Sweet Surrender, Baby Surprise

by Kate Carlisle

  “I know,” she said, smiling. Then she was whisked away for a hug and a kiss on the lips from Brandon.

  “Welcome to the family, gorgeous,” he said.

  She smiled up at her handsome new brother-in-law. “Thank you, Brandon.”

  “I’d like to welcome you, as well,” Adam said, then hauled her into his arms and kissed her soundly.

  Dizzy, she almost stumbled but caught herself. “Whew. Okay. Anyone for cake?”

  Cameron scowled at his brothers, but Sally laughed as she linked arms with Julia. “They’re a formidable trio, aren’t they?”

  “I’ll say,” Julia said, still breathless.

  “This is a delightful party,” Sally said, giving her a quick hug before she left to join her girlfriends at the champagne bar.

  Julia watched as other guests wandered over to the nearby tables where all sorts of hearty hors d’oeuvres shared space with numerous bite-sized desserts. Many of them were made following her own recipes so she knew they were delicious. She wished she’d had more time to prepare for the wedding, but things had turned out pretty well, under the circumstances.

  Most importantly, she and Jake were now part of a family, and that made all the last-minute preparations worth it.

  Her old friend Karolyn Swenson walked over and gathered her close for a hug.

  “I’m so glad you could make it,” Julia said. They’d known each other since grade school and Karolyn was her manager at the bakery.

  “How could I miss it?” Karolyn said, gripping Julia’s hands in hers. “I still can’t believe you’re married. You actually went and did it.”

  “I did it,” Julia said, and met her friend’s gaze. “Be happy for me?”

  “Of course, I’m happy for you,” she said, then whispered, “He’s gorgeous. I assume he’s your baby’s daddy. Jake looks just like him.”

  Julia gave a start of surprise. “Yes, he’s the one. And he’ll be a great dad. We’re going to be a happy family.”

  “Then that’s all that matters, isn’t it?” Karolyn hugged her again, and Julia had the feeling her friend was trying to reassure her that she’d done the right thing.

  As Karolyn walked away to find a glass of champagne, Julia’s resolve slipped. Was having a family all that mattered? Julia had thought so when she told Cameron she’d marry him, and again when she said “I do” a while ago. But honestly, how would she know? She hadn’t had a real family in almost twenty years. But it’s what she’d always wanted, so she would have to take it on faith that she was doing the right thing. Faith, and Cameron’s vow that the three of them would have a wonderful life together. As vows went, that was a good one.

  “I brought you a fresh glass of champagne,” Sally said.

  Julia turned and smiled her thanks and the older woman entwined her arm in Julia’s.

  Sally sighed. “When I see the way Cameron looks at you, it warms my heart.”

  Julia counted to five to ease the sudden tension she felt. “I know we’ll be really happy together.”

  “Of course you will be.” Sally patted her arm. “Now look, you and I were friends long before we became family, right?”

  “That’s right,” Julia said with a tentative smile.

  “So I want you to tell me the truth. You do love Cameron, don’t you?”

  Julia blinked. “Love him? Why, of course I…”

  Sally studied her for a moment. “Was that a yes?”

  “Oh, God,” she said lamely. It was impossible to lie. The fact was, she and Cameron had talked about his inability to love her, but as for whether Julia loved him or not…

  What she knew for sure was that she wanted to be part of his family more than anything. She respected and cared for him a lot. She wouldn’t have agreed to marry him if she didn’t.

  Her shoulders sagged. “I don’t know.”

  “You don’t know?” Sally asked. “Interesting. It didn’t come up in conversation before you took the plunge?”

  Julia bit her lip. “Well, yes, it did. But not in the way you think.”

  “I suppose I appreciate your honesty,” Sally said. “But I’m going to go out on a limb and say that I won’t be surprised if someday soon, you and Cameron both realize that what you’re feeling for each other is love.”

  Julia grabbed Sally’s hand and squeezed. “I hope you’re right. But for now, please know that I’m happy. Really, really happy.”

