Page 9 of Landry (Bayou Brotherhood Protectors #7)

The clock hanging on the wall finally made it to five on one of the longest days Camille could recall.

Happy the workday was over, she was still anxious about going home to her cottage.

She’d already cleaned the mixing bowls, pots, pans and utensils she’d used that day, making her sweets, and mopped the floors.

Ava had played quietly for most of the day, sharing her lunch of chicken salad sandwiches and potato chips with Camille in the storeroom. She’d lain down on a cushioned mat for a short nap and then helped Camille make homemade heart and star-shaped lollipops for a child’s birthday party.

Camille had enjoyed having Ava with her for the past few years and would miss her little helper when she started kindergarten in the fall. She was also happy Ava would be with children her age and making friends. Her little girl was growing up. She’d need her mother less and less as she got older.

It saddened Camille to think of Ava graduating from high school and going off to college. However, if she did her job right as a mother, Ava would have the drive and determination to make a life of her own—and hopefully make better relationship choices than her mother.

The bell over the door jingled as someone entered.

Camille frowned, drew in a breath and turned, ready to tell whoever had entered that she was closed and to come back tomorrow.

When she saw it was Gisele, she let go of the breath. “Oh, good. It’s just you.”

Gisele chuckled. “Were you expecting someone else?”

“I thought you were a customer trying to sneak in a last-minute purchase.”

“I’d think you’d be happy for the sale.” Gisele entered, closed the door behind her and flipped the sign hanging on the door from OPEN to CLOSED.

“I’m tired to the bone and ready to call it a day.”

“Rough crowd in the candy store today?” Gisele asked with a sympathetic smile.

“Not really.” Camille sighed. “I’ve just had a lot on my mind, and I’m ready to be home. Ava,” she called out, “are you ready?”

Ava appeared in the doorway to the storeroom, with her child-sized backpack slung over her shoulders and her doll and Fuzzy hugged to her chest. “Auntie Gisele,” Camille’s daughter cried out and ran into Gisele’s arms.

Gisele swept up Ava, hugged her tight and gave her a loud kiss on her cheek. “That was so very gratifying. I love being an auntie to this little nugget.” She set Ava on her feet.

Camille loved how Ava had so many “Aunties” in Bayou Mambaloa. She loved them all, and they loved her. Camille’s gaze shifted from her daughter to her friend. “When are you and Rafael going to have children?”

Gisele snorted. “I’m not sure we’re cut out for children. I have a macaw with a potty mouth. I’m sure that makes our home environment unfit for raising small children.”

Camille shook her head. “Ava spends almost as much time with you and Rafael as she does with me. Johnny the macaw hasn’t corrupted her yet.”

“I taught Johnny how to say something new,” Ava said.

“Oh yeah?” Camille’s brow dipped. “And what’s that?”

Gisele shook her head, held a crooked pinky finger in front of Ava’s face and said, “We made a pinky promise to keep that secret until Johnny can say it clearly.”

Ava hooked her pinky around Gisele’s. “Pinky promise.”

Camille’s frown deepened. “I don’t like it when you keep secrets from me.”

“It won’t be secret once Johnny learns his part,” Ava assured her mother. She turned toward the display case. “Can I take a lollipop for Billy Ray?”

Camille’s brow wrinkled. Did Ava really want the lollipop for herself while claiming it was for her imaginary friend? Or was this another secret she was keeping? Too tired to grill her child, she opted for, “If you want one for yourself, you can get one.”

Ava shook her head. “No, thank you, I’ve had one. But I don’t think Billy Ray has ever had a lollipop. Can I get one for him?”

“Sure,” Camille capitulated.

Ava ran behind the counter and carefully extracted a heart-shaped lollipop wrapped in clear cellophane from the collection on display and returned with a smile.

“I can’t wait to show Billy Ray what we made today.

” She laid her bear and doll on the floor, shrugged out of her backpack and carefully slid the bright red sucker inside.

Once she’d zipped the pack and settled it on her back, she regathered her doll and bear.

Gisele leaned toward Camille and whispered. “Have you met this Billy Ray, yet?”

Camille shook her head. “I was thinking he’s imaginary. Think it’s a bad idea for her to have an imaginary friend?”

Gisele shrugged. “You’re asking a woman who doesn’t have a child.”

“Honey,” Camille started, determined to get to the bottom of Ava’s Billy Ray. Was he real or imaginary? “About this boy, Billy Ray?—”

Ava’s eyes widened, and her face paled. “Mama, look,” she pointed toward the front door.

Camille spun to find a man standing with his face pressed to the glass, peering into the candy store.

“Isn’t that the guy you danced with last night?” Gisele asked.

