Chapter 4 4

"Are you sure no one would recognise you?"Sharon asked Cameron as they walked into Walmart. She had to stifle a laugh as he bumped into an idle shopping cart. He was still not used to his disguise. It consisted of a pillow stuffed under his shirt, which she had insisted on, and a black wig, both for the head and face, that he happened to have in his car. In all he looked very different from the man who had managed to convince her to get out of the apartment. Hopefully, no one would recognise him.

After she grabbed a cart, she went to the nearest aisle to browse around, surprised when Cameron tagged along. She thought he would want to get his own stuff. It was weird and disconcerting to shop with someone. Ever since she had taken over the cooking when she had turned sixteen, the household shopping had always been her responsibility. With her new license, she had always gone alone. Her mother had been too busy and Amelia was uninterested. So to have someone peer over her shoulder every time she picked something was unsettling.

"So we aren't just going to get frozen meals?"Cameron asked after they had traversed two aisles. She gave him horrified look and he nodded, barely stopping from bumping into the sauce section with his "stomach". He glared down at it, not noticing the stares he was attracting. Not wanting more attention to be on him, she quickly grabbed his arm and pulled him along. He was surprised by her touch but went with her. "What was that about?"

"Didn't you see all the attention on you?"she hissed, releasing him as she dropped several cans of stews into the cart, leveling a glower at him. Even with the beard covering him, she could still see his surprise in his eyes. "You are so used to the attention that you don't even notice it. Has your time with the paparazzis numbed you?"

"I guess, "he said, his brows drawing together. He looked decidedly uncomfortable and his eyes kept jumping, landing briefly on the shoppers before flitting away to another shopper. Then his eyes connected with her. "I didn't realise I have become used to the attention. They have been harassing me for the past two weeks since that game and I had to pretend that they were not there to just function like a normal human being."

Looking up at him, she disliked the stark and lost look in his eyes. Even though she didn't follow football, she gathered that it had to be something drastic, career-changing for the press to be after him. There were hundreds of misbehaving football players all over the USA. Covering Cameron must not be that lucrative even if he was the starting quarterback for the Giants, she was guessing. Her curiosity overwhelming her, she asked, "So why are they chasing after you?"

"Don't you know?"he asked incredulously.

"Nope. I don't read gossip nor sports mags. I don't like the way they report Ames. And I don't like sports in general" Checking the rotisserie chicken, she asked, "Do you think this tastes nice?"

"I don't know. I've never eaten it before."

"Since you always eat food from the frozen aisle. Must be so healthy for a football player." She had to hide a smile when he glared at her. "So you didn't answer my question."

"Why don't you just read all those mags? I don't want to relive it, "he said sullenly as he dropped a rotisserie chicken into the cart. She shot him a quick look and didn't say anything when he returned her look with one that dared her to question him.

"But they always skew the truth, if there is even any truths in them. I want the truth as you see it." Sharon hoped she hadn't offended him. She feared that she had when he was silent for so long but she continued with her shopping. She had only the produce section left. When he spoke, she was so startled she almost dropped the tomatoes. Luckily, he was there to catch it.

"I tore a tendon on my shoulder. It's a tough recovery process as it is and with my age, it'll be difficult to get it back to my pre-injury state, "he said softly and she could hear the grief and anger in his voice. She might not be well-versed in sports but she didn't think that it would be something that would cause much waves in the news.

"But I'm sure you're working on it-"

"You sound so much like my agent. Working on it is not going to change the fact that I am old and just working on it won't restore it."

"So what? Are you just going to quit?" Turning into another aisle, she gently tugged him along. She could see that he was not ready to leave yet.

"What choice do I have? I just don't see the point. To torture my arm for a few weeks only to be put to pasture in a few years. My team is not going to recontract me even though I have put my heart, sweat and soul onto the field."

"How about going out when you want to? You must want to go out when you're at your peak."

"I am at my peak. I don't need the next few years to garner any more injuries and go through this process again."

"Well, I think you are wrong. I think you want to play for a few more years. You're just being stubborn." Deciding this was enough whining for the day, she began to head out to the checkout counters.

"You don't know what I am talking about. And just why are you heading to the register without my frozen stuff?"he shouted angrily, making her roll her eyes again.

"They're unhealthy. Now come on. My beef can't be left out too long And we are not done with this conversation."

