by Bree Cariad
“What’s wrong?”
Looking up, she gazed at Drake who was leaning against her door watching her. “Dad’s gonna kill me.”
“Why?”
“I just asked a guy to lunch tomorrow.”
Sputtering, he launched himself and landed next to her on the bed, with his mouth open. “Cami!”
“I know! It was an accident. Really. I wasn’t even thinking. Jerod’s coming over to pick up his clothes and said he would go to lunch first and next thing I knew, I was inviting him over. I may never sit down again.”
Grinning widely, a look she hadn’t seen on his face on a long time, Drake lightly punched her shoulder. “Can I be there when you tell them?”
“Shut up.”
Laughing, he jumped up and left her room, whistling for some reason.
“My brother is so weird.” But at least he seemed happy again.
Her father was so busy he didn’t come home until dinnertime, so at the dining table was her first opportunity to tell her parents. Drake’s constant nudges, ankle kickings, and downright are-you-ever-going-to-tell-them looks were annoying and finally, after she and her mother cleared the table and brought in dessert, she blurted it out.
“Jerod Kinsley’s coming to lunch tomorrow.”
Her father paused, his fork halfway between the plate and his mouth. “Pardon me?”
“Well, um, all his clothes arrived and I called to tell him and he’s in town tomorrow and he said he was going to grab lunch after work and then come over here and next thing I knew I invited him to lunch, too.” She said it all very fast and had to draw a huge breath when she was done.
“I see. What are we having for lunch tomorrow?” he asked, putting the fork in his mouth as he turned toward his wife.
“I was just going with leftovers.”
He shook his head. “Nope. Needs to be something impressive and Camille needs to make it.” She gaped at her father.
“Why?”
His eyes turned back to her. “You invited him, which means he fits into the suitor title. As such, you have to make a decent meal.” He paused, his eyes twinkling. “So, what are you making for lunch tomorrow?”
“But… I mean, I can make lunch. Sure. But he’s not a suitor…” As she trailed off, she thought about how Jerod’s voice had warmed after she invited him for lunch. Plus her mother seemed to think he had tried to ask her out before. Was he? Surely after her screw up he wouldn’t still be interested… If he had even been interested in the first place.
“You don’t sound very sure of yourself,” her father replied. “Is he interested in courting my daughter or not?”
“I don’t know,” she admitted, thinking about it. “He might be.”
“All right. I’ll be sure and be home for lunch then.”
Well, that changed what should have been a business thing into something more embarrassing. Not the least of which was picking out an outfit. Without much time to think about it as she had chores to do, she went for something simple and made meatloaf and baked potatoes for lunch. With it in the oven, she ran upstairs to pour through her closet. When her mother came in an hour later, her room looked like a clothes bomb had gone off. Her dresses were everywhere.
“Camille?”
“Mom, help!” Cami wailed, coming out of the closet. “I don’t have anything to wear.” She had held each of her pieces up to her in front of her mirror and none of them worked.
Her mother looked from her to all of her clothes. “I see. What about putting on your yellow halter dress?”
Cami shook her head. “No, it makes my hair look too orange-y and my skin a little sallow.”
“The green jumper?”
“It has a rip in it.”
Charlotte walked over and placed her hands on Cami’s face. “Honey, it’ll be okay. Why don’t you wear something a little different?”
“Like what?” Camille looked at all her clothes, annoyed with herself that she hadn’t found something earlier and yet wondering why it mattered.
“How about a pair of jeans and a blouse?”
“Dad would freak.”
“No, he wouldn’t,” her mother assured her. “Plus, I think he would prefer that to nothing at all. Come on, jeans.” She pushed Camille toward her dresser and went into her closet. As Cami pulled out a pair of stretch-denim she particularly liked with floral designs on the knees, her mother came out with a blouse the color of Cami’s hair. It was an opaque orange-red. “Put a black camisole under it and you’ll be fine. Add some heels.” She kissed her daughter on the cheek. “Then come downstairs and check the meatloaf.”
