There were plenty of things Cam had learned about Jack in their short time together.
Don’t ask about family.
Silence was next to godliness.
Always have alcohol on hand.
But amongst everything else, she’d learned that his touches were rare, especially ones in moments such as this where he wasn’t shoving her out of the way or tugging on her clothes to keep her from traipsing into a dangerous situation. Her eyes went wide as she felt a gentle brush against the skin of her face, moving to graze her ear, before the moment left altogether. That was enough to tell Camilla that Jack was, in fact, not okay. But there was no time to comment on it, and perhaps that was for the better. He quietly commented on her plans later in the day and she offered a snort.
Boys were easier to deal with. They didn’t have baggage and there wasn’t any want for her to lay in bed to cuddle the next day. They were straightforward and honest; Cam didn’t care if they had a girlfriend or a wife at home, knowing full well that who she slept with had business of their own that didn’t involve her. It was just one more easy way to remind herself that they weren’t worth shit. That she could love them and leave them, but past that it wasn’t anything. What was something was that she had a partnership and a job, neither of which could be detracted from.
No, she didn’t need a man. The boys were just fine.
Cam pushed herself up off the ground as Jack spoke about what they’d encountered, chewing on her lip once more. She didn’t claim to have much knowledge about diagnosing the problems they encountered, but she did like to figure out how to fix the issue.
She could aim a gun and she could type a few key words into Google. That would be enough, she hoped. Cam swatted at her backside, wiping any dirt away that hadn’t settled into the threads of her jeans, and began moving towards the Mustang. She scowled as Jack once more commented on her boots but she said nothing as she threw open one of the doors. ”I always have beer.” If not for her, then for Jack. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out they liked their alcohol, and perhaps one of them more than the other.
But what business of hers was Jack’s vices? He wasn’t stumbling around their jobs, unable to focus or walk in a straight line. His reflexes had been better than hers in the house, something that Cam could recall in vivid detail. Perhaps a few sips of whiskey could help dull that memory. ”And Motrin. It wouldn’t hurt, considering you’re a little on the old side anyway.” It would help with any pain he’d experience from being thrown from the house, though she couldn’t guarantee it would take it completely away.
Cam adjusted in her seat, stretching by pulling herself and twisting on either side of the leather clad interior. Her eye caught sight of Jack’s familiar duffle bag. It was open and Cam’s brows furrowed. While she preferred to grab a short-term apartment or motel room when they moved, he didn’t seem to share the same sentiment. A picture made her stare a bit more than she normally would have, looking over the beautiful woman and little girl in the picture.
She said nothing as she turned back, swallowing harshly as a lump of emotion gathered in her throat. They all had families, whether they were left behind or if they were no longer living. Was it so surprising that Jack had lost people along the way?
The trip back to her apartment was quick and quiet, with Cam’s arms crossed over her chest and her lips pressed together. If he wanted to talk about them, he would on his own time. No amount of questioning could pull information from the man and it was likely to piss him off more than anything.
It would her if the situation was reversed and he was trying to figure her out.
When they were parked again, Cam swung from the Mustang and stretched. Tiredness was quickly sweeping over her but there was little to be done. She didn’t have a choice but to struggle onward, she thought as she pulled her keys out of her jacket pocket. Her fingers quickly found the familiar key that would allow her access to her modest home and, when she reached the door, she unlocked it and pushed it open.
The apartment was relatively bare, with a modern desk that held a laptop and notebook, accompanied by an office chair, a bed with plain, rumpled navy sheets, and a moderately sized TV. ”Help yourself,” Cam said as she toed off her boots, shoving them away before entering the kitchen. It was barely bigger than a closet but it had all the essentials, including a full sized refrigerator. She opened the door and sighed, scanning the sparse contents before grabbing two bottles of beer.
The woman grabbed the magnetic bottle opener that stayed on the freezer door and popped both of the glass containers, offering one to Jack before travelling to her bed. She took a big swig of her own beer and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand before sitting roughly on the bed. She pulled her legs under her, crossing them before she took another drink.
”So, let’s talk about this. Give me some ideas and let’s brainstorm before I search ghost and demon and abnormal behavior into a search engine.”
