at their meeting. Besides that, Cam couldn’t tell what else she was thinking. Did seeing his brother remind her of her adolescent crush? Personally, he thought Jasper was laying it on a bit thick, but he’d seen plenty of women succumb when his brother wasn’t being half as charming.
“Maybe. We’ll see.”
Score two points for Elle. A team, Cam decided, he was firmly rooting for.
Jasper seemed confused at her reluctance. “Here,” he said, pulling a business card out of his jacket pocket. “Give me a call if you change your mind.” His megawatt smile appeared once more. “In the meantime, you should come to a party tomorrow.”
“The Printemps do at your parents’ house?” she asked innocently.
Jasper’s face lit up. “Yes. Please come as my guest.”
“Actually,” Elle said, “your brother already invited me.”
“My brother...” Jasper turned to him and his left eyebrow arched dramatically. “Oh, really?” He darted his gaze between the two of them, waiting for some obvious sign of understanding. “So are you going...together?” He gestured from one to the other, then leaned toward Cam and whispered, “That’s faster than you usually move.”
Before Cam could counter that, Elle spoke up. “No, we’re not,” she stated quickly.
Too quickly, Cam thought. And why should that bug him?
Jasper took a step closer. “Good to hear.” He offered Elle a wink.
“Well, I really should be going. I wanted to get some sketching in today and the light is just right at the moment. But I’ll see both of you tomorrow.”
She began to walk away, a feminine sway to her hips that Cam knew both his and his brother’s gazes were drawn to.
“Ellie Owens?” Jasper said out loud, after running a hand over his mouth.
“She goes by Elle now,” Cam said, still watching her walk off.
“Little Ellie Owens?” The surprise in Jasper’s voice was comical.
“The one and only,” Cam said drily, slapping a hand on his brother’s back as they watched Elle’s retreating form.
Jasper scrubbed both hands over his face. “When you said she’d changed, you weren’t kidding. She’s gorgeous.”
Yes, she is. “She’s okay.”
“Cam, come on. Too bad she didn’t look like that in high school.” Jasper wiggled an eyebrow for emphasis.
Shaking his head, Cam resisted the urge to sigh.
As he rubbed his hands together, Jasper’s smile grew wide and playful. “Seems like the two of you have gotten cozy pretty fast. Definitely can’t wait for tomorrow’s party now.”
Not for the first time in his life—hell, not for the first time today—Cam had to remind himself that he did in fact love his little brother. No matter how irritating he could be.
“Jasp.” He snapped his fingers in front of Jasper’s face. “What about Mindy?”
“Who?” he asked dreamily.
Cam groaned. “Mindy. Your girlfriend.”
To his credit, Jasper bowed his head as his face reddened. Then his usual playful grin returned. “I’m kidding. She’s out of town. And I wasn’t hitting on Elle, so stop with the reproachful look.”
“Could have fooled me.”
“I was flirting. Flirting is not the same as full-on hitting on a woman. And why should it bother you, anyway? Thought you gave up dating after Spacy Stacy.”
Cam’s own grin came fast and wide. “Spacy Stacy was harmless.” True, she became easily confused over minor details and anything involving numbers, sports or current events. But she’d been fun for a while.
“Harmless but hot. Some of my favorite traits.” Jasper chuckled, but Cam knew he was only kidding.
His brother clapped him on the back. “I just want to see you happy.”
“Who said I’m not happy?” Cam countered.
Jasper nodded in the direction Elle had taken. “I think maybe you could be even happier. You just have to let yourself accept it.”
Cam rolled his eyes. “You sound like one of those stupid daily affirmations podcasts that Mom listens to.”
Jasper pointed toward The Brewside. “I’m going to get some coffee. And don’t knock the podcasts. Maybe you should listen to one before the party tomorrow. Maybe it will help you find your mojo with Elle.”
Cam tried to reach out and slap him on the arm, but his brother was too fast. “I’m over dating,” he yelled, but Jasper ignored him. Cam watched him walk away.
Their mother always promised fireworks at every party she threw. Between Jasper, Elle and the busybodies of Bayside, Cam feared there might be more than one kind of fireworks tomorrow night.
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