Page 23 of Landry (Bayou Brotherhood Protectors #7)

“Camille, my sweet friend, are you up to your eyeballs in sales today?” Gisele sailed into Sweet Temptations halfway through the afternoon after a rowdy group of fairgoers had just left, each carrying a box of chocolates.

Business had been brisk, with customers coming through in a steady stream since she’d opened her door at ten o’clock that morning.

“I haven’t had a moment to sit all day,” Camille said, straightening her display case and restocking it with more chocolates.

“Me, too,” Gisele said. “Thankfully, I have Lena to help. She’s holding down the fort at Mamba Wamba while I get away for a few minutes. Did you get your entries in on time at the fair?”

Camille nodded. “Barely. I was baking up to the last minute before I had to leave the cottage with barely enough time to get to the fairgrounds. But I made it by the deadline.”

“I would’ve thought you’d have baked the night before. You don’t usually leave things to the last minute.” Gisele’s eyes narrowed. “What’s up?”

“Last night was a bit...hectic.” Camille fussed with an already neat shelf in the case, refusing to meet Gisele’s gaze.

“Wasn’t Landry supposed to be at your place yesterday to check your windows and doors?” Gisele asked.

Camille nodded. “Yes, he did that.”

Gisele’s eyebrows rose. “That’s not all he checked, was it?”

Camille’s cheeks burned. “I don’t know what you mean.”

Gisele walked right up to the display case and stood with her arms crossed. “Spill. I want to hear all the juicy details.”

Camille sighed. “Like I said, it was a hectic night.” She spent the next ten minutes filling her friend in on everything that had happened from the moment Landry had walked into her home to Ava coming down sick. Everything but making love with Landry.

Gisele lifted her chin and stared down her nose at Camille. “You had sex with your bodyguard.”

Again, Camille’s cheeks burned. “Have you tried my super-secret-recipe pralines?” She pulled a sample off a tray in the case and proffered it to Gisele.

Gisele took the sweet, shaking her head. “I’ll take that as a yes. Good for you. About damn time you got out there. So, is he completely infatuated with you and vice versa?”

Camille shrugged. “I was very clear that I wasn’t looking for commitment. Strictly no strings attached.”

About to take a bite of the praline, Gisele stopped with her hand halfway to her mouth. “Why did you do that?”

“Because he flat-out said that any relationship between us would end at the conclusion of the assignment. He went on to say Ava and I deserved a better man, one who would love us with his whole heart.”

Gisele cocked an eyebrow. “And he doesn’t think he could be that guy…?” She snorted. “Famous last words. The guy is already smitten with you and Ava.”

“Not hardly. But I told him I didn’t want commitment anyway. I’m not sure I could trust another man after Richard.”

“But you broke your five-year dry spell.” Gisele nodded. “Good for you. So, I guess you won’t feel bad about going out with Mark this evening. That is, of course, if Ava’s well enough to spend the night with Aunt Gisele.”

“Personally, I’d break the date with Mark, but he didn’t give me his phone number. We’re supposed to meet at the fair at 6:30 this evening.”

“Then meet Mark at the fair but tell him you’re not interested and go back to Landry.”

Camille grimaced. “Think Mark will be mad?

“Probably.” Gisele lifted a shoulder and let it drop. “The important question is, who would you rather spend time with, Mark or Landry?”

“They’re both passing through, more or less,” Camille replied, avoiding the only answer. Landry, of course.

“I can’t believe Landry offered to watch Ava all day. From what Rafael told me, the man has a phobia for marriage and children. Something about his upbringing.”

“Well, he’s been great with Ava. He even read her a bedtime story. Sadly, Ava likes him a lot.” Camille sighed.

“And that’s a bad thing?”

“Yes. He’s only temporary. She’ll miss him when he’s not in her life anymore. That’s another reason why I don’t want her to know the men I might date. I don’t want her to get attached, only to be disappointed when they leave.”

“I get it,” Gisele said. “Wouldn’t it be great if Landry didn’t end the relationship when the assignment is over?”

A customer entered the candy store at that moment, sparing Camille the need for a response.

“I’ll expect you to drop Ava off around six if she’s up to spending the night.” Gisele waved and left Camille to handle customers for the remainder of the day.

Camille had hoped Mark would come through the store that day so that she could break the date and not have to go to the fair that night. If Ava was still sick, she’d have to rethink her plans. She hated being ghosted and wouldn’t do that to Mark, if she could help it.

Traffic stayed steady through to the last hour.

Camille had hoped to close the shop early, but that didn’t happen.

Fifteen minutes after five o’clock, she locked up, climbed into her car and headed to the house, ready to see Ava.

