Lucky Charms: A Hudson Family Series- Book 3- Dalton and Cami

by Chontelle Brison

  “I’m sorry, you deserved better than that,” I said and tried to placate her by putting my hands up in surrender. She was right, making out in an alley while drunk was not a good way to gain her trust.

  “Cami, Syn is on the phone - she wants to know how everything is going with the wedding,” Jack called from the backporch behind me.

  Shit, this was not a conversation I wanted to have with Jack present. Then, I foolishly reasoned that maybe it was good to have it all out on the table. Camille and I had made out, in an alley, and I was so drunk I had no memory of it. Okay, it was bad form, but it wasn’t anything that was so serious that we couldn't recover. Right? Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence there, people.

  I took a few tentative steps toward her, blue eyes filled with hurt bore into mine and I had a sudden urge to wrap my arms around her and beg forgiveness.

  “Camille, I don’t have any excuses, I was drunk and I shouldn’t have let it all get out of hand, but I’m not sorry, it was the best night I’ve had in a long time,” I told her actually surprised that I meant it. Sure most of it was a blur or just a blank spot in my memory, but working with her on the roof, watching her take it to Walt and seeing her so proud of herself was really one of the best times I could remember.

  One look at her told me I had said the wrong thing, she advanced forward, nail gun in hand and started pulling the trigger. Nails embedded in the dirt all around my feet, dangerously close to my boots. I backed up so fast I fell flat on my ass. I heard Jack yell out and Camille threw the nail gun to the ground next to her feet.

  “No one asked you to be sorry Dalton, if you want to shag up against a cold, wet brick wall in a dirty alley way that’s up to you, but don’t you dare stand there like I should be thankin’ you for it!” she screamed at me.

  Oh this was bad, I thought we had just made out. Okay, I thought we had made out a lot given the marks on my neck, but sex? No way, no way would I have taken Camille in an alley up against a fucking wall. Then the ultimate horror hit me when I remembered Camille was or had been a virgin. Nice, Dalton, nice, you might as well go burn down a convent full of nuns while you're out taking V-cards in dirty alleys. V-cards that happen to belong to your brother’s fiance’s cousin! I was dead, dead man walking right here.

  “I took your virginity last night in the alley?” The words spilled out of my mouth before I could stop them. I saw Camille’s eyes get wide as she stared over my shoulder.

  A loud, feral roar sounded from behind me as I heard something hit the ground and was tackled by Jack Patrick as he screamed, “You took my baby girl’s virginity? In an alley?”

  Yep, fucked, totally, absolutely and completely fucked.

  Cami

  I didn’t have a chance to correct Dalton before me Da was charging him from the back porch like St. Patrick himself goin’ after the devil. I stood there dumbfounded as Da, a man in his sixties, took Dalton to the ground with a mighyt roar. Dalton being younger was able to dodge most of me Da’s fists and leapt up from the ground and looked around for a place to hide. I could hear Synclair screaming on the phone that had been dropped on the porch. I could repeat the words but they were so crude that I realized that Synclair was truly Irish after all.

  “Jack, it’s not what you think,” Dalton cried out as Da grabbed a stone from the yard and chucked it at his head. Dalton seemed to consider his words, “okay wait it is what you think, but I didn’t mean it, I mean I don’t even remember!” he shouted as he ducked another stone that sailed past his head.

  Da growled something fierce and rushed Dalton again. Dalton tried to get out of his path but me cow was right behind him and the poor lad had nowhere to go.

  “You take my baby’s virginity, in an alley behind a bar, against a wall and you don’t remember? Here let me smack you smart Dalton to help you remember!” Da shouted as Dalton once again escaped his grasp.

  No matter what me Da did, Dalton threw no punches at him and I was grateful. However, if he had raised a hand to me Da, I would take the nail gun and with the flick of the trigger impale his favorite appendage.

  You’re probably wonderin’ why I am not stopping me Da from attempting to beat Dalton Hudson in to the ground. It’s simple, I had never seen me Da so defensive on me behalf. Sure, I had seen him raise hell for Synclair or if Walt made mention of me cousin my Da’s face would get red and he would raise one chubby hand and wave it in Walt’s face, but I have never seen him defend me like this. He had called me his baby and was deadly pissed about Dalton taking my virginity. Except Dalton hadn't taken me V-card, instead he had poked that slapper Lara. Okay, so I was extracting a little payback for his actions last night, not just for shaggin’ that witch but his mean words that followed. Still, the lad had no recollection of what had happened.

