Oscar shook his head in disgust. “How serious are you about this young man?”
“I’m in love with him,” Simone said simply. “It happened fast, but I am.” She launched into an explanation of how he’d reacted negatively to her gifts.
Oscar rested his elbows on his knees and turned in Simone’s direction, letting the bottle of beer hang between his knees. “It’s all well and good to take a break and think about your relationship, but it really sounds like the two of you need to talk. Get everything out into the open. All your hang ups and preconceived notions.”
“I think you’re right.”
“I am right.” He shot a sympathetic smile at her and patted her knee.
Even though Sylvie had gotten him riled up, her father looked relaxed in a way that Simone knew he never was when he and Sylvie were married.
Back then, Oscar expressed frustration and anger more often than not. Nowadays, he smiled a lot and laughed frequently—when Sylvie wasn’t giving him hell.
“Did you ever love Mother?”
He stared across at the far wall for a few moments before he spoke. “Of course I loved her. I loved her when I married her.” Oscar shifted to sit upright on the chair and took a swig from the bottle. “She wasn’t always like that, but…something happened to her when her brother was murdered. She changed.” One of Sylvie’s brothers was the victim of a murder-suicide. “We argued constantly. It wasn’t good for you kids to see us like that. I had to leave. Mentally, I left before the divorce, but when she brought it up, I was…relieved. I just no longer cared.” He sighed and shook his head.
“If you loved her, why did you take a settlement?”
“Why not? I didn’t want you kids living like bums when you came to see me. Besides I’d earned every dime of that settlement after all those years with that woman.”
Simone bumped his shoulder and they both laughed softly.
As far as Simone knew, Oscar’s settlement had ranged in the neighborhood of twenty-five to thirty million, but she didn’t know the exact amount. The court documents were sealed, and no doubt more for her mother’s benefit than her father’s. Sylvie was embarrassed by the fact that she had not only lost a court battle with him but had been forced to settle and essentially pay him off to get rid of him.
“Your mother is incapable of being vulnerable enough to open herself up to love,” Oscar said. “She thinks she has to be prepared at all times for someone who’s going to take advantage of her, so rather than be taken advantage of, she presents this front of being strong. She pushes people away and then accuses them of leaving her.” The last sentence came out edged with bitterness.
“Do you still love her?”
Oscar’s head jerked up from studying the bottle of beer. “Your mother doesn’t want to be loved.”
He never actually answered the question, but she chose not to point out the avoidance. “Why did you leave us?” Simone asked quietly.
Oscar sighed. “I didn’t want to leave you kids, but I got tired. I got tired of fighting and tired of not living up to her expectations, whatever those are. And I realized for my own sanity I needed to walk away because she would never be happy.”
“Sometimes I think she misses you.”
The comment was greeted with a bark of laughter.
“I’m serious,” Simone said.
“You’re delusional, but I forgive you because you’re my daughter, and for a long time I was delusional, too. I thought that I could change your mother but I guess I simply was not strong enough to deal with her personality.” He smiled in a sad, defeated way.
Simone rested her head on her father’s shoulder. “So what should I do about Cameron?”
“What do you think you should do?”
“I’m asking you.”
Oscar didn’t speak for a while. When he did, he spoke in a quiet tone. “The two of you need to talk and figure out if your problems are insurmountable. Which they’re not, by the way. The honeymoon is over and you’re experiencing growing pains, that’s all. You’re two cultures clashing, and it’s causing friction. But I understand where your young man is coming from. I experienced the same problem with your mother, and you have to understand, from a male point of view, it’s tough when your woman is so much better off financially. You realize you can’t keep up. You realize there’s nothing you can offer that she can’t get for herself, and then the question becomes, why does she need you?” He went silent for a long time, and Simone thought he was finished, but then he spoke again. “I felt that way with your mother, and it’s hard when you feel as if you aren’t good enough, and the person you love thinks you’re not good enough. Whether real or imagined, that’s a true emotion that can cause problems. In any relationship.”
Simone lifted her head. “Is it really over between you and Mother?”
Oscar chuckled. “We’ve been divorced for fifteen years, and you saw what happened just now. We can barely tolerate each other.” He drained the last of the beer and set the bottle on the floor.
“But maybe—”
“Why are you playing matchmaker all of a sudden?”
Simone shrugged. “You and Mother remind me of me and Cameron. I feel as if the two of you aren’t finished.”
“That’s wishful thinking.”
“But your relationship was perfect at one time. It was a long time ago, but I remember.”
She recalled her father’s playfulness and affection with her mother, and the adoring way her mother used to look at her father, as if there were no other man in the world for her.
“Perfect?” Oscar snorted. His gaze travelled up the hallway to the doorway Sylvie had disappeared into. “There’s no such thing as a perfect relationship.” He frowned thoughtfully, his eyes grave when he looked at Simone. “Relationships are either successful or unsuccessful, but they’re never perfect. The successful ones…they’re the ones where the couple never gives up.”
Chapter 21
With the festivities at an end, Simone left the ballroom and passed through the lobby to the bank of elevators. Her first appointment wasn’t until ten o’clock tomorrow morning, which meant she could sleep late if she wanted to. She had one more black tie event to attend tomorrow night, and then an appointment to tour the new surgery wing of the children’s hospital the Johnson Foundation had funded. Then she was flying home.
