
“I’m hardly ever an asshole,” the voice in the doorway joked, and even before he turned, Cam’s heart gave a traitorousleap.
Cort stood in the doorway next to Margaret, looking better than Cam had allowed himself to remember. His longish golden hair was slicked neatly back, and the well-cut navy suit emphasized his broad shoulders and lean waist, but it was his face with its intense green eyes and secret smile which had Camentranced.
“Mr. Seaver, this is highly irregular,” Margaret complained. “I’ll get Mr. McMann down hereimmediately.”
Cam pulled his gaze away from Cort and raised an eyebrow. She seemed flustered, and Margaret was hardly ever flustered. What in the world would they need Drewfor?
He stood and walked around his desk. “That won’t be necessary, Margaret,” he said, coming to take the coffee from her hand. “Cort and I have alreadymet.”
Her brow puckered. “You’ve met?” she said, wide-eyed with confusion. “But… Are you sure? Mr. McMann sent out amemo.”
Cam blinked. Drew had sent out a memo aboutCort?
Cort cleared his throat and drew Cam’s attention once more. “I’m good, Margaret,” Cam told his assistant, ushering her out through the door. “Do not call Drew. My earlier instructions stillapply.”
“Yes, Mr. Seaver,” she sighed, and he shut the door behindher.
Cam took a second to compose himself before he turned around to face him.Cort had found him.Cam had no idea what it meant, but his heart was pounding unsteadily and he felt hope bloom in his stomach. Perhaps Cort wanted more than one night, and Cam would have a chance to redeem himself. Maybe he ought to have a little more faith in himself, in other people, and trust his owninstincts.
“So, I guess you weren’t a figment of my imagination, huh? I wasn’t sure after Saturday morning. I didn’t get your number.” Cam turned and leaned back against the door, unable to stop himself from smiling. Cort was close by, a few feet away, and the same electric current which had zapped between them on Friday crackled.Didn’t imagine that zing. Nor the way he smells of oranges and Christmas,either.
Cam’s body reacted to the scents almost instantly, his stomach heating, tightening, clenching.Downboy.