  “I’m happy, too, sweetheart.” Sally blinked back tears, then smiled and surveyed the crowd. “I’ll be honest. Once my sons were grown, I worried that they would have a hard time finding women who would love them for themselves and not for their money or position.”

  “I imagine you’ve suffered through some scary moments over that issue.”

  “You’d better believe it.” She winked at Julia. “But I don’t have to worry about that with you, do I?”

  Julia laughed. “No, I don’t think anyone can accuse me of marrying your son for his money.”

  “What’s so funny?” Cameron said, coming up behind her. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close to his side.

  “Sally was just saying that nobody can accuse me of marrying you for your money.”

  He chuckled, then thought about it for a moment. “I guess nobody can accuse me of that, either.”

  “So it’s a win-win,” she said and smiled at him.

  “Absolutely,” he murmured, and smiled back. Then he tightened his hold on her, pulling her even closer and resting his forehead against hers.

  Sally looked on with interest, then said something about getting more champagne and walked away, leaving the newlyweds alone for a moment.

  He stared into her eyes. “Have I told you lately how beautiful you are?”

  She sighed. He was so handsome, and he’d been so good to her and Jake. It wouldn’t take much more for her to fall in love with him.

  She stopped, stunned. What was wrong with her? Hadn’t she just confessed to Sally that she hadn’t married for love? She needed to get a grip. He was handsome and a nice guy, so all she was feeling was lust, not love. She glanced around as she cleared her throat. “It looks like everyone’s having a good time.”

  “Thanks to you,” he said. As his brothers came over to talk to him, Cameron absently took hold of Julia’s hand and kissed her knuckles.

  She sighed again. It had just been a momentary lapse, she assured herself. It wouldn’t happen again. She could blame it on the wedding itself. Weddings were romantic, that was a given. Everyone here, including his mother, had automatically assumed they were in love. And why wouldn’t they? She and Cameron had just repeated vows to love and honor each other. They were married now. Both of them wore shiny new wedding rings. They’d put on quite a show.

  But that’s all this was. A show. A sham, really. Cameron was not in love with her, never would be. And if she thought about it, she couldn’t really be in love with a man who didn’t love her, could she? No. And if she found herself wishing, just once in a while, that he really did love her, then she was a bigger fool than anyone.

  It was time for her to face the fact that all she had with Cameron Duke was a marriage of convenience. With benefits, of course. Rather nice benefits, to be sure, but those were a far cry from love everlasting. And the sooner she accepted that reality, the better off she would be.

  Eight

  That evening, Sally took the baby and all his baby necessities to her room for Jake’s first sleepover. For Sally, it was an adventure. For Julia, it was an excuse to worry.

  Cameron ordered champagne to go with some of the hors d’oeuvres they’d brought back from the wedding ceremony. Julia changed out of her white dress and into something cozier while Cameron poured the champagne.

  As she walked into the living room, she stopped abruptly. “Did your mother take the wet wipes with her?”

  “I don’t-”

  “I’d better check.” She turned and ran back to the bedroom, then returned after a few sec
onds. “I guess she got them.”

  “Julia, relax,” Cameron urged, and handed her a fresh glass of champagne.

  “You’re right, I’m being silly.” She took a sip and started to sit down on the couch, then jumped up. “Oh, no. I forgot to give her the brush for washing out the bottles.”

  “Sweetheart, my mother is not going to wash baby bottles.”

  “Oh, God, of course not. What was I thinking?” She took another sip of the champagne, then sighed. “I guess I just miss him.”

  Feeling relaxed, Cameron leaned his elbow on the mantel. “Hey, at least you’ve had him around for the past nine months. How do you think I feel? I just…”

  He cut himself off as he saw Julia’s eyes narrow in on him like a heat-seeking missile. He wondered if it was possible to snatch the words back, but it was too late. She turned on him like a rabid dog. “So you still blame me for keeping him from you?”

  “No, I don’t,” he insisted with a firm shake of his head.

