The Thing About Trouble

by Juliana Stone

  Cam sat up in his rental, his eyes on the child. She was tall and lanky, with thin arms and legs that went on forever. She moved with a grace that was natural, and when she turned and smiled up at her parents, his heart stopped. The hair was dark, but the face, those delicate features, the high cheekbones and full mouth, were as familiar to him as the back of his own hand.

  The girl said something, and the adults laughed. She joined in as they moved on down the sidewalk, and from what he could see, the young girl kept the adults enthralled with an animated story until they disappeared around the bend.

  Cam sat in his vehicle for a good long while, his sleep-deprived brain trying to make sense of what he’d just seen. After a while, he got out of the rental and headed in the direction they’d gone. Which brought him to the park and down a path that eventually led him to Blue.

  He walked over and stopped a few feet away, unsure how to proceed, not knowing if she even knew he was there. Her face was turned away from him, toward one of the paths that disappeared among the dogwood.

  “How did you find me?” she asked softly.

  “Your brother.”

  Blue moved and made room for him on the bench. He sat down, and though he wanted nothing more than to grab hold of her, he kept still and let her lead. Her pain was palpable, and Cam knew she needed to control whatever happened next.

  “Did you see her?” She turned to him then and smiled through tears.

  He nodded, throat so damn tight, he didn’t know if he could speak. “She’s beautiful.”

  “She really is.” Blue swiped at her tears. “This is not what I pictured.” Her voice broke. “I thought her life would be less than, you know? I thought it would be beneath what I could give her. I thought she would be unhappy. Unfulfilled. I imagined her with this big void inside that would swallow her up and only I could save her.

  “From the moment she was taken from me, I wanted her back. I thought that maybe she could feel my invisible arms wrapped around her tightly, protecting her and keeping her safe. That she would know my voice and my smell and the sound of my heartbeat. But I passed her on the street yesterday, and she walked by, and…” Blue made a sound that tore at his heart. “There was nothing,” she whispered. “Nothing at all. It was as if I didn’t exist.”

  “She doesn’t know you.” Cam’s voice was gentle, and he moved closer to Blue.

  “No,” she replied. “She doesn’t.” She blew out a long breath and leaned back onto the bench. “I got pregnant when I was seventeen and had Adelaide a few months after my eighteenth birthday. She was born on June third at two forty-three in the morning. I held her for less time than it would take to walk from here to the edge of this park, and then she was gone. I remember falling asleep and when I woke up it was dark. Quiet. The nurse stood at the end of my bed and she looked so sad. By then, it was too late. My stepfather and my mother arranged an adoption. They forged my signature, and I was left with nothing.”

  Shocked, Cam reached for her. He slid his palm along the side of her cheek and she leaned into his warmth. “I don’t understand. Why would they do that to you?”

  “My stepfather had political aspirations. He was afraid that if people found out about the baby, his career would be over.”

  “I still don’t—”

  “It was his, Cameron.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “The baby was his.”

  His mouth dropped open, and for a moment, he had no words. His mind’s eye went black, and anger coursed through him, making his hands shake. “He hurt you?”

  “No,” she said. “He didn’t force himself on me. I wanted to be with him. I was confused, I guess, and lonely, and we’d just moved and I had no friends.” She shook her head “He would tell me how pretty I was, and I ate it up.” She laughed, a hollow sort of sound. “My mother always said I loved attention.”

  “You were a fucking kid. A teenager.”

  “I was so ashamed.” Her voice broke, and she melted into him. “I’m still ashamed. I’d fantasized about making a home with him. About finally having my own family. Someone who would love me back as much as I loved them. And he let me believe that would happen. Right up until he took her away from me. Then he kicked me out of the house and told me never to come back.”

  Cam’s hand fisted at his side, and he had to work to control the rage and anger that heated his skin and made his blood boil.

  “I never told anyone about him being the father. Not even Cash.” She gasped, eyes wide. “Especially not Cash. He would have killed him, and then I would have had nobody.”

