“My name’s Brian. I have something for you both. But maybe I should give it to your Mom.” He glanced at Mia. “They’re pretty expensive.”
“What are they?” Josh asked, noticing the shiny wooden boxes in the man’s hand. He reached out to touch them.
“Watches,” Mia said. “They’re watches.”
To be specific, Depuis watches. Valued at twenty thousand dollars each. She could remember her conversation with Cam about them. They’d been sitting in his drawer in his Boston apartment while he decided what to do with them.
“Why are you giving us watches?” Michael asked, his voice wary. “We don’t even know you. And what are you doing with Cam’s car?”
“These watches are from him. He wants you and Josh to have them.” Brian glanced at Mia. “He says keep them or sell them, he doesn’t mind. And he suggests you put them in a safety deposit box rather than letting them sit in a drawer.”
Mia cleared her throat. “Please thank Mr. Hartson for us, but we can’t accept them. It’s too much.”
Brian shrugged. “He said you’d say that. And he told me if you refuse them to leave them on the step. Either you pick them up or some lucky thief does.”
“What’s with that asshole?” Michael asked, throwing up his hands. “Doesn’t he know how to take no for an answer?”
“Mom, can I look at the watch?” Josh asked, his eyes wide. “Is it cool?” he asked Brian.
“Here you go,” Brian said, unlatching one of the wooden cases. “I’d say it’s pretty cool.”
The watch was huge. Way too big for Josh’s little hands. Mia stared at it for a moment, wondering what the hell to do. She couldn’t take forty thousand dollars worth of watches from Cam, not even if they would be used to help out with college for her boys.
But she couldn’t let them sit on the step either.
“I’ll take them for now,” she said, reaching over Josh’s shoulder. “But I’ll be couriering them back as soon as I’ve found a safe way to do it.”
“Whatever you say.” Brian shrugged again. “I’ve done my job. The rest is up to you. I gotta go. I need to pick a few things up for Cam at his place, then head back home.”
“Are you driving Cam’s car?” Mia asked, looking over his shoulder at the Audi.
“Yep.” Brian said. “I’m driving it back to Boston today.”
So that’s where Cam was. “What about L.A.?” Mia found herself asking. “I thought he was going there?”
“He is. Once he signs on the dotted line.” Brian lifted his hand. “See ya later!”
As soon as she shut the door, Michael grabbed one of the watches from her. “Who the hell does he think he is, sending us watches?” he grumbled, pulling the silver bracelet from the box.
“Careful,” Mia said. “Those are worth a lot.”
“How much?” Josh asked, peering at the watch in Michael’s hand.
She told them and Josh’s mouth dropped open.
“What the heck!” Michael dropped the watch clumsily back in the box. “Why the hell is Cam giving us twenty thousand dollar watches?”
“Whoa! That’s a lot of money,” Josh said. “And we can sell them if we want. Can I get an Xbox with my money?”
He reached out for the box still in Mia’s hand, but Michael got there first, snatching it from her grasp.
“But it’s mine,” Josh protested. “Give it back.”
Michael held it above his head, and Josh started jumping, trying to take it out of his hands. “It’s mine,” Josh shouted. “Cam gave it to me.”
“He gave it to you because he wants to get in mom’s pants.”
Mia took the box from Michael. Damn, he had a strong grasp. “Stop it,” she said. “Shut up right now. Or you’ll be grounded for a month.”