Something About You (FBI/US Attorney #1)(78)

Cameron set down her forkful of blueberry pancakes, ready to begin. “So.”

Collin started things off with some not-so-subtle innuendo. “You look tired this morning,” he said with a pointed look in the direction of Jack, who stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows while talking on his phone.

“You look pretty beat yourself,” Cameron replied, nodding toward Richard, who had made his way over to Amy and Aaron’s table to offer his congratulations.

“We were up all night, talking things through. That’s it,” Collin said.

“Oh. Well, I can’t say the same thing.”

“Alrighty then. About time. Let’s hear it.”

Cameron opened her mouth to answer—of course she’d tell Collin about her night with Jack, she told Collin everything—then . . .

Nothing. She hesitated for a moment longer before shutting her mouth with merely a smile.

“That good, huh?” Collin said with a laugh.

Cameron blushed and waved this off. “Tell me how things went with Richard. Did you guys work things out?”

“There’s some fine-tuning that still needs to be done, but I think we’re going to try moving back in together.”

Cameron was happy for him. If working things out with Richard was what Collin wanted, that’s what she wanted, too. “So did you make him do some major groveling?”

“I didn’t have to. He said plenty on his own—all I had to do was listen.”

From their table, she and Collin watched as Richard shook Aaron’s hand and hugged Amy. A few feet away, by the windows, Jack finished his call and made another, keeping one protective eye on Cameron at all times. He winked at her, and she smiled.

“You are so smitten,” Collin said.

Two things happened then, in response to Collin’s comment. First, Cameron realized just how right he was. Second, her thoughts turned strangely serious. Or, in light of current events, perhaps not so strangely.

As long as she was in danger with this investigation, Jack was, too. And everyone else close to her. Collin had already been hurt—what if something had happened at the wedding, to him again, or to Amy? She trusted Jack—and the FBI in general—to keep them all safe, but still. As long as Mandy Robards’s killer was out there, she would always have a sense of dread hanging over her.

It was the FBI’s investigation, and she would do whatever they told her to. But she’d been working an idea in the back of her mind, something that could possibly speed things along. For all their sakes.

Jack finished his call and came back to their table.

“How are the pancakes?” he asked as he took his seat.

“Delicious. How did your call go?”

“The security system at your house is set up and ready to go. Which makes me feel a lot better about being there.” Jack grabbed his fork and stole a bite of pancake from her plate. “You’re right. These are good.”

His comments about the security system got Cameron thinking. “You know, having seen you in action this weekend, I’m surprised you felt comfortable being down the hallway from me that first night. While we’ve been here, you haven’t let me out of your sight for more than a half hour.” She caught the look on Jack’s face. “What?”

“In the interest of full disclosure . . . I didn’t let you out of my sight that night. I slept on your floor. Actually, more like against your wall.” He mistook her silence. “I didn’t say anything because I was trying not to scare you.”

She shook her head. “No, I get it. I just . . . didn’t realize you had done that for me.”

Jack lowered his voice so Collin couldn’t hear. “Don’t look so serious. Trust me—you more than made up for it last night.”

Cameron put on a smile, not wanting to ruin the mood. “Sorry. I’ll just be glad when this investigation is over.”

“It will be soon. I promise,” Jack said.

She nodded in agreement.

Particularly if she had anything to say about it.

THEY GOT ON the road shortly after the brunch. Cameron wasn’t eager to tempt fate—the entire weekend had been wonderful, and she wanted to keep it that way.

She had a lot of time to think during the drive home. She had some thoughts on a possible next step in the Robards investigation, but she didn’t want to bring it up until they were back at her house. After Jack confirmed that the security system was working, and after they had settled in and unpacked from the wedding, she was hoping the two of them could sit down and talk through her idea. She had a feeling Jack wasn’t going to be particularly receptive, at least not at first.

With the shorter fall days, it was just beginning to turn dark outside when Jack pulled the car into her garage. He told her to wait in the car while he checked to make sure the backyard was safe. Then he came back, grabbed their suitcases, deposited them at the back door, and escorted her to the house.

Coming out of her garage, Cameron noticed the new French doors on her upstairs balcony. “They look just like the old ones,” she observed.

“I had our security team put them in over the weekend. We needed them with the new alarm system.”

Jack unlocked the back door, left her standing outside for a few moments, then gestured for her to enter. To her, everything felt quiet and secure, but she followed him from room to room as he checked the house, waiting for him to confirm this.