By this point, Camden was shrieking with laughter. She had never like Jonathan to begin with.
“And Aeropostale hottie?”
Eric smirked. “His name is Geoff. We have a date this weekend.”
“I love you, Eric,” Camden giggled.
“And I love you, Camicake.”
“You wanna finish that movie marathon?” Camden asked, smiling.
“300?!? Hell, yeah.” Eric leapt off the couch and hurried to the DVD player. He started the movie, and hurried to the couch.
“What? No popcorn?”
“Only because I love you, bitch.” Eric laughed and ran to the kitchen to make their favorite movie snack.
***
Shane quietly entered the apartment, hands full of take-out bags. He had tried to kill time away from the apartment, hoping Camden would be able to relax and enjoy her afternoon with Eric. He knew the two were as close as any siblings, and while he had no plans to leave, he didn’t want to come between them. Shane felt he owed Eric a great deal for taking care of Camden the last few years.
He dropped the food bags onto the kitchen counter and went to the living room to see what the dangerous duo was doing. He was surprised to find them watching one of his favorite movies. He realized quickly, however, that these two watched 300 for an entirely different reason. Camden and Eric were each looking at the screen in….lust??? What the hell had he walked into?
Shane flipped the light switch and watched the two jump, as if he’d caught them watching porn. Guilt shown on their faces.
“Something I should know about, baby?” Camden’s cheeks flushed.
Eric laughed. “Yeah, Shane. Put on a loin cloth and carry a shield and she’s yours. Anytime. Anywhere.”
Camden’s cheeks grew more inflamed and she smacked Eric’s arm. “Eric!” she growled. He just continued to laugh. Shane raised an eyebrow in amusement.
“I’ll have to keep that in mind.” Camden’s eyes snapped to his, and her interested expression caused him to join Eric in laughter.
“You guys down for some Italian?”
Eric paused the movie and stood, stretching his arms above his head. “Sounds delicious. I’m in.”
Camden grinned. “Me, too.”
She stood and walked across the room to Shane. He immediately pulled her to him, and placed a kiss on her lips.
“I like to see you laughing, baby.” She’d been entirely too serious today.
“Me, too.” She slipped her arms around Shane’s neck. “There are other ways I prefer to see you,” she whispered suggestively in his ear, and then headed into the kitchen, leaving Shane in the living room ready for dessert.
"You got my favorite,” he heard Camden squeal from the other room. Shane carefully adjusted himself and walked into the kitchen.
“Of course, I did, baby,” he smirked, pulling her back into his arms and kissing her soundly. When his tongue entered her mouth, Camden moaned.
“Eww,” Eric whined. “You two need to keep that crap in the bedroom.” He continued digging through takeout containers and filling his plate.
“Oh please,” Camden stated. “You’ll just be asking for details later.” She rolled her eyes, and Eric feigned confusion. He pressed his hand to his chest.
“Me?” He looked at Shane and shook his head, but Shane laughed at the insincerity in Eric’s eyes.
“Okay, fine. What can I say, Shane? You’re hot. Deal with it.”
Shane laughed again, and served himself a large piece of manicotti.
“So what’s the plan for tonight, babe?” He bumped Camden’s hip with his own. She looked at him, and he winked at her. Suddenly Camden stretched her arms and yawned dramatically.
“I think I need to call it an early night.” She smirked, and dug into her plate of manicotti.
“I think I should, too,” Shane replied. “It’s been a really long day and I feel exhausted.”
Eric rolled his eyes. “Oh please, if you two want alone time, just say so. Some of the guys were hitting a bar tonight anyway.”
“Are you sure, Eric?” He looked at Camden’s hopeful eyes. She didn’t want to hurt his feelings, and he loved that, but he loved the happiness and contentment he saw in her eyes since Shane had come back into her life even more.
“Yeah, babe. I’ll call Tommy to see when they’re meeting. You two spend some time together.”
Camden jumped out of her seat and hugged Eric. “We’ve got a few weeks to just hang out before treatment starts, and I’ll be here for all of that, okay?” he promised her.
