“Like hell we are. The only person who’s leaving is you.”
“Camilla Anne, don’t take that tone with me, it’s uncouth. I don’t want you dragged through the mud. You need to—”
“I’ve had it—” Nic started.
“Stuff it Nic, this is my fight.” Camilla turned back to her mother. “If you think you can waltz right in here and tell me what to do? You’re out of your ever-loving mind!”
“Camilla—”
“Shut it, Mother. I’ve had enough of your shit to last a lifetime. You did your damndest to ruin my life. I cannot believe that you sent back the letters that Nic sent to the house.”
“I did no such thing!” Enid Ross’ hand fluttered against her necklace. Camilla was familiar with that tell; she always did that when she was lying.
“I said shut up. I’m talking this time. But for the grace of God, I would have traveled this earth without having the man I love in my life. All because of your elitist venom. I have never, not once, understood what I could have possibly done wrong to not earn your love as a child. But I eventually resigned myself to it. At ten years old I realized that you just didn’t have any love to give. Then I started to want your respect, and I tried to mold myself into the perfect little Ph.D., hoping one day I would be good enough for you. But when I wanted one ounce of happiness for myself, when I found someone who could love me, you set out to destroy it.”
Nic was now at her side. She reached out her hand and he clasped it.
Enid took a steadying breath. “Camilla you’re overwrought. Perhaps it’s best if I come back at another time. Next week maybe.”
“I’m not overwrought. I’m thinking very clearly. If at some time in the future, I want to reestablish a relationship with you, I will let you know.”
“Camilla, that’s unacceptable. You’re my daughter. Of course, we will talk.”
Camilla laughed. “For God’s sake, Mother, we’ve never really had a conversation. All that you do is talk at me. I’m sick of it, and I won’t deal with a woman who tried to destroy my life.”
“And your father?”
“Give me a straight answer. Did he know about the letters?”
Enid shifted and her eyes shied away from her.
“Mother, I want an answer, did Dad know?
Enid gave a small nod.
“Then the same thing goes for him.”
“We were only doing what we thought was the right thing.” She said, her voice devoid of emotion.
“One little, tiny part of me knows that, Mother. That’s the only reason I’m saying it is possible that I might one day open the door back up. But don’t hold your breath.”
“I—” Enid started.
“Let me walk you to the door,” Nic said as he stepped in front of Camilla.
When she looked at Nic she again looked like she was sucking on a lemon. “I can see myself out.” She turned and walked out the door. As soon as she was gone, Nic turned back to Camilla and took her into his arms.
“Are you all right?”
She nodded.
“Words, baby. I need words.”
“Nic, I wish I could say I really feel something, some kind of loss, you know? But I would feel worse if I had lost one of my teaching assistants. And I’m not even worrying that there’s something wrong with me. I basically said goodbye to my mother, in my heart, years ago. I just did it in real life this time, does that make sense?”
He touched his forehead to hers. “Yes, it does. And your father?”
“I cared about the image of him, but he was never really around. He was always out of the country on some dig or another. But knowing he was complicit in keeping us apart? Nope, I can’t do it. He’s in time-out with Mother.”
Nic chuckled. “You know I’ll support you no matter what. If and when you want them back in your life, I’ll be able to be civil to them, you know that, right?”
“You’re such a nice man. Yeah, I know that.”
“But if she’s a bitch to you, the gloves come off. There’s no picking on my Cami.”
“Am I your Cami?” she asked softly.
“Damn right you are. I love you, you can take that to the bank.”
Epilogue
Camilla stretched before getting into her hatchback. Her neck was still tight, but a massage from Nic should clear that up. Of course, the one-hour drive to his place was only going to make it worse. Thank God it was the start of spring break; God knew she needed a vacation. She placed her bulging satchel in the passenger seat and started the car.
