Meeting Danger (Danger #1) (14 page)

Another message detailed a potential new project. It was a small assignment, and even working part-time, Camden knew he should be able to finish it within the next couple of weeks.

He leaned back into his chair, debating. His cover in the Wicked Disciples was blown, so he couldn’t go back undercover, but he could continue to assist in the investigation on the sidelines. He still had some sick time left that Eli had offered him to recover from his injuries, plus he still hadn’t decided yet if he was returning to Phoenix or not.

Opening an e-mail, he decided to accept the project. A final decision about his career path could wait for a while, and for now, he should probably keep his options open.

• • •

The next morning, Camden decided it was finally time for a trip to a barber. When he emerged from his bedroom, Autumn’s door was still closed. He raised a hand to knock but then lowered it. It was still early; he’d leave a note for her instead.

The town’s only barber shop was located in a quaint building on a side street downtown, its storefront still decorated with old-fashioned barber stripes. Camden hadn’t really worried about his hair since he moved to Shavertown last year, so he hadn’t had a chance to check out the barber shop yet.

A gray-haired man stepped forward as he walked inside.

“What can I do for you?”

“I’d like to get cleaned up. Haircut and a shave.”

The barber smiled, gesturing toward a chair. “Have a seat.”

As Camden took the seat, the barber picked up a towel and set it into a warmer. “Haven’t seen you before. Are you new to town?”

“My grandparents used to live here. I’m staying at their old place.”

The barber draped a black plastic cape over Camden’s shoulders. “Who are they?”

“Anna and Mitch Frye. But they’ve both passed away.”

“Frye sounds real familiar.” The man blinked hard as if trying to remember.

“My grandmother was known as the pie lady.”

The man snapped his fingers. “That’s it.” He shook his head as he reached for his clippers. “Her blueberry pie was incredible.”

Camden smiled. “I agree.”

The barber hummed quietly for a moment as he quickly shaved off the bulk of Camden’s beard. Once done, he tilted the chair back.

“You planning on staying in town for a while?”

“I’m not sure yet.”

“What do you do?”

Camden met the man’s gaze. “Computer work.”

The barber nodded before turning toward the counter. He pulled the towel from the warmer and then set the hot cloth down over Camden’s face.

Camden tried not to groan at how good it felt. He’d made the right decision by coming in. He was more than done with the biker look.

Autumn picked up the note Camden had left on the kitchen table with a sinking but familiar feeling. Other than her own name, she couldn’t make out any words, the letters mere squiggles that danced across the page as if mocking her.

Clutching it in her hand, she closed her eyes in frustration, furious with herself for being unable to read, and upset with Camden for putting her in this situation.

But why wouldn’t Camden leave her a note? Of course, he would expect that she could read it. What person in their right mind would ever guess someone her age couldn’t read?

Her stomach churned at the look of pity that was sure to come once she finally told him, and her worry only deepened as she thought about her situation. Her location had changed, but her future still held as much uncertainty as ever. This arrangement with Camden was only temporary.

Camden had been nice, but she couldn’t stay here forever. What was she going to do if he couldn’t find Wade? She had no other family, no one she could turn to. Butch had made sure of that.

Without a high-school education, much less being unable to read or write, how would she ever find a job and support herself? She pulled out a chair from the table and sank heavily onto it, staring sadly at the note in her hand.

“Autumn?”

A man entered the kitchen and Autumn scrambled backward, knocking over her chair in the process. At her startled reaction, his eyes widened and he lifted his hands.

“Hey, it’s okay. It’s me, Camden.”

Autumn’s heart pounded in her chest.
Camden?
The clean-cut man standing before her looked nothing like the long-haired and bearded Camden she knew. But as she continued to peer at him, she noticed the bruises still fading on his handsome face.

Her muscles began to relax and she let out a small breath of relief.

Camden’s frown deepened as his gaze went to the note sitting on the table. “You saw my note, right?”

She wet her lips. “Yes, but I . . . I didn’t even recognize you.” She composed herself further before adding, “You look really nice.”