Camden nodded, and returned to her seat. Her dinner was delicious, and the company was fabulous. She looked at the two men in the kitchen with her, and she grinned. She was one lucky gal, and she was going to make every moment count these next few weeks.
***
Chapter 22
Camden had an enormous sense of déjà vu.
"Did you remember your blanket?"
"Yes."
"A pillow?"
"Mmhmm."
"Your fuzzy socks?"
"Yes."
"Your slippers?"
"Yeah."
"Your e-reader."
"No. Remember? I'm finally going to read that book I forgot last time."
"Right," Eric replied.
"Your hot boyfriend?"
Camden looked at him, confused.
"Did you remember your hot boyfriend?"
Camden grinned naughtily and sighed. "How could I forget him?"
Eric chuckled. "He's bringing the car around?"
"Yeah. He was talking on the phone to Javier about the bar, so hopefully he doesn't take too long. I'm feeling really anxious."
"Oh, baby, come here." Eric pulled Camden into his chest and hugged her, running his hand soothingly up and down her back.
"Hey! That's my job!" The two turned to Shane, whose eyes were sparkling in amusement. "I turn my back for five minutes, Eric, and you're trying to steal my girl."
"She was mine first!" Eric teased. He winked at Camden and released her into Shane's waiting arms.
"Hi, baby," he murmured in her ear. "You ready to go?"
Camden nodded nervously. Even though she'd been through chemo before, this round was messing with her brain. She lifted her fingers above her heart and traced the raised area where a port-a-cath had been surgically inserted. Camden had a port the last time she received chemo, but even then, having the foreign object in her chest never felt normal. Maybe that was a good thing. It meant she hadn't accepted that cancer had won.
Shane lifted Camden's bag and interlaced their fingers. Her hand felt so small in his, but she relished in the warmth provided by the lifeline. Eric followed them to his SUV, hopping into the driver's seat and allowing Shane and Camden to sit together in the back. The drive to the hospital was almost silent, as each person in the trio was lost in thought.
When they reached the hospital, Eric dropped off Shane and Camden and went to find a parking spot. Shane allowed Camden to take the lead to the oncology ward, as he still hadn't memorized the path. The uncomfortable feeling he had felt during their first visit returned, and he looked at his beautiful Camden.
The last three weeks had felt like such a gift. While the cancer was pretty aggressive, it hadn't inhibited Camden's every day activities so far. She and Eric had shown Shane around their town, and he had enjoyed every minute. They had gone to restaurants and clubs, had picnics and been to the lake. They'd had lazy movie days, and he and Camden had several days they hadn't left the bed. It had been everything Shane had dreamed, and it had been so easy to hide in a cloud of denial. He could picture their lives so clearly, if cancer wasn't there to get in the way.
Shane knew he would stay with Camden no matter what, but he was scared how it would affect him when he saw her ill with the effects of the chemotherapy. What would he say when she lost her hair, or grew gaunt like the pictures he'd seen of her and Eric from two years ago? He loved her no matter how she looked, but he al
so wanted to be her protector, and he felt so damn helpless.
Shane was brought out of his morose thoughts when Camden nudged him, indicating that they'd finally reached the oncology ward. He grinned when he remembered her surprise. Thankfully Adrienne wasn't the nurse at the desk today, so Shane walked forward to announce their arrival.
"We need to check in for chemo for Camden Shepherd." He smirked when he realized he almost had said Camden Hunt. Where the hell had that come from? Wishful thinking, he supposed.
"Right this way," the petite blonde replied. "You'll be using a private room today."
Camden looked at Shane in surprise. She and Eric had always received their treatment in a group setting. Shane smiled encouragingly and slipped his arm around her waist. They followed the nurse down the hallway and entered the room she had indicated.
Camden's jaw dropped open and tears filled her eyes as she looked around the room. Her mom and dad, Brody, Javier, and even Melia were seated around the room. Everyone except Melia stepped forward and hugged Camden and Shane, saying hello and talking about everything they had missed while living in their little bubble the previous few weeks.