She entered the elevator and nodded a greeting at the couple who joined her. Right before the doors closed, a set of big hands pried them apart and someone else slipped in.
Simone drew a sharp breath. “Cam.”
He was wearing the tuxedo and shoes she’d bought and a grave expression on his face. “Hi.”
Overwhelmed at first, Simone couldn’t speak. Elation flooded her chest, and all she could do was stare. Finally, she managed to ask, “Why are you here?”
“You need an escort for the weekend, right?” he asked.
“Yes, but…” Her brow wrinkled. “You’re late. The first event is over.”
He ran a hand down the front of the tux. “I dressed the part before I left Atlanta, thinking as soon as I arrived I could come to the ballroom.” He shook his head. “Flight delay.”
“Oh.”
The elevator stopped and Cameron stepped aside to allow the couple off, but his eyes didn’t leave her.
“I missed you,” he said softly as the elevator doors closed.
“I haven’t been gone long.”
“That’s how bad it is.”
They were quiet while the elevator ascended. When it arrived on her floor, they exited and walked in silence down the hallway. Simone was almost embarrassed to invite him into the plush suite the size of an apartment with a sitting room, kitchenette, and large bedroom. It confirmed what she suspected he thought—that she lived a life of excess.
The open drapes looked out onto Biscayne Bay, plunged in darkness at this time of night.
Simone set her purse beside the lamp on one of the tables. “Cam—”
“Before you say anything, hear me out.”
He took a deep breath and stuffed his hands into his pockets. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about you and me. We’re different in a lot of ways. You like flash. I like simple. Even our work schedules seem to be conspiring against us. You work during the day. I work at night. I function off of five or six hours of sleep, you need a full eight or you’re cranky and whiny.”
“I’m not cranky and whiny.”
“Yes, you are,” he said, his mouth lifting at the corner. “The thing is, I worked hard to get where I am, and I’m proud of my accomplishments.”
“As you should be.”
His eyes became thoughtful as they looked into hers. “I can’t afford the things you can, and I made the mistake of thinking that I would have to keep up, and if I couldn’t, that was some kind of shortcoming.”
“You don’t have to keep up,” Simone hastily confirmed. “I love you, Cam. Not because of what you can do for me, but because of the way you treat me. You spoil me with your words and your actions.”
It was one thing to be told you were goddess, but quite another to be treated like one. Cameron treated her like goddess. He could intimidate with his size, but he was a caring, loving man. The kind who rubbed her feet after a long night networking in five-inch heels, and one who remembered little details, like she couldn’t eat soy because she broke out in hives, and served her green tea with honey because she preferred it to sugar. She couldn’t stand the thought of him treating another woman with the same care and tenderness.
“But I do have to wonder, are you sure you can be happy with me?” she asked. “I’m worried you’ll resent me. I’ve been thinking, too, and I don’t want to change. I realize the way I live can seem excessive, but I love my life and who I am.”
Cameron didn’t respond. Instead, with a hand to her spine, he led her to the sofa, where they both sat down. “I got a call from Brent, the furniture salesman, to thank me for the purchase. Said he wanted me to get a message to you and didn’t know how to reach you personally. At first I thought, why the hell is he trying to talk to my woman? Then he explained that his daughter’s situation didn’t qualify for aid from the Johnson Foundation, but an anonymous donor flew her and his wife to Texas for the next round of surgery anyway, all expenses paid. The donor also paid the balance on their hospital bill. You did that, didn’t you?”
Simone looked down at her hands. “It was nothing.” Deeply moved by the story Brent shared, she’d paid for everything out of her own pocket.
Cameron took her hands in his. The warm clasp relaxed and comforted her.
“What you did is not nothing. Taking care of all their expenses is huge. You’ve never asked me to change who I am, and I don’t want you to change. I love who you are. You’re generous, and that’s why you’re so good at what you do. Your family knows that and chose you to be the foundation’s ambassador because you’re thoughtful and pay attention to people’s needs. And me…I’m an ass who is way too sensitive.”
“You are a bit of an ass.” She smiled at him. “But I learned something about myself tonight. Something I hadn’t considered until I saw my parents together.”
“Your parents actually talked to each other?”
“Barely, and somehow managed not to kill each other.” They both laughed. “I tested you, without realizing it.”
He frowned. “Tested me how?”
Simone took a deep breath. “My mother, Ella, and I think that maybe we’re cursed or something, and the only way to be truly happy is to find a man who is just as wealthy as we are. My father was not wealthy, and he left my mother. My brother-in-law was not wealthy, and he left my sister. When you reacted so negatively about the clothes I bought, an alarm went off in my head. I wanted to buy you the furniture because you’re always so good to me, and I wanted to do something for you—to show you how much I love and appreciate you. But I hesitated, wondering how you’d react. Then, I did it. I didn’t realize it at the time, but it was a test, and you reacted the way that I’d feared.”