It was easier in this moment to follow her mother’s suggestion than to try and think, so Camille got dressed, put on her heels, and went downstairs. The wonderful scent of meatloaf filled the air and after checking that it was done, she pulled it out of the oven and set the table, surprised Drake came in to help. As her father came inside, he raised an eyebrow at her outfit, but her mother shooed him upstairs to take a shower before their guest arrived and followed him up. When he came back downstairs in clean clothes and without the eau de cattle on him, he didn’t comment on the jeans at all.
When the doorbell rang just before twelve-thirty, all five were ready for it and Cami kind of felt badly for Jerod. He was coming over to get his clothes and would probably wonder what was going on. Her father went to the front door to invite him in. As they walked into the dining room, Drake was already seated next to his mother’s chair for some reason, which seated Jerod right next to Camille.
“Hey, Jerod,” Drake said with a grin.
Jerod’s face broke into a wide smile. “Drake! Good to see you. How’s school going?”
Surprised that the two knew one another, Cami took some meatloaf and handed the platter to her father.
“How are you enjoying the area?” Alex asked once everyone began to eat. Camille ate, but her stomach kept doing flip-flips with Jerod sitting right next to her. Plus, she had never noticed before, but whatever cologne he wore was wonderful. It had a woodsy tang that she loved. If she could find out what it was, maybe she could get a bottle and spritz her pillow with it.
“It’s wonderful. My grandmother lived in Hins Creek most of her life and when she passed away, she left me her house. I was glad to be able to find enough work in the area to allow me to live there.”
“Hins Creek is a beautiful area,” Charlotte said. “I love the views of the lake.”
“My house is just above it. It’s a three-minute walk down to the water. When winter hits, there’s a stone fireplace on the first floor that can heat the whole place.” After a short pause, he turned to Camille. “So, how’s the personal shopping biz going?”
“I’ve been so busy with other things, you’re my only client right now,” she admitted. No reason to admit that ‘things’ meant going a little crazy. He didn’t need to know that. Though, some of it he already knew… or guessed.
“Well, expect a couple calls. I’ve been giving out your name and number to a few friends who need the help just as much as I do.” After a bite of meatloaf, he added, “It takes time to build a business at first, but by this time next year, you’ll probably have more clients than you can handle.”
That was a pleasant thought.
“Do you have your practice at the hospital?” she asked.
“I work there part time. The other clients I meet at my house. There’s an outbuilding I made into an office. I think people prefer the relaxed atmosphere rather than the medicinal white of a hospital. Most people I work with aren’t sick; they just need someone to talk to.”
“How much land do you have?” her father inquired.
“Sixty acres. Most of it brush. There are a few buildings for animals, a nice patch of trees, and an area Nana used for her garden, but most of it is just weeds and sagebrush.”
“He hosted a couple of our camp outs this last summer,” Drake filled in, eating as he talked.
Putting the puzzle pieces
together, she now knew where Drake knew Jerod from. “You help with the Hyacinth Explorers?” Hyacinth had formed a group decades ago for young men in their teens, helping them to be civically aware and to prepare them for manhood.
“He’s our leader,” Drake said proudly.
“Well, one of,” Jerod corrected with a grin. “When I was a boy, I found a local boys group and knew I would always be involved. The men in the program gave a lot to me – I was a bit lost as a teenager and they helped me find myself – and I knew I wanted to give back the same way. When I moved here, I was pleased to find a similar group.”
As that sunk in, Cami happened to look up at her mother, who was smiling widely. Not only that, but she and Cami’s father were holding hands on top of the dining table. That was not unknown, but it didn’t usually happen in front of strangers.
The conversation flowed easily around the table with Drake just as likely to pitch in, usually with some sort of praise toward the man at her side, as her father or mother. When lunch was over, Jerod leaned back in his chair. “That’s the best meal I’ve had in a while. Thank you.”
