Page 71 of Camilla & Dallas
“What do you want, Thorton?”Mateo muttered after glancing up from the paperwork in his hand. Roman stood at Dallas’s back as if to cage him into the office. These two were the men Dallas was worried to confront. He’d managed to avoid them since the big blowup.
The only thing keeping his feet planted here was how he felt for Camilla.
“I need your help.”
Roman snickered at his back. It sounded more threatening than amused.
Mateo dropped the paperwork and leaned back in his seat. “Oh? And why would I help you after what you did to my sister? Again?”
Dallas winced. “Because this is about her.”
“You’re going to stay away from her,” Roman growled at him. “Don’t even try it again.”
It was a little too late for that. Dallas was slowly inching himself into Camilla’s good graces again. He cleared his throat and scrubbed his jaw. “I made a mistake. But I’m working to fix it.” He didn’t know what Camilla told her brothers, and he wasn’t about to dig himself a deeper grave by admitting to something she’d kept to herself. Their relationship was between them, no one else.
“Yeah, you did,” Mateo snapped. “You hurt her. I should have listened to them when they said you shouldn’t stay. I trusted you.”
Dallas hung his head. “I know.”
“And yet you’re coming here for help?”
He nodded, heat creeping up the back of his neck. “I know you don’t have any reason to help me out, but maybe you’ll consider it after you hear what I have to say.”
Camilla’s oldest brother cocked his head, eyes flashing with curiosity.
That was a good sign, right?
Rubbing the back of his neck and tossing Roman a quick look, Dallas stepped closer to Mateo. “There’s a place for sale a few miles east of here. It’s got a small house and enough land to expand. It’s close to home.”
Mateo didn’t speak. He continued to stare with those penetrating eyes all the Palmers had.
“I’m staying, Mateo. I’m not going anywhere. I’d sacrifice my job and everything else if it meant I could be with Camilla.”
“Why?” Roman ground out. “Why put her through any of this again?”
Dallas turned to him then. “Because sheismy everything. My job. My sister. None of it matters. There is onlyher.” He thought he saw the corners of Roman’s mouth twitch before he shot a look at Mateo over Dallas’s shoulder. Turning, Dallas met Mateo’s eyes. “I’m in between jobs at the moment… kinda. That means it’s going to be near impossible to get a loan for that property, but with the market being what it is, I need to jump on it before someone else does.”
Mateo arched a brow. “A loan? And what makes you think I can afford that?”
He swallowed hard. “I don’t. But I know you have connections here. I thought, if nothing else, you could talk to them. I’ll do whatever it takes. I’m not against anything. Working for the Callahans. Offering favors to that Shane guy at the country club. Whatever it takes.” Desperation seeped into his voice. “Anything,” he whispered.
Dallas restedhis hand atop Camilla’s. Hers were wrapped around his waist as they rode the ATV toward the cabin he’d called home. He’d since moved out, but Camilla had asked him to take her out to where he’d been taking samples and doing his research.
This was a sign she was opening up to him if he ever had one.
Once they arrived, she slung her backpack onto one shoulder and then gave him an expectant look. He chuckled as he gathered his own bag and started out toward the wooded area.
“You talk to Cheyenne recently?” Her voice surprised him, and he glanced at her over his shoulder.
“Nope. You?”
“She’s tried calling a couple times.” She shrugged. When he didn’t say anything, she continued. “She confessed to everything, Dallas. All of it.”
He stiffened. Had she told Camilla about the ring? He prayed not. He didn’t want Camilla to pick him out of some strange sense of obligation. “I’m sorry you were caught in the middle of it.”
She released a sad-sounding laugh. “You and me both.” Camilla continued walking at his back, the crunching of her boots the only indication she remained close. “I can’t believe she’d do that.”
“I can.” He sighed.
