“I don’t mean to be up in your business but that was about the most exciting live display of flirtation I’ve seen in my tenure here at WTZB. If you need a friend to talk about it with, I’m your girl.”

Camilla tried to suppress her grin, but it was too late. The corners of her lips lifted with ease, and she looked left and right down the hallway before grabbing Allison’s hand and trudging into the back newsroom.

Camilla pivoted and shut the door behind them then breathed in a deep breath. Allison looked on with excitement in her eyes, waiting for the juice she was sure their newest co-anchor would deliver.

Instead, Camilla’s bubbling expression tanked, and her shoulders slumped. “I honestly don’t know.”

Allison’s forehead crinkled. “Okay…” she said. “Well, what do you know?”

“I met Hunter my first day on the job. Apparently, we live in the same building, and—”

“Wait! You live in the same building?”

“Yeah.”

“Girl, you must be loaded to live on the same block as Hunter Valentine!”

Camilla shrugged. “I’m not loaded, but I had a pretty hefty savings before moving to Chicago. Notice the past tense in the word had.”

Allison laughed. “I guess you emptied it moving into his building.”

“I didn’t know I was moving into his building, I just chose a location I felt was in the safest part of town. I mean, if we’re realistic, Chicago isn’t the best place to move according to safety reports. My parents were against it in the beginning, and I managed to get my dad to come around. That was only after we toured here and found The Regency.”

Allison’s jaw dropped. “You live in The Regency!?”

Camilla nodded. “I thought you knew that.”

“Why would I?”

“Because it’s where Hunter lives.”

“I never knew where Hunter laid his head. Trust me, if I did, I might try to break in, you know.”

Camilla’s eyes popped.

“What?” Allison held her hands out then dropped them at her side. “At least I’m being honest.”

“Hmmm.” Camilla didn’t know how to feel about Allison’s profound honesty. “What kind of reporter doesn’t know where their hometown celebrities live? Surely, you’ve staked out before or followed him. Even the humblest of reporters do that.”

“Because I’m not a reporter. I’m an assignment editor. I don’t report the news.”

She had a point, Camilla thought. “But you do have a reporter here, right?”

“Of course, and you’ve just taken her job for what may be one of the biggest in-person interviews at the station this year.”

Camilla frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Hunter’s invited you specifically to his ribbon-cutting ceremony, and Avery gave the okay.”

“Yeah, but he said you and WTZB, so actually that means all of us.”

“Wait a minute, are you seriously trying to tell me you didn’t catch all of that flirtation?”

Camilla pursed her lips and shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

“I felt it.” Boy, had she felt it. “But still he did say AND WTZB.”

Allison gave a quick wave with her hand and shook her head.

“Yeah, but why do I feel like a piece of this story is missing? So, you met Hunter the first day and what happened?”

“I was eating breakfast, and there were no other seats, so he asked if he could dine with me.”

Allison rotated her hand as if to say, “go on.”

“And…” Camilla pondered about how much information to divulge. “And, well, we had a good morning. I don’t think he’s flirtatious on purpose. Like you said yesterday, he’s a charming guy, it’s easy for one to think he may be interested in them.”

“So, this is why you asked so many questions about him at lunch yesterday.”

Camilla’s brows furrowed. “I didn’t ask so many questions about him. We did a segment on him, so I asked normal questions.”

“Unhuh, so after this breakfast,” Allison interrupted, “did he give you his number, or are you guys dating, or—”

“Whoa, slow down,” Camilla said. Allison had her head spinning. If she thought Corinne was an investigator, she was wrong. “You might not be a reporter, but I think you missed your calling.”

Allison’s lips twitched. “Whatever, girl.”

They both chuckled.

“I’m just saying. You ask a million questions a second. I can’t keep up.”

“I’m so sorry. As I said, I didn’t want to get all in your business.”

Camilla twisted her lips.

“Okay, maybe just a little, but hey, news like this is something I only dream about. A possible romance brewing between the new anchor and the bachelor of all bachelors, where do I sign up for the live viewing?”

“Oh my God, did anyone ever tell you, you should write a book? That’s how dramatic you’re being right now.”

“Hmm, I don’t know. What I do know is if Hunter’s got his eyes on you, then you might as well be off the market.”

“Hmph, wasn’t aware I was a grocery store,” Camilla mumbled.

Allison laughed. “That was a good one, but just so you know, I’ll probably be nosy from here on out.”

