Chapter 19
I wasn’t meant to sit next to Cammie. When the whole family crowded in the room I was mid-conversation with Josh. Callie asked me three times to sit next to her, but when her older sister Cassie and her boyfriend showed up, they quickly filled the places. I didn’t even consider Cammie would take the spot next to me, not until she came down and pulled out the chair.
All of a sudden the room felt like it was scorching. Being this close to her was causing my body to react, even with her daddy sitting at the far end of the table, watching her every move.
Silently, I thought about earlier in the day. Let’s be honest, it’s all I’d been thinking about since it happened.
This was all out of character for me. I’d never been a player, or had problems getting over a chick. I’d had my fair share of relationships; all of them ending pretty soon after they started.
I may have always had a constant attraction to Cammie, but I never dwelled on it. In fact, I only thought of her on occasion. Quite often, I wouldn’t even look at her social media account unless she updated it with a status or picture. I’d never been the guy to like every one of her posts, or send her private messages to spark up a friendship. I’d moved on with my life, grown up, and got my shit in gear to be a respectable businessman. Josh and I had kept in touch, but with school and work getting in the way, I hadn’t been able to visit like I wanted to. Months had turned into years, and like every busy lifestyle, time had slipped away from me.
Now I was back for a visit. I didn’t know she’d be there. I had no idea what it would be like to see her again; to be close to the first girl I’d ever had feelings for.
It was unlike me to have to push myself on a woman. Usually they were passing me numbers or asking when we could hang out or in some cases, hook up.
I’d been content with the way I handled my life. There were no complaints from me. School was almost over. I had a successful future ahead of me.
Was I crazy to want to make changes after spending such little time with her?
Probably.
I couldn’t shake it. I’d waited over ten years to experience what it would be like to hold her in my arms and feel the way her lips fit against mine. Despite the fact that she came with a ton of baggage, I wanted to dive right in. When you know, you know, and trust me when I say, I was one-hundred percent positive she was the girl for me. If I was unsure before, it had all been made very clear.
Did I love her?
I don’t know how to answer that question. Was it even possible to love someone since you were a young teen? Could a man love a woman who barely knew he existed?
We had history. Sure, she hated my annoying ass, but I’d known her since we were kids. I’d seen her go through changes. I’d watched her from afar. She set my standards so high no one could ever compare.
Could I see myself loving her for the rest of my life?
It was very possible.
Would we ever be more than passing ships in the night?
After promising to give up on trying, I wasn’t that optimistic.
During the meal it was difficult to avoid thoughts of earlier in the day. I wanted more, but didn’t regret where we’d stopped things. I wanted her to know I’d never push.
After dinner Cammie was to have a talk with her father. He took her out on the front porch where they could have privacy. I tried to sneak upstairs with Josh and his date only to make it halfway and get cornered by Callie. She was all dolled up, probably for my benefit. A part of me felt terrible for not being able to give her a chance. Even Cammie had suggested she’d be a better fit for me. The two women looked quite a bit alike, but they couldn’t have been more different. Callie was a natural go-getter. She went after what she wanted without regard for what she had to do to make it happen.
Cammie thought about her actions. She justified her decisions, and was able to accept the consequences when they didn’t turn out the way she’d wanted them to. Subsequently, she gave up easily, and often needed an extra push to continue. Even the parts I’d never seen firsthand, I’d either heard about them, or been told after the fact.
Callie may have been a beautiful young woman, but she wasn’t the kind of girl I was attracted to. She didn’t have the personality I enjoyed being around. In many ways she seemed desperate instead of confident.
Cammie thought she wasn’t worthy. She’d rather have nothing at all then put herself through the hell of going after it. Though determined when it came to becoming a doctor, she was more settled into the fact that life can be complicated. I suppose it was experience. Callie was shielded. She spent her time working alongside her mother in a hair salon. She’d never had a college experience or spent a day living somewhere besides her childhood home. As spunky as she seemed, she had no independence. That was a big turn-off for me.
All in all I was sure Cammie had quirks about her I wouldn’t care for. I suppose it was easy to overlook them since I’d always been somehow drawn to her.
Callie took me by the hand and pressed me up against a wall in the upstairs hallway. Her face was close to mine when she began to speak. “I’m not taking no for an answer tonight, Wes. Like it or not, I’m going to prove how good we can be together.”
“I already told you, I’m not interested.” Very lightly, I pushed her away, only to have her jump right back where she’d been standing.
“I can make you interested.”
“I’m really trying to be nice to you. Don’t do this. I’ve known you since we were kids.”
“Exactly why it’s a good idea. My parents love you. Do you know how hard it is for my dad to like a guy?” Callie backed up, lowering one of the straps of her dress. She took another step, letting the other side fall down. She turned and shimmied out of the dress, revealing a matching bra and thong. When she reached her bedroom door she turned, as if she were waiting for me.
At the same exact time I heard her father yelling. “Come back here, young lady.”
Cammie came running up the stairs. “No! You won’t listen. I’m done talking.”