Cameron nodded slowly. “Not one of my finer moments. I was upset, but you can’t get rid of me that easily. I’m not going anywhere.” He held up his wrists, displaying the cufflinks she’d bought. “How else will I be able to show off twelve hundred dollar dinosaur cufflinks, but at events you and I attend?”
“Cam…”
He grinned, that sexy smile from his beautiful lips. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. This is the last time I’ll mention them, but you know this is some crazy shit, right?”
She pouted.
“But I can get used to it,” he said softly. “I’m looking forward to learning to ski and taking a ski trip to Italy. I want to see the hidden valley you told me about.”
“It’s beautiful.”
He cupped her face, bringing his mouth within inches of hers. “Not as beautiful as you, I bet.” He kissed her.
“Mmm,” Simone murmured, pulling back and resting a hand on his chest. “Before we get carried away, we need to talk about my mother. I know she came to see you.”
“She did,” he confirmed with a nod.
“Whatever she said, ignore her,” Simone said firmly. “She does not speak for me.”
Cameron chuckled. “I realize that, but for a second…” He shook his head with regret. “I let her get inside my head. Now that I know better, I’m looking forward to a trip to the Amalfi Coast.”
“It’s gorgeous. You’ll love it,” Simone promised.
Cameron pulled her onto his lap. “Man, I missed you,” he murmured.
He pressed his mouth harder against hers, and Simone moaned, spreading her fingers out across his chest. Cameron showered affection on her lips, neck, and the neckline of the dress.
His fingers found the long split, and he cursed, pushing the filmy material off her leg so he could touch her bare thigh. “Look at you,” he murmured.
After a few more kisses, they made their way into the adjoining bedroom. Simone kicked off her heels and he undressed her with care, interrupting the removal of each article of clothing with kisses each time more naked flesh became uncovered.
Simone removed his clothes, and caressed his neck and shoulders, and dragged her tongue along his muscular chest. They lowered onto the bed, and before long, he was inside her. They groaned and gasped at the same time when he moved, their voices mingling so perfectly they sounded like one. He thrust deep and slow, all the way to the base each time, and she savored the sensation of each penetrating movement of his hips.
His groans of pleasure crashed into her eardrums every time he lunged between her open legs, and when her climax came, it was powerful and all-consuming. Helplessly, Simone clung to him. Satisfied. Relieved. Content.
“Hey.” Cameron cupped her face and kissed her cheek, the corner of her mouth, and her chin.
She didn’t even realize she was crying until his thumbs brushed the tears from the corners of her eyes.
“I love you,” she said.
His gaze held hers. “I love you, too. I’ll always love you.”
“I hate it when we fight,” she whispered brokenly.
“Then let’s not fight anymore.”
He pulled her into his arms, and Simone nestled her face into his neck, more tears seeping from her eyes and dampening his skin. They lay there for an indeterminate amount of time, wrapped in each other’s arms.
Just…holding on.
Epilogue
The VIP section on the mezzanine level of Club Masquerade offered a good view of the dance floor. Simone looked down at the bumping and grinding bodies below. Nearby, Ella sat on a white chair, texting rapidly. Meanwhile Stephan and Reese huddled on a white sectional with a duo of women they’d plucked from downstairs to keep them company.
Harper and Mason came in, and Simone rushed over to them. “Where’s Cam?” she asked.
“He should be along any minute now,” Harper replied, an odd smile on her face. As if she were hiding
something.
Simone sighed and went back to the railing, a bit annoyed at Cameron’s tardiness. He never kept her waiting. He’d promised if she met him here, he’d leave early and they’d go back to his place for a quiet evening.
The past year had flown by, during which so many changes had taken place. After Cameron, Simone, and Sylvie ate lunch together one day, during which Cameron declared his love for Simone and made it clear that he had no intention of going anywhere or hurting her, Sylvie finally set aside her reservations about their relationship. Over time, she warmed up to him enough that she often insisted he join them for social engagements.
At the same time, Simone had become close with Harper and Mason. She joined Cameron in the tradition of cooking meals for them at his home, and the group had expanded to six, which included Harper’s fiancé, Hunter, and Mason’s wife, London.
All of a sudden, the music in the entire venue stopped, and the crowd moaned and cried out their discontent.
“Can I have your attention please,” the deejay hollered. “Ladies and gentlemen, we have a big announcement to make at the club tonight. But I won’t be making that announcement. One of the owners, Cameron Bennett, has something to say.”
Simone glanced over at Harper and Mason, both of whom smiled at her. When their gazes shifted to a point over her shoulder, she swung around to see Cameron coming toward her with a microphone and a spotlight trained on him. Devastatingly handsome in a blue jacket, black shirt, and black tie, he took her breath away.
“What is going on?” Simone asked no one in particular. Her pulse tripped over itself in excitement.
Cameron spoke into the mic but kept his eyes on her. “This is highly unusual, but I wanted to introduce you all to the woman I love.”
As high-pitched whistles and cheers went up from the crowd, Simone’s pulse beat even faster. He was smiling, but there was an intense look to his eyes.
He continued speaking. “Over a year ago, Simone Brooks came into my life, and tonight I brought her back to the place where we met to ask a very important question.”
A Passionate Love Page 12