“Well, two more things I supposed.” Pulling away from her, he straightened his glasses, which had gone askew. “First, Arabella.”
“Ugh.” Her cat snarled. “Do we have to talk about her?”
“Unfortunately, yes. Because I want you to know, she means nothing to me. We broke up five years ago because she cheated on me.”
“Oh. I’m so sorry, Cam.” And now she wanted to hurt that heifer even more. Slice her to ribbons and put her head on a stick. Then take the head off and have her cat play with it like a ball of yarn. Her animal purred, relishing the thought.
“It’s fine, really. When it all ended, I was mostly relieved. I suppose I cared about her in a way, but she only wanted me for my title and wealth. Our fathers were friends, and they very much encouraged the match.”
Emotion flickered in his eyes at the mention of his father, but that was a sensitive topic they could table for now. “So, what was she doing here?”
“It was my grandmother’s idea. She was in favor of the match too. After all, Arabella was the daughter of an earl, well-bred, cultured, beautiful, and had all the right connections.”
Her lips pursed. “Please go on and tell me more about your perfect ex.”
He kissed her nose. “Now, now, love. She may have had all those things, but she’s not worth your pinky finger. Natalia only saw the good side of her.”
“But if she cheated on you, why would your grandmother bring her here?” She waited for an answer, but Cam’s silence said it all. “She didn’t know, did she? You didn’t tell her Arabella cheated on you?”
He shrugged. “It didn’t matter. If anyone asked, Arabella said it just didn’t work out, and I didn’t contradict her. Then she made it official with her football star a few months later. What’s the use of sullying her reputation when I didn’t really care much for her anyway? Besides, it would break my grandmother’s heart.”
She stared at him, all agog. Any other man in his position would have reveled in the fact that Arabella had been the one caught with someone else. Claimed the moral high ground and painted her as a cheating whore.
But this was Cam. Honorable. Respectful. Unselfish. Of course he would protect Arabella’s reputation, even though she hurt him. “You’re a better person than I am,” she said with a shake of her head.
“Don’t worry, my grandmother promised she’ll send Arabella home. We’ll never have to see her again.”
That gave her some sense of relief, and her cat didn’t feel like scratching him up anymore … not too much anyway. “Now, the third, and hopefully final thing?”
“Ah, yes.” He cleared his throat. “The reason why my grandmother’s here in the first place. There’s this thing …”
“Thing?”
“A party. Ball, really. On Christmas Eve. To welcome my cousin who’s coming for a visit.”
“Cousin? You have a cousin?”
“Second cousin. Natalia’s one living older brother had a daughter, who in turn had a son. You might have heard of him, but you definitely know his wife, formerly known as Sybil Lennox.”
“Sybil … as in, Queen Sybil?” Oh, she’d heard about his mate all right. “Jesus Jehoshaphat Christ, the dragon king is your cousin?”
“Second cousin,” he reminded her. “We’re related through the human sides of our family tree.”
Her mind was reeling. No, scratch that—it spun like she was doing an impression of the little girl from The Exorcist. Welcome to the family, Jason Lennox had said. Welcome indeed.
“So, my grandmother would very much like for us to be, uh, presented to them at the ball. And basically, to everyone and the world to cement your status as my mate.”
Her mind blanked. Someone once told her that she could swear in a way that would make a sailor blush, but somehow, she couldn’t come up with anything at this moment. Like her brain just said, nope, I’m out of here, then walked out the door and slammed it behind her.
“J.D.? Are you all right?”
“Huh?” She blinked. “Um. Yeah.”
“This is a lot, I know. Which is why I was so afraid to tell you all this. This last week with you has been the best in my life. I just wanted more of it. More time to spend with you. As me. Not a future oligarch, grandson of a princess, or titled aristocrat. Just me. Cam.”
Her heart clenched at the sincerity in his voice and the depth of real emotion in his face. “And that’s who I want.”
His arms came around her. “J.D. …”
She melted into him and met his mouth halfway. Oh, Cam. This whole thing was huge. No, it was enormous and so gigantic that it could swallow her whole until there was nothing left. Her stomach churned. But, feeling Cam’s lips on hers, being in his arms, she could ignore those fears. “All right,” she murmured against his mouth.
