There was a selection of bagels and pastries, a bowl of freshly prepared fruit salad with honeydew, cantaloupe, pineapple, strawberries and grapes in it. There was every breakfast condiment known to man…butter, jelly, cream cheese, sugar in a dish and cream in a mini white ceramic pitcher. There was even a copy of the Sunday paper in the side pocket of the tray. Damn. She was going to have to eat her words. She was going to have to be nice and apologetic. Damn. Damn damn damn. Well, this was no way to end a weekend or start a day. She leaned back after preparing a steaming mug of coffee…just the way she liked it. Her hands were wrapped around it. She liked the fit, and the way the warmth was spreading inside and out. He had even fluffed her pillows.
She sighed.
By the time she was on her second cup, she was beginning to feel more normal. By the time she had eaten a Cheese Danish, and most of the fruit salad, she was beginning to feel happy. And by the time she had taken a long hot shower, dressed in fresh clothes from her backpack and applied her moisturizer with SPF and her favorite lip-gloss, she felt ready to face the world. Of course, since Adam was the only one around, he would have to suffice.
After making the bed and packing up her belongings, she headed out of the room. She paused for a moment to survey it from the hall, partially to ensure she hadn’t left anything behind, but mostly to try to remember every aspect of the room later. Cin would want to hear all about it for sure. Yes, this was most definitely her baby sister’s cup of tea. Of course, after the way she left the party so abruptly the night before, she was probably going to be suffering from the silent treatment for a good long time so that discussion would have to wait. With Thanksgiving only days away, that could make for one long and miserable holiday. Why did she not think of these things in advance? As much as she was prepared for practically any situation, she never seemed to have the foresight to think through the result of her impulsive actions.
To her surprise, Adam was sitting in the great room reading his own Sunday paper as she entered. Since she had one in her hand that had come with her tray, she couldn’t help but blurt out the first thought that came to mind upon seeing him. “You bought two!?”
He sighed before even closing the paper or looking at her. Cammie realized she probably deserved that. “Well, since I couldn’t guarantee that we would be eating in the same room, I thought it wise to have two copies. You like your coffee in the morning and I like my newspaper. It’s part of my morning routine.” He raised an eyebrow at her, challenging her to find fault with his explanation.
She knew that look well. Her father always used it with her mother. Every single time her mother caved and would melt into his arms. She had asked about that once. She remembered her mother’s explanation vividly ever since. She always said that she knew her father was The One out of all the many men she dated because it was simply impossible to stay mad at him. Cammie, though she looked remarkably like her mother, rarely dated. She had yet to find a guy that she couldn’t stay mad at.
“You know,” he said seriously, “you are making this do-over really challenging.” After making that remark, he simply stared at her and waited for a response.
It was her turn to sigh. She walked over and sat in the chair across from him. She dropped the bag to the ground, set the tray and newspaper on the coffee table. At the moment, she was at a loss. She really didn’t know what to say. Her plan was simple. She was going home, back to her teeny tiny cozy apartment in a lousy part of the city where she felt amazingly comfortable and safe. There she was going to work on studying. She had projects due at the end of the semester. Though she was technically on break, this was the perfect time for her to get ahead. After all, come the first of
She sighed.
By the time she was on her second cup, she was beginning to feel more normal. By the time she had eaten a Cheese Danish, and most of the fruit salad, she was beginning to feel happy. And by the time she had taken a long hot shower, dressed in fresh clothes from her backpack and applied her moisturizer with SPF and her favorite lip-gloss, she felt ready to face the world. Of course, since Adam was the only one around, he would have to suffice.
After making the bed and packing up her belongings, she headed out of the room. She paused for a moment to survey it from the hall, partially to ensure she hadn’t left anything behind, but mostly to try to remember every aspect of the room later. Cin would want to hear all about it for sure. Yes, this was most definitely her baby sister’s cup of tea. Of course, after the way she left the party so abruptly the night before, she was probably going to be suffering from the silent treatment for a good long time so that discussion would have to wait. With Thanksgiving only days away, that could make for one long and miserable holiday. Why did she not think of these things in advance? As much as she was prepared for practically any situation, she never seemed to have the foresight to think through the result of her impulsive actions.
To her surprise, Adam was sitting in the great room reading his own Sunday paper as she entered. Since she had one in her hand that had come with her tray, she couldn’t help but blurt out the first thought that came to mind upon seeing him. “You bought two!?”
He sighed before even closing the paper or looking at her. Cammie realized she probably deserved that. “Well, since I couldn’t guarantee that we would be eating in the same room, I thought it wise to have two copies. You like your coffee in the morning and I like my newspaper. It’s part of my morning routine.” He raised an eyebrow at her, challenging her to find fault with his explanation.
She knew that look well. Her father always used it with her mother. Every single time her mother caved and would melt into his arms. She had asked about that once. She remembered her mother’s explanation vividly ever since. She always said that she knew her father was The One out of all the many men she dated because it was simply impossible to stay mad at him. Cammie, though she looked remarkably like her mother, rarely dated. She had yet to find a guy that she couldn’t stay mad at.
“You know,” he said seriously, “you are making this do-over really challenging.” After making that remark, he simply stared at her and waited for a response.
It was her turn to sigh. She walked over and sat in the chair across from him. She dropped the bag to the ground, set the tray and newspaper on the coffee table. At the moment, she was at a loss. She really didn’t know what to say. Her plan was simple. She was going home, back to her teeny tiny cozy apartment in a lousy part of the city where she felt amazingly comfortable and safe. There she was going to work on studying. She had projects due at the end of the semester. Though she was technically on break, this was the perfect time for her to get ahead. After all, come the first of
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