The moment she saw me her eyes focused on what was waiting for me at the opposite end of the hall. Callie had remain outside her bedroom door to see what was going on. If I wanted to know if Cammie was interested in me at all, I’d gotten my answer. Her disappointed frown said it all as she rushed into her bedroom and slammed the door shut.
Hearing her father following behind, Callie ducked into her own bedroom so she wouldn’t be discovered standing around almost naked.
I remained in the same position, acting as if I didn’t have an idea as to what was happening. Once Mr. Healy had reached Cammie’s door, I slipped back down the stairs to keep my distance from all of them.
I could hear chatter coming from the kitchen, but decided it was best to get the hell out of there. A friendly dinner had turned into a world war and I wanted no part of it.
I’d no sooner reached my truck when I heard someone whispering my name. I scanned the yard, not seeing anyone. Then the whispers repeated. “Wes. Wes.”
In the dark I couldn’t make out where it was coming from. Then I heard feet scuffling and looked up on the porch roof.
It was Cammie. She was barefoot and skidding her body to the edge where the gutters sat, holding on to her shoes. “What the hell are you doing?”
“I need you to back your truck up so I can jump down. Hurry.”
My heart started pounding as I raced to do as she requested, not even considering the repercussions if I were to get caught.
With a loud thump that rocked the truck bed, I heard her body safely land inside. Before someone could come out looking, I took off down the gravel road to exit the property.
About a half mile away from the home I pulled over and climbed out. “What were you thinking? You could have broken your ankle.”
“It would have been worth it to get away from him. He told me if I didn’t get my problems figured out he’d never be able to look past what I did. He said
I was the one he knew would be successful, and letting him down was something he couldn’t get over. I hate him right now. He doesn’t get it. He never has. My dad thinks I’m supposed to be this perfect kid. I made a mistake and I can’t take it back. I’ll be homeless. He’ll probably cancel my credit cards to teach me a lesson.”
I helped her down from the tailgate and watched as she walked to the passenger side and climbed in. When we were both safely inside I pulled away from the shoulder and continued getting further away from the ranch. “Can you stay with a relative? A friend?”
“I don’t want to get the family involved. The less they know the better. It will only cause issues for everyone. I know my cousins would cover for me, but then my dad would fight with theirs. It’s too complicated.”
“Where do you need me to take you?”
“Do you know of any local hotels I could stay at? I don’t have my purse, but I can pay you back whatever it costs. You don’t have to stick around to keep me company. I’m sure you have better things to do with your time.”
I turned the truck around and began heading in a different direction for the nearest town. “What are you doing? Please don’t take me back there.”
“I’m not. I have a better place for you to stay. It’s free and you won’t be bothered.”
Cammie pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them. “Where?”
“My house. We’re going to my house.”
When she didn’t argue, I remained silent. I didn’t know what she was thinking, and honestly I didn’t care. She was in a terrible situation. She needed to at least have a roof over her head where she couldn’t get into more trouble. “If your parents ask, I don’t have a clue where you are.”
“I’m okay with that. They won’t be able to reach me. I left everything in my room, including my phone.” She waited a few seconds. “Thank you for this, Wes. I hate that I got you involved.”
“I don’t have to take you to my house. It’s my choice. Don’t apologize. Everything is going to be okay.”
“Not to be rude, but don’t think I’m going to hook up with you for helping me.”
“The thought never crossed my mind. You’ll have your own room to sleep in. I won’t even bother you.”
Cammie began to sniffle. It was too dark to tell if she was crying. “I feel like I ruin everything I touch.”
“Your dad loves you, Cam. He’s just upset.”
“I know. I hate myself too.”
“You shouldn’t. It’s a bump in the road, not the end. You’ll figure it all out.”
“I have to go to Stanford. That’s the only way he’s going to forgive me.”
I clenched my jaw and kept from mentioning another school. Cammie was being pulled in two directions as it was. She was worried about school, but also a child. I didn’t know how to help her, or offer her the comforting words she desperately needed to hear.
For the first time since she climbed in my truck, I started to think about the big picture. She was coming home with me to hide from her family. Selfish or not, I had the opportunity to finally figure out what it was about her I couldn’t shake.
Since I had to do it without her knowing, it was going to take a lot of thought, and even more patience.
Chapter 20
“I really messed things up, Wes. He’s never going to forgive me, is he?”
“You told him about the baby, didn’t you?”
“Yes. He knows I’m pregnant. It just came out. I can’t believe it myself. I was resolved to keep it a secret. I didn’t want them to know yet. I figured if I could get the school situation figured out I’d be able to be on better terms with them when I told them about the baby. You should have seen his face. I’ve never seen him look at me that way.”
“Damn. He’s upset. It’s expected. I’m sure he’s in shock, Cam. It’s not every day your daughter comes home from college knocked up. It explains why you decided to jump off a roof. What did he say?”
“He said I needed to take care of it so I could go back to school and make things right again.” I began to sob harder. “How could he ask me to get rid of my baby? My child is a part of him. I hate him right now. I’ll never forgive him for this.”
