“Sure she’s not. So you’re just nervous about the TCC meeting?”
“I’m not nervous,” Cam argued, and this time he meant it. Did he want to be a member of the TCC? Yes. If he didn’t get in, would it be the end of his plans for the future? Hell, no. “Am I twelve? I’ll get in or I won’t. Period.”
It wasn’t nerves. It was...concern. That was different, he assured himself. The vote on new members was tomorrow night, and Cam would be there. Maybe he shouldn’t, but damned if he’d hide and let all the other members know that he was worried how the vote would go.
Tony would be there, too, since he was already a member. Big-league baseball catcher, local businessman, of course he was in. Now it was Cam’s turn, and he’d find out soon if Burt Wheeler had poisoned the well against him. Sure, he’d put Cam’s name up for a vote, but he’d also had a week to talk to his friends and convince them to vote no. Hell, a part of Cam couldn’t even blame Burt for it.
He’d lost his daughter and needed someone to blame. Cam was the lucky winner.
And all of this thinking wasn’t doing a damn sight of good, either.
“You ready to go?” Cam’s new lawyer was expecting them to come by and sign the paperwork to get Tony’s camp up and running.
“Sure.” Tony rolled up the drawings he’d had made and slipped a rubber band around them. “I’ll take my own car, though. I’ve got a date after the meeting with the lawyers.”
“Fine.” Cam didn’t have a damn date. He’d be coming back to his house. Alone. Just like he’d been all week. Hell. He couldn’t even get a good night’s sleep anymore because his bedroom held the ghost of Beth. Her scent. Her laugh. Her touch. Wouldn’t it just figure that the only woman he wanted was the woman he was steering clear of. Coming home to Texas had been a dance of misery and joy, and he wasn’t sure from day to day which one would take precedence.
Changing the subject abruptly, he said, “Those are good drawings for your camp.”
Tony grinned. “It’s going to be great. Still can’t thank you enough for the land.”
“You don’t have to. It’s going to be good for both of us.” He smiled just thinking about it, and that was a good thing.
“You’re still pitching, I’m still catching,” Tony said with a shrug. “We still make a good team.”
And that was a bit of the joy in coming back to Royal. Reconnecting with old friends. Charting a future that held exactly what he wanted. And if he didn’t get everything he wanted? Well, he’d just have to deal with it.
* * *
Beth took Gracie to her mother’s house and left her in good hands. The whole Diaz family was in tears—well, except for Gracie’s little brother, who immediately went online to shop.
The shock of winning the lottery really hadn’t worn off for Gracie yet. And when it did, the reality of it would put her into another wild emotional spin. Beth was thrilled for her. Suddenly all those dreams Gracie had built in her mind over the years were going to come true.
Of course, her life was going to become crazy once news of her win became public. She’d be hounded for interviews and have people she’d never known coming to her looking for a handout.
“And I might need a new assistant,” Beth muttered. After all, why would Gracie keep a job she no longer needed? “Oh, that’s a horrible thought. Who’s going to help me keep all of this straight? Oh, Gracie... I already miss you.”
When her phone rang, Beth saw her sister’s name pop up on the screen and smiled. Harley had been gone from Texas for years and Beth really missed her. Right now, though, she was jealous of her little sister because Harley, living in Thailand, was well out of the controversy over WinJet.
“Hey, Harley!”
“Hey, yourself.” Her sister’s voice came across the Bluetooth perfectly. Beth didn’t know why Sutton complained about the connection from Beth’s car.
She stopped at a red light and said, “How are you and my adorable nephew?”
“We’re both good,” Harley said. She added wryly, “Probably better than all of you guys are. How’s the investigation going?”
“Slowly,” Beth admitted. They’d had a conference call with Harley and Miles the night of the fire so all of the siblings were on the same page. “It’s only been a week, but Sebastian and Sutton are like twin pit bulls with bones. They’re hovering over every report, talking to the experts, huddling with Nathan Battles and the fire chief at every opportunity...”
“Sounds bad.”
The light changed and Beth stepped on the gas, heading down Main Street and keeping an eagle eye out for people backing out of parking spots. “It is bad, Harley. Being at the house these days is just a nightmare. I’m actually jealous of Luke and Zeke living in the guesthouse. At least they get to escape it once in a while.
“And it doesn’t look like it’s going to get better. Sebastian’s calling Miles in to investigate.”
“Well, if there’s anything there, Miles will find it.”