Maybe the kiss hadn’t been a total mistake.
“No problem at all,” Remi said stopping her from continuing to let him down. “May I ask what type of engagement? I thought your trip to town was unexpected.”
He knew he was fishing and that she had every right to tell him to mind his own business, but he wasn’t ready to get off the phone and he did have a genuine interest in where Camille would be. He expected her to avoid the subject but instead she said, “I have a friend flying to the West Coast and she has a layover in the city. I told her I’d meet her for an early dinner.”
Camille hated lying. He knew that about her and she was definitely lying.
“Oh, really. Where do you plan to take her? Maybe I could make some suggestions.” He tried not to sound disappointed over being lied to.
She hesitated for a moment and then told him that she was open to suggestions. She listened intently, but something inside him told him she wasn’t taking any of it in. She thanked him again and promised to call and reschedule, but as he hung up he knew he wouldn’t hold his breath.
* * *
Camille wasn’t sure why she felt so bad about having to let down Remi, but she did. She’d felt so bad about lying to him that she’d wanted to tell him exactly what she was going into the city to do. If anyone would be proud of her, Remi would. He’d probably go out and buy all her books just to see if she based any of the characters on him. Then he’d find something in every one and insist he deserved some sort of royalty payment for being her inspiration. Jokingly, of course, but he’d definitely say it.
Camille blushed at the mere idea of Remi reading words she conjured from her thoughts. It was one thing for a stranger to read her books but it was another for someone close to read them. It would be like them seeing a different side of her—a side that may suggest she wasn’t as innocent as people imagined her to be.
Wasn’t that her dilemma? She was doing this thing that she was so proud of and she could only be proud of it in secret. She was afraid to reveal the truth because she didn’t want to hurt her family. She certainly didn’t want to bring any unwanted attention to her small hometown. Using this alias had protected everyone, although she could honestly say she sometimes wished she didn’t have to hide her identity. She wished she could tell everyone, especially Remi. She wished she could tell everyone that she’d only left to protect Krane Foods and Remi’s future, because ultimately, she could’ve dealt with the scrutiny if had been just her she had to think about.
The next day went by quickly. Her father had made breakfast, despite the protests of the home health nurse, and they’d talked and caught up a little. He told her he would not be sitting in the house another whole day and that he’d politely told the nurse that day would be her last, despite the fact that she’d been ‘easy on the eyes’. Camille had wanted to object but had it on good authority from his doctor that he’d be fine on his own if he followed the rules given at the time of his discharge.
Before she knew it, she was pulling up to the restaurant where she was to meet the distributor. The valet took her keys and parked her car.
“Cami—I mean, Reese Elaine... There should be a party expecting me,” she said to the snobby host giving her the once-over. If he only knew who she was, he wouldn’t treat her that way. But she didn’t write for the fame and that was clear since she’d chosen to remain anonymous all these years.
She followed the wiry blond-headed fellow to a private lounge area. When she walked through the door, she was surprised to see several women there, all looking like Southern beauties with their big pageant hair and perfectly applied makeup. Setups like this made Camille go into author mode. These ladies would make great characters for a book. Maybe they could all be in love with the same guy...
“So good to finally meet you, Reese.” The woman who’d stepped forward took Camille’s hand in her own and held it for a moment and then let go. The gesture kept Camille’s thoughts from straying too far and being called by her father’s name made her wince a little. The few people who knew her as Reese Elaine also knew her as Camille Ryan so she never got to hear the pseudonym from their lips.
“Nice to meet you as well, Colette. You and your lovely daughters.” Camille had put the pieces together to this little carbon-copy celebration. These girls all looked so much alike that it was obvious they were all sisters. Hell, if she didn’t know they weren’t quintuplets, she would’ve thought that at first glance.
“I’ve read each and every one of your books. It would be an honor if you’d sign this for me.”
The woman turned and one of her daughters who stood silently behind her handed Colette an e-reader. The device, as well as a silver paint-pen, was put into her hands and she wrote the requested message on the back. After that, the evening became a little lighter. They all got to know each other and Camille realized that looks could be deceiving because these girls were a riot. They drank and laughed and they even tried to fix Camille up with their older brother who was a real-estate developer in town. She said she’d think about it, though she had no intention of getting anywhere near that. There was no way she could take this kind of attention on a regular basis. They asked her every question in the book and had even questioned her sexuality when she said she didn’t date very often. They joked and said she must be really free with her sexuality and Camille had to remember that the girls were basing her experience on what she wrote in her books. She assured them that each and every book was a product of her vivid imagination, which led to a discussion of potential ideas for future books.
After a brief private meeting with Colette they came to a tentative deal on distribution rights. Colette said she’d be having her team contact Reese’s publisher soon to hash out the details and then she left. Camille wanted to leave as well but the sisters begged her to stay. She agreed and they shoved a drink into her hand and moved their little party into the private bar area of the restaurant, saying Camille needed to have fun like her characters.
Camille decided to enjoy this one night. She was still on edge days after that kiss from Remi. Maybe a little attention was just what she needed that evening.
* * *
“Okay, you can’t keep turning down every man that approaches you, Reese,” Beth, the youngest sister, slurred.
“I’m not turning them down. I let two of them buy me a drink.”
“Come on, Reese, let me pick someone for you. I promise I have good taste.” Beth didn’t wait for Camille to respond. She hopped off her stool and worked her way through the semicrowded bar area. Camille figured the woman wouldn’t be back since the alcohol would probably hinder her mission. However, about twenty minutes later she got a tap on her shoulder and standing there with Beth was the last person she expected to see an hour away from their hometown.
“What are you doing here, Remington?”
“I’m beginning to think that’s your favorite question.”
“You two know each other?” The younger woman squealed. “Damn, I’m good! I have to go tell my sisters. Have fun and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
Remi never took his eyes off Camille. He stood there silently as if he knew something he shouldn’t. And when he spoke, she nearly had a heart attack because she knew she had some explaining to do.
“I talked to Charlie. He wouldn’t tell me much, but he did lead me to you, Ms. Reese Elaine. You didn’t have to keep it from me, Camille,” Remi said as he reached for her hand.
Camille breathed in deeply. She knew the conversation that was coming would be a serious one and she was slightly disturbed that Charlie would reveal her secret.
* * *
It had taken some persuading and some begging but Charlie had ultimately given some information. The information hadn’t