* * *
“Hi, Landon,” Con’s assistant Maureen said when I walked in. “Is he expecting you?”
“I never am,” Con said through the intercom. He could see me because he had this absurd glass-walled office. A weird hybrid of open and closed concept floor plan. I headed back and let myself in, feeling like I was in a fishbowl. There was nowhere I could stand with my back to a solid wall. Even after all these years out of the service, that still made my shoulders tense. I’d feel it in my neck later.
“Have a seat,” Con said, jerking his head toward the two chairs that sat opposite his desk. He knew me too well to be surprised when I stayed standing. “It was good having you over the other night. Lily really liked Cami.”
“Cami likes her too,” I said, glancing around. Con’s office was a security nightmare, something I’d mentioned to him countless times. He was also on Cami’s wavelength when it came to plants. I counted fifteen of them, which was more than there were the last time I was in here.
“The ficus did its time,” Con said.
I ignored his amused smirk. “About your wedding. What’s the security going to be like?”
Con shook his head slowly, his amusement morphing to incredulity. “Are you serious?”
“Yes, I’m fucking serious. I want to bring her, but…” I broke off, my jaw tightening. I hadn’t told anyone about what was going on with Cami’s family. Even my closest friends.
Con stared at me. He knew something was up. I was cautious, but as much as he and our other friends joked about it, I wasn’t crazy. Though I hadn’t planned to explain, I summarized everything for him.
When I was done, Con gave a low whistle. “He called out Emma specifically?”
I nodded, my jaw still so tight it ached. Recapping it made me feel violent, but there was nothing to take it out on. The LAPD and my own sources were still coming up empty handed. I was this close to going down some dark paths in order to get more information.
“Okay, I get why you’re asking now.” Con scrubbed his hand over his face, thinking. “We don’t have much,” he admitted. “But no one knows about it. The guest list is small, all the vendors signed NDAs, and Corberon isn’t exactly a paparazzi hot spot.”
I walked to the window, considering it. It was a plus that Con and Lily were getting married at a small, private resort in Croatia. If it had been somewhere like Calamigos Ranch, there was no way I could have taken Emma and Cami.
“What if you bring some of your team?” Con offered.
“That would help,” I said, grudgingly grateful to him for the offer. “If you’re sure there’s room.”
“I’ll kick Garrett out of the wedding if there isn’t.”
I laughed, but my heart wasn’t in it. Con, sensing I had a lot on my mind, tried to convince me to get lunch with him and Dominic. I was impatient to get back to Emma and Cami, though, so I declined.
“Okay,” Con said, giving up. “I guess I’ll see you in Croatia then.”
His wedding was three weeks away, but he and Lily were going down early to spend some time at their place and let their infant daughter get adjusted to the time change.
“See you there,” I agreed.
“You, Emma, Cami, and two of LA’s finest,” Con said, gauging my reaction.
“Three,” I corrected. I would have preferred five, but even I knew that was overkill.
“Three it is.” Con walked me out, then headed in the opposite direction to meet Dominic.
I made it back to my side of town in record time. I wasn’t concerned – not with the security of the building and the protection officer who had come with Elyna and Robert – I just wanted to get back to them. I’d been spending so much time with Emma and Cami that it almost felt strange to be out without them. No one was crunching on veggie straw in the backseat. Cami wasn’t beside me, commenting on everything that had changed in the last few years, pulling out an endless array of kid-entertainment crap out of her purse.
I heard laughter through the door when I got out of the elevator. Walking in, I saw them gathered around a gameboard. Mousetrap, from the convoluted looks of it.
“Who’s winning?” I asked, walking over to ruffle Emma’s hair.
“I am,” Elyna said brightly, but her eyes were cool and assessing. Robert had a small frown on his face.
I looked at Cami for an explanation, but she was smiling at Emma, seemingly unaware of the chill that had descended when I walked in. For some reason, though, I got the feeling she was ignoring it rather than ignorant of it. I hoped that meant she was planning to explain later and that I wouldn’t have to drag it out of her. “Emma is coming up from behind,” she said. “Right, Em?”
“Right!”