Camille nodded. He wasn’t Todd, the thin, wiry one.

Her brow furrowing, she walked to the door and twisted the lock, opening it. As Camille stood in the doorway, Ava hid behind her legs. “May I help you?”

The man smiled. “Do you remember me from last night?” he asked. “We danced together. I was about to ask for your name and number when you left.” He held out his hand. “Sorry. I don’t mean to be stalkerish. My name is Mark Sands.”

Reluctantly, she shook his hand. “Camille.” She waved toward Gisele. “And this is my friend, Gisele. Did you come for candy? I don’t like to disappoint, but I’m afraid we’re closed.”

He shook his head. “No. I came to say thank you for dancing with me last night. You’re a good dancer, and you were nice to this stranger.”

“You’re welcome,” she said. “I enjoyed it. You were pretty good yourself.”

“Thanks,” he said. “I’ll be in town a few days. I don’t suppose you’d care to go out with me?”

A finger poked Camille in the back. She turned toward the irritant.

Gisele gave her a crooked grin and whispered, “Prime of your life.”

Heat rose up Camille’s neck, filling her cheeks. She wanted to tell Gisele to zip it. She wasn’t sure she was ready to jump back into the dating scene. And, though Mark had proven to be a good dancer, she knew nothing else about the man, nor had he inspired any kind of spark of desire.

Not like Landry Laurent had with the simplest touch.

Camille’s pulse quickened. Now, if it were Landy asking...

As if her thoughts conjured the man, he appeared walking along Main Street. Toward her. Or at least to the candy store.

Dragging her gaze away from the man approaching, Camille tried to focus on the one in front of her. “What was it you were saying?”

Mark gave her a brief smile. “Would you go out with me?” He hurried to add, “If not for dinner, there’s a fair in town.”

Gisele poked Camille in the back again and whispered. “It’s a public place. Tell him you’ll meet him there. Ava can stay with me and Rafael.”

With her heart racing and Landry Laurent mere seconds from stepping up behind Mark, Camille’s breath caught in her throat.

She couldn’t form a coherent thought with Landry so close.

That fact scared the bejeezus out of her.

She sure as hell wasn’t ready to date a man who gave her body electrical surges.

Her psyche would be much better off with the man who could dance but didn’t turn her mind to swirling much.

“Okay,” she blurted. Over her shoulder, she hissed, “Are you happy?”

“I’m not the one who needs to get happy,” Gisele said.

“Let me be clear,” Mark said, with a slight frown of confusion. “Is it okay you want me to leave, or okay you’ll go to the fair with me?”

“The second option,” Camille said, lowering her voice so that it didn’t carry to the man approaching them on the sidewalk. “But I’ll meet you at the fair, six-thirty tomorrow night.”

Mark’s smile broadened. “Good deal. I’ll see you then.” He spun and nearly ran into Landry. “Sorry.” He stepped around Landry and hurried toward his dark gray pickup, climbed in, waved and drove away.

“Holy hell. What did I just agree to?” Camille muttered under her breath.

“Getting back into the saddle?” Gisele offered. “Retiring B.O.B?”

Landry chose that moment to step up in front of her, turning to shoot a glance toward Mark and his disappearing SUV. When he faced Camille, he cocked an eyebrow. “Customer?”

“Something like that,” she murmured, questioning her sanity.

She’d just agreed to go out on a date with a man she knew nothing about and for whom she had no particular feelings.

And she’d foolishly done it because she’d gotten flustered at the approach of the man currently standing before her. She was an idiot.

Camille’s cheeks burned. She fought for composure, pasted a smile on her face and asked, “Mr. Laurent, did you come back for more Bayou Bark?”

He shook his head, his full focus on her. “As magical as it was, that’s not why I’m here.” His gaze met hers and then shifted as Ava came to stand in front of her mother. “I came to see if you two ladies would like a ride home.”

“Yes, please.” Ava’s face lit with a smile as she glanced up at Camille. “Can we, Mama?”

Camille’s pulse quickened, and more heat rose into her neck and cheeks. “That’s nice of Mr. Laurent, but we usually walk.”

Gisele snorted behind her and whispered, “Take a walk on the wild side, girl.”

Landry dipped his head toward Gisele, his lips curving on the corners. “I’d heard you liked to walk home from the store and expected you to say as much. So, I parked my vehicle at your house and came to walk you two home.”

Camille laughed. “What if I’d accepted your ride home?”

“I would’ve asked you to be patient as I ran back to your house to retrieve my SUV. Then I would’ve come back to give you a proper ride home.” He stepped through the door.

Gisele, Camille and Ava exited the shop.