“All … right?”
“I mean … yes. I’ll come to the ball and do whatever you need me to do. To … save your grandmother and for us to be together.”
Relief crossed his face. “J.D., I promise you, you won’t regret this.”
“But you’ll have to give me time too,” she said. “And some patience.”
“Of course, you’ll have whatever you need.” His hands gripped her arms. “This is just a formality. Think of it like going to the prom, so everyone knows we’re together.”
She snorted. “I never went to prom.”
“Why not?”
“No one ever asked.” And Damon and Gabriel already had dates, so it wasn’t like she could go stag with them. “Didn’t want to go anyway. My old man and I spent it watching horror movies. Anyway, so this is just a Christmas party? To meet your family and let them know we’re going steady?”
“Yes. It would mean so much to my grandmother.”
She took a very deep breath. “All right. I suppose everything will be fine. It’s Sybil, and she’s cool. We can have my friends there, right?”
“Of course,” he said. “Whatever you want. Invite whomever you want.”
“I suppose I’ll have to put on a dress.”
“Uh …”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “This is the second time I’ll be putting on a fancy dress this year, Spenser. One’s usually my limit, but … you’re so lucky that you’ve got a cute smile and a nice ass.”
The atmosphere in the kitchen lightened significantly, and a smile spread across his face. “I don’t deserve you, J.D.”
“Well, I’m what you got.” She kissed his nose. “So … your grandmother. She’ll be in Blackstone until the ball?”
“Yes. And she’s so eager to meet you, so I’ve set up afternoon tea with her tomorrow at three.”’
“T-tomorrow?” she gulped. “Uh, I mean, that’s great.”
“Don’t be nervous, love,” he assured her. “She’ll adore you. I promise, everything will go splendidly.”
When she thought of Cam’s grandmother, she envisioned a sweet old lady who lived in a cottage in the English countryside, tending her garden and spoiling her two corgis. Not a princess who was also related to a dragon. “All right.” She blew out a breath. “Three o’clock it is.” God, the thought was making her temple throb and her stomach flip-flop.
It’s worth it, she told herself. Especially now, as she saw Cam’s handsome face light up with happiness. This is going to work out.
Spending time with Cam, getting to know him this past week and seeing who he really is—the person that he was, not everything else that came with him—she knew there would be no one else for her. Hell, he was willing to like Christmas for her, doing all those Christmassy things with her this week, for fuck’s sake. The least she could do was try to fit into his world. She was going to do her goddamn best to make it work.
Because, frankly, she couldn’t quite live without him either.
Chapter Twelve
Since he knew his departure would be inevitable, Cam set up a meeting with Damon the very next day to let him know what was going on.
As he sat
behind his oak desk, Damon shook his head. “I’m mighty disappointed you won’t be staying, Cam.”
“The contract was until the end of the year,” he reminded the chief. “You always knew I would be leaving.”
“Yeah, but with J.D. being your mate, I was kinda hoping you’d stay. We could use someone like you, not just as a ranger, but someone with your scientific knowledge.”
That caught him by surprise. “Really?”
“Yeah.” Damon folded his hands together on top of the desk, but when their eyes met, the chief quickly retracted them.
Bollocks. Of course, Damon remembered what had happened on top of this very desk. And so did Cam, which was why he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Er, you were saying, Chief?”
Dark brows slashed together, and Damon cleared his throat. “Yeah. We never really had a full-time scientist on the team. Sure, we hired out for anything we needed, but no one was really interested in any long-term study. The reports and papers you wrote, I read them all, and I have to say, it’s all top-notch stuff.”
“You … read them all?”
“Well, read them, but not necessarily understood every word.” He smirked. “But, your recommendations for the preservation of the wildlife and flora, your observations about our operations, and even your tracking of the migratory species passing through have been valuable in helping me make decisions, as well as reporting back to Lennox. They’ve even approved more funding to help preserve more of the mountain.”