“Try to calm down. People say the wrong things when they’re taken by surprise.”
“You don’t know my dad. He will never forgive me for this.”
“Cam, don’t even talk like that. I know your dad. I’ve known him since I was like five years old. He loves each and every one of you kids. I know, because my dad didn’t give a shit about me or my sister.”
Maybe he was right. Maybe I was being irrational because of the way it all happened. I’d planned it out only to falter when the pressure became too much.
Now I was stuck running away with a man I shouldn’t have even involved. To top it off, I was pretty certain he was the only person I could turn to until things settled down.
My life was a disaster; my future unknown. I felt sick, weak, and most of all lost. I didn’t know what was going to happen to me. I’d worked so hard my entire life to watch everything fall apart. At the end of my rope, I wasn’t sure if I even wanted to carry on. Nothing was going right in my life. I thought coming home would be the answer I was looking for, but it had only intensified the situation, making it unbearable.
By now my mother knew the truth. I’d looked her in the eyes and lied, only to blab about it to my father first. She’d be so upset with me.
My heart was shattering. This wasn’t about a failed relationship. As far as James went, I was over him and his lies. He’d deceived my trust, and nothing would change the way I felt about him.
With the impending disaster already starting to unfold, I’d turned to someone I barely knew.
What was happening to me? Was I being naïve again? Could this guy help me, or was I digging my grave deeper by involving him?
The problem was that I didn’t have time to evaluate the situation like I normally would. I was out of options. I needed a roof over my head, and unfortunately Wes was the only person offering.
I had to be grateful. It was temporary; just until I could figure out something else.
I didn’t know what to expect when Wes said his grandfather had purchased a home for him while he attended college. When we pulled into the driveway and I saw the garage door lifting I knew we’d arrived. The three-story home seemed massive. I could tell it was a Victorian style, probably dating back to the early nineteen hundreds. Even though it was dark, I could tell the paint was in nice shape, like it had been redone.
“This place is huge. Why would he buy you such a big house?”
“No clue. The third floor is for storage. I never even go up there. The basement is a creepy ass cellar. The first floor is the living and kitchen area and a converted master bedroom. The second floor has three bedrooms and a bathroom to share. I’ve thought about getting roommates, but I don’t like other people’s messes. I know it sounds like I’m an asshole, but it’s true. I hate sharing my shit. I don’t want to come home from a long day and someone ate my other half of my sandwich. I don’t want to get a shower and not have any shampoo, because they were too lazy to buy more.”
I snickered. He was making me smile. It was a step in the right direction.
“I can’t wait to see the inside.”
Wes and I entered through the kitchen. He flipped the light on and sat his keys on the gray colored marble countertop. “Obviously this is the kitchen. I eat in here. Sometimes I cook, but not often. I haven’t mastered doing it for one person yet. I end up eating the same leftovers for a week.”
“I can see how that would get old quick.”
“Yeah.”
He led me through each room, showing me around and giving me one of the spaces upstairs to sleep in. He showed me where the towels were located if I wanted to take a shower. Then he told me to make myself at home.
I followed him back down the stairs, feeling like I didn’t belong. “Um,
do you think I could borrow something to sleep in? I’d like to get cleaned up.”
“Sure.” He walked into his room and came out with a T-shirt and a pair of sweats. “These are probably way too big, but they’ll keep you warm. Upstairs can get drafty.”
“Honestly, I’d be fine sleeping on the couch. I’m not picky.” I was grateful I had a place to lay my head without being yelled out and told what to do. “Thanks again for this, Wes. I really appreciate it.”
“Don’t mention it.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Josh has been trying to call me since we left your house. I think he suspects I had something to do with your disappearance.”
“See. I knew I shouldn’t have involved you.” Now I felt bad. Knowing my dad, he wouldn’t allow Wes back in our home again.
“Chill. I’m a grownup. I can handle your dad or anyone else for that matter. I wanted to help. I like you, Cammie, and even though you may not feel the same, I’m cool with being your shoulder to cry on, or even just a place for you to stay until you figure things out.”
“It’s not like I don’t think you’re attractive. You absolutely are. It’s just… if you haven’t noticed, my plate is sort of full right now. If we reconnected under different circumstances maybe it could work. You’ve been really nice to me. I appreciate it, even if I think you’re crazy for helping me. I just can’t allow myself to pack more drama into my life. I need a friend, Wes. I hope that’s enough for you.”
He smiled and reached his hand over to latch onto my arm. “It’s perfect. Whatever you need. To be honest, I’m glad we get to spend time together.”
“You’ll change your mind once my dad comes knocking on your door.”
“It’s a double dead bolt. I’ll make sure I sleep with my gun under my bed. I’ll be fine.”
“If you think so. I know for a fact that if my dad wants to, he’ll find a way inside.”
“It will be worth it to know I died protecting you.”
Cammie Healy (Mitchell/ Healy #8) Page 12