Camryn
AFTER A FEW weeks, I thought my mind would clear a bit and I would be in better place to make decisions, live life, and have some normalcy. Sadly, the most trivial things remind me of my Gigi and send me into a range of emotions. Her favorite mug, the smell of cinnamon, or a certain show, all are mementos that keep her on my brain. Thankfully, she had all orders in place for me, so there was very little left for me to do regarding her affairs. Today, I have a meeting with Declan Stone, my very good friend and our family attorney, to handle the transfer of the estate and assets to my name. He has been a godsend through this whole process. Well, his whole family has really. Growing up down the street from them, they have been a constant in my life since I was a child. And for the record, down the street is a loose term. They own a massive cattle farm and have so much land beyond their home. Technically, they are my neighbors because they are the next home past my ten acres of land. Nothing is really close in terms of our houses, but they are on the same road. I have missed many years because of my move, but the Stone family acts like no time has passed and have wrapped me in their love and support.
Declan and his twin brothers, Jackson and Jase, have made their presence known and felt. Even their parents have gone out of their way to reach out. Between phone calls, unannounced visits, and invites for dinner, my heart feels full. I know everyone is worried about me. As much as I play the rough, tough girl who puts on a brave face, many see the impact this loss has had on me. And I am not the only one who welcomes them and their visits. Hunter has appreciated the random pop ins from the Stones tremendously. They are three of the most attractive men I have ever seen, and Hunter agrees with that assessment. He isn’t one to ogle at anyone, but I swear I have seen stars in his eyes, drool from his lips, and lust written all over his face. Watching him try to be incognito with his blatant looks and stares makes me laugh every single time. Declan in particular has caught his attention.
With a few hours before my meeting, I beg Hunter to head to Tybee Beach with me. The water, especially the ocean, has been my safe haven for as long as I can remember. I can be doing absolutely nothing, but sitting, watching, and listening to the ocean and it brings me calm and peace. This beach in particular makes me feel extremely close to my grandparents. As a child, they would take me there often and let me indulge. Swimming and splashing in the water was something we did often. Making endless amounts of sand castles, while they looked on proudly. My overactive imagination would make up stories about the lighthouse and the old military fort that are still standing. They always humored me and encouraged that creative spirit. I guess it is only natural that being here makes me feel exceptionally close to them. When I was in Nevada I missed the ocean, but Tybee Beach especially. For now, the plan is to keep Gigi and Gramps’ home, but if I were to ever move or buy another place, it would be along that stretch of beach.
“Hunter,” I shout from the kitchen. God love the man, but he takes his sweet time getting ready. According to him, you never know who you may meet, and you never get another chance for a first impression. Looking down at my appearance, I realize I don’t subscribe to that notion. My simple black bikini is covered with a pink maxi dress; a pair of silver flip-flops adorn my feet. My face is sans makeup, hair unwashed, and in a messy bun.
Hearing his feet stomp against the stairs I know he is finally ready. He rounds the corner, and of course, looks like he is ready to shoot for an Abercrombie and Fitch ad. His blond locks are messy as usual but placed just so. His shirtless body shows off his commitment to the gym. His skin is golden sun-kissed, and I swear he has a twelve pack of perfectly sculpted abs. Hmm, I should probably count them to make sure, I think to myself and start laughing.
“What are you chuckling about, Cam? I see you ogling me, but when followed by your laughter that makes me nervous. What is the devious mind up to?”
“I want to count your abs. A six-pack is glorious and would make most people jealous, but I think you have twelve. You piss me off, Hun. You eat whatever you want and always look photo shoot ready. I want your metabolism,” I whine.
“Count my abs? You’re crazy; you know that? And you don’t need my metabolism. You have curves for days. And are quite perfect. You are so unaware of the eyes always on you, admiring you. You do see people looking at you, don’t you? Appreciating your simplistic, stunning beauty?”
“Oh, shut up! When I am with you, all eyes are on you, trust me. You are the main course, a prime rib cooked to perfection, and I am the veggies on the side. Or maybe the potato,” I retort.
“A fucking potato? Give me a break, Cam. Maybe a potato smothered in butter, with sour cream, chives, and bacon bits. And we know that is the best part of the meal. You are most definitely not veggies. And I am sure a certain detective would agree with me.” He waggles his eyebrows at me, knowing the mention of him will get me going. “Based on the flowers that keep showing up from him, I am thinking he isn’t going away any time soon.”
“We aren’t speaking about him. And the flowers are getting a little absurd. New flowers weekly. I mean, come on. But let’s forget about that. Today is going to be a good day. The beach and then a meeting with Declan. You know the tall, dark, handsome guy you seem to drool over every time you see. You should come with me. Lord knows, I have no desire to talk about all this business stuff. So come with.”