His work had always been academic and research-driven, but he’d never thought it could lead to practical results he’d be able to see with his own eyes. Well, not quite. His stomach dropped as he remembered that he wasn’t going to be around to see the fruits of his labors. No, a few months from now, he’d be stuck in boardrooms and glass offices and boring business dinners.
“Anyway,” Damon continued as he stood up. “We’re really lucky to have had you with us, Cam.” He held out a hand. “Good luck.”
“Thank you, Chief. And thank you for allowing me to leave early today to see my grandmother.” He took the offered hand and shook it. “By the way, there’s an event on Christmas Eve I wanted to speak to you about.” He gave Damon a quick rundown about the ball at Blackstone Castle. “It would mean a lot to J.D.—us, I mean—if you and Anna Victoria could come. She’s invited everyone, actually.”
“Then I’ll probably hear it from Anna Victoria myself. And of course, we’ll be there.” The chief’s expression changed. “And Cam, I know I don’t have to say this, but … you’ll take care of her, right?” His eyes briefly glowed with the presence of his Kodiak.
His polar bear’s temper flared for a second, huffing at the idea that they couldn’t take care of their mate, but Cam pushed it away. “Of course. You have nothing to worry about. She’ll want for nothing.” Though he himself only used his inheritance from Igor sparingly, J.D. would have unlimited access to his wealth to do with as she pleased.
“I’m not talking about money,” he said. “But that’s all I’ll say about it since your relationship is none of my business.”
Goddamn right it wasn’t. “Thank you, Chief. I shall see you around and at the ball.”
After picking up his things, he went to the locker room to change into a smart casual outfit consisting of dark trousers, a dress shirt, sweater, a jacket, plus leather shoes. This was afternoon tea with the princess, after all, and he was expected to act and dress accordingly.
Of course, that was information he should have relayed to J.D. this morning.
He’d never really paid much attention to what clothes his mate put on—as he was usually far too busy taking them off her. But when he walked into the hotel lobby and saw her dressed in a red flannel shirt, jeans, boots, and her customary trucker cup, he realized his mistake.
“Hey, Cam,” she greeted as she got on her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek. “Everything went okay with Damon?” He had told her about his meeting with the chief this afternoon.
“Yeah.” He wondered what to tell her about her outfit without insulting her. Even with his lack of experience with women, he was very sure insulting their clothing wasn’t the best way to start a conversation.
“Cam?” She cocked her head to the side. “What’s wrong now?”
“Er …” He gritted his teeth. This was his fault for not warning her, so he was going to take responsibility should Natalia say anything about it. “Nothing, love.”
She chuckled. “And I thought I was nervous. So, are we going to meet your grandmother at the restaurant?”
“No, we’re having tea up in her private suite. I—what’s that?” He nodded at the large paper bag in her hand.
“Oh! I wanted to give your grandma a gift,” she began. “I couldn’t decide exactly what, since what do you get a princess? But I went to the gift shop anyway and got some Blackstone souvenirs.” Reaching in, she took out a small object. It looked to be a plaster model of the mountains and Welcome to Blackstone was painted on a banner in the front. “Jan down at the gift shop said these magnets were her best sellers. Your grandmother can put them on her fridge.”
Cam highly doubted Natalia had ever seen the fridge in any of her homes, nor even knew where they would be located. “Uh … that’s lovely, J.D. A sweet gesture.”
“I got her a snow globe, a cap, T-shirt, and a cute stuffed cat. No polar bears, unfortunately, but Jan said she can stock those up before New Year.”
“Excellent.” He glanced at his watch. “We should get going. Natalia is very punctual and expects everyone to be as well.” He led her toward the elevators and hit the floor for the presidential suite.
The elevator reached its destination, and they stepped out. J.D. let out a whistle as they stepped into the foyer. “Wow. I’ve been to this hotel a couple times, but I’ve never been up here. This sure is nice.”
