by Taylor Love
“Tell me a little bit about him before we go eat with your father.”
“He’s thirty, he’ll be thirty-one next July. He has his own successful web design and development company. He owns his own home. No kids or marriages under his belt.”
“Okay, all of that sounds good! Now tell me, is he cute?”
“Mama! Yes, he’s really handsome actually. He’s really nice, funny even. He somehow finds a way to make me relax.” Andrea kinda forgot her mother was there as she waxed on about Camden. “He’s really sweet and thoughtful, always thinking of something fun or different for us to do.” Her hand went to the necklace. “He’s always giving me treats or gifts, like flowers, and this necklace. I tell him to stop, but he does it anyway.”
Bernadette took the fries out before commenting, “Sounds like you’re in love with him.”
Her mother’s statement snapped her mind back to reality. “What! Why would you say that?”
“Honey, if you saw the look on your face when you were just talking about him, you’d say it too.”
Andrea actually jumped up off the stool and started putting the food on trays. “I would not! We barely know each other! It hasn’t even been six months! I just started slee…” She managed to cut herself off. Her mother didn’t need to know about their sexual habits. “I don’t think we’re at that point yet.”
Bernadette reached out, covering Andrea’s hand to stop her nervous movements. “Honey…look and listen to me for a quick moment. I know you’re cautious with relationships, especially after the last one, but love doesn’t work on any schedule you have. You should have learned that after Damon. Four months or four years, it doesn’t matter. If you are in love, then you’re in love. I don’t want you to miss out on something good and real because you think it hasn’t been enough time yet.”
Then Bernadette laughed, before turning to finish plating up the food. “If you’ve found a man that puts that dreamy look in your eyes, treats you right, and gives you love bites that make you forget to call your mama, then you should keep him! This man sounds like a good one. I know I hope he is, because I believe he has your heart.”
“I…don’t know about love yet. I just know he makes me feel good on every level. I like being with him. We’re friends.”
“Friends is a wonderful place to start.” She gave Andrea a reassuring smile and let the subject drop. Her baby was stubborn and would see things in her own time, lord willing. “Now, let’s go feed your Daddy before he comes storming in here.”
The long weekend went by quickly as she spent quality time with her family. When Christmas rolled around that Friday, they exchanged gifts after breakfast. They went to visit some extended family during the day, and finished the evening with a relaxing dinner. That night, she texted various friends and co-workers to wish them a merry Christmas. She called Cam and had a brief conversation with him as well.
On Saturday in the late evening, she joined her father in the small, heated shed he had built in the backyard. It was where he did all his wood crafting. It was a skill that had been passed down in his family. Her great-great-great-grandfather had brought the skill from Tennessee when he’d made the trek up from the South. Her father made small-to-medium wood items mostly. He sold his items at markets and local fairs or gave them away as gifts. It was a hobby, that he just happened to be very good at.
“Hey, Daddy, can I watch a little?”
“You can watch and even help. Take that stack of snake wood and cut it, into six-inch parts for me.”
Andrea had been taught how to use the table saw as a young teen. Putting on protective gear, she went about doing the task she’d been given. They worked in comfortable silence for about ten minutes, until she brought the finished pile of wood to his work table.
“What are you making, anyway?”
“Got a custom order from one of the ladies your mother knows. She wants some custom doll tables for her twin granddaughter’s birthday next month.”
“That’s going to be nice!”
“I think so. I’m glad you came out here. I wanted to talk to you, if you don’t mind.”
“Sure, what’s up?” She leaned back against a shelf, waiting on her father to continue.
“Your mother told me about your young man.” Earl held up his hand to stop whatever Andrea was about to say. “From what I heard, he sounds like he has the potential to be a winner. She thinks you may have already fallen for him.”
“Mama talks too much and doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”
“Now, we both know whether we like it or not, you mother is usually right. Talk to me. Do you love this Camden?”
“I don’t know,” she mumbled sullenly. Right about now, she wished she’d left that necklace in the box.
“Does he love you?”
“I don’t know that either. I mean apparently, I’m a horrible judge of character when it comes to how men act when they’re in love. I thought Damon was in love with me and I was absolutely wrong.”
“We’re not talking about him.” Earl’s voice went tight. He didn’t like to think about the man who had broken his baby’s heart. “We’re talking about this new guy.”
“I feel like it’s early in the relationship to be talking about love, Daddy. He treats me great, so zero complaints on that score. He seems to like me just the way I am and has taken time to get to know me. I think he cares for me.” Her father said nothing, just waited for more. Reluctantly, she told him about Thanksgiving. “He…invited me to spend Thanksgiving with him and the people he considers his family.”
“Ah well, that’s something. You both could be falling in love. Would that be fair to say?”
Andrea breathed easier at the way her father phrased it. “Yes, that would be fair. I’m hoping what we have continues to grow.”
