by Lesley Jones
“You know the press are gonna have a field day with this, don’t ya?”
“They already are, Marls. They’ve been camped outside Cam’s place since I got back.”
His eyes flick between me and Cam. He looks like he’s about to say something but Cam speaks first. “I’ve been speaking with Bailey the last couple of days. We’ve taken on Scotty Davies as close protection for Georgia. I’ve got her a new car so she’s not trying to dodge the press in her little motor. It’s blacked out, bulletproof. You name it; it’s got it. She won’t be going anywhere without me, Benny or Scott for the next few weeks at least. I’m sure they’ll get bored and leave us alone eventually, but for now, I’ll do what I can to keep them from hassling her.”
“Have you thought about releasing a statement? If you make it official, then there’s no story, well, no exclusive, at least,” Lennon says.
Cam turns to me and shrugs. “That’s entirely up to Georgia. If it’s gonna help, then I’m up for it.” His eyes are back on me. “Kitten?” I feel myself blush as he calls me that name in front of all my family.
“Did he just call you Kitten?” Oh, Ash, just for once could she not keep her mouth zipped? I give her a small nod. “Fucking hell, that’s so hot.” I look around Cam to where Jimmie sits and nods at me.
“And once again, yes, she did just say that out loud.”
“You’ve never called me by a nickname,” Ashley whines and gives Marley a dig in the ribs with her elbow.
“I called you a cunt the other day and you punched me.” My mum spits her wine while everyone else laughs.
I sit back in my chair and look at Lennon. “If you think it’ll help, Len, I’m up for it.”
He nods. “Okay, I’ll talk to ya tomorrow and we’ll put out a press release. What about an interview? Would you be up for that?”
I shake my head. “Not really. Let’s just release a statement and see if that does the trick.” I turn and look at Bailey. “You’re very quiet, Bails. You got anything to say?”
He drains his drink. “Nope, I think you’re in a good place, with a good man and I know I can trust him to look after ya.” He smiles and nods his head at me. “I’m really happy for the pair of ya, really happy.” He smiles at me again and my heart feels like it’s being squeezed, but in a good way. I look over at my dad, who’s sitting back in his chair, just observing the conversation going on around the table. Harley comes from the playroom. It’s getting late and she’s only four and obviously tired, she holds her arms up to me.
“Cuddles, Porge?” I pull her up and she straddles my lap, resting her head on my chest. I kiss the top of it and breathe her in. She looks up at me and laughs, “I hear your heart.” She grins at me, her big brown eyes shining at me, and I suddenly wonder if I ever get to have another baby, what colour eyes will they have? My brothers all have brown eyes and so do all of their kids, except for Jimmie and Lennon’s eldest daughter, Paige, who looks more like me every time I see her. She’s the only one of my nieces and nephews with blue eyes. Cam’s eyes are brown so I assume our children will have brown eyes, if we were to be lucky enough to have them.
Cam pulls me into his side and whispers in my ear, “God, that suits you. Watching you with a child like this is seriously turning me on, Kitten. I badly want to introduce my super sperm to your sexy eggs and see what amazing concoction we come up with.” I shudder as I smile up at him and give a slight nod.
“One thing at a time, Tiger, let’s find a house to turn into a home. Then we’ll get our funky fluids together.” He gives me the sexiest smile.
“I love the fuck out of you, Kitten.”
I wink at him. “You fucking better, Tiger.”
He throws his head back and gives me a big Cam laugh, which makes Harley jump. I rest my palms over the back of her head and her back, and she settles again.
I look up to see my dad watching us. He winks at me and raises his glass. “Can I just say…”
My mum rolls her eyes and says quietly, “Oh, here we go.”
My dad is famous for his speeches when he’s had a drink, and he’s definitely had a drink tonight. “Can I just say, how happy I am to have all of my family around the table together.” He reaches out and takes my mum’s hand and kisses it, looking at her for a long moment. He looks back at all of us. “Last year,” he begins, then stops and swallows, and we all know in an instant that this is going to be deep. My dad rarely cries. The first time I ever saw him cry was at Sean’s funeral and I’m not even absolutely sure of that, but I do remember him crying after one of my failed suicide attempts, the sight of my big, strong, hard-as-nails dad sobbing and broken because of my actions, will stay with me forever. I swallow to try to remove the lump in my throat. I really should be an expert at this action by now. “Last year, our family was ripped apart in the most horrific of ways. We all know what happened and I won’t dwell on that. It goes without saying that Sean and Beau will always be in our hearts and in our thoughts.” Everyone seems to take a swig of their drink in synchronisation. “What I wanna say… the point I’m trying to make is, how very fucking proud I am of you all.” He looks around the table at each of us. “My boys,” he looks down at the table, again, I know that he’s fighting back tears. He licks his lips, looks up at us and continues, “you boys, stepped up and went above and beyond what any brothers I know would do for their sister. The way you took it in turns just to be with her, despite dealing with your own grief, well, I couldn’t be more proud, and you girls, you girls are the strongest women I know. My daughter is lucky. Despite everything that she’s been through, I still consider her to be a lucky girl.” His eyes are on me now. “The way you lot pulled together as a family, held Georgia and each other together, all while keeping things as normal as possible for your own kids, all of that makes me the proudest dad ever.”