  Thinking back on the conversation it dawned on me that Dalton thought he and I had sex last night, he even told me he wasn’t sorry. Watching me Da chase him around the gazebo made me wonder, if he was sorry now?

  “What the hell is goin’ on out here?” came a shocked voice from the driveway.

  I turned to see Michael with his arms crossed over his chest staring at Dalton and Jack like they’d lost their minds. I was about to explain but when I took in the scene in its entirety, all I could do was sit on the porch steps and laugh. Da and Dalton appeared to be playing a brutal game of tag, as me Da would chase Dalton on one side of the gazebo and then Dalton would dart to the other. Me Ma had come out and picked up the phone and once Synclair told her what she had, obviously heard, she dropped the phone again picked up the hose and started spraying the both of them. I guess Michael got tired of waiting for me explanation and started making his way toward the two men while trying to work around me cows, cow shit and me Ma’s deadly water hose.

  I would have to make sure I put in a good word for Michael with Keela, the lad bravely walked into battle and just as Da lunged at Dalton again, Michael grabbed me Da in a huge bear hug from behind and held him from taking down Dalton again. Dalton smiled gratefuly at Michael for his intervention and then sheepishly threw his hands up in surrender as he looked at me Da. Da was angry and sputtering curse after curse as he tried to break out of Michael’s hold. Was definitely not happening, Michael had arms almost as big as Dalton’s, an advantage I had put to use on the construction sites. The lad could carry more lumber in one trip then most of the crew could do in two.

  “Mr. Patrick yer goin’ to hurt yerself, you don’t want to be doing this much exertion it can’t be good for yer heart,” Michael grumbled trying to keep hold of me Da. Something told me that my Da was a good fighter in his time, he had raised Synclair since she was just twenty and we all know how vicious she could be. Shite! Synclair was still yelling through the phone that was sitting on the edge of the porch. I hurried to pick it up, she was close to her due date and I didn’t want her goin’ into labor on my account.

  “Syn, it’s me Cami,” I shouted into the phone trying to speak over her loud ranting. She didn’t hear me on account she was having a very heated discussion with her future husband and it involved rusty knives and pliers. Oh dear! Good one Camille, you could have stopped all this when it started by explaining to all that Dalton hadn’t taken anything from ya. Ya silly wanker! Now everyone’s in a snit.

  Ignoring my, too little too late voice of reason, I once again tried to get Synclair’s attention.

  “Syn dammit woman, stop yer screeching!’ I shouted. Apparently, that got her attention because all I heard across the line was heavy breathing.

  “Cami?” came her flustered voice, “Cami I am so sorry, I am getting on a plane as soon as I can and I am going to rip my new brother limb from limb,” she promised as I heard someone yelling in the background to hide Synclair’s passport and baseball bat.

  I sighed and realized just how out-of-control things had gotten, looking over at Michael holding back me Da I realized I had bigger issues than me cousin.

  “Listen Syn, I know it sounds bad, but it w
asn’t me, Dalt got drunk on too much Guinness and it was some slapper named Lara he shagged not me, but I have to run cause me Da is going to kill him,” I said quickly and hung up while she was still talking. No doubt, I’d hear more about that later but first I had to straighten out the ugly mess before me.

  “Ma put the damn hose down before you get them all ill,” I told her as she raised the hose to give Michael another dousing.

  Michael looked at me, his blue eyes wide in confusion and Dalton was running his hand through his hair. I realized he did that a lot when he was frustrated.

  “Let him go Michael, he has the right to kick my ass.” Dalton told him in a defeated tone.

  Part of me really wanted to let him suffer, but I knew my Da would be rightly pissed if he found out I let him beat Dalton into the ground for nothin’.

  “Come on Jack, what could Dalton have done that has you so riled?” Michael asked as he let go of me Da, however he did place himself between Dalton and Da just in case. A wise man that one.