“In that case baby girl, I hope it does too.” Earl stopped what he was doing and turned fully to face her. “Let me say this last thing and then I’ll be done. If you do find love, or love finds you…fight for it. Until I met your mother, I’d never met a woman I wanted to fight for. Oh, there were those I wanted to ‘win the game’ with, but none that I wanted to fight for when things got hard. If something tries to keep you from that love, whether it be other people, him, or even yourself, fight for it! Fighting for your mother is still the best thing that I ever did.”
Andrea gave her dad a hug. “It’s sweet that you still love mom so much. I promise when I find real love I’ll take your advice.”
“Good, and one more thing. Once you figure out your mother was right…bring that man down here to meet us.”
Chapter Nineteen
The last two months had been a whirlwind for Andrea. Her relationship with Camden had continued to progress along positive lines. They continued to have great conversations and outings, often followed by sex…amazing and splendid sex. With the winter weather, she had quickly ended up keeping clothing and other basic items at his house. She hadn’t purposely started leaving stuff. It was just easier to go to his house after work since it was closer than hers, so she often did. She had expected him to be put out of sorts by the slow accumulation, but he hadn’t said a word. Then one day, she found all her hair and bathroom knick-knacks sitting in a pretty purple basket on his bathroom counter.
Now, here they were in February and the dreaded V-day was upon them. Usually, for Valentine’s Day, she and Mika would get together if neither of them had a date. A few of those years had included a small group of other ladies. This year they both had dates, as Mika had started dating someone back in January. Meanwhile, she found herself driving to meet Cam at the Whitney downtown. The holiday fell on a Sunday but he was able to secure them a table the Friday before. She was excited to see him, as they’d been super busy this week, and hadn’t spent as much time together as they would have liked. This was the most excited she’d been about the commercial holiday in years!
Cam was pleased as he waited for Andrea to arrive. He’d had to plan ea
rly and pay a premium on top of that, to secure a private booth in a secluded corner of the restaurant. He’d lied to Andrea about having a meeting far away as an excuse for them to both drive separately. He knew his woman well and after they talked about what was on his mind, she might feel like she needed some space. This way, if she wanted to go to her house instead of his it would be less awkward.
Robert had tried to get him to share his plans for tonight, but all he admitted to was a romantic dinner. Cam planned to tell her he loved her, before the night was over. He’d tell the rest to Robert, depending on how she reacted to his declaration. He had been ready to say the words since right before Christmas. But he hadn’t wanted her to think he was just saying it because they were having sex again, or any other “excuse” she might have not to believe him.
If it was up to him everyone would know. He’d waited his whole adult life to feel this way about a woman. Now that he did, he didn’t care who knew…well assuming she felt the same way about him. He stood up when he noticed the maître d’ walking her over to his table. She was wearing a clingy, deep red, long-sleeved dress that barely hit her knees. Black leather high-heeled boots that went up just enough for her dress to brush the tops. He watched as a few men eyed her as she strolled by. They could look all they wanted. She was his, and he planned to keep it that way.
They ate dinner and drank expensive wine, while they talked and laughed in their private alcove. As they were finishing dessert, he pulled out a silver and red gift box from the inside pocket of his suit. “Happy Valentine’s Day, baby.”
“You have to stop giving me gifts.”
“You keep saying that, yet I keep doing it. Open it.”
Andrea sighed with what she admitted to herself, was fake exasperation and opened the round De Beers jewelry box. Inside was a ruby and diamond tennis bracelet. “My god Camden, I can’t accept this! This had to be too expensive.”
Cam knew she really wasn’t into things that cost a lot of money. He’d noticed she had some name brand clothes and a few bags, but it wasn’t her normal habit to buy expensive things, which was another reason he enjoyed her as a person. She made more than enough money to afford high-end brands, but more often than not, she chose to focus on other things. Which was also exactly why he loved spoiling her.
“Do you like it? It matches your outfit.” He helped fasten it around her wrist.
“I love it. It’s beautiful and I can tell it’s the real deal. You can’t give me stuff like this.”
He still held her hand, and now he squeezed it, to get her to look at him instead of the bracelet. “What law says I can’t buy my woman gifts?”
“Oh, I’m your woman, am I?”
“Yeah, you are. Look, I wanted to talk to you about us tonight. I think it’s time we made this thing with us official and exclusive.” When she just stared at him, he chuckled, more amused than worried. “Look, did I say that right? I have to be honest, I’ve never had this conversation as a true adult. Let me know if I’m messing it up.”
Andrea smiled back at him and relaxed, though she wanted to probe his last comment some more. “What do you mean? I thought you said you’ve had a couple of serious relationships.”
“I have. Honestly though, those were when I was much younger. Back when you don’t have these kinds of direct conversations, it’s just assumed after a while. After I finished my Master’s, I focused on getting my business on solid ground. There have been women of course. When they brought up being serious…well I was never on the same page, and things usually ended.”
She hadn’t expected to hear that. Strangely, as much as they talked about any and everything, they had steered clear of the details of their past relationships. “Don’t you think it’s weird that we haven’t talked in-depth about old relationships?”
“Baby, you barely wanted to go out with me. I had no desire to bring up our past, so all the things you don’t like about men would be foremost in your brain.”
