“What will people say? David has only been gone two years and…”
“What do you care what people say? I don’t want to rain on your parade or anything, Blue. But there are folks in this town who already think the worst of you. And those folks, well, you aren’t ever going to change their minds. I know you loved David. I see it when you talk about him. And even though I never knew him, I’m pretty sure he’d want you to be happy. And if Cam Booker can get you anywhere near some sort of happy, then you’d be a fool not to go along for the ride.”
“But Edward… It’ll just give him more ammunition. More reason to come after me.”
Poppy grabbed up their empty teacups. “Edward can go to hell.” She paused and nodded to a box on the shelf behind the till. “I just got those. I know Halloween’s not for six or seven weeks, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use one now.”
Poppy headed out back once more, and, curious, Blue opened the box. When she saw what was inside, she couldn’t help but smile. There were little dolls nestled there. She picked one up and studied it, turning the creepy little guy around slowly.
“See? It looks just like him.”
“Who?”
“Edward.” Poppy grinned and handed her a black marker. “It might be time to play dirty.”
The voodoo doll stared up at Blue, its body a blank canvas. She studied it for a few seconds. “Maybe it is,” she murmured. She pocketed the doll and headed home. It was only Tuesday, and she had an entire week to get through before she saw Cam again.
An entire week to calm her nerves.
An entire week to fantasize.
She wanted to move forward, slow and easy like, but maybe it was time to test the sex thing. To see if it was as good as she thought it could be. As good as she heard it could be. More importantly, she was dying to know if it could be as good as she wanted it to be.
15
It was just after five o’clock on Friday afternoon, and Cam was running late. His meeting with a new client went longer than he’d anticipated, and then he got caught in traffic on the other side of the lake. Development was good for the local economy but hell on the roads, and lately, there always seemed to be construction. He pulled into his parents’ place at five thirty, about twenty minutes later than he would have liked.
He jumped from his truck, Rufus not far behind, and spied his father in the garage. His dad was bent over the lawn mower with tools in hand and Creedence Clearwater Revival playing from an old stereo in the corner. Cam grinned. Some things never changed.
“Dad, why don’t you buy a new lawn mower?” The faded yellow-and-green beast was the same mower Cam had ridden as a teen.
His dad set down his screwdriver, scratched the back of his neck, and shook his head. “There’s nothing on this machine that I can’t fix.”
“It’s older than me.”
“Most likely.” His dad frowned, and Cam could tell he was thinking real hard. “I believe we bought this the summer your brother was born. That’s a…well, that’s a long time gone now.” Harold Booker, or Harry as he was known to his pals, sat down on a stool and fixed his eyes on his son. “I bought some property on the lake.”
Cam’s eyebrows shot up in surprise because the comment was totally out in left field. “Where?”
“Just down the road from your brother’s place. About an acre and a half, with a lot of waterfront.” He took off his Tigers cap and brushed his big hands through the thick white hair that lay there. “It came up for sale around the time your grandmother left Nash her place. Bank sell-off, so I got it for next to nothing. The place isn’t much, but it has a lot of potential.” He nodded slowly. “I think it’s time I took you out there.”
There was a lot not being said, and Cam frowned. Something was off. He didn’t know what it was, exactly, but his father wasn’t himself. “You okay?” he asked, watching his father closely.
Harold Booker nodded. “I will be. Don’t go worrying about me.” He glanced up, and Cam’s stomach clenched. His dad looked tired, and his color wasn’t good. The older man slipped off the stool and grabbed his wrench. “I’ve got to get this finished.” His voice was gruff, and the conversation was over. That was the way it had always been with his father. The Booker patriarch had always been a man of few words.
“I’ll see you Sunday,” Cam said, backing out of the garage.
His father nodded. “Don’t be late. You know how your mother gets about her food. If it’s not served hot, she’s not happy.”
Cam told the dog to stay put and headed to the house. He let himself in the back door. The kitchen smelled like heaven—his mom was busy baking—and he spied Tawny right away. The little girl was at the table coloring, so engrossed in the task, she didn’t see him walk in. He kissed his mom on the cheek, and she turned around, wiping her hands on her apron.
“Thanks for getting Tawny for me.” He’d managed to get her enrolled into the best preschool in Crystal Lake. No mean feat, though it helped that his cousin Meredith worked there.
His mother smiled. “It’s no problem at all. In fact, I liked playing Nana for the day. Mary Ambrose was picking up her grandchild at the same time, and I haven’t seen her since…well, since they sold the business and moved across the lake. It was nice to catch up even if all we had was five minutes.” She looked across the kitchen. “Tawny’s normally a Chatty Cathy, but she’s been quiet today.”
Cam followed his mother’s gaze. “You think something’s up?”
“I don’t know, Cameron. But she sure is on the quiet side.”
“Okay. Thanks.” He watched his mother closely. “Hey, is everything good with Dad?”
Lisa Booker cleared her throat and turned back to the ball of dough she was kneading. “Why would you ask that?” She pursed her mouth. “Did he say something?”
“No. Not really. But he’s acting weird, and he looks tired. He told me about some land he bought on the lake. Said he wants to take me out there.”
