Thief .(58)
“We’re not finding out.”
She tossed another dress my way. I re-shelved it when she turned away.
“I own a nanny agency, you know. So, when the little bundle comes along, I’m sure I can find it a new mother.”
She held up a Gucci dress and I nodded. “She’ll be fine. You know I’m traditional about those things.”
Cammie snorted. “You might be, but I highly doubt your lovely wife will be offering up the breast any time soon.”
I ground my teeth together, which she noticed right away.
“Sore subject much? Don’t worry C-Dizzle, I’ve seen this before. Tell her you’ll buy her a new set when it’s all over. That should bring her around.”
I cocked my head. That wasn’t a bad idea.
I followed her to the changing room.
“So,” I said, leaning against the wall outside. “How-”
“She’s fine.”
I nodded, looking at the floor.
“Is she-”
She burst out wearing the blue dress and spun in a circle.
“Don’t even bother trying the others on,” I said.
She made a kissy face at the mirror and nodded. “You’re right.”
The door slammed closed. A minute later, she came out dressed and carrying the garment on her arm.
“Well, that was easy.”
I walked with her to the register and watched as she plucked out her credit card. “Now a gift and shoes and I’m all set.”
“What’s the dress for again?”
She leveled her eyes on me, a wicked smile playing on her lips.
“Didn’t I tell you?” she said innocently. “This dress is for Olivia’s wedding.”
A tremor of shock passed through me. Suddenly, all of the colors around me were bleeding together, hurting my eyes. I felt sick, my chest constricting with each second that passed. Cammie’s lips were moving; she was saying something. I shook my head to clear it.
“What?”
She smirked at me and tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder. Then she patted my arm sympathetically.
“Hurts, doesn’t it, motherfucker?”
“When?” I breathed.
“Uh-uh. I’m not telling you that.”
I licked my lips. “Cammie … tell me it’s not Turner.”
Her face broke into smile. “Nope.”
I felt the pressure in my chest release a little. A little. I hated Turner. I hadn’t even met the guy. It was by sight alone.
“Noah Stein,” Cammie said, grinning. “Funny story,” she said, making her eyes really big. “She met him on that little impromptu trip she took to Rome. You remember? The one where she came baring her soul, and you turned her away.”
“It didn’t happen like that.”
She cocked the corner of her mouth up and shook her head like she was disappointed in me. “You had your chance, big boy. Fate hates you guys.”
“Leah had just lost the baby and her sister tried to commit suicide. I couldn’t leave her. I was trying to do the right thing for once.”
She jerked to look at me. “Leah was…” her voice trailed off and her eyes glazed over. I cocked my head.
“Leah lost a baby?” she repeated. I saw something in her eyes that made me take a step closer.
“What are you not saying?”
She pursed her lips and shook her head at me. “When you went to Rome with Leah, were you trying to have a baby?”
Cammie was known for asking uncomfortable questions, but this was a little personal, even for her.
“No. We were just taking a break. Getting away from everything. Trying to work on-”
“Your marriage,” she finished.
“Why are you asking me this?”
She suddenly looked up from the patch of floor she’d been staring at. “Just interested, I guess. Hey, I’ve got to get out of here.”
She leaned up to kiss me on the cheek, but something wasn’t sitting right with me. Cammie was an obnoxious spitfire. When she started acting awkward, something was wrong.
“Cammie…”
“Don’t,” she said. “She’s happy. She’s getting married. Leave her alone.”
She started walking away, but I grabbed her wrist. “You said that to me once before, do you remember?”
Her face paled. She yanked her arm away.
“Just tell me when?” I pleaded. “Cammie, please…”
She swallowed. “Saturday.”
I closed my eyes and dropped my head. “Bye, Cam.”
“Bye, Caleb.”
I didn’t get Leah’s pretzel. I got back in my car, drove to the beach and sat on the sand looking out at the water. Leah called me five times, but I sent the calls to voicemail. Saturday was two days away. She was probably a mess. She always was when there was a big life change on the horizon. I rubbed my chest. It felt so heavy.