Love, Scars, & Shooting Stars

Chapter Forty

Cameron stood at the sink and finished his second cup of strong, black coffee, then emptied the remains of the pot into his thermos. With what little sleep he'd managed to get the night before, caffeine was going to be his strongest ally in the workday ahead.

Gathering the rest of his things, Cam's gaze strayed yet again to the window of the side door, but Julie's car was still missing from its spot in the driveway outside. It hadn't been there when he'd come home late the night before, and he hadn't heard the throaty rumble of its shoddy muffler at any time during the night. And, much as he hated to admit it, he'd been listening for the sound of that muffler. She hadn't come home last night, and it didn't take a genius to guess who she was with.

No, Cameron thought. She wouldn't spend the night with Garrett, not with Finn there... would she?

He didn't want to believe it, but what other explanation could there be? Cameron snatched his keys from the counter and forced the thought from his mind.

No, I'm not going there, he insisted. He refused to go down that road, tormenting himself with jealousy and paranoia over what Julie may or may not be doing. He had to trust her in this, and he did trust her, but... that asshole Ex of hers was another matter altogether. Cam didn't trust Garrett Bradley any further than he could spit.

A low and steady grumble interrupted Cameron's thoughts as he stepped out onto the porch, and he looked up to see Julie's car pull into the driveway. She smiled and waved, and he had a brief flash of déjà vu as he recalled her arrival home just three nights before. Damn, what he wouldn't give for a replay of that night right about now!

"Hey, Cam!" Finn called out as he headed for the stairs.

"Hey, Finn," Cameron waved back, stepping down off the porch and dropping his things into the back of his truck.

"I'll be right up," Julie called after her son. "Hurry and take your shower so I can get ready for work, okay?"

He responded in the affirmative, and she watched him go until he'd rounded the corner. Then, she turned to face Cameron.

"It's almost seven-thirty," she noted with a grin. "That's late for you."

Cam shrugged, forcing a smile. "Yeah, I guess it is. Even later for you, isn't it?"

Thought you weren't going to go there? he berated himself, but Julie didn't seem to pick up on the faint note of jealousy in his tone. Or if she did, she simply chose to ignore it.

"We spent the night at Becca's," she said with a smile. "Gary's out of town, and I think she was feeling lonely, so she lured me in with the promise of pizza."

Cam grinned as his earlier concerns about her whereabouts were washed away.

"Pizza, huh? I'll have to remember that," he teased.

Julie laughed, and then regarded him with a curious look. "Wait. Were you worried about me or something?"

Cameron shrugged sheepishly. "What if I was?"

His smile fell away, and he locked his eyes on her as he waited for her to reply. She looked angry for a fraction of a second, as if she suddenly realized what he'd been thinking earlier, and where he'd thought she'd been. But then her expression softened, and she smiled at him across the bed of his truck.

"I guess I'd be okay with that," she said, and Cameron knew he had nothing to worry about.