As she made her way onto the highway, she thought about her talk with Roxanne in her office that afternoon. It was the girl’s first time back on campus. She was considering taking classes next year and she wanted Camilla’s advice. Roxanne hadn’t been the first of the kidnapped students to come and talk to her, and she was glad. It was good to see that they were all gradually recovering. When she found out that Roxanne hadn’t sought counseling, Camilla had advocated hard that she do so. She’d even shared her experience with her therapist. She crossed her fingers that the girl would try it.
She looked over at the briefcase and thought about all the e-mails that were on her computer. It was time to talk seriously to Nic about the career change she wanted to make. She was being headhunted by a couple of companies that were offering her some consulting work that she could do from home with minimal travel. The predictive analysis work that they wanted her to do dovetailed nicely with the papers she had written. She was almost one-hundred percent sure Nic would support her in this decision, but there was still a niggling doubt. If he would just propose, then everything in her world would be great.
That was when she’d decided to take the bull by the horns. For God’s sake, she and Nic had even discussed the fact that they wanted a large family because they both grew up as only children. It should be a done deal, and she was sick of waiting. Who said that the man always had to propose anyway? She wanted to get their life together started. She loved this man with every particle of her being, and she knew deep in her heart that he loved her too. She was tired of waiting, she wanted him tied to her. Now.
This coming vacation would be a perfect time to propose.
If you’re so confident, why are your hands sweaty? she asked herself in the rearview mirror?
“Shut up. It’s going to be fine.”
Nic snapped the ring box shut and shoved it into the pocket of his cargo shorts. He loved Camilla desperately and had wanted to marry her for years. But since they’d been back together there was one thing stopping him. He wanted to make sure she could handle it when he just up and left in the middle of the night to go on a mission. He knew that she’d worry and wait. It was a lot to ask of someone. Could she handle it?
Since she’d gone back to teaching, he’d been away three times. He didn’t know how, but Camilla had handled it just as well as his other teammates’ women. She was incredible. She didn’t pester him for details, she just welcomed him home with open arms. He had really watched her to make sure she wasn’t putting on a false front, but she wasn’t. So it was time. He couldn’t wait to make her his wife.
Nic had been up in the air as to where to take Camilla for vacation. He sure as hell wasn’t going to take her anywhere tropical. When it turned out that Kane and A.J. were going away for a week and Kane offered up his lake house, Nic jumped at the chance to use it. Camilla was really beginning to relax. He knew that school had really been stressing her out lately.
Tonight he was going to do some grilling and make her a margarita so they could enjoy the sunset out on the deck.
“Do you need any help in there?” Camilla asked as she came into the kitchen.
He looked down at the steaks that he’d marinated and shook his head. “No, I’m good. The potatoes are already on the grill, I’ll put these on now.” He handed her a strawberry margarita which she gladly accepted. He grabbed a beer for himself.
“Hmmm, this tastes good,” she said as she t
ook a sip.
“It’ll taste even better with dinner,” he promised.
He hustled them outside and soon had them eating a perfectly prepared meal. “You did good, Mister Hale.”
“Why thank you, Doctor Ross,” he grinned at her. “Would you like another margarita while we sit in the lounge chairs?”
“No, I’m good.”
They both went about cleaning up the dishes and putting them in the sink, then came back out to the deck. Camilla started sitting down in one of the chairs, but Nic pulled her into his arms and sat her down on his lap.
“Oh, I like this,” she said as she snuggled into his warm body. So did Nic. He always liked how Camilla’s body fit perfectly into his.
She looked up at him, her eyes shimmering with magic. He could tell she wanted to say something.
“What, love?” he asked.
She struggled with the pocket of her sundress, then pulled out a small white box.
“What’s this?”
“Open it, Nic.”
He looked into her eyes again. They were a little bit anxious, so he kissed her. Then he opened the box and saw two matching platinum rings, one sized for a man, the other for a woman.
“Will you marry me?” she asked huskily.
Part of him wanted to laugh but he couldn’t, he was too moved. He took a deep shuddering breath. He cupped her cheek and gave her a tender, lingering kiss. “It would be my honor to marry you, Cami. There is nothing in this world that would make me happier.”