At Camilla’s lifted brow, Allison added. “Hey, I don’t have a love life. I’ve got to live it through somebody.”

“So why haven’t you ever dated him then?”

“One doesn’t just date Hunter, or his fine ass brothers.”

This piqued Camilla’s interest.

“What do you know about his brothers?”

“Not much besides the fact they’re all gorgeous, millionaire bachelors who own their own businesses, live for the fast life, and keep a gang of women. I mean you never see them without one. A few graduated from Morehouse, but others I believe graduated from Harvard. The middle one, Lance, is the sexiest to me, but he’s never in town. I do believe he’s a director of some kind, but I can’t be too sure. Oh, and Xavier, he’s fine, too, honey, whew.” She wiped her forehead. “But Xavier stays on the private jet like he lives airborne, I swear.”

Camilla tilted her head and folded her arms then muttered. “Not much, huh?”

Allison shut her lips tight and widened her eyes a bit embarrassed at her rambling.

“My bad.”

“You’re good, girl.” Camilla turned to leave and paused. “Oh, I have the money from lunch that I borrowed yesterday.” Camilla dug into her pocket and removed the twenty-dollar bill. She didn’t want to actually pull money from Hunter’s account, but he’d left her no choice. What man would give a woman he didn’t know access to his funds anyway? That, Camilla was still confused about.

“Keep the change.” Camilla made a note to self to pay Hunter back.

“Are you sure?” Allison said, tucking the bill inside her own pocket.

Camilla chuckled. “Yeah, you’re good. So, are you game for going with me to the ribbon-cutting ceremony then?”

Allison thought it over. “I remember him specifically asking you.”

“We’ve been over this.”

“Okay, fine, I’ll go with you since you’re scared to be with him alone,” Allison teased. “But trust me, once I’m there, you’ll wish you were.”

“I highly doubt it.”

“Highly?”

“Hunter’s attractive and suave, but I’ve had enough of men to last a lifetime.”

“Sounds like a broken heart and an ex that you could strangle.”

“I’m over it, but I’m not looking to get caught up in whatever game Mr. Valentine is playing. I want no parts of it.”

Even as the words left Camilla’s lips, she didn’t believe them. Deep down, Camilla looked forward to hearing him play at the Velvet Café even though she continued to tell herself it was just his music that interested her.

“Unhuh, okay.” Allison didn’t believe her either. “Lunch?”

“As long as you don’t ask another question about Hunter.”

“Fine, have it your way.”

The women strolled to the door, and as an afterthought, Camilla asked, “Do you know if he has a brother named Trevor?”

Allison turned with a hand on her hip. “If I can’t talk about him, then neither can you.”

“All right, all right,” Camilla repeated.

“But no, not that I know of.”

“Hmmm,” was all she said.

Why Hunter Valentine fascinated her was beyond Camilla, but she lied to herself once again, saying it wasn’t in her interest to find out. Before they could make it out of the building, Allison and Camilla ran into a delivery coming through the door.

“Camilla Augustina,” the guy asked.

Both Camilla and Allison paused and stared at each other with invested interest.

“That’s me,” Camilla spoke up.

“These are for you.”

He handed her a bouquet of long stem salmon pink and apple green roses. They were in a black square box with gold lettering, and immediately Camilla knew they were from Hunter. He intentionally used both of their pledge colors, leaving no room for Camilla to think they were from someone else.

A broad smile crossed Allison’s face, and her mouth parted in a widespread grin. “Those are beautiful,” she said.

But all Camilla could do was stare at the gorgeous flowers and remind herself to breathe so she wouldn’t get too excited. But she was already too excited; her heart rocked in her chest, and her nerves tingled her flesh. It wasn’t the first time she’d received flowers, but it was the first time anyone had put so much thought into the gift. How sexy of him. Without trying she smiled, soft and slow.

Glancing over at Allison, she spoke, “I’m going to put these in my office if you don’t mind waiting another few minutes.”

Allison shook her head. “I don’t mind at all.”

Without another word, Camilla turned, and in a daze, trailed back down the hallway. Once she entered her office, Camilla shut the door and dropped her handbag. Leaning against the wooden frame, she stuffed her nose in the bouquet, and it set off an array of sweet fragrances. Her mind wandered to the last thought she’d had about it not being in her interest to find out what Hunter was up to.

But maybe, just maybe, she might.