Hunter looks nervous, which isn’t like him. I know he finds Declan attractive, but Hunter isn’t one to be intimidated by anyone. Could something be going on with them, and I don’t know it, I wonder? It has never been confirmed that Declan is gay, but we’ve all had our suspicions over the years.
“I can’t,” he stammers. “I have to go see about a job. I met a guy at the gym, who said he may have some work for me managing one of his restaurants or clubs. You know, it’s time to get back to work. While I appreciate you being my sugar momma, I can’t keep living off of you.”
“Are you being serious right now? You’ve been a godsend, Hun. You are like my very own grief clown, and I would’ve probably been committed or something without you here to keep me sane. I owe you so much. You’re my family. My home is yours, my money is yours. Shit, I have more than I will ever know what to do with.” He has a baffled look on his face, but I continue, “Remember I mentioned you opening your own restaurant? It is one of the things I wanted to talk to Declan about today. So I could help you. You run a restaurant like no one I have ever seen, and if anyone shouldn’t have a boss, it’s you. They stifle you.”
Hunter finally interrupts, “You can’t be serious, Cam. I don’t even know what to say. I’m not sure I could accept that. When were you going to talk to me about all this?”
“Well, I wanted to talk to Declan about it and get some details ironed out. It’s actually one of the reasons I wanted to head to the beach first. There is a building for sale right on the water, and I want to look at it. Sorry for not mentioning it, but I wanted to surprise you. So let’s go, soak up some sun, and check out this property before my meeting tonight with Declan.”
“Cam, we aren’t done with this conversation. You just sprung a lot on me, and I’m not sure I’m comfortable with this. I don’t do handouts. You know this more than anyone,” annoyance evident in his voice.
“Please don’t freak out. Think of it as me investing my money in the best person I know. If you don’t want it to be yours, then it can be mine and you can just run it. But that isn’t what I want. I want to do this for you. And Gigi would be thrilled that some of her money was going to you. She loved you so much too, ya know. Just think about it, please. For me,” I plead.
With those parting words, I turn and leave a shocked Hunter behind. He isn’t often speechless. He also rarely has anyone do anything for him, especially not something this big. Making my way to my car, Hunter finally makes his way outside and toward me. Our car ride is mostly silent, and I can see the wheels turning in his head. I decide to leave it be and let him marinate on it.
Later that evening, after a great day at the beach with Hunter, I head to downtown Savannah. The beach was just what I needed. The closeness I feel to my grandparents in that space is amazing. Each crash of the waves comforted me. The salt air soothed me. Sand beneath my toes was just what I needed for a little pick-me-up. Also the location of the restaurant for sale was perfect. Hunter’s eyes lit up briefly when he saw it, and that was all I needed to see to move forward with discussing the purchase with Declan today.
When I arrive downtown, I opt to park away from the office so I can enjoy the cobblestone streets and all that downtown Savannah has to offer. I wish I was back home for other reasons, but I am truly happy to be back in this city. Making my way down the street, I take in the newer businesses that have opened up. Sadly, I haven’t had much time to explore and I see much has changed.
My eyes land on the cutest bookstore called Addy’s Book Nook, and this speaks to my love of all things literary. My nose is often found in a book, as it was a great place to escape my hurt over the years. Getting lost in others’ stories helped me get through some very tough times. I make a mental note to come back and spend a day or several hours exploring that bookstore. Across the street from Declan’s office is a newer coffee shop, Déjà Brew. Well, new to me, I should say. Besides having the most amazing name, I am a coffee addict and decide to stop quickly and grab one before my meeting. As soon as I open the door, the aroma of coffee permeates my nose. The rich scent of roasted beans brings a smile to my face. Coffee is life for me and I think I may have found a new spot to frequent. Between the bookstore and this coffee shop, I feel like I have found nirvana. Simple pleasure for some, but to me books and coffee are part of my lifeline. The Déjà Brew menu is rather large, but today I opt for a simple iced coffee with a shot of mocha and cream. Another day, I will explore and experiment with their coffee and food offerings. The service is prompt and friendly. One thing I missed about the South is the overall friendliness and politeness of people. The West Coast is so fast moving, and people don’t take the time to offer a simple greeting or smile in passing.
With coffee in hand, I make my way to see Declan. I am looking forward to catching up and getting this next part of the process over with. That may sound terrible of me, but with these legalities hanging over my head, I feel like I cannot move forward. When I start to feel better, something else comes up. Just when I think I have called and informed every one of my Gigi’s death, another company will reach out looking for a donation or they are trying to solicit. It is extremely hard to rehash the conversation over and over again about her passing. Getting the rights over the estate will allow me to pay off any outstanding bills and move forward.