  “What happened in Arizona?” Cam asked carefully.

  “We, Cash and I…we paid this guy to find the couple who adopted Adelaide. By then I was in Vegas. I think Cash felt so guilty about not being there for me, he was willing to do whatever he had to, to help me find my little girl. This man, Kenny was his name, kept giving us bogus information and asking for more money, and eventually, we ran out. When Cash went to confront him, he found out the whole thing was a scam, and he lost his temper. He nearly killed him, and was charged. He did jail time, and it was all my fault.”

  Cam pulled her close, and the silence washed over them. “Your brother made a choice, Blue. That’s not on you.”

  “None of it would have happened if I had just left the past stay buried. He can’t know about Pete,” she whispered against his chest. “He can’t.”

  “Okay,” Cam murmured. “I’ll do whatever you need me to do.” He paused. “Where do we go from here?”

  “I want my daughter.” Anguish laced her words, and she began to cry softly, and his heart split in two.

  “We can still fight for her.” He’d march right back to that house and lay everything on the line if he had to.

  “I want to.”

  “Tell me what we need to do. I’ll call a lawyer.”

  “I want that more than anything but I can’t take her away from this. How selfish would that be? She’s so beautiful and happy, and I can tell that her parents love her. She has the family I always wanted her to have. The family I dreamed about. How could I disrupt that? How could I destroy that kind of love? That would make me a monster. No better than Pete.”

  “You need to be sure. Take some time with this.”

  “I’ve come to the realization that life is a game. It’s filled with winners and losers. And we end up where we end up because of the decisions we make.”

  “This one’s on Pete,” he replied angrily.

  “No.” She shook her head slowly. “I could have said no. I slept with him because I could. And because I wanted to hurt my mother. I wanted her to see me, to stop looking through me. I wanted to hurt her as much as she’d hurt me. I got what I deserved, and I’m just now realizing I can’t blame anyone but myself.” She glanced up at him. “I’m sorry.”

  “For what?”

  “For hurting you. For making you believe I’m something more than what I am.” She sniffled, and eventually, her tears slowed. “Please hold Tawny close. Don’t ever stop fighting for her.”

  Alarmed at her words and the tone of her voice, Cam moved a bit so he could see her better. “You sound like you’re saying goodbye again.”

  “I can’t stay in Crystal Lake, Cam. We can’t be together. There are things you don’t know. If I come back, your life will be ruined. Please don’t ask me to live through that kind of pain again.”

  “I’m not afraid of Edward Barnes.” A muscle worked along his jaw. He planned on having a conversation with the man when he got home. He’d make it clear that no one messed with his family.

  “You should be. He’s a lot like Pete. He’s not human.”

  “He’s not worth your tears and heartache.” He held her face between his hands and searched her eyes. “I love you, Blue. He can’t touch us.”

  But she was shaking her head. “No.”

  “What are you so afraid of?”

  She struggled to speak. “I’m afraid of losing again. Of hurting people I love.”r />
  “But that’s what love is all about. It’s messy and complicated and a lot can go wrong. When that happens, we don’t run, we deal. But when it goes right, it’s so damn good.” He looked her in the eye. “We have something special. You, me, and Tawny. I’m not leaving Nashville without you.”

  “You don’t understand.”

  Frustrated, he took a moment. “Then make me understand.”

  “Edward found Tawny’s father. He told me that if I didn’t leave town, he’d make trouble. That this Cody Baker wouldn’t sign away his parental rights. He made other threats too.”

  Cam was furious. Red-hot rage made it difficult for him to breathe. When he got back, he was going to finish, Edward Barnes.

  “Cody Baker has already signed off on parental rights,” Cam ground out.

  Blue’s head shot up. “What do you mean he has?”

  “Barnes lied to you. Cody Baker is in jail, and my lawyer got him to sign the paperwork days ago.”

  “What? Why didn’t you tell me?” She got to her feet, and her whole body shook.

