All I'll Ever Ask (The Greatest Love Book 1)

by Genevieve Woods

  “Babe, is Paige and Kevin’s relationship bothering you this much? You seem nervous.”

  “No it’s not their relationship that has me troubled.”

  “Is it us? I know we have had some hard times lately and Carol’s crazy attempt to knock me out did not help. But mom and I are going to get her the help she needs.”

  It was Camille’s turn to give an incredulous look. “I can understand Mother Ellen helping her friend but why are you involved? That lady could have killed you.”

  “Because I owe it to Lauren, to make sure her mother heals.”

  “What if she does not want to be healed? What if she just wants you to stay single, hurting and mourning over Lauren with her, for the rest of your life?”

  “Camille, I have to try. Please don’t give me resistance on this. I have found my soul mate in you but Carol’s only child can’t be replaced.”

  “I understand that but there are medical professionals and other members of the church that can assist her. Besides, if Paige hadn’t stopped her, I would have been next on her injury list. Paige also may lose Kevin because she snapped trying to defend me. All because Mrs. Carol lost her daughter and does not want you to move on.”

  “Babe, I owe it to her and I am going to help her.”

  “Benjamin, she physically hurt you!”

  “It doesn’t matter, I forgive her. I owe her this.”

  “Fine then you pay your debts to your mother-in-law and I will just go home and deal with my family issues on my own.”

  “Camille, she is not my mother-in-law but I did date her daughter for seven years. Please understand and what family issues are you referring to, Paige and Kevin?”

  “No, it’s not Paige or Kevin. Although, I am worried what a permanent break up will do to Paige. But don’t you worry about my family issues. I came over to share them with you but I see your dedication lies with your dead girlfriend and her crazed mother, so I will leave you to paying your debts to them.” Camille knew that was low. He had hurt her feelings and she wanted to hurt his.

  Ben jumped in shock at that statement. “Camille how can you say that I just want to make sure Carol is okay. I love you and I am dedicated to you for the rest of my life.”

  “Whatever Ben, call me when you have time to talk to your living fiancée, without bringing up Carol or Lauren. I will not live in Lauren’s shadow, nor will I sit by while you babysit a grown woman who you feel indebted to, because you love me. That. Is. A. Negative.” Camille grabbed her purse and headed for the garage. Ben ran after her.

  “Camille wait a minute; no one is more important than you. I just want to help Carol. But that does not change that I want to be here for you.”

  “Ben you can’t handle everything, and the fact that you have asked for no resistance on this issue, let’s me know that I’m not first in your life, no matter what you say.” Camille jerked her arm away and got into her car and backed up letting the garage door up and then back down once she left. She turned her radio up loud and screamed “Forget him!”

  Benjamin pressed the garage door opener and ran down his drive way, trying to stop her. Camille was gone and her SUV tail lights were barely visible. This was not what he had planned for this evening. He would have to rethink his involvement in Carol’s treatment. When he agreed to help his mother, he did not think it would be a risk to his relationship with Camille. Nothing or No one was worth Camille being angry with him. He grimaced at the thought of losing her. In a matter of months, she had captured his heart and mind. She was the answer to his prayers and he could not mess this up. Clearly she was dealing with something. But what family issues? Her only biological connection was Mr. James who was back in the Middle East. Ben pulled out his mobile device and called Karen.

