Page 91 of Soaring Free
She nods and looks to Liam. “And for you, sir?”
“I’ll take a large americano with a splash of cream please.” Liam’s face is friendly, but I know my brother, and that slight tilt of his head means he’s observing every single detail about this woman, and I suspect she knows it too. She tells us our total, and Liam taps to pay but doesn’t start moving to find a table right away. “We haven’t met, my apologies. I’m Liam Callahan.” He extends his hand and Cami hesitates—for just a moment—before reaching out to shake it.
“Oh, wow, there are a lot of you guys, huh? I’m Cameron Walsh, but everyone calls me Cami. It’s nice to meet you. I’ll get started on those drinks and bring them out to you in just a moment!” She all but squeaks at the end before she turns and scurries away to make our drinks—or to run away from Liam.
“So … that was a bit odd, right?” Liam asks as we take a seat in the front near the large windows that overlook Main Street. But Liam’s attention isn’t focused on Main Street; his eyes are tracking Cami’s movements as she buzzes around making our drinks. “Has she worked here long? I haven’t been inside Java Jive in ages.”
“I think she moved to town earlier this year from … where did she say … Colorado, maybe? She was a bit skittish with me when I first met her too. I wonder if she’s just shy?”
He hums before looking back to me. “Is she usually skittish with you now?”
I shake my head. “No, things changed after a little drama with some foolish clucking hens a few months ago.” And they really did. Ever since Cami apologized when I stormed out after overhearing those trash-talking heifers, she’s been different with me. She no longer runs away when I walk in the shop, and I don’t have to worry if she likes me or not. I wouldn’t say we’re friends, but maybe we can make our way to having a full conversation oneday. But watching Cami react to meeting Liam is like a time warp back to how our interactions used to be.
“Hm. Interesting. Did she say what brought her to Forrest Falls?” Liam inquires and I know it’s more than a simple question coming from him.
“You know, I didn’t ask her to state her business in town as this isn’t the Wild West where strangers needed a reason to come to town or risk getting run out of town,” I scold him, but his question makes me wonder—what did bring Cameron Walsh to town?
“I’ll let you know what I find out.” Liam’s simple statement means that he is going to one hundred percent find out why she came to town, along with anything else he can find, and my brother can and does find out everything when he’s curious about someone. I suspect by the end of the week, or maybe even by the end of the day, he will know where Cameron Walsh grew up, who her third grade teacher was, her mama’s maiden name, and if she’s adequately saving for retirement. I shake my head and let it go—plus, a small part of me is curious as well. Okay, a big part of me because I still haven’t figured out why she was so strange with me at first.
Cami delivers our drinks, avoiding eye contact with Liam, but giving me a quick smile before mumbling, “Enjoy your drinks.” She scurries away as Liam watches her with interest before turning back to me.
“How did the meeting go yesterday?” Liam places his elbows on the table and leans forward before he takes a sip of his hot coffee.
A heavy sigh rises from the depths of my soul before I answer. We had a meeting with our attorneys yesterday at Shane’s request. While Shane was in the hospital recovering from being poisoned, additional information came to light about Kyle’s involvement in my divorce proceedings. It sounds like that for the last few years, whenever Shane would comment about our marriage or frustrations with me, Kyle would fan those flames at each and every turn. In fact, the penthouse that Shane purchased which started this whole process? Kyle showed him the listingwhen he said he was considering buying a place nearby but wanted a few different amenities in the building. The ridiculous settlement offers? Every one of them had been at Kyle’s nudging. He clearly wanted Shane and me to fight and complicate the divorce process, whereas we originally both just wanted to keep it as simple as possible and limit the drama for our girls. When it all came to light, Shane also fired Kane Daughtry as a client—who Shane met when Kyle introduced the two of them, and assured Shane that the drama with Kane and Jack’s company was largely embellished by the press.
Police found video footage of Kyle putting the Visine in Shane’s coffee the evening he ingested the poison after our dramatic display at Cider Fest. I’m not sure what Shane knows about Kyle’s demise, but I know he asked Liam if it was handled, and when Liam confirmed he had been handled, Shane’s response was just a single word: good.
