“I’ve been seeing a woman,” Cameron began. “I really liked her. I met her in Paris and thought we had a connection. I ran into her here in Denver the other day in front of Silver Creek.”
“She lives here now?”
“Yes. The firm she works for has offices here and in Paris, among other locations.”
Hal nodded. “Connection is a good thing.”
Not an earth-shattering pronouncement, something to simply let him know she was paying attention and ready to hear more.
“I found out that she initially planned to approach me in Paris because she thought I would have information she wanted. That wasn’t necessary, because I approached her first.”
Hal looked at him, and her furrowed brow told him she hadn’t expected the conversation to veer in this direction. “How did you find that out?”
“She told me.”
“She told you?” Hal repeated. “Just came right out and said that’s what she’d planned?”
“That’s right.”
“Why did she tell you?”
“She was asking me all these questions, and it made me wonder, so I asked, and she said yes.”
“She could have lied.” Hal’s voice didn’t waver. “You wouldn’t have known.”
“No, even if I suspected, there would be no way for me to know for certain without her confirmation.”
Hal’s expression turned thoughtful. “Sounds like this woman is playing it straight with you.”
“Now, maybe. Not before.”
“The questions she had, were they about the company or the family?”
Cameron shook his head. “They concerned an event that happened a long time ago, and she thought I might know something about it that could help her.”
“Do you know something about it that could help her?”
“No.”
“Did she believe you when you said you don’t know anything?”
“She did.”
Hal turned to face him. “I’m having difficulty figuring out what the problem is here.”
“How can I trust her, Gran?” It took all the willpower Cameron possessed to keep his tone steady when frustration threatened to make it spike. “Our friendship developed under, well, false pretenses.”
“The false pretenses being that she didn’t immediately tell you that she had questions for you?”
Cameron nodded.
“Did you ever consider she may have been waiting until she knew you better and could take you at your word?”
Cameron shifted from one foot to the other.
“You care for her. If you didn’t, finding this out wouldn’t have upset you.”
“I’m just glad I found out.”