For Your Love // Rafe Cameron X Reader

𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄

"Are you Mr.Heyward?" You ask after stepping into the dockside seafood store, a large man with a kind smile greeting you as he transfers fresh fish into baskets full of ice. The smell inside the store was exactly as you'd imagine - a little too fishy to bear, but you try not to breathe through your nose too much. It doesn't help.

"Sure am. And you are?"

You introduce yourself and stretch out a hand that he shoots a knowing grin at. "Oh, you don't want me shakin' that." He chuckles to himself and splays out his hands to gesture the fish juices coating them. You pull a face that makes him laugh and retract your hand. 

"Dad, Kie's on her way over, can I go early to check out the surf with her?" A younger boy comes in that you assume is his son - obviously; he called him 'dad' - and shoots a quick, pleasant smile your way. Heyward just waves a flippant hand and rolls his eyes, silently telling him to just get the hell outta there. "Thanks, dad. I'll be back by ten!"

"Nine, Pope!" His dad sternly shouts back and you smile a little at their interaction. "Sorry about that, ma'am. Kids, huh? What can I do for you?" His attention returns to you and he pulls the small towel from his shoulder to wipe his hands on after washing them in the small sink behind the counter.

"Well, I was hoping you would be free to cater an event for me this weekend. I know it's short notice, so I'd be happy to cover any additional costs you might need for it." You say sheepishly, hoping the apologetic attitude might have him more inclined to help you. He had a good reputation from what you'd heard - Rose herself had used him for many events. 

"What kind of event?" He raises a bushy brow at you, expression hard to read. 

"A fundraiser up on Figure 8. I'm hosting it in hopes of helping some of the folk down here after that hurricane that just hit." 

"Oh, well... In that case." He plants his hands on his hips, that jovial grin returning. "I'd be happy to. Do you have, uhh.. email or somethin' so I can send you our prices and get the details?"

His quick agreement and willingness to work to your time schedule has your shoulders relaxing a fraction. You hadn't exactly expected a 'no', but you had expected him to put up a little more of a fight. The short notice would put most caterers off - especially the snobbish ones you were used to haggling back home. 

"Yes-- I do. Here." He gets a pad and pen for you to write it down, along with your name and number. "Thank you, Mr. Heyward. You have no idea how much I appreciate you taking this on at such short notice."

"Ah, call me Bobby. Everybody does." He chuckles again, a hearty sound that warms the soul. You nod to show him you understood, and then say your goodbyes, feeling entirely successful to have sorted one of the tasks on your hefty list for the week. 

After you're done, you head to the store to pick up some groceries and then go home to stock them into the fridge. Then you sit down to work some more, making some calls to organise and set the kind of event you'd be having. You didn't tell Rose yet. You wanted to keep it a surprise since you were sure it was something she'd love the sound of. 

Around 8pm the front door opens to your surprise - you hadn't expected dad to actually show up before the early hours of tomorrow morning. "Hey, sweetheart!" He calls up the stairs and you close your laptop to head downstairs and greet him. He had a paper bag that he was unpacking takeout from. "I got Thai. You hungry?"

"Always." You snort and sit at the breakfast bar alongside him. His eyes were rimmed with dark fatigue circles though he manages a tired smile your way. "How was work?"

"Long. You think I'd get used to it after this many years, but turns out I just got good at being exhausted all the time." He admits, smiling as though it were a joke but it makes your heart feel a little tight. He loved his job, but it was obvious he needed a vacation. "Spoke to Ward this morning." Ah, shit. Here we go. "He invited us to dinner tomorrow."