Josie & Gary's Apartment

Cameron knocked on the door. He hugged Josie when she answered the door, then walked to his brother and held out his hand. He could not believe he was here in his brother's home visiting with him like there had never been anything wrong between them.

"Hey, little brother," Gary said and took his brother's extended hand. They shook hands and ended the greeting with a quick hug.

"How are you feeling?" Cameron asked and sat on the couch beside Gary.

"Good. The doctor doesn't want me doing anything for a while, which leads me to a question for you."

"Anything, Gar."

"I'm glad you said that because I'm going to hold you to it. Rachel Hutchins came to me. She wants me to find the Corys' missing money. Now, I'm going to be out of commission for a while, and I need someone who I trust to keep the business going. How does 'Sinclair & Sinclair Investigations' sound to you?"

Cameron stared at him in astonishment. "Gary, what are you saying? You want me to be your partner?"

Gary smiled. "Well don't look so shocked. Who wouldn't want a guy trained by the FBI working with him?"

"But Gar. . ."

"No 'buts'. Either you're in or you're not. So what will it be?"

Cameron smiled for the first time. "Oh, I'm in."

Gary's smile widened. "That's what I wanted to hear. Well, don't just sit there. Let's get to work."

*******************

 Cameron was surprised when Amanda answered the door. He smiled at her. He was so incredibly happy. It was such a foreign feeling to him, but he liked it. On impulse, he picked her up and spun her around. Amanda laughed. He did not put her down, but held her tightly against him.

"What are you so happy about?" Amanda asked, laying her hands on his shoulders.

Cameron continued to smile. "You're looking at the new partner in 'Sinclair Investigations'."

"Gary asked you to be his partner. That's great. It looks like we've got something to celebrate. So do I get a celebratory kiss or what?"

Cameron's eyes smoldered with far more than happiness about his newly-formed partnership. Cameron slowly let Amanda slide down his body. When her feet were firmly on the ground once again, he leaned forward and kissed her hungrily, deeply. Amanda rubbed his neck and leaned her head back to allow him access to her neck. She gasped as he pressed hot kisses on her throat. Cameron captured her mouth again with his own, expressing long-restrained desires with his hungry kisses. Cameron kissed her forehead, and Amanda laid her head on his shoulder. She smiled.

"That was some kiss."

Cameron tried to control his breathing and the desire rushing through his veins. "I want to get you alone."

Amanda leaned back and looked into his eyes. She saw her own longings reflected in Cameron's sparkling green eyes. "I want to be with you, Cameron. Soon."

Cameron stepped back from her, trying to distance himself from their feelings so he could tell her his purpose for his visit. "I want that too," he said softly. "Why do you always distract me? I actually came over here on business. Gary wants me to work with your family to find this missing money. You know that means you and I will be spending a lot of time together," he said purposely.

Amanda wrapped her arms around his waist. "Promise," she whispered and kissed him.

Alli scowled from the top of the stairs where she had witnessed the entire exchange.

******************

Alli paced in the living room, waiting for her mother to come home. She was out with him, again. Alli did not like it. . . .did not like it one bit. How many times had her mother been sucked in by some deceitful man? How many times had she watched her mother fall to pieces over another failed relationship? Alli was not going to let it happen this time. She was not going to let Cameron Sinclair break her mother's heart. Alli had put up a wall between Cameron and herself. It was a wall that he would not break through. He might be charming her mother, but Cameron was not going to charm Alexandra Fowler.

"How long can a movie last?" Alli said out loud. She walked to the desk. She would call the theater and find out when the next movie was scheduled to begin. She opened the middle drawer and began shuffling through its contents looking for the phonebook. She found an Express Mail envelope with her mother's name on it. Alli started to set it aside when she saw the edge of a newspaper clipping sticking out.

"La Porte Tribune. La Porte, Indiana," she read on the return address label.

Alli pulled out the numerous newspaper clippings and spread them across the desk. Her eyes widened as they rested on the picture of a younger-looking Cameron.

"Star Athlete Goes on Spending Spree. . . .Football Hero Kills Father. . .Sinclair Confesses to Murdering Father. . . Sinclair Sentenced. . .," Alli read each headline aloud. Her mind was reeling with possibilities. She had to formulate a plan then. . ."Cameron Sinclair will be out of our lives forever."