“Did he.” His mother kept kneading the dough.
“Is there something going on?” Alarm bells banged loud in his head.
The phone rang just then, and his mother ran her hands under the water. “I need to get this, Cameron. Cocktails on Sunday at four and dinner at five. The whole family will be here. Nash and Honey. Your sister Melody and the kids.”
“Jason?” He wasn’t sure what was going on with his sister and her husband. The guy had cheated, been caught, and left his young family. Melody had moved back to Crystal Lake with the kids while he took care of selling their family home. As far as Cam knew, they were separated and on their way to divorce. But Nash had mentioned Jason earlier, something about him spending time with Melody, and it had got Cam wondering.
His mother shrugged. “I don’t know.” The phone had stopped ringing but then started up again. “I really have to get this, Cameron.” His mother sailed past him but took a second to press a quick kiss to his cheek. “I’ll see you guys Sunday.” He watched her disappear from the room, and then turned to Tawny.
“Okay, kiddo. Time to go.”
The little girl slid from the table and carefully packed the crayons and coloring book into her backpack. When she was done, she methodically pushed in her chair and then slipped her feet into her new purple canvas shoes. She was so damn small. So damn vulnerable. It hit him then. The kid had nothing, and he wondered what she would be doing if she was still with her grandmother. Would she be happy? Well fed and clothed?
When she turned and looked at him, Cam cleared his throat and attempted a smile. His mom was right. Tawny was on the quiet side. Normally, he’d have had an earful of every minute detail of her day. From some kid named Sam farting repeatedly, to Nancy lifting up her skirt and showing off her Moana underwear, to Lissa bossing someone around.
“How about pizza for dinner?”
She shrugged. “Okay.”
Cam knelt in front of her and grabbed her bag. “Homemade? You can help me. We just have to hit the gro
cery store first.” He held out his hand, and she put her little one in his. The two of them said goodbye to his dad, and ten minutes later, they left Rufus in the truck with the window cracked a few inches and headed into the Grocery Mart.
It was busy, but Cam kept his head down, grabbed a basket, and headed for the bakery to grab a readymade crust. He avoided eye contact and turned in the opposite direction when he spied Mrs. Flannagan. The woman was the biggest gossip in Crystal Lake and loved nothing more than to spread it. No way was he putting Tawny through the woman’s scrutiny.
Once he found the crust, he let Tawny pick out whatever she wanted for toppings. Their pizza was going to be a combination of Hawaiian and Mexican, with a bit of old-fashioned Chicago style thrown in. She also liked anchovies and olives. The kid sure had a mature palate for someone so young. By the time they reached the snack aisle, Tawny’s somber mood was gone, and she was back to having an opinion on pretty much everything. Case in point, their ongoing disagreement over which was better—Doritos or Cheetos. Cam was a Cheetos kind of guy, but Tawny was all over Doritos.
He’d just tossed a bag of each into their basket when he heard his name. Turning around, he spied Nate O’Connell, a guy he used to go to school with, but one he hadn’t seen in—Cam’s eyes widened at the sight of four children—a long time. Nate was a year or so older than Cam, but they’d played hockey and football together.
“Thought that was you, Booker.”
The men shook hands as Tawny melted into Cam’s side. Cam nodded to the pack of kids, who were busy picking out treats. “You’ve been busy.”
Nate chuckled and rubbed at the top of his head. His hair was thinning a bit, and he’d gained a few pounds in the midsection, but other than that, he looked pretty much the same. “Susie always wanted a lot of kids, and she was determined to start right in as soon as we were married.”
“That’s right. You married Susie Olmstead.”
“I did. Right out of college.” He pointed to the tallest of his children, a girl with long blonde braids and a skinny frame draped in denim and cotton. Her white T-shirt had some kind of sparkly logo on the front, but damned if Cam knew what it meant.
“Clarisse is eight, Jill is seven, and the twins, Mark and Mitchell, are five.”
Nate pointed toward Tawny. “How old is yours?”
“Oh.” Surprised, Cam stumbled over his words. “She’s five.”
“She in school?”
Cam nodded. “Maple View Preschool.”
Nate bent slightly and spoke to Tawny. “Hey, do you know the twins?” He pointed to his boys. “They go to the same school.”
Tawny hid her face against Cam’s hip and shook her head.
“She’s shy,” Cam offered.
“I had no idea you had a kid.” Nate smiled. “She’s a cutie.”
He obviously didn’t run in the same circles as Mrs. Flannagan. Who, in fact, had just rounded the end of the aisle and was headed their way. Cam nodded. “Nice seeing you again, Nate. I gotta run, but say hello to Susie for me.”
Cam grabbed Tawny, and they escaped before Mrs. Flannagan spied them, and headed straight for the cash register. He paid for their purchases, said more than his fair share of hellos on his way out the door—Shelli Gouthro practically attacked him, growling in his ear that he should call her. It was Tawny for the save as she yanked on his arm and wouldn’t stop pulling until he followed her out of the store. Thirty minutes later, the two of them were belly up to the island, Tawny on a stool, cutting up vegetables, meat, and shredding cheddar. Rufus sat at their feet, patiently waiting for any scraps that fell, which happened on Tawny’s side of the island a hell of a lot more than it did on his.