  ***

  Paige knocked on Kevin’s office door. Due to it being Saturday, the lobby area where his assistants worked was clear. She did not get a response, so she decided to just go in. He couldn’t be far, she had called ahead and he knew she was on her way. As she entered his small but organized office, she shook her head at how everything was perfectly positioned in the right place. His degrees, awards, newspaper articles, and magazine features were on one wall screaming how accomplished he was. He had two wall bookshelves with law books and other literature that Paige was sure he had read a time or two. His large desk was oak and had a family picture with his mom and dad. In the center of his desk, was a notepad with an ink pen and his laptop. On the other side of his laptop was a picture of them, she could not remember where the photo had been taken. But the look in Kevin eyes was one of admiration and love. As Paige looked around his office, she began to think of how Kevin liked attention to detail. How everything had a place and belonged in that place. She felt guilt overtake her gut and spread throughout her body. She could not continue to be this out of control and out of place obstacle in his neat world. How had he put up with her for three years? It was no longer a wonder why she hadn’t received the ring she found almost a year ago. She did not deserve it. She was out of place in his life. Paige turned to leave before Kevin came into his office. She needed more time to think on if she could truly be what Kevin needed. When she turned around Kevin had entered the room, behind him was McAlister’s bags and Sweet tea in his hands, her favorite. Kevin looked adorable in his khaki pants and white Ralph Lauren golf shirt and khaki Sperry shoes. How could she hold on to him?

  Kevin tried to maintain his composure as he motioned for Paige to have a seat at the table in his office. After she’d called, he rushed out to get them lunch. He knew how much Paige loved McAlister’s chicken tortilla soup, with a turkey club croissant, and sweet tea. He had gotten her a chocolate chip cookie as well. Although he knew she would nibble on it for hours because she would feel guilty about enjoying that sinful pleasure. A sinful pleasure was what Paige was to him. He missed her something bad but knew she was an explosive that could ruin his career and family. However, without his little dynamite, his world was empty. He needed her, but she had to get help with her anger issues. He had worked too hard and too long to become the man he was in the community. Bloggers had started to comment on his feisty girlfriend. Normally that would not bother him but he wanted to run for District Attorney in the next election. How could he do that if one day he would have to possibly prosecute his own woman for battery? As he finished setting up their lunch, he grabbed her hands and said grace. While eating they had small talk and then silence for a while. Kevin decided to address the elephant in the room.

  “So Paige, why did you decide to come see me today? Are you ready to address our last conversation?”

  “I thought I was,” Paige said with a whisper. “But now I don’t know.” “What’s changed since the phone call?”

  “Coming into your office, seeing how everything is where it belongs. You are a perfectionist Kevin and I am a ticking time bomb. I don’t want to ruin your career or cause problems in your family. But I just don’t know how else to protect myself.” Tears flowed down Paige’s face with an unstoppable force. She dropped her head on the table and cried in the crook of her arm.

  Kevin rose from his chair and walked around to kneel at Paige’s feet. He lifted her arms from the table and cupped her chin. Paige’s eyes were closed but the tears continued to flow. She looked like a vulnerable china doll, like the ones his mother had a collection of. Paige was his vulnerable china doll, once again. Paige was exploding before him, but this explosion made him want to run to her and shield her from harm.

  “Paige, I love you baby doll. I am here to protect you. I just need you to come to me. Let me know when someone, anyone, including my mother has come at you wrong. I will help you fight every battle. I won’t leave you baby. I won’t let harm come to you. I need you trust that. Can you?”

  “Kevin, I want to. I really do, but what if I can’t? I know your career is in the public eye and you need a woman that is not like me.” Kevin wiped Paige’s tears from her cheeks, pulled her up so he could sit down, a
nd then placed her on his lap. She turned to him fighting back more tears, as her heart was breaking over the fact that she may lose the best man ever. because of her lack of trust.

  “Paige, I just need you to try. I don’t want what we have to end. I have been miserable without you. You bring excitement to my boring legal life. You bring me comfort with your warm embraces and you bring happiness in my heart with your quick wit and bubbly personality. It’s just when you come blazing at people, and to your credit it is to defend yourself or the ones you love. However, kicking butt and taking names does not work sweetie. It must stop. You have to get help with your anger issues.”

  Paige took in every word Kevin spoke to her. He was gentle and kind. She wanted to try…she had to try. There would never be another love like this. She would never find anyone else to see the true Paige. She had to work on herself.

  “I will Kevin, I will get help. I will find a therapist to talk with and continue to go to church. I love you Kevin and I don’t want to lose you.”

  “I am here baby doll. I’m always here for you.”

  “Kevin.”

  “Baby doll.”

