Caught on Camera by Kim Law

kissed Cat on the cheek then arrowed her gaze in JP’s direction, where he remained by the sitting room door. “No compliment for your old mom tonight?”
    In answer, he offered her his elbow and frowned down at her after she slipped her arm through his. “You look like you’re up to no good, Mother. I’m not sure why I’d want to compliment that. Usually your antics do nothing but cause me trouble.”
    She shushed away his worries, which only made him frown harder. “I’m merely thrilled to have the excuse to dress up, is all.”
    “Oh, please.” He called out a goodbye to Cynthia, who he knew enjoyed the attention from him, and waited for a returned comment and a slight giggle before he turned back to his mother and Cat. “What are you talking about? You dress up all the time. I have it on good authority you were both dressed to the nines for the women’s luncheon yesterday.”
    He escorted them both to his waiting SUV and ushered his mother inside the front seat. Once they were all seated, she continued where they’d left off.
    “You really are like your father, Jackson. He also never knew the difference between an elegant luncheon and a formal dinner. Especially one where everyone attending will know that my son is about to become the next senator of the United States.”
    Ah, so that’s what had her so worked up tonight. Fantastic. Another opportunity for her to live vicariously through him.
    Cat snorted from the backseat. “He doesn’t need any ego building, Mother. He already has half the women of this town tweeting about who’s going to win him in the auction, and then whether she’ll go home with him tonight , or if he’ll choose someone else for that particular honor.”
    His mother peered over the back of her seat before shooting her son a look. “You really need to start thinking about settling down, Jackson. This continual frolicking will have to stop soon anyway. It’s unbecoming for a Georgia senator.”
    “Yet you sign me up for the auction every year,” he said drolly.
    “Well, yes, it’s a tradition. At least until you’re married. But that doesn’t mean you have to continue to date a different woman every night. No one wants a roving senator, no matter what his last name.”
    Instead of being pulled into the argument, he thumbed a button on his steering wheel and turned the radio on.
    His mother lowered the volume and shifted in her seat to face Cat. “Who do you have your money on?”
    “Come on,” JP mumbled, not taking his eyes off the road. “It’s bad enough you both talk me into this, but do you have to act like it’s my fault you get the women all worked up?”
    Another snort from the backseat. “It’s not us who gets them going. Your reputation speaks for itself. Whatever it is you do on your dates, I’ve never heard a single woman sing anything but your praises.” Cat scooted over to the middle of the seat and leaned forward, putting her face between the seats in a way he remembered seeing her do as a child. “Except to complain that you can’t be talked into more than the occasional night. Really, JP. You’re getting older. How do you maintain the stamina?”
    “Seriously?” he gritted out. “Can we talk about something else for once? Every single year it’s the same thing. I pick you two up because you insist you can’t arrive at the gala alone, yet I get berated the whole way there. Geez,” he grumbled. “Pick a new topic for once.”
    His mother craned her neck to get a good look at his face, and he caught a pinched look momentarily etched around her mouth. “Is everything okay, Jackson?”
    He shook his head. Everything was just fine. Why wouldn’t it be? He didn’t have the life he wanted, he couldn’t get the woman he wanted, and his mother continued to have visions of his world turning out just like hers and his father’s, the supposed perfect marriage. Only…he knew better. He knew about Daniel.
    Cat piped up from the back. “He’s