Page 22 of Back to You

"Hey." Vivian rested a hand on his arm where it was crossed in an attempt to keep it under control. "Don't worry. No one is going to let Jonathan take over and ruin it. It's one thing for him to pretend he came up with the money himself, it's completely another for him to actually be able to do the work. We all know he and his stupid spreadsheets wouldn't know the difference between a cedar bowl and Tupperware."

Cam felt some of the tension ease out of him. Vivian was right. This wasn't a battle he was going to have to fight alone. Already, his parents were weaving their way through the crowd, smiling and nodding in a way that said they didn't want to be rude but they had somewhere to be.

Probably over here making sure Cam didn't punch Jonathan for the second time in his life.

He glanced up at Vivian who was watching him with an odd but fierce expression on her face.

He forced an easygoing grin and winked at her.

“Hey.” Vivian nudged him and nodded her head toward where the lairds sat. “What do you think that’s all about?”

On the far side of the room, Noah bent at the waist to listen to the older men, rubbing at the back of his neck like he was trying to get rid of a few layers of skin.

“No idea, but hopefully we’ll have a clue soon.”

Which meant meeting at Noah’s.

“Camden!” His mother waved her hand high in the air as if at six-two he wouldn’t be able to see her over a crowd. She and his father worked their way down the aisle, excusing themselves as people mulled around grumbling about the lack of real action and a lot of things aboutoutsidersbeing discussed.

Cam felt a little surge of pride.

The town seemed to trust him.

No matter how many times Jonathan tried to destroy his reputation.

“I have never liked that—” She stopped short when Tyler’s head popped out from behind Vivian and pivoted, finishing with, “Jerk. Why every time you have any type of issue, he’s behind it. Since you were this one’s age. It got old two decades ago. I should have a word with his mother.”

Cam snorted. Leave it to his mom to try to mom-solve.

Man, he loved his parents.

She waved at Tyler and he smiled up at her shyly.

“It’s gonna be what it’s gonna be,” Cam said, trying to stay outwardly even-toned.

He wasn’t dumb. His mother could start a riot with her pinky finger.

A good portion of the room—including Jonathan himself—had had Mrs. Ross for English and still loved her.

Not that he wasn’t tempted to let her.

“But something’s going on.” Vivian pointed again over to the lairds and Mrs. Ross smirked.

“That should have been my first stop. What do they want with Noah?”

“No idea.” Cam had known the old men had been hanging out more and more in Noah’s café, but he figured it was because the pub had started getting too rowdy for them. Probably a stupid assumption. They probably started half the brawls that happened in the building. “But we’ll head over to Noah’s and find out.”

His mother gave a nod as Vivian shook her head.

“Sorry, no babysitter and I have a feeling Noah’s will have drinking and adult language.” She gave a little grin as she said it and he wondered how many small things she missed out on to be the supermom she was.

“That’s no problem.” His mother reached out and patted Vivian’s arm. “Harry and I can take him. If you don’t mind that is. Harry’s working on a new puzzle and could use a willing victim. Would Tyler be interested? I’d pay him in cookies.”

“Hey, now. Those are my cookies.” Cam wrapped an arm around her shoulder and gave a little squeeze.

“You snooze, you lose, Camden.” She turned back to Vivian and looked less sure. “That is, if Vivian is comfortable with him coming over. If you think it’s going to be late, he could stay. Or we could bring him back. Or you could come get him…”

His mother faded out and it was then he realized she was a little unsure about the outcome of the suggestion.

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