“You don’t cook much at home?” Charlotte asked.
“No, I’m a horrible cook. I can just about make toast,” he admitted with a grin. “I have tons of frozen meals I stick in the microwave.”
“Well, why don’t we head into the living room,” Alex suggested, standing up. “I know Camille can hardly wait to show you your new wardrobe. We’ve probably kept you longer than you expected anyway.” Looking up, Cami was shocked to realize lunch had lasted two hours.
Drake and Charlotte accompanied her upstairs, each one intending to gather a section of his clothes and carry them downstairs. Thankfully they were all covered in plastic so if dropped they couldn’t get dirty. Camille tried to ignore all of the clothes covering her bed and floor. Drake just stared at the mess in shock. “Not a word,” their mother said sternly as she handed him a pile of Jerod’s things.
Offering her his sincere thanks, Jerod helped them get everything into the trunk of his car and her parents and brother backed up to the door as he closed the trunk and handed her a check. “Thanks, Camille. I mean it. For the clothes and for lunch.”
“You’re welcome. I hope you like the clothes.” She fidgeted, not really knowing what to say. “And meatloaf is my favorite meal.”
He flashed her a smile. “I think it’s mine too.”
Her stomach did that flip-de-flip again and as he walked around to the driver’s side, she backed up a couple steps.
“Oh, and by the way,” he said quietly so that only she could hear him. “You look amazing in those jeans.” Before she could respond, he slid behind the wheel, started the car, and drove away.
Her mouth pulled into an unbelievably large smile and she felt like dancing at his compliment.
“Camille?” Her mother’s voice made her look over her shoulder in surprise. “Are you okay, honey?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Are you sure?”
“Uh-huh.”
“You like him.” The statement worked its way past the shock Cami felt at the moment until knowledge took hold and she nodded, finally understanding what she felt toward him.
“Yes, I do.”
Chapter 6
The calls came in, two the day after the lunch with Jerod and three the day after that. All five people had taken one look at Jerod’s new look and wanted her to do the same for them. There was a joy in doing what she loved and getting paid for it, true. But seeing the difference in how that person saw themself once in their new clothes was magical. It made them feel better about the person they were and it showed. Through October and into the beginning of November, Cami kept herself busy with clients, shopping, and every once in a while, trading emails or texts with Jerod.
There was no way for her to know if he was interested or not. He hadn’t asked to come to dinner and yet, Jerod kept that warm friendliness she associated with him. It was highly confusing. Especially when Trever came back into town and called her asking if she would like to go out on a date. “Sorry, Trever,” she said after talking to him for a few minutes. “You’re a nice guy, but I don’t think we’re compatible.” He took it well and after she hung up, she was glad he had called. Because in turning him down, it wasn’t for another guy or some other reason. No, she was turning him down for her. Finally, Camille was beginning to be herself and not someone she thought she should be. Yes, she loved to help her mom keep the home and she hoped one day to do that for the man she loved, but she was also standing on her own two feet, running her own business, and enjoying herself.
One night during the second week of November after dinner, Alex asked her to come to his study. As she knew she wasn’t in trouble, she wondered what was going on. Drake seemed to be worried as well as he watched her trail their father to his study. Before she went inside, she shrugged at her younger brother, trying to let him know there weren’t any problems, but he looked nervous, nonetheless.
To her surprise, there was a small folding chair seated in front of her father’s chair. “Have a seat,” he offered and she sat down. Not once had she ever remembered another chair in this room. After taking a seat in his chair, he reached forward and took her hands in his. “I wanted to talk to you in here, because this is very serious and I want you to think about what I’m about to say.” Gulping nervously, she nodded.
“At the council meeting today, a request was made to court you.”
“By whom?” she asked in surprise. She assumed that probably wouldn’t happen and had made peace with it.
“Jerod Kinsley.”