********************

Amanda sat behind the desk in her office at Cory. She was trying to concentrate on the papers in front of her, but all she seemed to accomplish was daydreaming about Cameron. She looked off into the distance remembering the night before.

"Amanda. . . Amanda. . ."

Amanda jumped as she heard her name spoken close beside her, effectively ending her retrospective. She smiled when she saw Layne standing there.

"Layne, you're here."

"It looks like you're back, too. You were a million miles away," Layne told her as she leaned on the desk beside Amanda.

"Not so far," Amanda told her still smiling dreamily.

Layne laughed, "Maybe just a few blocks away. And my guess is that he is about six foot, with green eyes, and brown hair, and a raspy, sexy voice. And he has a smile that could light up the city."

Amanda laughed, "How did you know?"

"I know the look of love anywhere. I am reporting for my first day of work Ms. Cory," Layne told Amanda, changing the subject.

"So you're all moved in."

"If 'all moved in' means I have boxes everywhere and no furniture."

"Oh, Layne, why didn't you say something? You could have stayed with us last night. "

"I know. I know. I slept at Mother's last night. She's off on some European vacation so I had the house to myself."

Layne walked back around the desk and took a seat in one of the wingback guest chairs.

"Layne, if you need to take care of some things I'm sure Mom would understand."

"That's not what I'm asking for. I'm here to work and to make sure Cory stays afloat until the missing money is found."

Amanda nodded, then smiled, "I've got a great idea. Why don't Alli and I come over to your new apartment and help you unpack? We can make it a girls night out. We haven't done that for so long."

"It doesn't sound like much fun."

"It will be great."

*******************

Layne looked around at the chaos that was now her home. She could see the sky line of Bay City out the huge windows. Bayview Towers. They called the apartments "executive suites", but Layne looked around at the size of hers and decided "apartment" was the only name that fit. She watched as Amanda began to unpack clothes and put them on hangers. Amanda was dressed in black spandex pants with a black tank top and a white hooded sweat shirt over the top. She had her hair in a ponytail, Pebbles Flintstone-style. Alli was sitting cross-legged on the floor going through another box. She was dressed in wide legged jeans and a tight black shirt with red and white horizontal stripes across the chest. Layne had on baggy gray sweatpants and a navy blue sweatshirt with "NPD" in huge white letters across the front of it. She jumped as Alli turned on the radio and "Respect" blasted from the speakers.

She smiled as she watched Alli swing her hips and arms in rhythm with the music. Layne and Amanda looked at each other and laughed.

"Come on, Laynie, let's show her how it's done," Amanda said.

They both began dancing with Alli. Soon the three of them were side by side dancing and singing "R-E-S-P-E-C-T" at the top of their lungs. They dissolved in giggles, falling to the floor in a pile as the song faded. After their short break, they continued unpacking Layne's "treasures".

"Has anyone seen a box of photographs?" Layne asked.

"Nope," Amanda and Alli both answered.

"I must have left it in Nashville."

"Am I ever going to see that husband of yours? I'm beginning to wonder if he really exists," Amanda said.

Layne sighed, "You know he's real. You've talked to him on the phone."

"I forgot."

"Wait. Here's a picture of Kyle in his police uniform."

Amanda and Alli gathered on each side of Layne, then grabbed the photograph from her hands.

"I can't see his face. That hat is casting a shadow on his face. He's got a beard?"

"He has ever since I met him. I've never seen him without it."

"Hmmm? Must make you curious about what's underneath.'

Layne laughed, "As sickening as it may sound, I don't care what's underneath, because it's what on the inside that matters."

Amanda smiled, "You're right."

Alli turned away from both of them and rolled her eyes, "You never did tell me how you two met."

"You had to go there," Amanda said sarcastically.

Layne shoved her playfully. "Yeah, you forget how many 'how we met' stories I have had to hear out of you, Miss I-married-Grant-Harrison."

Amanda frowned, "All right. You didn't have to get nasty. I forgot how irritable you can be. Go ahead and tell her your story."