Molly stepped forward and hugged Camden. "We didn't get to be here with you last time," she whispered. "We wanted you to know we aren't going anywhere this time. We love you, girl."
Tears streamed down Camden's cheeks. She had been so scared on her first day of chemo years ago. She had been lucky to meet Eric that day. He had distracted her and made her laugh, and he'd made her feel a little less lonely. Camden realized lonely was the last thing she would be feeling today.
Eric entered the room, a grin on his face. He walked straight to Camden and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Awesome, huh?" he whispered. She could only nod.
When her eyes came to rest again on Brody, Javier, and Melia, Camden scrunched her nose in confusion, an expression Shane thought was adorable.
"Who is running the bar?" she questioned.
Javi smiled sheepishly. "We decided to close it for the day. We all wanted to be here for you." He gestured to both Brody and Melia, surprising Camden. While Melia made no move to talk to her, Camden noticed Melia also wasn't giving Shane any possessive or jealous looks. It seemed the girl truly understood that Shane was off the market. Camden wondered if Melia was the piranha everyone made her out to be.
It seemed to take forever for Camden to get comfortable. Even dressed in yoga pants and a comfy tee, knowing what her day would be like caused her to be unable to relax. She kept absentmindedly tracing the raised portion of skin hiding her port. Nurses came to take her blood and get her settled.
Eventually, it was time to start the chemotherapy. Shane seemed to sense her unease, and he came to the side of the bed. He gently slid her to the side and climbed into the bed next to her. Placing his arm around her shoulder, Camden finally began to relax.
Dr. Stevens came in and went through the lengthy introductions of meeting Camden's support group. He turned to her with a smile.
"So different from last time, Miss Shepherd. With a support system like this, I think we can easily nip this thing." He smirked at her, and Camden giggled nervously. "Ready to get started?"
Camden nodded, although she was certain she could spend the rest of her life without experiencing chemotherapy again, and she would be perfectly happy. When the chemotherapy regimen was finally connected to her port, Camden watched in horror. She was frozen, torn between her feelings as a person wanting to survive and a mother fearing for her child. Camden stared at her chest, completely tense, as she watched the poison enter her body. Would the poison harm her child?
Shane was equally concerned, but he feared for both mother and child. As he held Camden in his arms, he locked eyes with Eric across the room. Shane was at a loss for how to distract Camden. Something was obviously bothering her. Her gaze remained fixed on her chest, and her hand lay protectively on her lower stomach.
Eric nodded, and called to Camden. "Hey baby, look what I brought!"
Camden immediately looked to Eric and grinned at him.
"Avengers?" she squealed.
He chuckled. "I figured we'd need some eye candy today." Everyone laughed when Shane groaned.
"I know you brought your own," Eric winked at Camden," but this is some for the rest of us."
Camden couldn't wipe the sudden smile from her face. She was surrounded by people she loved, in the arms of the man she loved, and she was about to watch a film filled with beautiful men.
Several hours passed, and the movie marathon served as a wonderful distraction. Eric had also brought Magic Mike, which caused every other man in the room to protest loudly. Molly had never seen it, and Camden laughed at her mother's inappropriate comments. It was even funnier to watch Brody groan in horror when Molly would lean over to Jack and say something like, "Why don't you wear something like that?"
By mid-afternoon, Camden was about to receive the last drug in her treatment regimen. The door opened, and Camden lifted her head from Shane's shoulder to watch Stella cautiously enter the room.
"Hi," the blonde said meekly. Camden noticed her brother freeze, staring at Stella in shock. Stella looked at Camden. "Tiffany mentioned everyone had made the trip to visit you for chemo. I was surprised when she told me you lived in Milton. I'm here for a couple of days planning a party, and I wanted to stop by to show some support. Am I intruding?"
Camden beamed at the girl. "Absolutely not. You are welcome to join the party!" she squealed. Shane smiled at Stella. "By the way," Camden continued, "I never got a chance to thank you for such an incredible gift. The food and the decorations were amazing!"