  “Can I have my cookie now?” Paige gave him the sweetest smile.

  “How do you know I have a cookie for you?” Kevin stood her on her feet so he could get up.

  “Because you love me and you know what I like.” Kevin pulled the huge chocolate cookie from the carry-out bag, unwrapped the cookie and fed it to his girl. Paige moaned as she savored the chewy delight.

  Kevin kneeled, kissed her on the forehead and whispered, “I think we will make it and I miss you moaning that way. Come home with me now.” They left Kevin’s office and Paige followed him home where she spent the night causing the kind of explosions, Kevin could handle.

  ****

  “One more with just the bride and groom.” The photographer called out to the wedding party. Camille walked behind Karen, Paige, Dawn, and Autumn, as she scooped up Nikki who was whining because of the long day. She smiled as she looked at Karen and Frankie, who had just gotten married by a Judge in a small garden at the Memphis Botanical Garden. Karen was radiant in her silver mermaid gown. The wedding was beautiful and intimate. Camille thought Frankie’s daughters were wonderful. They were true identical twins she could not find one difference in them. Ben came up behind her tugging on her hair while playing peek a boo with Nikki. Camille turned to see who was pulling her hair and stirring up Nikki, who just began resting with her head on her shoulder. When she saw it was Ben, she smiled. “Hey don’t stir her up. This day is getting to her and we still have the reception in the Goldsmith’s room.”

  Ben shrugged his shoulders and kept messing with Ms. Shopkin, as he called her, and pinched her nose. Camille gave him a maternal stare down that meant stop it or else. Ben raised his hands in surrender. “Fine, I will behave. How are you doing, Honey? We haven’t talked much lately.”

  Camille took a deep breath. She wanted to stay angry with him after their blow up a week ago. They had both been busy and had not seen each other much, only this past Wednesday at Bible Study and last night at the rehearsal dinner. It was not uncommon for them to go several days because of her responsibility to ITS and his obligations to work. However, this was the first time for their relationship to feel strained.

  “I’m fine. Just working, keeping up with my physical therapy exercises, and helping Karen with the wedding. It was beautiful don’t you agree?”

  “Yes, it was lovely but I know who will make a more beautiful bride.”

  “Oh, do you now?” Camille could not let go of the sarcasm. She did not know why she felt threatened by him helping Ms. Carol. It just seemed like betrayal and she could not shake it off.

  “Yes I do, and I am looking at the bride–to–be right now.”

  “Well, we will see.” Camille said sharply and put Nikki down as the photographer asked for the daughters to join in the pictures.

  This was Benjamin’s time to get through to Camille. She had given him nothing but shade since their argument. Wednesday night he tried to speak to her but she gave him the cold shoulder. Last night he sat by her at the rehearsal dinner but she tended to Nikki as though she was an infant rather than the big girl she was. He smiled as he recalled Ms. Shopkin screaming in her god aunt’s face.

  “Tee - Tee I can feed myself.”

  Camille had no choice but to move on to being a nursemaid to Karen. When Karen shooed her away, she then went to nervously picking up trash and refilling the guest’s beverages. Which was absurd, because Frankie and Karen had hired a caterer and servers. The woman was acting so out of character and it was beginning to get on his nerves. He took her gently by the elbow and led her into the building walking briskly.

  “Ben slow down. Why are you dragging me around?”

  “Because I don’t deserve this shade you are giving me, it ends now.”

  “What shade are you talking about? And don’t man-handle me, again.”

  “You know what I am talking about. This is not how we will treat one another when we don’t agree on something. We will talk about whatever is between us like mature, loving, Christian adults.”

  “Ben, this is not the time for that. This is my sis…I mean, best friend’s wedding day. I will not allow the ghost of Lauren to gloom over it.” Camille tried walking away as she could see the rest of the wedding party lining up and the guests had begun coming inside. Ben would not let her go. She was not feeling all that Christian at the moment and needed for him to back off.

  “Camille, I am not letting you go until you listen to me.”