Layne stuck out her tongue at Amanda. "It's not something that I'm sure I want to share with you, Alli. It's not one of my prouder moments, and I don't want to set a bad example. Don't say a word, Amanda," Layne told her as she wagged a finger Amanda's way. Amanda shook her head in wide-eyed innocence.

"After Dad died, I did what I had to do to forget. That translates into I drank too much, and I partied too much. I was at this bar, in Nashville, and I was drunk. None of my friends were too concerned that I was too drunk to drive when I got ready to leave. It just happened that Kyle was there at the bar that night and off duty. He followed me to the car and grabbed my keys away from me.

I wasn't very happy with him so I told him what he could do with the keys. Then he grabbed my purse and found my license. He tried to talk to me, but I wouldn't listen. He took me to his car and drove me home. When I woke up the next morning, I felt and looked like death warmed over. I walked into my living room, and there was this strange man lying on my couch. I started screaming.

Kyle explained everything to me and showed me his badge. He made me his own personal project. He taught me that love can conquer all and can chase out all the demons inside."

"That was the short version?" Amanda asked.

Layne shook her head. "Yes, Amanda, bring the attention back to yourself. Some things never. . . ."

The doorbell rang interrupting Layne's quick comeback. She ignored Amanda's heavy sigh of relief as she walked to the door. She looked through the peephole, then stood back and smiled at Amanda.

"What?" Amanda asked as Layne opened the door.

"Hi," Cameron said as Layne greeted him with a smile. "I heard that you needed some furniture moved."

"And you were out looking for some fun," Layne said with one raised eyebrow, then swept her arm, indicating that Cameron should come in. "I am glad you're here. Maybe Amanda will quit talking about you now."

Amanda cried out in protest as Layne smiled innocently. Cameron walked to Amanda. They talked in low whispers to each other, seemingly unaware of the other occupants in the room. Layne looked at Alli. She was somewhat puzzled by the folded arms and look of anger that crossed Alli's face as she turned away from Cameron and Amanda. Layne looked between Cameron and Amanda and Alli hoping that Alli was not going to make trouble for them.

********************

Alli paced on the terrace. She looked up at the open doors of the balcony leading off her mother's bedroom. She frowned as she heard the song drifting down to her from the open doors. . .

Alli knew Cameron would arrive in a few minutes to pick up her mother, and she had to be ready for him. She wanted to get to him before her mother came downstairs. If everything went her way, her mother would not be going anywhere tonight.

******************

Amanda threw another outfit across the bed. She had changed four times. Why had he said that he had something "special" planned for her? Amanda paused, thinking about Cameron. She closed her eyes and sighed. Her heart filled with joy thinking about him. She never knew what he was going to do and that simple fact brought a smile to her face.

Amanda walked to her closet and pulled out another dress. She turned to the mirror and held it in front of her. She wanted to look perfect. The very thought of her surprise gave her goose bumps.

******************

Cameron walked up to the front of the Cory house. He was nervous. He hoped Amanda would like the surprise he had for her. There were so many things he wanted to say and do. Maybe she would think what he had planned for her was hokey. Cameron turned away from the door and paced for a moment. No, he was ready. He was ready to get this night started. Cameron rang the doorbell and smiled slightly at Claudia when she told him Amanda would be down in a few minutes.

Cameron walked into the empty living room. He liked this house. He really did not know why. Maybe it was the simple fact that despite their losses, the Corys were happy. He did not know what it was to grow up in a happy home. Cameron did not sit down. He was too much on edge to make himself comfortable. He smiled instantly when Alli came through the terrace doors. She had not given him the warmest of welcomes, and he sensed that she had some resentment toward him. He did not hold anything against her. He did not trust anyone until he got to know them, either. Besides Alli reminded him so much of Amanda that he found it difficult to hold anything against her.

"Hi, Alli," he said cheerfully.

Alli frowned at him and did not return his greeting. If she was going to do this, she had to do it now. She took a deep breath, then narrowed her eyes as she spoke. "So what did it feel like to murder your own father?"

Author's Note: The song "Thinkin' About You can be found on Trisha Yearwood's CD "Songbook".

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