He set the box beside the lounge chair then pulled her closer and kissed her deeper. Finally, they pulled apart. “Since we have to wait until after the wedding to wear them, I have an idea,” Nic said.
“Okay.” Camilla smiled. She had that dazed look that said they would soon be making love.
Nic pulled out a smaller blue box from his pocket and flipped it open. “Cami, will you marry me?”
She sat up and her eyes got as wide as her smile. “Really? You were going to propose tonight?”
“Really, I was going to propose tonight.”
She thrust out her left hand. “Can you put it on me?”
He gently pushed the emerald and diamond ring onto her finger. When he looked up she was laughing and crying.
“I couldn’t ask for anything better, Nic. Not anything.”
“Growing old with you will be the best thing that ever happens to me,” he said as he pulled her in for a long kiss.
For Raiden and Lisa’s story, check out “Her Noble Protector”
About the Author
Caitlyn O’Leary is a USA Bestselling Author, #1 Amazon Bestselling Author and a Golden Quill Recipient from Book Viral in 2015. Hampered with a mild form of dyslexia she began memorizing books at an early age until her grandmother, the English teacher, took the time to teach her to read -- then she never stopped. She began re-writing alternate endings for her Trixie Belden books into happily-ever-afters with Trixie's platonic friend Jim. When she was home with pneumonia at twelve, she read the entire set of World Book Encyclopedias -- a little more challenging to end those happily.
Caitlyn loves writing about Alpha males with strong heroines who keep the men on their toes. There is plenty of action, suspense and humor in her books. She is never shy about tackling some of today’s tough and relevant issues.
In addition to being an award-winning author of romantic suspense novels, she is a devoted aunt, an avid reader, a former corporate executive for a Fortune 100 company, and totally in love with her husband of soon-to-be twenty years.
She recently moved back home to the Pacific Northwest from Southern California. She is so happy to see the seasons again; rain, rain and more rain. She has a large fan group on Facebook and through her e-mail list. Caitlyn is known for telling her “Caitlyn Factors”, where she relates her little and big life’s screw-ups. The list is long. She loves hearing and connecting with her fans on a daily basis.
Keep up with Caitlyn O’Leary:
Website: www.caitlynoleary.com
FB Reader Group: http://bit.ly/2NUZVjF
Email: [email protected]
Newsletter: http://bit.ly/1WIhRup
Also by Caitlyn O’Leary
Night Storm Series
Her Ruthless Protector (Book #1)
Her Tempting Protector (Book #2)
Her Chosen Protector (Book #3)
Her Intense Protector (Book #4)
Her Sensual Protector (Book #5)
Her Faithful Protector (Book #6)
Her Noble Protector (Book #7)
Her Righteous Protector (Book #8)
Night Storm Legacy Series
Lawson & Jill (Book 1)
The Midnight Delta Series
Her Vigilant Seal (Book #1)
Her Loyal Seal (Book #2)
Her Adoring Seal (Book #3)
Sealed with a Kiss (Book #4)
Her Daring Seal (Book #5)
Her Fierce Seal (Book #6)
A Seals Vigilant Heart (Book #7)
Her Dominant Seal (Book #8)
Her Relentless Seal (Book #9)
Her Treasured Seal (Book #10)
Her Unbroken Seal (Book #11)
Black Dawn Series
Her Steadfast Hero (Book #1)
Her Devoted Hero (Book #2)
Her Passionate Hero (Book #3)
Her Wicked Hero (Book #4)
Her Guarded Hero (Book #5)
Her Captivated Hero (Book #6)
Her Honorable Hero (Book #7)
Her Loving Hero (Book #8)
The Found Series
Revealed (Book #1)
Forsaken (Book #2)
Healed (Book #3)
Shadows Alliance Series
Declan
Her Faithful Protector: A Navy SEAL Romance (Night Storm Book 6) Page 18