The little girl was quiet again, and Cam watched her closely as she laid out ham and pepperoni on their pizza.
“How was school today?” he asked casually.
“Good.”
“Anything happen I should know about?” He kept his tone neutral and light.
Tawny was silent and then shrugged. Fuck. Something had definitely happened. She’d started school at the beginning of the week and had seemed to like it a lot. What the hell had changed today?
“You make any new friends?” he tried again.
Tawny nodded. “Silas and Hazel.”
“That’s great. Maybe you can invite them over sometime for a playdate or something.” He frowned. “What happened to Lissa?” The first few days, she’d been all about this Lissa girl and her pretty red hair.
Tawny shrugged again and didn’t answer right away, and when she did, her little voice trembled. “She’s mean.”
“Mean? I thought you girls were pals.”
“She’s mean.”
“What happened? Did she say something you didn’t like?” Again, he kept his voice light, but inside, a monster roared.
“Not to me,” Tawny whispered. “She tolded Silas and Hazel that I didn’t have a mommy or a daddy.”
Shit. Cam’s heart stopped. He moved around the island until he stood beside Tawny. The little girl wouldn’t look up and kept dressing their pizza.
“I’m sorry that happened.”
“I got mad and called Lissa a liar, and she got mad at me and said I was the liar. She said she couldn’t be friends with me anymore, and then she told Silas and Hazel they couldn’t be my friends either.” Tawny looked up then, those big eyes shimmering with tears. The monster inside him grabbed him hard.
She looked so small and defeated, and the anger inside Cam bloomed. How had this little girl come to this? He thought of the phone call he’d had just the day before with his lawyer. She advised they track down the father and get him to sign off on any parental rights in order to avoid problems in the future. It was a complicated situation, and up until now, he wasn’t sure what that future would be exactly. Should he keep Tawny? Was she better off with an adoptive family? Her father?
“Everybody has a daddy except me.” Her voice was small, and it seemed like she folded in on herself.
He had to clear his throat in order to speak. “You’re not alone, kiddo. You’ve got me.”
She sniffled and shook her head. “You’re not my daddy.”
In that moment, Cam’s heart expanded. It got bigger. Fiercer. Stronger. If he was confused about where this was going before, the confusion was gone. There was no more doubt. This girl had claimed something inside him the moment she walked through his door all those weeks ago. There was no way she was leaving and he would do whatever it took to make sure she stayed. This was where she belonged. He thought of something he’d never bothered to ask before, and then took his time doing it.
“Do you like living here with me and Rufus?”
She nodded and swiped at her nose, getting sauce on the tip. Cam grabbed a napkin and gently cleaned it.
“And you want to stay forever?”
Again, she nodded, her eyes downcast, her little hands fisted on the table. He knelt beside her so that his face was even with hers. She slowly met his gaze, and his heart broke wide open.
“I might not have been there the day you were born or even the first couple years of your life. But your mom wanted you with me, so that stuff doesn’t matter. You’re my family.” He paused. “Do you understand?”
She shrugged, clearly not getting what he was so badly trying to get across.
“I’m your daddy now,” he said quietly. “I will always look after you.”
Her eyes widened, and she stopped what she was doing, the pizza forgotten. “I can call you Daddy?”
Her words were like a punch to the gut, and he had to take a moment to answer. “Yeah.” He reached for her and kissed the top of her head as her thin little arms wrapped themselves around him. “You can call me Daddy or Cam. Whatever makes you happy. They’re just names. Labels, really. What matters is what we feel in here.” He pressed her little hand to his heart. “What matters is that you know I’m here for you and I always will be.” He gave her one last hug. “Now, let’s forget about L
issa and all that stuff and get to work on what really matters.”
“Our tummies?”
“Yeah. Our tummies.”
They got their personalized pizzas ready and into the oven. By the time they were cooling on the counter, he’d changed out of his work clothes and Tawny was bouncing in her seat, excited to try her pizza. Cam let her have a soda and he grabbed a beer and pulled up his chair beside hers, and they got down to business.
She was a completely different person from the little girl he’d brought home, and it made him feel good to know he was the reason. When they were done, Tawny volunteered to take Rufus out back while Cam cleaned up the mess. She pulled her boots on and grabbed the leash from the hook beside the back door.
“Cam,” she said shyly, a big grin on her face as she looked across the room at him.
“Yes?”
“Silas and Hazel are going to the movie thing tomorrow night in the park. I think they’re showing a princess movie. Can we go?”
Cameron Booker was pretty sure half of Crystal Lake would be amazed at the thought of him taking a little girl to a movie in the park on a Saturday evening instead of a big girl home to his bed. He thought of Blue and hid a smile. He was done taking things slow.
“Sure we can,” he replied. “What do you say about asking Blue to come with us?”
But Tawny was already out the door with Rufus, skipping and singing as she went. Cam tossed his tea towel and reached for his cellphone.
Tawny wouldn’t mind.
The Thing About Trouble Page 12