He did look nice. Striking, actually. With his face clean-shaven and his hair short and neatly styled, he looked more like a corporate executive than an undercover agent. The only thing missing was a tailored suit.

A smile pulled at Camden’s lips. He walked over and righted her overturned chair. “I was thinking we could go back into town later. We can get some clothes for you and whatever else you might need. I’m sorry I didn’t have much here that would fit you.”

Embarrassed, Autumn ran her hands down her thighs. She was too small to wear any of Camden’s sweats, and he’d said his grandmother’s clothing had been donated. She’d ended up borrowing a T-shirt or two of his and wearing them as sleep shirts, waiting until he went to bed each night to run her own outfit and underwear through the wash.

“I don’t have any money with me.”

Camden shook his head. “Don’t you think I owe you something for playing nurse and chef to me these past few days? It would be my pleasure to get you whatever you need.”

She stared up at him. God, he was kind. And thoughtful. It was hard to get used to, truth be told, and a large part of her couldn’t help but feel she didn’t deserve it.

• • •

Later in the afternoon, Camden drove them to Campbell’s. As they parked outside, he gave her a small smile. “This is the town’s only department store.”

Soon after they walked inside the two-story building, Autumn had a pair of jeans and a few T-shirts picked out. She spotted a fitting room and turned to Camden.

“I’ll just try these on.”

“Wait. That’s not all you need.” He pointed to a rack filled with jackets. “You need one of these too. The jacket you have is too thin.”

“It’s fine. The weather’s getting warmer, anyway.”

Camden gave her a look as if to say
don’t argue
and pulled a quilted jacket from a hanger. “This one’s nice.”

“I really don’t need it.”

But Camden ignored her protest. Draping the jacket over his arm, he said, “Let’s see what else they have.”

By the end of the hour, she had followed him and explored every nook of the store that held women’s clothes. He was now carrying three times what she was.

A salesperson approached them. “Would you like me to get a fitting room started for you?”

“Yes,” Camden said.

As the woman came forward, Autumn eyed the pile of clothes they held. This was crazy. Was he actually expecting to buy all of this for her?

The clerk took Autumn’s items before nodding toward the bundle Camden held. “I’ll be back for those next.”

After she walked off, Camden shifted the clothes he was carrying and pointed toward a dress hanging on display. “How about that?”

Autumn shook her head in disbelief. “I don’t need it.”

He chuckled. “You’re going to need to come up with a different line. And I think you do need it.”

She stared at him. Where would she possibly go that she would need a dress like that?

Camden flicked through the rack until he found the dress in her size. “Need anything else?”

Autumn closed her eyes. “Camden, I can’t let you do all of this.”

He frowned. “What do you mean?”

She gestured toward the pile he held. “This is all too much. When you mentioned shopping, I thought you meant a couple of things.”

“We’re only getting you what you need.”

That wasn’t true, in her opinion, but she stayed silent because the salesperson was returning.

The woman took the pile of clothes Camden held and then turned to Autumn. “Follow me.”

Letting out a small sigh, Autumn followed her toward the back of the store. Once they were inside a fitting room, the woman set the things she was carrying onto a table.

“I put you in our largest room since you have so much to try on. I’ll just set these up too.”

As the woman hung up a nightgown, a memory flashed.

“You really need this?”

She and Butch had been standing in line at a Target when he’d picked up a bra she’d tucked into their cart.

“The one I have is falling apart.”

“No,” he said with a harsh laugh. “I mean, do you even need it?”

Heads had turned at his mocking tone, and Autumn had blushed scarlet, not only from the unwanted attention but from Butch’s implication that her chest was too small to even need support.

“I’ll be right outside. Just let me know if you need a different size of anything.”

Shaking off the memory, Autumn returned her attention to the salesperson and thanked her. As the woman shut the door, Autumn glanced around the fitting room. There was no way she was going to let Camden buy her all of this. Quickly she pulled out several tops, a pair of shoes, and two pairs of jeans.