  “I wanted to. I planned on it. But you hit me with all that bullshit about us not being good together and how you couldn’t raise another woman’s child. My good news didn’t seem so important anymore.”

  “Oh my God. He lied to me.” She turned away from him, shoulders hunched forward, utterly defeated. “Why wouldn’t I consider that?”

  Cam came up behind her. “Because you’re a good person and that’s not the way your mind works.”

  “I signed away David’s company.” She was crying again, and this time, her whole body shook from the strength of her sobs. “What have I done?”

  Cam folded her into her arms. He pulled her as close as he could and rested his cheek against hers. “Your brother intercepted the contract. Pretty sure he was going to rip it up and shove it down Edward’s gullet. Don’t worry about him. If that doesn’t work, he’ll have me to deal with.” He pressed a kiss to her face. “That’s what families do. We have each other’s back.”

  He tilted her chin. “I love you, Bluebell. Tell me that you’re coming home with me.”

  She reached up and kissed him. A long, slow, searching kiss that made his head damn near spin off his shoulders. “That’s a good answer,” he murmured, dipping his head for more.

  A red ball bounced along the ground and hit Cam in the leg, coming to a stuttering stop a few inches away from him and Blue. They both turned as a golden retriever came running over the hill, barking with glee as it spied the ball. Her pink leash flapped in the wind, and just behind the dog, its owner came shouting for it to stop—the young girl from the house.

  The dog, Shelby from the sound of it, scooped up the ball and stood there, sides heaving, tail wagging furiously. The young girl stopped a few feet away, unsure how to proceed considering the strangers near her dog.

  Blue broke away and carefully picked up the leash. She smiled at the girl and handed it over, their fingers touching for the briefest of moments.

  “Thanks,” the girl said, her expression more than a little curious, more than likely because Blue had obviously been crying.

  “You’re welcome.”

  With a small wave to Cam, she took off again, this time with the dog at her side. Cam and Blue watched until she disappeared down the path that led to the street and then Blue reached for him. He felt like a king when she slid her small hand into his.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  “I will be.”

  “That’s my girl.”

  “Let’s go home,” she whispered.

  “My place or yours?” he asked, bringing her in close to his side. Which was exactly where she belonged.

  “I don’t care,” she said softly. “As long as Tawny’s with us.”

  27

  Blue couldn’t sleep. So much had happened over the past few days, and her mind was still working to catch up. Carefully, she extracted herself from Cam’s embrace and rolled out of bed. She gently pulled the comforter back up and, with a full heart, stared down at the man who’d made her whole again. For the first time in forever, she had hope for a future. She was happy and she was loved.

  So why did she feel so damn restless?

  She stepped over the pets, who’d decided Cam’s bedroom was the best place to sleep. Rufus and her cat, Giselle, were curled up together, one purring, the other snoring softly. Padding quietly out to the kitchen, Blue hunted for the kettle, deciding a cup of hot chocolate would help her insomnia. Once she had a hot mug in her hand, she settled into the oversized and overstuffed chair in the living room and let the silence of Cam’s home soothe her mind.

  Yet it did nothing.

  Blue had a few more sips of hot cocoa, her mind going to places she hadn’t gone in a good long while. The ghosts of her past were circling, and they wouldn’t leave her alone until she banished them. She set down the mug, and before she could change her mind, Blue got up and found her purse near the door where she’d tossed it when she and Cam had walked through the door hours earlier. She pulled out her cell phone, slid her feet into her boots, and grabbed Cam’s jacket. Then she let herself outside onto the front porch.

  It was snowing, and she gazed up at a night sky filled with soft, feathery flakes. She watched them drift lazily down and smiled as they fell on her face, melting instantly. Her breath made twin plumes of mist, and though it was cold, she liked the feel of it. She looked down at her cell and scrolled through her contacts until she found the one she wanted. And then stared at the name that glowed green in the darkness.