  She walked right over and smacked his arm. “All it would’ve taken was one lousy phone call, but you were too damn proud to give an inch.”

  “You’re right, sweetheart. But at the time, it seemed like you were a little obsessed.”

  She stopped in her tracks and turned on him. “Obsessed? I was not obsessed. I was-” she flailed her arms, trying to find the right word “-I was driven.”

  He realized they’d never truly discussed all her emails or his blatant disregard of them. Tonight didn’t seem like the most opportune time to delve into it, but the subject wasn’t going to go away. “Look, you sent me four emails in one day, Julia. I’d call that a little obsessive.”

  She folded her arms tightly across her chest. “So you actually saw my emails.”

  “Yes, I saw them,” he said reasonably. “I opened the first one where you demanded that I call you. And I almost picked up the phone, but then I noticed you’d sent three more in rapid succession and I figured you were a little, you know.”

  “Obsessed,” she said pointedly, and continued her pacing.

  He shrugged. “I guess. But that’s all in the past. Let’s forget about it and enjoy the evening.”

  But she wasn’t ready to let it go. He was troubled that she was no longer fuming but instead looked a bit forlorn. “I was pregnant and alone, Cameron. Nobody would’ve blamed me for being a little obsessed.”

  “I don’t blame you,” he said. “I’m just explaining how I felt at the time. In hindsight, I wish I’d called you, but back then, I was being cautious.”

  “Oh, because so many women are obsessed over you?”

  He wasn’t about to explain to his lovely new wife that there actually had been a few dangerously obsessed women over the years. Right now, Julia was venturing into perilous territory and Cameron didn’t see a safe way out.

  “Look Julia, you’re upset and-”

  “You’re darned right I’m upset.”

  “Then let’s sit down and talk about-”

  “Never mind, Cameron,” she said, pacing away from him, then whirling around. “I’m sorry, but I can’t do this right now. I need some time to think. I- I’m sorry.” She turned and ran down the hall to the second bedroom where she went inside and closed the door.

  “That did not go as planned,” he muttered, staring down the hall, almost not believing what had just happened. He’d screwed things up royally. He wasn’t sure how, he just knew this was his fault.

  The fact was, they were married now. They shouldn’t be fighting, they should be having sex. Rubbing his forehead in frustration, he walked to the wet bar and poured himself a healthy shot of Scotch. Holding the glass up, he toasted himself. “You’re a knucklehead.” The whiskey burned all the way down his throat. And so did the realization that he’d hurt her.

  But she’d caught him off guard. He was so used to Julia being reasonable and smart and funny, he hadn’t recognized the signs. She’d worked night and day to put together the wedding. And she’d been worried about the baby. He didn’t realize how worried, so he hadn’t helped matters one bit.

  Fortified by several more generous slugs of Scotch, he flopped down on the living room couch, thinking he’d watch the football game. But he dozed off before he ever had a chance to switch on the television.

  Something was pounding against his head. Had he really had that much to drink last night?

  “Dada!”

  Cameron opened one groggy eye and saw a blurry-looking Jake, up close, smacking his little hand against Cameron’s forehead.

  “Hey, buddy,” Cameron whispered, grabbing his hand. “Let’s use our indoor voice, okay?”

  “Dada,” Jake cried in excitement, then bobbled and plopped back on his well-padded butt.

  Cameron’s vision began to clear and he could now see Julia standing a few feet away, her arms folded across her chest, shaking her head at him.

  “Don’t yell,” Cameron said in surrender. “I know I’m a slug and deserve your wrath, but I want you to be happy and I want us to be together. I apologize for everything. Can we start this whole thing over?”

  She smiled, enjoying the moment. “I’d like that.”

  That night, Cameron was determined to seduce his wife. This time, he did everything right. The baby was off to spend the night with Sally again, he’d stocked up on more champagne and ordered a small platter of appetizers. And there was Julia.

  Sitting on the couch, he framed her face with his hands and gazed into her eyes. “Forgive me, Julia.”