My mum is a snotty mess sitting next to my dad. I daren’t look at the rest of my family. “And you, Georgia, you, what can I say about you,” he shakes his head. “Let me tell you about my little girl, Cam. Georgia Rae Layton, my little princess. This girl has dealt with so much shit in her young life. Yes, she’s got to live a life that many young girls dream of. She married her rock star boyfriend and lived a fairy tale life,” he gives a small laugh, “fairy tale my arse. That girl has had the eyes of the world on her since she was about sixteen. She had some spiteful little bitch break her and Sean up, but then luckily they found their way back together again. She’s dealt with all the stories of the other women,” he shrugs, “even the stories of the other men. She lost her first baby and it nearly killed her. Then she lost her second baby and her husband, and again, it nearly killed her.” He squeezes his eyes shut as I hear Jimmie sob from the other side of Cam. So much for my dad not dwelling on what happened last year, but I know better than to interrupt one of his whiskey addled speeches.
“That girl has fought her way back. With the support of this lot, she’s clawed her way back to a place that’s bearable for her and I can’t tell you how happy, how much it warms my heart to see her sitting here, happy, healthy and telling me that she’s in love.”
He takes in a deep breath. “Now, I respect you, Cameron. I was shocked. I’ve gotta admit; I was fucking shocked when I found out there was something going on between you and my daughter, but, I’d like to think that I’m a fair man, so going on what I know of you and what you’ve done to keep my daughter safe these past couple of days and what you’ve done to ensure her safety in the future, I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt.” He rubs his hand over his jaw and hits Cam with a look that I’ve never seen on my dad’s face before, and I suddenly understand why Frank Layton is feared by many and has the reputation he does. “But, I’m telling you this once and once only. We didn’t get her to this stage for you to come along and undo all the good that’s been done this past year. Georgia’s health and wellbeing are my priority, but over and above all of that is her heart. This girl’s heart has been broken and shattered to a point where
I never thought she’d feel again, and if you cause it pain, if you break it in any way, even just a chip or a splinter, I will hear it. If you cause the tiniest crack, a hairline fracture. No matter where I am in the world, how old and slow, I will hear it and, mark my words, I will hunt you down.” He still has Cam pinned with his stare. My hand is under the table squeezing Cam’s but his feels relaxed and cool, whereas mine is sweaty. “Are we clear, Cameron?”
“Crystal,” Cam says from beside me. “Now you’ve had your say, so if you don’t mind, I’d like to have mine,” Cam continues. Oh, fuck. I hold my breath waiting for my dad’s reaction, but Cam doesn’t; he just keeps on talking. “I know exactly what Georgia has been through. I know exactly what she’s still going through and will probably continue to go through for the rest of her life. I’m not stupid enough to think that love can conquer all. It doesn’t. I know that for a fact, but it’s a start. I know that I love Georgia and I’m pretty sure she feels the same way about me so we’ll use that as a base. We’ll start with that and build from there. Loving Georgia isn’t something new to me, Frank. I fell in love with her twelve years ago, and I stupidly let her go without a fight back then. I don’t intend letting that happen again.” I turn and look at him because I can feel his eyes on me. “I’d never been in love, Frank. Until I met Georgia, I’d never been in love. I know that sounds terrible coming from a bloke who was once married, but you know the coup with Chantelle. It was a marriage of convenience. I loved her like a friend, but I wasn’t in love with her. I’ve never been in love with anyone before Georgia, so I’ll be totally honest with you now and tell ya, I’ll hold my hands up to all of ya here and now and tell ya. I will fuck up. I will get it wrong, but I will never, all the time my heart is beating, not love your daughter.” He kisses the top of my head and then leans back in his chair.
“Well, I can’t ask for much more than that, Cam, and as long as that is always the case, me and you’ll not have a problem and should get along just fine.”
“Thank fuck for that,” Ashley whispers as quietly as Ashley can whisper, which is the average person’s normal speaking voice.
Jimmie stands from the table. “Right, now that I’m a complete emotional wreck, I’m going to get my children home.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Cam leans out the window of his car and speaks into the intercom built into the wall by the entrance to the property we are about to view. He gives his name and the ornate wrought-iron gates swing open.
We sit silently and stare at the long sweeping drive in front of us. The house can’t be seen from the road and the twenty-two acres the property sits on are surrounded by a twelve-foot high brick wall.
This is the fourth house we’ve looked at in two days and nothing we’ve seen yet has grabbed us.
“Well, at least this one looks pretty secure and isn’t sitting beside a motorway.” He reaches out, takes my hand and kisses up the inside of my wrist, causing me to shudder. I turn and look at him. He’s sitting behind the wheel of his sleek black sports car, wearing jeans, a white T-shirt and a black leather jacket. He hasn’t shaved all week and his hair is probably in need of a cut. It’s pushed back off his face and I love it, more to grab. He’s grinning his sexy-arsed grin because he knows full well my body has just reacted to his actions.