Don’t ask about family.
Silence was next to godliness.
Always have alcohol on hand.
But amongst everything else, she’d learned that his touches were rare, especially ones in moments such as this where he wasn’t shoving her out of the way or tugging on her clothes to keep her from traipsing into a dangerous situation. Her eyes went wide as she felt a gentle brush against the skin of her face, moving to graze her ear, before the moment left altogether. That was enough to tell Camilla that Jack was, in fact, not okay. But there was no time to comment on it, and perhaps that was for the better. He quietly commented on her plans later in the day and she offered a snort.
Boys were easier to deal with. They didn’t have baggage and there wasn’t any want for her to lay in bed to cuddle the next day. They were straightforward and honest; Cam didn’t care if they had a girlfriend or a wife at home, knowing full well that who she slept with had business of their own that didn’t involve her. It was just one more easy way to remind herself that they weren’t worth shit. That she could love them and leave them, but past that it wasn’t anything. What was something was that she had a partnership and a job, neither of which could be detracted from.
No, she didn’t need a man. The boys were just fine.
Cam pushed herself up off the ground as Jack spoke about what they’d encountered, chewing on her lip once more. She didn’t claim to have much knowledge about diagnosing the problems they encountered, but she did like to figure out how to fix the issue.
She could aim a gun and she could type a few key words into Google. That would be enough, she hoped. Cam swatted at her backside, wiping any dirt away that hadn’t settled into the threads of her jeans, and began moving towards the Mustang. She scowled as Jack once more commented on her boots but she said nothing as she threw open one of the doors. ”I always have beer.” If not for her, then for Jack. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out they liked their alcohol, and perhaps one of them more than the other.
But what business of hers was Jack’s vices? He wasn’t stumbling around their jobs, unable to focus or walk in a straight line. His reflexes had been better than hers in the house, something that Cam could recall in vivid detail. Perhaps a few sips of whiskey could help dull that memory. ”And Motrin. It wouldn’t hurt, considering you’re a little on the old side anyway.” It would help with any pain he’d experience from being thrown from the house, though she couldn’t guarantee it would take it completely away.
Cam adjusted in her seat, stretching by pulling herself and twisting on either side of the leather clad interior. Her eye caught sight of Jack’s familiar duffle bag. It was open and Cam’s brows furrowed. While she preferred to grab a short-term apartment or motel room when they moved, he didn’t seem to share the same sentiment. A picture made her stare a bit more than she normally would have, looking over the beautiful woman and little girl in the picture.
She said nothing as she turned back, swallowing harshly as a lump of emotion gathered in her throat. They all had families, whether they were left behind or if they were no longer living. Was it so surprising that Jack had lost people along the way?
The trip back to her apartment was quick and quiet, with Cam’s arms crossed over her chest and her lips pressed together. If he wanted to talk about them, he would on his own time. No amount of questioning could pull information from the man and it was likely to piss him off more than anything.
It would her if the situation was reversed and he was trying to figure her out.
When they were parked again, Cam swung from the Mustang and stretched. Tiredness was quickly sweeping over her but there was little to be done. She didn’t have a choice but to struggle onward, she thought as she pulled her keys out of her jacket pocket. Her fingers quickly found the familiar key that would allow her access to her modest home and, when she reached the door, she unlocked it and pushed it open.
The apartment was relatively bare, with a modern desk that held a laptop and notebook, accompanied by an office chair, a bed with plain, rumpled navy sheets, and a moderately sized TV. ”Help yourself,” Cam said as she toed off her boots, shoving them away before entering the kitchen. It was barely bigger than a closet but it had all the essentials, including a full sized refrigerator. She opened the door and sighed, scanning the sparse contents before grabbing two bottles of beer.
The woman grabbed the magnetic bottle opener that stayed on the freezer door and popped both of the glass containers, offering one to Jack before travelling to her bed. She took a big swig of her own beer and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand before sitting roughly on the bed. She pulled her legs under her, crossing them before she took another drink.
”So, let’s talk about this. Give me some ideas and let’s brainstorm before I search ghost and demon and abnormal behavior into a search engine.”