LOOK UP AT THE STARS

CHAPTER 11 - MANSION

Shawn

I could hardly keep still, nervous excitement had me pacing. Camila's flight should have landed, I was waiting for her text so I knew where to meet her. I'd sent her my location in the VIP car park but I didn't know if she wanted me to come in and help with her bags or not. We hadn't seen each other for over a month, and even then, it had been a weekend in LA before I had to go to London for album promo. But now we had three weeks off and despite her dislike of cold weather, she had agreed to come spend it with me in Toronto.

I felt to small arms slide around my waist and I stilled, a smile spreading across my face. I turned so that I was still in the circle of her arms but now facing her. She looked so pretty, her hair wispy around her face, her cheeks flushed. I couldn't think of a word to say so I just kissed her. She kissed me back and then sighed as she snuggled into my chest. I looked up to see a small gaggle of paparazzi outside the airport.

"They got us," I said, nodding toward the photographers.

"Fuck them," she said with a smile. "Who cares anyway?"

"Not me, I'm a free man."

Her eyes widened. "It came through?"

"Lawyers sent me the final documentation today. Divorce has been granted."

She hugged me tighter, and I hugged her back, and for a moment it was only the two of us, there were no other cars in the carpark, no paparazzi clicking away, no fans looking or pointing at us. I'd missed her and I'd been waiting for the day when I could hold her knowing that I was able to do so without any impediments, now there really was nothing holding me back.

"Come on, let's get out of her, I've got something to show you in the car," I said and her eyes sparkled with curiosity as she hurried to the front seat while I put her bags in the back. When I got into the driver's seat she was flipping through the folder I'd left on her side and she turned to me with an excited grin.

"You found houses!"

"Yes, the realtor said if there's anything there we like the look of she can take us through whenever it suits us," I said. There were a couple there I really liked and she held one up to me as I started the car and put my seatbelt on.

"This one looks amazing!"

"I like that one too," I said. "But I have a concern...."

She frowned, but I hoped my next words would put her worries to rest.

"I don't think any of them are as nice as my place," I said. She looked confused now, because we'd been so keen about getting a place together. "Why don't we just use my place here, for the time being at least. It's plenty big enough for the two of us."

She blushed a little at the inference that one day there might be more than just two.

"I thought this was what you wanted...." She sounded so disappointed.

"I still want to buy a place, but your place in LA, and my condo are plenty fine for us now, don't you think?"

She nodded, looking sad, so I continued quickly 

"But the place we spend most time is Miami, and although the poolhouse is nice, I think that's where we need our own space. So this," I passed her another folder from down the side of my seat. "is what the realtor in Miami found for us."

She opened it up, her mouth hanging open, her eyes starting to fill with tears.

"All of them are close to your parents, but not too close, you know. I hope that's OK, I know you love staying with your family, I do too, but....."