Fall into you

Chapter Seven : Cami

There were a thousand things to do. Firstly, she knew she would have to get her wardrobe up to speed and on her limited budget she worked out that that was going to be a major challenge.

The saying goes that one or two really well cut suits will be sufficient not only in the short term but always. Grudgingly, Cami choose to shop at an upmarket boutique that sold matching separates that could be teamed up at will. The secret, of course, was that they continually carried their range of basics and only added new shirts, jumpers and accessories to remain current. All this meant that Cami would be able to begin with a few skirts and trousers, match up her own shirts and jerseys, the jackets which were in the off-the-chart price range she could buy monthly, completing her wardrobe over time.

Ideas, however, are usually by their very nature, simply theories. Cami had never seen such beautiful clothes, neither had she ever tried on such snug fitting perfectly tailored garments. With more than half the stores merchandise hanging, drunkenly, from hooks in her fitting room, it was going to very difficult task to take home only one or two. Cami still had a little money scurried away from all the waitressing she'd done in college, but she didn't want to max-out her credit card as well by being too greedy. She looked at herself critically in the mirror pulling on one skirt then another; same style, different fabric and color, trying to force a decision. She heard the shop assistant fidgeting from behind the fitting room curtain.

"Find anything, yet? Cami couldn't fail to hear the rising exasperation in the woman's voice.

"The problem is that I think I've found far too many, and I can't take them all!" Cami answered truthfully, trying to charm the sales lady out of her aggravation.

"Well come on then let's have a look at you, perhaps I can help you decide," the woman added hoping to speed Cami along.

Cami ventured forward in a navy skirt with slim line panels that hung fetchingly from the hip. She held a similar one in black, up front, on its hanger.

"Which one, which color suits best?"

"Wow, that's gorgeous on you, now I can see why you're battling to decide. Obviously with the effort you're putting in you must have someone on your mind you want to impress, and that skirt, my girl, in either color is bound to do the trick."

God! Is that how I come across, as some witless bimbo trying to snag a man! Cami felt herself blush under the older woman's steady gaze.

"Ah... I see I'm right," the assistant said, noting Cami's rising color. Cami wanted to hit back with a scathing retort. Say something fast and funny, with a wicked edge, but she caught herself in time.

Maybe she actually was imagining the impression she would make. She didn't have to tell herself who she had on her mind.

Stupid girl! She chided herself, once again. Humiliated by her transparency, Cami dived back behind the shielding cover of the curtain, away from the woman. Thankfully, by assuring her that she had made up her mind, the woman felt confident that she was being dismissed to go back to her duties in the main shop.

Finally, biting her lip at her extravagance, Cami took both the navy and the black. She paid at the glossy counter with its racks of shiny accessories and bags. New shoes, she realized, belatedly would have to wait. The bronze and glass windows of the shop winked, conspiratorially at her in the sunlight as she left, as if they had been in on parting her so willingly from her savings from the very start. 

The day was unseasonably warm, the promise of spring a sweet aroma on the gentle breeze. Cami, literally skipped along the sidewalk, spontaneously deciding to take a route to the subway that looped passed her new work place. 

I could pop in and see if there's parking available for one small car, that way Allie and I could drive in rather than commute on the subway. We could share the costs! The brilliance of this plan spurred her on. The stunning glass edifice that was Global Tours rose from the horizon as if to meet her.

Stepping across from the park opposite the building, Cami, saw a familiar figure shoot through the glass doors, it was definitely Kenzie of the navy blues. A beautiful redhead woman followed hot on his heels, head thrown back slightly laughing at something he had just said. Cami was close enough by now to hear her tinkling tones, the melodious sound was like an arrow piercing her delicate heart.

Steady girl, you don't know him, you know zip about him. The pain in her chest however was totally physical, damn hard to deny.

Kenzie, and his captivated entourage of one, quickly blended into the crowd heading upstream away from her. 

Indecision gripped.

Stalkers are low, despicable creatures, right? But, if she didn't follow him she might never see him again, she might never know who the redhead was to him. Just because she had seen him come out of her building did not mean he was actually working there. For a single fleeting moment Cami actually thought about following them. She still had his Saint Christopher, she could return it, couldn't she? There was little use denying her curiosity. Kenzie seemed to be constantly in her space, almost doggedly. In that single second a myriad of possibilities assailed her, but then, sanity won. In her minds eye she imagined a scenario in which she bravely trailed them, only to inadvertently get too close. Kenzie would probably spot her, isn't that how things like spying on people usually worked out, or she'd trip and fall into him, or she'd get a good view of the two of them whispering over lunch and she would lean over a tad too keenly from her hiding place behind the restaurant’s potted plants, and BAM! They would topple sending her reeling with them. No! That would not do. She let them go on their merry way, but suddenly she felt heavy, the days sparkle, tarnished.

What the hell is wrong with me, have I totally lost it? Confusion followed her into the foyer.

Cami was about to approach the broad general reception desk with her question when she saw Celia Dreyer alight from the elevator car and drift over the marble floor toward her, Celia raised her hand in greeting, no doubt wondering what the hell Cami was doing there days before her appointment. 

"Hi! Is there something I can help you with?" She directed at Cami when she was within hearing distance.

"I'm trying to find out about parking arrangements." Cami countered satisfying Celia's musing.

Celia thought about it for a second, but while her mind worked Cami saw her eyes light on something behind her, she turned to see Kenzie rushing up.

"Well, if it isn't the Umbrella Warrior?" he inclined his head slightly to Cami, a sardonic grin plastered over his features. Then he turned his attention to Celia.

"Forgot my wallet." He explained.  Then he scooted passed.

"Did you tell our new recruit about the training conference for employees next week, yet?" So he knew she had been accepted as an employee. Cami's wonder grew. Who the hell was he that he had information like that. 

At least I now I know he works here, I'll be able to return his jewelry.  

"Somehow, Your Saint Christopher hooked onto the coat I was wearing last time I saw you." She blurted without time to think about delaying him in his urgent quest.

“Good, I was wondering what happened to it. I'll get it from you next week just bring it to the office. I'll send someone over for it." Something in his eyes darkened, "On second  thoughts I'll come over to collect it myself. Good of you to hold it for me." He was gone before Cami could reply.

"Conference?" Cami's eyes rested on Celia.

"It's a team building exercise, Mac Mann is convinced it fosters goodwill amongst the staff. I sent you an email, didn't you get it?" Cami hadn't checked her mail. After Mac Mann called she hadn't thought to do anything other than organize her wardrobe, very un-Cami of her, but then it wasn't the only thing out of kilter. No, everything seemed odd. How often do you meet a guy on a train, lose your skirt in front of him, save his life mere minutes later and then discover that you're actually going to be working with him. Wow, talk about weird--she didn't think things could be crazier.

"No, I didn't look at my emails this morning, not after the boss called. There didn't seem to be any point. I knew I had the job." She caught herself gushing, "I'll read it all when I get home, right now I need to fix my parking issues." Celia looked at her a little strangely, but led her to a guy that could help. She left Cami kicking herself for acting like an asshole.

Damn, I don't want to alienate the woman by sounding disorganized. But, it was too late to do anything about it. Celia had gone.

As a consolation she managed to arrange space for her car, she wouldn't need to negotiate the subway daily; a huge relief. Cami found her way back onto the sidewalk, glad to be out of harm's way as far as office politics were concerned, she felt intrigued about the possibility of going on conference, it sounded quite grand as she rolled it on her tongue, feeling the sound of it. Naturally, the possibility of Kenzie being one of her fellow guests didn't escape her entirely.