Stella blushed, and Brody looked across the room in confusion. He didn't know when the girls had seen each other outside of the camping trip, but they seemed to have some budding friendship. "It was nothing. I wanted to repay Shane for being such a great friend, and at the campground, you'd seemed like a pretty awesome person."
Camden grinned. "Thanks! Take a seat anywhere. We're watching movies full of eye candy."
Stella laughed when Shane rolled his eyes. She walked across the room and took an open seat next to Molly. Brody eyed the empty chair next to him and almost felt hurt. He couldn't explain what seeing her in his sister's hospital room did to him. He'd invited Tiffany, but she'd practically scowled at him and made an excuse of not liking hospitals. He couldn't believe his own girlfriend wouldn't show support to his sister, but Stella, who had nothing to gain, would. He also planned to have a little talk with Shane. What was this friendship she mentioned? Apparently, this girl was growing close to everyone in his life except him. He watched her talking and laughing with his mom, and a pang of something he couldn't name squeezed his chest. Brody settled back into his chair, but not before catching a knowing smirk from Javier. He had no clue what that was about.
Shane could feel Camden grow restless, and she moaned quietly into his chest.
"You doing okay, baby?"
"Yeah," she nodded weakly. "Just feeling a little nauseated." She didn't have to mention that she was feeling a little out of it, as well. He could see it in her glazed expression. She suddenly seemed tired, and Shane noticed the room around him had quieted. Everyone was tuned into Camden's mood, and they were politely trying to let her rest. She squirmed a little more before falling asleep on Shane's chest.
***
Chapter 23
“How’s she doing?” Eric whispered as Shane gently shut the bedroom door.
“She’s asleep, but she’s tossing and turning.” Shane replied. “Is everyone still here?”
Eric shook his head. “Jack and Molly headed to the hotel. Javier said he and Melia are leaving soon, but I think he’s still in the kitchen talking to Brody.”
Shane nodded. “You want to see her?” He gestured to the bedroom door.
“You don’t mind?” Eric raised his brows in surprise and Shane chuckled.
“Did I hate you with every fiber of my being the moment I met you? Yes.
Was I wrong? Absolutely.” His eyes grew dark “I owe you EVERYTHING, Eric. When I couldn’t find her, you kept her safe. I will never be able to repay that debt.”
Eric smirked and rubbed his hands together mischievously.
“So Shane,” he clapped him on the back, “got any curious brothers?” Shane chuckled. “Cousins?”
He shook his head. “Sorry, man. I’ll keep an eye out.” He turned and headed down the hallway.
***
“Javi, we’ve got to tell him,” Brody demanded.
“No, Brody. He’s got too much going on. He doesn’t need to deal with Daphne on top of all this shit,” Javier argued. “We can keep her away. Besides, she doesn’t even know that Shane is in Milton. You know she’ll come to the bar first.”
Brody growled. “She’s a pretty smart chick, Javier. It won’t take her long to track him down.”
“I’m sure she’ll back off once we tell her he’s with Camden. She doesn’t strike me as the type to be petty.”
“I know her better than you do, man. And ALL girls can be petty when they have their heart set on something. I’m not letting her mess with my sister’s happiness. We NEED to tell him.”
“Need to tell who what?”
Javier froze and looked at the doorway to the kitchen. Shane was staring at him with curious eyes. “N-nothing big. We just need to tell you that we are about to leave. I told Brody we should just duck out, since you were preoccupied, but he demanded we actually tell you goodbye.”
Shane’s eyes narrowed. He obviously didn’t believe the lie, but he didn’t have the energy to question it further.
“Yeah, okay. You guys staying at the same hotel as Molly and Jack?”
Brody nodded. “I am, but Javier and Melia are headed back to Jackson tonight. They are opening the bar tomorrow morning.”
Shane turned to Javier. “Everything run smoothly this weekend?” Javi bobbed his head in the affirmative.
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