“Have I made you wet, Kitten?” he asks. I bite down on the insides of my cheeks as I suck them in, trying not to smile at him.
“You know full well you have.”
He licks his lips as he continues smiling. “Tell me.”
I raise my eyebrows slightly. “Why don’t you just have a feel for yourself?”
His smile vanishes. “Fuck, Kitten, you’ve made me hard.” He attempts to adjust himself behind the steering wheel, without much success.
“You started it, Tiger.”
“Yeah and when I get you home, I intend finishing it.”
He puts the car into gear and churns up the gravel on the drive as we roar off, while I sit back and smile.
We’ve spent the last few days locked away in Cam’s apartment. We’ve kept our phones on silent and hidden ourselves away from the world. A statement was released to the press a couple of days ago confirming our relationship and asking for privacy, and surprisingly, the paps have left us alone. Cam told Marian not to come back into work until Monday, so we basically spent every day in bed, only getting up to eat and shower or bath. We’d talked and talked and I feel we are in a good place. I explained about Jimmie and Ashley’s offers to carry a baby for us and Cam wants to move on with those plans straight away, but I’ve managed to convince him to wait until we’ve found a house and to get Christmas out of the way.
We pull up in front of a Lutyens inspired English country manor. It’s stunning and I get a little flutter in my belly as I look out of the car window.
“First thoughts?” Cam asks from beside me. He still has a hold of my hand and kisses the back of it this time. I turn to look at him.
“Loving what I see so far. The location’s perfect and I like how secure it is.” He chews on the inside of his lip.
“I think the inside needed some updating with this one, but that’s not a problem.”
I shake my head, but I’m actually agreeing with him. My head’s spinning slightly. We might actually be about to buy a house together. This shit just got real and I’m suddenly feeling all over the place; hot, cold, happy, and tearful.
The large, arched, oak front door opens and my mouth drops open as Vera White steps out to greet us. Well this couldn’t be anymore awkward. What the fuck is she going to think of me being with Cam so soon?
Cam’s hand is at my jaw as he turns my face to his.
“Stop. I know what you’re thinking and stop. This is no fucker’s business but ours, you got that?” I nod as best I can while he’s holding onto my jaw. “Good girl.” He leans in and kisses me full on the mouth.
“Let’s go and buy a house, Tiger.”
* * *
I’m out of the car before Cam can get around to my side and open the door for me. He’s old fashioned like that. Always holds doors open, pulls my chair out for me and likes to open the car door for me to get in and out, and as much as I like to think that I’m all for being a modern, independent woman, I actually love it when he does all of those things for me. Cam makes me feel safe, loved unconditionally and protected, and what he’s done these last few days is, for the first time in a very long time, he’s made me feel normal. I sort of felt normal in Australia, but I knew, deep down, it was all a lie, pretence. I had run away and was pretending to be someone I wasn’t. This week, I’ve been home, around people who know and love me and I have just been me. I’ll never be the woman I was before Sean’s death, before the accident, but with Cam’s love and encouragement, I am hopeful of becoming a pretty good version of my former self.
I reach the front of the car at the same moment as Cam.
“Why didn’t you wait?” he asks. I smile up at him as I wrap my arms around his neck.
“I’m sorry, Tiger. I didn’t do it to piss you off. I was just lost in my own little bubble there for a while and got out on autopilot. I’ll get back in and we can start again if it’ll make you happy?” He bends his knees slightly so he can look me in the eye.
“Now you’re just taking the piss out of me, Kitten.”
I smile and kiss him gently on the mouth. “No, I’m not, Tiger. I’m just trying to make you happy.”
He looks all over my face for a few seconds, gives his little head shake and says, “Let’s go look at this house.”
He takes my hand and we walk the few steps to the front door where Vera is waiting. She puts her hand out to shake Cam’s.
“Cameron, so good to see you. Hope you’re well?”
Cam shakes her hand and says, “Vera, good to see you. I’m well, very well, thanks.” I lift my sunglasses from my face, push them up into my hair and put my hand out to Vera, I hear her breath catch slightly and watch her eyes
widen as she recognises me.
“Georgia, oh, my darling girl. How on earth are you?” Her eyes fill with tears and her hand moves to cover her mouth.
“I’m doing okay, Vera, you know? One day at a time.” I put my hand out to her, but she pulls me in for a cuddle.
“I’m so sorry. This is so unprofessional of me.”
“It’s okay,” I reply, feeling a little choked up myself. Vera had sent me a beautiful card with some heartfelt, handwritten words inside after Sean’s death. I had only read it a few months back and felt that too much time had passed for me to send a reply. “Thank you so much for your card. Your message meant a lot.” She stepped back and looked me up and down.
“Well, I meant every one of them.” She wipes tears from under each of her eyes and takes a step back. Cam pulls me into his side as she does. I don’t think it’s a possessive move because he knows we’re discussing my husband’s death. It’s more of a reassurance. He’s just letting me know that he’s there.