“Oh.” Her face filled with heat even as her stomach lit up with butterflies. So he was interested.
“He was very serious as he spoke to us, wanting us – and especially me – to know why he waited so long to declare himself. Camille, he’s been married before.”
“He’s divorced?” Her heart dropped a little.
“Widowered. He and his wife were married for five years before she died in a car accident. That was three years ago. Jerod explained that he never expected to find someone he cared for again and meeting you was a bit of a surprise. At first, he tried to stay away, but kept finding reasons to see you. Over the last month, he took some time to truly look at his life and what he wants and he finally came to a decision. He wants you in his life. He wants to create a life with you. Jerod and his wife did not live a discipline lifestyle and he admitted that was difficult for him. While easy-going, he has a natural need to protect and take care of the person he’s with. His wife did not want to be taken care of.”
The butterflies in her stomach jumped and she felt tears prick her eyes.
“I asked the council to wait on its decision as I needed to know how you felt before I gave my yes or no. So I need you to think about it, Camille. If you like him like I think you do, I’ll say yes. If you don’t? I’ll say no. And there will be no disappointment on my side either way as long as you give me an honest answer. No telling me what you think I want to hear.” His firm voice made her smile.
Squeezing his hands, she had no hesitation in replying, because she knew her answer. “Thanks, Daddy. But I don’t need to think about it. I like him. A lot.”
His eyes deepened and he smiled. “Well, then. I think we should get this courting finalized, don’t you?”
The waiting until the council reconvened drove her nuts. She spent time with her clients during the day but in the evening and on weekends, she found ways to keep herself occupied. Nine days after her father spoke to her, the doorbell rang just as they were about to start dinner.
Alex stood up and walked out of the dining room as Charlotte and Cami placed food on the table. Once again, Drake was seated next to her mother for some unknown reason.
“Camille, can you come out here for a moment?” her father called. As she walked into the living room, she stopped at the sight of Jerod leaning against the sofa, dressed in one of the ensembles she had got
him. He looked incredible in black jeans and a deep maroon sweater that set off his nice wide shoulders and deep chest and emphasized his lean abdomen. Looking up as she entered the room, he smiled. Her mouth immediately responded. Clearing his throat, her father opened up a large piece of paper and began to read. “Miss Camille Vy Covington, we the undersigned have given our permission for you to be courted by Mr. Jerod Daniel Kinsley, for the process of one year, starting on this date and ending no later than one year from today. As a courted female, you are never to be in the presence of another male without either Mr. Kinsley or Mr. Covington present or a female trusted by one of the aforementioned gentlemen. Your rights from Mr. Kinsley are as follows…” Her father continued to speak, but she knew the document as she had read Xan and Kathy’s. She knew every stage of the courting year and what was expected. Plus, it was far more pleasant to stare into Jerod’s gray eyes than to listen. When her father added, “If this agreement is entered into willingly, then we the undersigned give our seal of approval,” she knew he was almost done. Her father read off the names of the council as well as his own and placed the document on the coffee table as well as a pen.
“Camille, if you would like to enter this courting, please sign next to the X.”
There was no doubt in her mind and she quickly knelt by the table and scribbled her name on the line right next to Jerod’s. As soon as her signature was on it, her father picked it up and she turned to the man now courting her, the man she could consider hers. He strode toward her and her breathing picked up. Reaching out to cup her cheek, his warm gray eyes twinkled. “I hope I didn’t make you wait too long,” he said in his wonderful warm voice.
“It was just right,” she admitted, thinking of how much she had needed to grow up in those few months.
Leaning down, his soft warm lips drifted lightly over her own, sending the butterflies in her belly into acrobatics and making her feel all tingly. His fingers lightly combed through her hair and she sighed happily as he pulled back, a deep warmth in his eyes she didn’t understand but responded to instantly. Her father cleared his throat before she could follow her instinct to wrap her arms around the man in front of her and demand a real kiss.