“It’s all still incredibly awkward, but I’m grateful they we’re willing to meet at my attorney’s office this time. I never want to step foot in that building again.” I shudder at the thought. Liam blew up the monster, but I wouldn’t be able to be in that building and not think of him. It is a small comfort that Kyle’s creepy cabin is a pile of ash, but I don’t want any additional reminders of the asshole. The other junior partner that I didn’t know very well, Cooper, is now representing Shane. Pippa and Cooper had a few heated words yesterday, but the entire environment is different because Shane and I now are on the same page moving forward of doing what is best for our girls. Shane actually requested that we change our custody agreement to joint custody, and after hearing all of the ways Kyle was manipulating Shane, I agreed. I will still have the girls most of the time, but at least we’re going to attempt to co-parent because that’s what our girls deserve. I know Shane feels incredibly guilty for not seeing the signs that Kyle was stalking me, but Shane isn’t responsible for Kyle’s crazy.
“Shane did say he wants to sell his loft so he can buy a different place that has a room for each of the girls, which I was happy to sign off on. He’s only been out of the hospital a week, but I thinkhe has spent more time with our girls in the last seven days than in the last seven months combined.” Liam nods as I continue, “I don’t know what it looks like, but I’m hopeful we can get to a place where Shane and I can maybe even be friends for the sake of our girls.” It’s going to take some time for healing to take place, but the man I saw in the meeting reminded me of the man I married, not the asshole I’ve been dealing with for the last year or so.
We didn’t explain every detail about what happened to our girls. The amount of trauma that would expose them to just didn’t seem fair. In a small town, gossip happens, and unfortunately, it is common knowledge that I was taken. Walker’s colleague that joined our book club, Harlow, helped me navigate that discussion. You would never know that the same five-foot-four woman with a boisterous giggle who loves small town romance books and a well-done “That’s my wife” scene is a forensic psychiatrist and criminal profiler with the FBI. My girls seemed to take it as well as expected and they will all start therapy next week to ensure they’re able to handle it all as well as they can. Between the divorce, my kidnapping, and Shane’s poisoning, we need to ensure our girls have the appropriate tools to navigate all of the complex emotions as they process everything.
“I hope you can too, for the sake of the girls. And if he becomes difficult again, I expect you to notify us. Immediately.” Liam’s statement is just that; it’s not a question, it’s a demand, but one I am happy to abide by.
The jingle of the bell over the front door sounds, and I turn to see a piece of my heart walk through the door. My smile is bright and immediate at the sight of Theo. I just saw him this morning before he left for court, but this is only his third day back to work since everything happened, so I am still very aware of being away from him. He waves to Cami, and I know he will go order, but first, he is going to come to me.
When it comes to Theo Smith-Harrington, his girls always come first.
I throw my arms around his neck and pull that man as close as I can to give him a kiss hello, despite my brother’s grumbling objections to seeing his sister kiss her boyfriend.
“Hi, baby. How are you?” He leans back before placing a small kiss on my forehead and sliding his arm around my shoulders to pull me flush to his side. The scent of his cologne with its notes of leather, cedar, and faint hints of tobacco invade my lungs and allow my shoulders to relax a little just knowing that he is here with me.
“Hey, yourself. I’m better now.” I beam up at him. We’ve been through something no one should ever have to face, but the ordeal has demolished any doubt either of us had about our relationship, and if I was betting woman—and I will always bet on Theo—I would bet that I will have an engagement ring on my finger by New Year’s Eve. Whenever that does happen, it won’t be just an engagement ring for long. We’ve already talked about it and we’ll take Jack’s plane to an all-inclusive resort we found in Jamaica with our loved ones to get married on the beach as soon as possible.
I walk with Theo, tucked under his arm, up to the counter so he can order a coffee before we join my brother again at the table. Things aren’t back to normal, and we have some significant issues to deal with, including big traumas to work through, but we are on our way to our own happily ever after, and that is pretty wonderful in itself.
“Sophia mentioned that if she doesn’t get invited to the book club soon, she is going to take it personally,” Liam comments as he tucks his phone back in his pocket. Of course. When he said he was going to look into Cami, of course he reached out to Sophia.
Hm. Does that mean that if I want the inside scoop on anyone or anything that I can also just reach out to Sophia?
“Oh! I didn’t realize she wanted to join … or that she even knew about it.” Liam tilts his head and narrows his eyes. Right. She’s a super-talented hacker spy-whatever like my brother. She probably already knows everything about me and everyone else in our family.
“I will fix that right now!”
*Savannah Callahan-Williams has added Sophia to the group chat: Book Club*
Me