---@@@@@-----

Setting the groceries on the island, Cameron took a seat. He watched, in fascination, as Sharon pace around the living room, hand flailing around her face as she argued with Amelia over the phone. She had received the call as they had been on the way back from Walmart. The ride had been filled with her trying to convince him about trying out the physical therapist but she had turned her attention to her sister the moment she'd picked up the call. They had been quarrelling all the way from the parking lot to the elevator ride up to the penthouse. Fortunately, they had been the only ones in it.

From what he had been able to collect, Amelia had wrangled a position in Scott's accounting team and the condition was for Sharon would have to attempt for the position. Only then would Scott consider setting the rent.

Cameron was impressed. He knew that Scott owned one of the largest conglomerates in the country and it was constantly expanding, constantly ahead of his competitors. It was a family company and it had been three years since he had taken over from his father. With a growing reputation as one of the fairest employers, where employee growth and progression were a focus, it had become the number one company most people wanted to be a part of. But, Sharon, with her contrariness, would not even consider attempting for the position.

She had been arguing with Amelia about the unfairness of her demand. Trying to wheedle a way out of the bargain. Trying being the key word. Since she had been on the phone for the past half an hour, he could fairly say that she had not been successful. He had to smile when she flopped down onto the sofa as she angrily listened to Amelia. She looked so cute and fluffy with her arms outstretched and her jacket still on. But when her jacket and shirt rose up, he caught a tantalising glimpse of her stomach and he had the need for more.

Eyes widening, he turned to back to the kitchen, wondering where the sudden heat came from. She was truly not the type of woman he usually went for. He went for tall, cool and slick. Definitely not short and cute. She didn't even try. As evidenced by their trip, she had put on a comfortable top, jeans and boots. There had not been any makeup and she had been carrying one of those oversized bags that could store the entire library. Definitely not attractive.

But when she sat across him with a tub of ice cream, he couldn't help but notice her eyes were big and bright with anger, her cheeks flushed and her lips full, like it had been stung by bees, Her hair was falling off the bun she had put up before they had left on their errand and the wisps of hair around her face were enticing his fingers to touch them.

"Why didn't you put the groceries away?"she asked bad-temperedly. "Didn't I tell you that my beef can't be left out for long?"

"I take it you didn't win?"he asked instead, deciding not to answer her. She shot a glare at him as she took another mouthful of her ice cream before she got up and stored it away. Then she began storing the groceries, starting with the meat. He got up as well and helped her. "Why don't you want to work in Scott's company?"

"I just don't want to, "she snapped just as she grabbed the can in his hand and stored it in another cabinet. Then she shooed him away, muttering something about him being in the way. He had to let out a cough in a bid to hide his laughter. This was a very different woman who he had first met early this morning. Then, she had been reserved and apprehensive, shying from any physical contact. Now, she was not afraid of him, practically pushing him away.

"Well, I have been thinking, "he said as an idea popped into his mind. Examining it for a moment, he found merit in it and was quite excited to share it.

"That must be quite taxing. Do you have a headache?"

"I have to say that I do it often and it has yet to headache-inducing, "he said stiffly, shocked by her mean-spirited comment. His tone must have caught her attention because she paused in her task and looked at him. The tight look left her face as she leaned against the counter and folded her arms. Distracting him with her breasts which was being lifted up by her arms under them.

"Alright. I'm sorry. It's just been an unbelievably trying day. I didn't mean to lash out on you, "she said, her eyes beseeching him. He had to break the eye contact. For some reason, her eyes evoked strong feelings in him, feelings he had never felt for anyone outside his family. Clearing his throat, he steered them back to his idea.

"Since we are currently facing two mutually hated tasks, I'd like to strike a bargain with you-"

"No. Not another bargain, "she groaned. A smile tugged at his lips but he had to look determined

"If you go for the interview, I will talk to my agent about the physical therapist, "he said. Her eyes shot back to him. He could see that she was considering it. That had been what she had pushing for the entire ride back before she got the call from Amelia. She had stopped short of calling him a whiny baby but it had been a close call. It was a matter of whether she disliked going for the interview more than wanting him to a physical therapist.

"To clarify, I don't have to actually accept the job offer, if there is ever one, right? And you will actually have to set a time for the physical therapist?"she asked, brows furrowed.

"Yes and yes." When her eyes narrowed on him, he knew he had won.

"I hate you."