The building where Declan’s office is located appears pretty normal looking on the outside, but upon entering, I can see he is doing quite well for himself. It has a very crisp, modern look and feel to it. The office screams masculinity and power to me. There are blacks and grays throughout with deep mahogany wood tones for furniture. Glancing around for a receptionist or an assistant to announce my arrival, I see no one. I opt to make myself comfortable on the plush leather couch. Shooting Declan a quick text, I make him aware of my arrival.
“Cammy, sorry for making you wait. I got stuck on a call.” He pulls me to my feet and wraps me in a hug.
“Cammy? Really? You are the only one who calls me that,” I say while laughing. The nickname has always made me smile, and he has been calling me by that name for as long as I can remember. “You seem to be doing really well, Dec, but can you not afford a receptionist? Or did you scare them away, you tyrant?”
“First off, you love the nickname and you love me,” he replies, with an impish grin and a wink. “My last receptionist quit. She decided to run off and get married or something, with some guy she had only known for a few weeks. I haven’t had time to find a replacement. Wanna come work for me, Cam?” jokingly he asks. “You ready to do this? I’m thinking we can wrap everything up today. We may have to make a quick appearance in front of Judge Walters, but I’m trying to avoid that. One less thing for you to worry about. He knows the deal and is pretty familiar with your situation, so I am hopeful we can skip that step. Let’s go to my office and take care of business, and then we can catch up a bit.” Pulling my hand, he leads me to his office.
After making ourselves comfortable, Declan goes over all the legal necessities and has me sign off on many documents. He assures me he will do all the work, so my involvement from here on out will be minimal. All accounts, barring any issues, should be transferred to my name solely within a few weeks.
“D, I wanted to ask you a question.” He nods his head willing me to continue. “I want to invest in something and I am not sure where to even begin. There is some property on Tybee Beach that used to be that really good Italian restaurant. Remember it? It’s vacant and it’s really quite perfect. I wanted to buy it and help Hunter open a restaurant. Well, by help, I mean pay for it. Hunter will do all of the real work. He will design it, hire staff, manage it. I will just pay for it all. What do you think?” At the mention of Hunter, Declan’s eyes light up. It’s a quick flash and then his look is impassive.
“That’s a huge investment, Cam. Are you sure this is something you want to do? I know you guys are close, but mixing personal and business ties doesn’t always end well.”
“A huge investment, yes. But I really want to buy the building and gift it to him. And then invest in whatever he needs to get it off the ground. He’s my best friend and the only family I have. Gigi would love this idea. She loved Hunter like her own, even though the time they spent together was minimal. This idea has been brewing in my head for a bit now. This is something I want—no need—to do for him. Can you help me?”
“What does Hunter think of this, Cam? I don’t know him well, but he does not seem like he would do well with a handout.”
I counter quickly and in frustration, “This isn’t a handout. No one works harder than him. And no one has been through more than him. He’s my best friend. And I want to do this for him. If you can’t help me, or won’t, I can find someone who will.”
“There she is. Feisty Cammy! Settle down, killer. I didn’t say I wouldn’t help you. We are not talking a small amount of money. As the person you put in charge of all of this important stuff, I need to make sure you are doing the right thing and making smart choices. Of course I will help you. Let’s get the estate transfer complete—and in the meantime—I will inquire about cost, and make an offer on your behalf, if that is what you want. We should set up a time to go see the inside. And Hunter should be there too to make sure it will work for him.”
“Thank you,” I sing, enfolding him in a hug. “This makes me so happy. I have been thinking about this and really want to do this for him. Hunter wasn’t so keen on the idea when I mentioned it earlier, but I will work on him. Bat my eyelashes, pout a little, and he will be putty in my hands.”
“You’re terrible. Speaking of putty in your hands, how is Trystan doing?” he said with a hint of amusement.
“Umm, nope! Not gonna happen. We are not talking about him. I don’t know how he is doing and I don’t care.”
“You’re such a liar. When are you going to listen to what that man has to say, Cammy? When it all went down, no one believed there was a chance he could redeem himself. But after twelve years, and him insisting there is more to the story, we all want to know what the hell that means. You must also. No?”
“Seriously, Declan! I am pretty clear on what happened. We were together. He fucked someone else. She got pregnant. We were ruined. End of story.”
“Aren’t you the least bit curious what he has to say? Not even a little? You know what, don’t answer that. I can tell from the look on your face you are curious. Probably more than curious. It will happen when it’s time,” he replies with confidence in his tone.
“Way to ruin a nice visit, D. I’m out of here.” After kissing him on the cheek, I turn to leave. “Let’s forget the last part of our conversation and work on the rest. Keep me informed, please. We’ll talk soon.” With that farewell, I make my way out of Declan’s office; thoughts of a certain green-eyed detective on my mind. Glancing up, I swear I catch a glimpse of him, driving through town. At least it looked like his truck. Every time I manage to stop thinking about him, someone brings him up. Or I catch a glimpse of him somewhere around, like I just did. What’s a girl to do?