  “This is not the time to talk about this. I am going to line up with the wedding party as you should be doing as well. We can talk later.” She wiggled her way out of his grip and made a mad dash to the wedding line.

  Benjamin stood there exasperated. He was going to put an end to this stand-off of hers. For goodness sake, he was just trying to help someone. Where was her compassion and what had her stumbling over who Karen was? “Women!” Ben walked and stood behind Kevin in the wedding processional shaking his head.

  “Tee - Tee and Ms. Paige, my mommy and daddy are married. We gone live in my daddy’s house and my big sisters are going to come see me all the time. You all can come over too and have fun.” Camille and Paige laughed and hugged Nikki. They were both so happy for Karen’s life and excited for Nikki to have a shot at a complete family. They were all waiting to walk into the Goldsmith’s room as the bride and groom were making their entrance. Nikki was between Camille and Paige and they were swinging her by her arms. Nikki was having a ball being the human swing and was giggling causing everyone around to smile. All of a sudden they heard a loud shriek and ran in to see what the noise was.

  Karen wiped the tears from her eyes as she saw the servers trying to save her beautiful wedding cake. Her day had been perfect. She woke up at The Peabody Hotel, where she received a makeover courtesy of Camille, with a massage. She rode in a limo to the Botanical Gardens and married the man of her dreams and the father of her child, while the sun set in front of three-hundred people. For late August in Memphis, the weather was unseasonably cool only being eighty degrees. The outside ceremony was perfect. The judge Kevin had suggested did a wonderful job with their vows. Due to Frankie being married before and them having a child, they did not want Pastor Caine to fill obligated to marry them. They were not the traditional couple and she was fine with the judge. Pastor Caine and his wife attended the ceremony.

  But now she was heartbroken that her three tiered level cake had fallen apart. The caterer could not say why it was falling apart, maybe the cakes were not cool enough to hold the icing. It looked like a sugary melting sweet volcano, as it had chocolate, and white and red velvet cakes on each level. The cake maker came highly recommended and did thousands of cakes a year. She was sure it was not incompetence that caused the cake avalanche. Besides, as she inspected the cake, it looked like the cake was pushed over. Who would want to destroy someone
’s wedding cake?

  She was snapped out of her thoughts and silenced from screaming, which she did realizing she was audibly sobbing. She turned and fell into Frankie’s arm whimpering. He stroked her back lightly and whispered comforting words into her ear.

  “Karen, the cake is still edible. No reason to allow that to ruin our night, okay.” Karen knew he was right but that did not stop the tears. Dawn and Autumn came up comforting her too, asking if she needed some fresh air. She told them she was okay and she and Frankie could proceed to the bride and groom’s table.

  Karen tried her best to shake off the feeling that her cake disaster was not a coincidence but something just felt off. Including Camille, who had been acting so clingy the last couple of weeks, beyond the point of being a great maid of honor. She tried talking to her after the phone call with Ben. She definitely understood why Camille would be concerned about Ben being involved in Ms. Carol’s life. That lady was a nut case attacking Ben then attempting to attack Camille. Ben had informed her that Camille mentioned family issues. She could only think of maybe Camille just missed Mr. Jacobs. He had stayed several weeks while she healed. Which was the longest span of time he had ever visited since she had known Camille. When she asked her what Ben was referring to, Camille said it was nothing and they would talk after her honeymoon. Surely something that could wait two weeks was not that dire, so Karen remained quiet. But something was definitely going on with Camille. Karen again was taken out of her thoughts as Camille and Paige came to sit with her. Paige was beaming as she reached over and gave Karen a hug.

  “So Ms. Lady, you married now. I am so happy for you.” Paige stepped aside so Camille could give Karen a hug.

  “You know I am happy for you too Karen.” Camille said while hugging Karen.

  “Thank you both, I am so grateful. You both have been there for me over the years, when I was a struggling single mom. I can’t believe we pulled this wedding off in just two weeks. I appreciate you girls more then you know. I would not be here, if it were not for you.”