  “Of course,” she said simply.

  “I don’t really want to get too far into it,” he said, “but I’ve lived with anger in my life. Let’s make a pact never to go to bed angry again.”

  She searched his face and must’ve found whatever it was she was looking for, because she nodded. “It’s a deal.”

  “Good.” He kissed her. Then he reached inside his pocket. “I have something for you. A token of my feelings for you, as well as my gratitude, and…well. Here.”

  He pulled out a slim blue box and handed her the gift.

  “No.” She stared at the box, then looked at him, her forehead creased with concern. “I didn’t get you anything.”

  He chuckled. “Honey, I already got the best end of the deal. I got you and Jake.”

  She carefully unwrapped the baby-blue jeweler’s box and opened the lid. Inside was an exquisite diamond necklace. In shock, she whispered, “Oh, Cameron, it’s gorgeous. But…why?”

  “Because I wanted to give you a little something to remember this evening. Now let me put it on you.”

  “It’s hardly ‘a little something,’” she murmured, but held her hair up as he slipped the necklace around her neck and fastened it.

  He kissed the back of her neck, then she turned to show him how it looked. “It’s perfect. Just like you.”

  She smiled as she ran her fingers hesitantly over the necklace. “You shouldn’t have done it, but thank you.”

  He poured champagne, then they made slow, easy love on the couch. Afterward, they moved to the bedroom and started all over again.

  Much later, they were both too wide awake to sleep, so they talked for another hour. Cameron asked her questions about her pregnancy and Jake’s birth. She told him about the baby’s milestones. He wondered about their nanny and she told him all about the older woman who took such good care of Jake. They talked about her bakery and her schedule these days.

  He asked her why she specialized in cupcakes at her bakery. She shrugged, told him that people liked cupcakes, then changed the subject, asking him how it was to grow up with two brothers. He regaled her with Sally Duke stories. Cameron found himself laughing more than he ever thought he could.

  The laughter turned to kisses and they ended up making love again.

  The next morning, they shared a quiet breakfast on the terrace, wearing matching robes. He was pleased that she still wore the diamond necklace.

  “Do you want more coffee?” he asked, liftin
g the carafe.

  “Yes, please.” She glanced around, a puzzled frown on her face. “Is that water running?”

  He listened, then grinned. “It’s the waterfall.”

  “You have a waterfall?” Standing, she walked to the balcony railing and looked out at the resort grounds. “Is it by the beach?”

  “Not exactly.” He joined her at the railing and pointed out a large, thick copse of trees and shrubbery next to a rocky mound halfway across the expanse. “It’s a pool. Very private. We rent it out for parties occasionally, but we don’t advertise it. It’s part of an underground spring, so the water is naturally warm. I had a grotto built around the pool, with a waterfall. It’s pretty nice.”

  She sighed. “It sounds wonderful.”

  “It’s secluded and romantic.” He wrapped his arms around her. “Maybe we’ll check it out before we leave.”

  “I have only two days left of my conference, so we’ll have to…oh, my God.”

  “What is it?”

  Her eyes showed a spark of fear. “What day is this?”

  “Tuesday.”

  “Cupcakes,” she cried. “I have to bake cupcakes.” She slid the terrace door open, then stopped and shook her finger at him. “You distracted me.”

  “I hope to God I distracted you,” he muttered, following her into the suite.

  “Oh, you know what I mean.” She circled the kitchen, opening cupboards and slamming drawers. “The demonstration is today at two o’clock. I have to start baking now.”

  “Why don’t I just send my assistant to the store to buy a few dozen cupcakes?”

  She stared at him, her mouth agape in horror. She waved him off as she raced down the hall. “You don’t get it.”

  “Babe, relax,” he said, strolling after her. “I can help.”

  She stopped abruptly. “Very funny, Cameron.”

  “Hey, I’m a good cook,” he insisted, scowling as he trailed her into the master bathroom. “Ask anyone. I’ll pit my chili recipe against anyone’s, any day of the week.”