  However, this was not a conversation I wanted to have in front of Michael, friend or not, I had enough material for the gossipmongers in town without adding to it.

  “It’s fine Michael, it’s just a misunderstanding.” I called out as I approached the trio.

  Da looked at me, his face was beet red and the vein in his pale head looked like it could burst at any second.

  “Misunderstanding, the man took your virginity in an alley and doesn’t even remember,” Da yelled.

  I cringed when I saw Michael’s head whip from Da’s to Dalton. Michael’s eyes narrowed, and I saw him start to towards Dalton menacingly. Sigh, Michael had always treated me like a younger sister, even on the job site he would stomp anyone that made any kind crude comment toward me. If I didn’t step up and say something it looked like Dalton would get that ass kicking after all.

  “Michael, I don’t want to fight you man, it wasn’t like that,” Dalton explained. I knew Dalton could take Michael in a fight and had shown considerable restraint with me Da. However, since Dalton was an ex-SEAL, I would imagine he wouldn’t be so forgiving if Michael swung on him.

  “You did what? When?” Michael asked as he glared at Dalton. Dalton seemed relieved that Michael had stopped walking towards him and put his hands down at his sides.

  “Apparently last night behind Lark’s Pub in some dirty alley way,” Me Ma cried out dramatically. I swear, you’d think I was six not twenty-six the way they were all carrying on and the last thing I wanted to do was discuss me V-card in front of Michael.

  Michael looked at me and then at Dalton and smiled, “Not possible,” he said grinning. I knew the jig was up, since Michael had been there last night he knew full well who Dalton did and didn’t shag.

  “I wouldn’t have thought it possible either, but he admitted it just a bit ago, I heard it with my own ears,” Da yelled as me mother went to stand next to him.

  Stepping up to the group I smirked at Michael, “No Da, Dalton is wrong, he didn’t shag me last night. I wouldn’t have sex with Dalton, let alone in a dirty alley,” I told me Da but I looked right at Dalton.

  He looked sad, almost like me words hurt him somehow and for a moment I wondered if he thought I was lying to save him a beating.

  “Camille, I have the hickies all over my neck, I’m just so sorry your first time had to be like that,” Dalton said his voice full of regret. Then he proceeded to remove his jacket and turtleneck sweater and expose his love bites for the world to see.

  I’m not sure if it was the love bites that were all over his neck and upper chest that set me off or the fact that he looked so regretful at the idea of us having sex. I decided not to ponder it too much and just decided to lash out at the eejit.

  “That. Is. It!” I screeched so loud that the crows flew from the nearby trees. I stomped over to Dalton-every one woman wants me and of course Cami you must be stupid enough to lose your v-card to me because I am so bloody irresistbile- Hudson and poked him hard in the chest. Of course, I ignored what a hard chest it was and the solid, chiseled abs that were just below it.

  “While I appreciate the fact that shaggin’ me would be so bloody regretful for you, it wasn’t me you poked up against Lark’s Pub, it was that slapper Lara!” I told him as I poked him again for good measure.

  “Not Lara!” Me Ma whispered in disbelief. See, it wasn’t just me that thought Lara had a vagina with a 24-hour open sign.

  “Ya Ma, it was Lara, I was back behind the bar helping Keela and this one,” I pointed to a confused looking Dalton, “was getting plastered because the man thought he could out drink a table of Irish men!” I finished by throwing him back his turtleneck and jacket as I definitely didn’t want to see the love bites that kept mockin’ me.

  “What? Wait! It wasn’t… You?” he asked as the truth of me words finally set in.

  I shook me head and glared at him, “so while I appreciate everyone willing to defend me honor, there was no need, so now the gossips in town can really have something to talk about, how once again the Ice Queen avoided sex!” I shouted throwing me hands up in frustration. It was like I was on the merry-go-round of humiliation and I couldn’t get off, and that was not some pun about an orgasm, it just happened to come out that way.

  “So you didn’t have sex?” Me Da asked making me blush with embarrassment. This was not a subject I wanted to discuss.