“Was I that bad?” Andrea grinned.
“Well, you remember how we finally got our first date right?”
“I do…I remember how it ended as well.”
“I do too. I really should be buying Mika some jewelry.”
Andrea gave a small snort of laughter. “She would so take it without blinking.” Looking down at the gorgeous bracelet, she asked, “So, why were you never feeling the other women you dated in the last few years, enough to make it official?”
Cam sat back and took a sip of wine before he answered. “I think it was a combination of things. When you hustling to get name recognition, you have less time for women on all levels. I was also getting settled with the house. It took me and Robert almost half a year to get things to where they needed to be. I mean, I guess if I’m being honest, at the time, I sought out women who at least at first, didn’t want anything serious. We were just spending time together. Most of the relationships fizzled out on their own after a few months. I had a couple that made it to around six months. When being in a truly committed relationship was brought up, I had to be truthful and let them know I wasn’t thinking long-term at the time.”
“I see,” Andrea said quietly.
“What about you? Tell me a little bit more about the last serious relationship you had. The one you said didn’t end well a few years back.”
Andrea took a big gulp of her wine. This was exactly why she hadn’t pressed to have this conversation before either. “His name was Damon. We met when I was working on a project at his company. He flirted, but I put him off until the project was done. I guess I was flattered that he pursued me after the fact, so we started dating. Three months turned into six, and next thing you know we were reaching a year of what I thought was a serious relationship. I thought we were headed to the next level. He thought we made a good couple, but wasn’t thinking forever.”
“Did he cheat?” Cam asked soberly.
With an agitated shrug, Andrea answered, “I don’t know. Not that I was aware of. Looking back, I can say we didn’t spend as much time together as you would expect for a couple together that long. We were circling around the perimeter of each other’s lives. I mean we went out…on the weekends and for special events. We didn’t connect as much during our daily lives. I guess we didn’t really know each other.”
Cam reached for her hand again. “Like we do.”
“Yes, like we do. Tell me what makes you feel differently about me, than the other women who wanted you for their man?”
“So you do want me to be your man,” he said playfully.
“Answer the question, Mr. Holden.”
“Fine. While I felt comfortable with them and we were having fun, I never felt I needed them, if that makes sense. I didn’t miss them when I went on trips. I didn’t need to talk to them every day. Didn’t need to hear their voice to get a good night’s sleep. That’s what makes you different. I not only want you in my life, I need you in it.” He leaned forward as he felt her hand tremble under his. “How do you feel, Andrea? I need to know.”
“I feel the same. It’s crazy how we’ve tangled our lives together so fast, but I can’t imagine you not in mine at this point. On the way over here, I was thinking about how much time we spend together, and how it doesn’t annoy me. It scares me sometimes. But, when I think about it…I don’t want to change anything. I love spending time with you…being with you.” Andrea damned her mother’s intuition. “I love you…period.”
Cam didn’t let her get another word out as he crushed his mouth to hers. The rounded booth allowed them to get hip-to-hip, and before she knew it, he had her almost in his lap. That was until they both heard someone discreetly clearing their throat.
“Is there anything else I can get you?” Their waiter asked.
“Yeah, the check,” Cam told him with a big smile on his face. He reached for his wallet and pulled out a credit card. “Here, take this and take care of the bill.”
“In a rush all of a sudden?” Andrea asked as the
man walked away.
“Hell yes. You just told me you love me. I want to get you home, so you can prove it. I can’t believe you said it first. I was going to tell you today, whether you wanted to hear it or not.”
“Well, I technically haven’t heard you tell me that you do.”
He touched his forehead to hers. “Andrea Renee Cole, yeah that’s right, I know your middle name. I’ve been falling in love with you for the longest. I love you and I’m thrilled that you love me too.”
It was her turn to grin like an idiot, as she gave him a quick kiss before leaning back. “I’m relieved to hear that we’re on the same page.”
“Your receipt, sir.” The waiter slid his card onto the table and discreetly left.
“Not so fast,” she said, as Cam hurried to sign the slip and leave a tip. “I guess if you can give your woman gifts, then I can give my man something too.” She reached inside her purse, pulled out a medium sized wrapped box and shyly handed it over to him. She wasn’t accustomed to getting men gifts and she was worried he wouldn’t like it.
“I feel like it’s my birthday or something. I’m getting I love you’s and gifts.” Cam unwrapped the box, wondering what in the world she could have gotten him. He saw the familiar blue box and couldn’t believe it. “You got me some Campfire Audio earbuds!”
“I hope you like them. I remembered the name of the brand you talked about when you were complaining how horrible your current ones are. I couldn’t remember the exact style, so I picked the color I liked. I think those are the Polaris.”
“Baby, these are great! Top of the line, but you really shouldn’t have spent so much on some earbuds.”
“It’s okay, I’m good. Plus, I know how listening to music helps you work. You needed something of quality.” Many times when they hung out, one or both of them would have to work, and Camden used his music to block out everything as he worked on his complex web designs. She’d wanted to get him something he could use.