  Heart thumping against her chest and breath falling in rapid bursts, Blue had to take a moment to gather her thoughts and to calm her soul. She could do this. She had to do this. If not now, then never. She hit the Call button and waited. It took a bit for the connection to go through, and then she heard the chime. Biting her lip, she waited, eyes fixed on the mist that fell with each deep breath she expelled. Her heart beat faster, her stomach felt weak, and her knees knocked together.

  She couldn’t do this. Ripping the phone from her ear, she was about to end the call when she heard it.

  “Hello?”

  Blue froze, eyes locked on the phone in her hand.

  “Hello?” The voice was like a trip down memory lane. “Who is this?”

  “It’s me,” Blue said quietly.

  “Bluebell?”

  She nodded. “Yeah. It’s me.”

  There was nothing at first and then she heard a throat clear. “It’s five in the morning.”

  “I know.”

  “What do you want, Blue?” The voice sounded tired. Wary. There was no warmth or concern, no hint of love.

  “I…” She could do this. “I forgive you.”

  Silence so loud, it made Blue wince filled her ear, and she grabbed at the railing because her knees did give out.

  “Are you kidding me?” The harsh voice ripped into that silence and made Blue jump. “You forgive me? Oh my God. You’ve got your nerve. I gave you everything you needed. A home and the best clothes. And all that money I spent on dance? You were the luckiest girl in the world, and you could have had it all. But you opened your legs and you were stupid and you got pregnant. Do you know how humiliating that was for me? How the other parents talked? My God, you should be ashamed of yourself. You should—”

  “I just wanted you to know.”

  Blue ended the call and gripped the phone so tight, her fingers cramped. She stared across the frozen yard, out past the snow-covered road, and into the darkness that surrounded her. This place, this small patch of paradise in Michigan was her home now. Her face relaxed as all the tension in her body melted away.

  She heard the door open and turned her head as Cam came up behind her. He was in his boxers and nothing else.

  “You’re going to freeze,” she said softly.

  He slipped his hands around her and leaned forward, his chin on her shoulder. “What are you doing out here?”

  “I had to say
goodbye to someone.”

  She turned in his arms and pulled his face down so she could kiss him properly. His mouth opened over hers, hot and strong and hungry. God, the man could kiss. The two of them clung to each other until their body heat and desire threatened to melt all the snow in Crystal Lake.

  Cam scooped her up into his arms, and they headed back into the house. He carried her back to his bedroom, and she giggled when he nearly tripped over the pets. It was no use kicking them out of the room. They’d just whine and scratch at the door and probably wake up Tawny.

  Blue slipped out of Cam’s arms and pushed him back on the bed. She slowly undressed, loving the way his eyes followed her movements with an animalistic and predatory look. He made her feel beautiful and perfect. He was her home now.

  He was naked and ready. She crawled up his body and positioned herself over him. Without hesitation, she sank down onto his cock, taking all of him as she began to slowly move.

  Bending forward, their bodies joined together, she cupped his face and kissed him again. She was in control and increased their rhythm, breaths falling faster now, their bodies covered in a thin sheen of sweat. “I love you,” she whispered hoarsely.

  “I know,” he growled, hands now on her hips. “I’m never letting you go.”

  She smiled down at him as their passion built, and when they came, it was earth shattering. It was fire rockets and shooting stars. She was content in the knowledge that it was okay to be happy. It was okay to open up and to love.

  It was okay to leave the past behind.

  And damn, their lives were just beginning.

  Epilogue

  It was cold this early in the morning. Cam fired up the truck and let it run for a few minutes, before Blue and Tawny and Rufus climbed in. The snow had let up a few days earlier, but the entirety of Crystal Lake was still covered in the white stuff. They sped away from town and he took his time maneuvering the truck down River Road, on account of the snow and ice. About ten minutes after they left his place, he pulled into a driveway nestled among a stand of Fir trees, and in the distance Crystal Lake glittered like diamonds under the bright sunlight.