When she finally stepped out of the fitting room, the salesperson asked, “All finished?”

“Yes.”

The salesperson studied the small pile of clothing Autumn clutched in her arms. “Where’s the dress? Your friend said to make sure you had it.”

Autumn shook her head. “I didn’t even try it on.”

“It’s all right. I can wait.”

Autumn sighed but didn’t offer an argument. Instead she turned and went back into the fitting room to try on the dress. It fit perfectly.

The two dresses she’d had while she’d lived with Butch had both been form-fitting, too tight to be glamorous. This one, on the other hand, was elegant. It was navy and had a delicate lace overlay in a lighter shade of blue.

She opened the door and handed the dress over to the waiting salesperson.

“It fit well?”

“Yes.”

“Great. I’ll find some shoes to match it in your size and meet you at the registers. Size six?” When Autumn nodded, the salesperson stepped out.

Camden stood a few feet outside of the fitting rooms as Autumn exited. “All set?”

“Yes.” Figuring there was no point in arguing, she didn’t bring up the dress.

Their salesperson had everything waiting at the front of the store. She picked up a scanner as they approached, along with one of the shirts. “This green is really hot this year.”

Autumn nodded. There had been a sea of the color throughout the store. Guilt crept in as the woman continued scanning pieces. After everything was totaled, Camden handed over a credit card and Autumn’s shame deepened.

They were walking toward the exit, each holding two shopping bags, when she finally spoke up. “You shouldn’t have had to do that.”

Camden held the door for her. “Do what?”

Autumn gestured toward the bags. “Pay for all of this.”

He stopped walking, and so did she. “It was my pleasure, Autumn. Some of the best money I’ve ever spent.”

The expression on his face confused her.
The best money he’s ever spent?
Is he kidding?

Apparently considering the clothes discussion complete, he nodded toward a grocery store across the street. “Do we need anything?”

She drew in a deep breath before nodding. If they went shopping, they could have something different from the leftovers she’d planned. And maybe something other than oatmeal for breakfast.

Half an hour later, they arrived home with some basics, plus all the ingredients for a stir-fry. After they unpacked, Camden excused himself, saying he needed to make a call.

He gathered up the department-store shopping bags. “I’ll just put these in your room.”

A minute after Camden left the room, Roman hopped onto the back porch. He stood on his hind legs as he meowed through the screen door.

When Autumn let him inside, the cat raced to the countertop. Jumping onto it, he began sniffing at a package of meat.

Autumn chuckled. “So that’s why you wanted inside so badly.” She lifted him from the counter and petted his head before setting him onto the floor. “I’ll give you something, but not that.”

The cat had eaten his food and was rubbing against her legs when Camden walked back into the kitchen.

He grinned. “You fed him?”

She nodded before gesturing toward the stove. “I noticed one of the pilot lights is out, but I couldn’t find any matches.”

Camden turned and stared at the stove, the color draining from his face. “I can call someone about it tomorrow.”

“Butch had—” She cut herself off, not wanting to talk about those days. “I can do it. I’m used to this kind of stove.”

“You’ll be careful?”

She blinked hard, surprised by the question. “Yes.”

Still looking ill at ease, Camden got a pack of matches from a drawer and handed them over. Once Autumn had relit the pilot light, she turned around. Camden had his eyes closed.

“It’s, um, back on.”

He blinked his eyes open and gazed at the stove. “Thank you.”

What just happened here? Why has all the color drained out of his face?

Instead of asking, she turned back to the counter and busied herself with starting dinner. It was none of her business.

Camden took a seat at the table. “I talked to Grayson.”

She turned around. “How’s his mother doing?”

“She’s getting out of the hospital tomorrow.”

“She’s feeling better then?”

“They’re still waiting for some results, but it sounds like she is.”

Autumn nodded. “That’s good.”

Her gaze went to the picture of Camden’s grandparents hanging in the hallway, and she pointed toward it. “How long were they married?”

“Forty-five years.”