  “Let me clear it all up for everyone, Dalton and I did not have sex, we will never have sex, we are not attracted to each like that, Dalton is a shag and run and I can’t even get to the shag part so never the two shall meet! Furthermore, if I decide to shag the entire Irish football league on the altar of St. Christopher’s church, then it is none of your business, I am a grown woman,” I finished looking at all of them. Dalton busied himself putting his clothes back on, Michael was smirking something awful, Da was pretending to dust himself off, and me Ma was… well, she was staring at me with an absolute look of horror on her face.

  “Camille Gwendolyn Patrick, you most certainly will not have relations in a church!” she ordered and walked off.

  Yes, folks you heard it here first. When faced with her daughter shaggin’ over fifty fellas my Ma chose to focus on the fact that I would do the deed on sacred ground, it doesn’t get more Irish Catholic than that!

  “Cami yer wrong,” Michael suddenly spoke up through bouts of laughter. I wasn’t sure what was so damn funny!

  “About what, may I ask?” Sheesh, it was like someone was passing out crazy pills this week.

  Michael walked over to Dalton and clapped him on the shoulder and then looked at me and chuckled.

  “Well out with it then!” I demanded not liking the feeling of there being a joke about and me not knowing what it was.

  Michael gave an apologetic look to Dalton and answered, “Actually he didn’t shag Lara either, a fact that she spent a lot of time complaining about once you left the pub,” he finished with a smirk.

  “Wait, what? Then who the hell gave me all the hickies?” Dalton asked, clearly confused.

  “Oh that was Lara, it’s kind of her specialty and you did go out to the alley with her, but when she went to unzip yer trousers… well,” Michael trailed off like we could some how fill in the missing pieces.

  I looked from Dalton to Micahel and to to me Da and then back to Michael. Then suddenly Dalton and me Da looked at each other and Dalton’s eyes got wide and me Da started laughing.

  Was this a man thing? Was there some secret decoder ring that I needed to translate what ever Michael was trying to say?

  “Michael!” I barked, “what happened when Lara unzipped his damn trousers?” I didn’t want to know but yet I did.

  Michael sighed and looked at Dalton who had a look of absolute terror on his face, “Lara was willin’ but apparently Dalton was not quite in the condition to perform if you know what I mean,” he chuckled again and Dalton groaned. No, I didn’t know what he meant, I didn’t know at all and me brain was
hurtin’ from all the circles I felt like I was runnin’ in this conversation.

  “No Michael I don’t know what yer sayin’, yer talkin’ in riddles, would you just say what you bloody mean!” my frustration was starting to hit epic levels.

  “He means I couldn’t get it up, my dick was soft, it wouldn’t get hard, limp noodle dick, I couldn’t fuck her because my cock wasn’t interested!” Dalton suddenly shouted from next to Michael leaving me speechless.

  Aside from Michael smirking and me Da trying to hide a smile, all I could do was stare at the man in disbelief.

  “How could that happen?” I asked truly in a sense of astonishment.

  “Well, um many things can affect a man, it happens to all of us at one time or another son,” Da explained and patted Dalton on the shoulder as he bolted for the house, doing a piss-poor job of stifling his loud chuckling.

  “Never happened to me,” Michael announced before realizing what he had said. He suddenly looked over to Dalton and immediatelly added, “but I’ve heard of it happening a lot after drinking,” he finished while Dalton gave him a look that told him just how full of shit he thought Michael was.

  I think it was the first time in me life that I was stunned into silence. This was Dalton Hudson, manwhore, how was it possible that his penis wasn’t willing? I thought Dalton was one of those guys who’s cock was always at the ready, just waitin’ for the signal to stand at attention and salute. Was the cause of it all really the drink? So he and Lara hadn’t actually shagged like animals in the alley? That didn’t excuse all the nasty things he said to me after but then again if he didn’t remember Lara then he didn’t remember the words we had exchanged either.

  “I… um.. I mean I just,” I was stumbling over my words, the awkwardness was so thick you could cut it with a bloody knife, “that’s.. well.. okay then I’m going to go eat lunch, I’m famished, bye Michael,” I said giving Michael a small wave and leaving Dalton standing there staring after me. I mean, what was I suppsed to say to the lad? Sorry your penis went on strike because even it knew what a slapper Lara is? See, now you know why making a hasty getaway was the only humane thing I could do. I didn’t stop and I didn’t look back as I practically sprinted up the steps and into the house.