They walked to the single door, where two burly men in dark suits stood, unmoving. Cam recognized them as two of Natalia’s bodyguards, a bear shifter who was an ex-Russian Armed Forces soldier, and a former Ghurka tiger shifter. Neither one of them moved as they already knew Cam, though their gazes flickered over J.D. suspiciously. He sent them a warning glare and tucked her hand into the crook of his arm. Before he could say anything, the door opened.
“Ah, Your Grace.” The man in the charcoal gray suit bowed deeply. “Welcome. It’s lovely to see you again.”
“Hello, Orson,” he greeted Natalia’s ever-present, ever-loyal butler as he handed him his jacket. “This is Ms. J.D. McNamara.”
“Ms. McNamara.” He bowed his head. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Orson is my grandmother’s butler,” Cam explained.
“Butler?” J.D. raised a brow. “Like, Alfred in Batman? You guys really exist?”
Decades of training and serving under his grandparents had perfected Orson’s poker face. “Yes, miss.” His gaze flickered to her hat, and he held out his hands. “May I?”
“Oh, sure.” J.D. grabbed both his hands and shook them vigorously. “Nice to meet ya.”
And it looked like Orson’s training was to be tested today, as the butler let out a sputtering sound before he clamped his lips shut. To his credit, he managed to compose himself as soon as J.D. let go. “May I take your hat?”
“My hat?”
Cam placed a hand on her shoulder. “It’s all right, J.D., he’s just going to put it in the closet while we have tea.”
“Oh, sure.” She handed him her hat. “Don’t lose that now, okay, buddy? That was my dad’s.”
“I shall guard it with my life,” he said. “Now, if you both could follow me, please.” Orson led them into the entryway and out to the massive, elegantly-decorated living room. “His Grace and Ms. McNamara have arrived, ma’am,” Orson announced.
“Welcome,” Natalia greeted. She was dressed in a crisp yellow skirt suit, matching hat, shoes and white gloves, and sat in one of the plush armchairs. “Lyuba, it is lovely to see you.”
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br /> They walked over to her, and he bent down to kiss her check. “Babushka, you look well. Your Highness, may I present, Ms. J.D. McNamara.” He ushered her forward. “My mate.”
“It’s nice to meet you, princess. Er, Highness?” J.D. laughed nervously. “Sorry. I’m not sure—”
“Ma’am is fine,” Cam said. “After the first time you addressed her as Your Highness.”
“Oh, gotcha.” She winked at him, then turned to Natalia. “Your Highness. Nice to meet you, ma’am.”
Natalia’s lips curved up slowly, and she sent an amused look at Cam. “Likewise.” She motioned to the couch diagonally opposite from where she sat. “Please, have a seat.”
“Cam didn’t tell me I was supposed to dress up fancy, sorry about that, Highness—er, ma’am,” she said as she smoothed a hand down her jeans. “At least I changed into my clean clothes,” she chortled. “Wouldn’t want to mess up this white couch by getting grease stains all over it.”
“It’s entirely my fault, babushka,” he quickly said to Natalia. “Please forgive me.”
“Bah.” She waved a hand away. “It is fine. We are just … friends having tea, are we not?” she said to J.D.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought. Like, going out for coffee, right?” She chortled. “Oh! By the way …” She handed the paper bag to Natalia. “Here. I got these for you.”
A white brow rose. “For me?”
“Yeah. They’re Blackstone souvenirs. I wasn’t sure if you’d have time to go shopping, so I got you a bit of everything just in case.”
Ever gracious, Natalia accepted the bag. “How kind of you. May I?”
“Go ahead.”
Natalia reached into the bag and took out the contents. “Oh … my …” The first thing she took out was a camouflage T-shirt that said “I love Blackstone” with a heart symbol instead of the word love. It came with a matching trucker cap. There were more fridge magnets, stuffed toy cat, and a keychain. “Er … thank you so much, my dear, you are so thoughtful.”
If the image of his grandmother wearing the ridiculous hat and shirt hadn’t made him smile inwardly, he would have groaned in embarrassment. “Er, yes, why don’t we let Orson take those away.” Far, far away.
Blackstone Ranger Scrooge: Blackstone Rangers Book 6 Page 14