And, yes, ready to see Landry. Her pulse quickened as she pulled into the driveway.

Ava burst from the house with Landry right behind her.

Glad her daughter seemed to be back to her usual, healthy self, Camille was a little disappointed she wouldn’t have an excuse to stay home with her. She got out of her car and was hit with the full force of an excited five-year-old.

“I’m going to spend the night with Auntie Gisele!” Ava wrapped her arms around her mother’s legs and squeezed tightly.

“Yes, you are.” Camille hugged her daughter, her gaze going to the man leaning on the porch rail, looking so incredibly handsome he took her breath away.

Camille took her daughter’s hand and walked with her to the porch. “I take it you’re feeling much better.”

“I am,” she answered. “We had happy-face pancakes for breakfast, and I helped make PBJ sandwiches for lunch. Then we skipped stones on the water. I made mine skip three times. Mr. Landry skipped seven times.”

“Sounds like you had a great day.”

“The best!” Ava said. “Oh, and I drew a picture for you.” She ran into the house, leaving Camille on the porch with Landry.

“Ava certainly had a great day,” Camille said. “How about you? Had enough of babysitting?”

Landry tipped his head, his brow wrinkling. “Actually, I had a great day as well. Ava’s a bright, happy child with a lot of energy. She’s still worried about her friend Billy Ray. I asked Remy and Shelby to be on the lookout for him, but to keep it on the down low. We don’t want to spook him.”

Camille nodded. “I hate to think of a ten-year-old alone in the bayou. That he’s sick makes it even worse.”

“I have our computer gurus looking for any missing ten-year-old boys in the area. Hopefully, they’ll come up with Billy Ray and give us the scoop on him.” His brow dipped. “Did you get your entries in on time for the fair competition?”

“I did.” Camille frowned, struggling with how to break it to Landry that she had a date that evening.

“Rough day?” he asked.

She shrugged. “Busy, but not terrible. I’m taking Ava to stay with Gisele and Rafael tonight, then I’m going to the fair.”

“Sounds fun. We can ride some rides and eat cotton candy.”

“Actually… She cleared her throat. “I committed to a date yesterday before...” Before I made love to you . “Anyway, I’d have cancelled, but I don’t have his phone number. I’m supposed to meet him at 6:30 at the fair.”

“Okay.” Landry nodded slowly. “Is he someone you know from Bayou Mambaloa?”

“No.”

“Is he an old friend or someone you know from another town?”

Heat filled Camille’s cheeks. “No. He came into the shop yesterday and asked me out. In a weak moment, I said yes.”

“Why isn’t he picking you up here at your house?”

“I didn’t want to give him my address. I also wanted to go on my own terms, so if I didn’t feel comfortable, I’d leave in my car. Then I wouldn’t be reliant on him bringing me home.” She grimaced. “I haven’t been on a date for a very long time. I wasn’t sure if I was ready.”

“Are you now?”

She shook her head. “No. I want to cancel, but I don’t have his number.”

“Does he have yours?” Landry asked.

“Not my personal number,” she said. “But anyone can contact me by calling Sweet Temptations. That number forwards to my personal phone.”

“I’m sorry if my questions sound like an interrogation. I’m responsible for your protection. If I had his name, I could run a background check on him.”

“His name is Mark Sands.”

“And he’s from?”

Her brow puckered. “Sorry, I didn’t get that.”

“You know I have to go with you to meet this man, don’t you?”

Camille bristled. She valued her independence. But she wanted to be with Landry, not Mark. “Of course.”

His eyes narrowed. “You’re okay with me coming on the date with you?”

Her eyes narrowed to match his. “I would think you’d go in stealth mode. Isn’t that what you call it? Like an undercover cop.”

His lips twitched. “I can do that. But I won’t be far from you. I don’t like that you know nothing about him. What if he was the guy who followed you and nearly ran you off the road?”

Camille hadn’t thought about that. “Why would he ask me out if he wanted to run me off the road?”

“To shake you up. Maybe make you feel better about going out with someone who appears to be friendly and protective. What does this guy look like?”

“He’s tall, almost as tall as you, but a little bulkier, like a bouncer.”

Landry cocked an eyebrow. “The guy who almost ran into me at your store?”

Yeah, the guy I agreed to go out with because you were a scary option.

Camille refused to meet his gaze. “Yes.” She hoped he couldn’t read her thoughts or her expressions. Could she be more embarrassed?

“Are you going on the date with him? Or are you certain you want to cancel?”

“I want to cancel,” she said. “I wasn’t thinking clearly when I agreed to the date. I’m not ready to jump back into the dating scene.”