Eva especially loved the way her children felt free to come and go, free to enjoy their own lives, but they were always pulled home by the force of their family bond. She prided herself in raising children who had grown up to become her friends, people that she was proud to know, and she told them often.
Drew sighed. He knew that his sister really was only trying to look out for him, trying to protect him from the statistics that she lived in every day. "You know, Cameron," he said softly, waiting until her eyes met his again before continuing on. "I'm a cop. I don't see happy-go-lucky, perfect marriages every day either. I see beaten wives, enraged husbands. I see injured husbands, jilted women, rejected, broken-hearted people. I see them cry, I see them rage. I see them drunk, strung out. I know what I'm risking. I know what I'm getting into."
"I know you do," Cameron murmured, guilt filling her, sorrow twisting her stomach.
"That's not always the reality, Cameron, not everywhere. It can be something more than that, more than being beaten down or humiliated. Marriage isn't always equivalent to brokenness." Drew leaned forward, sliding from the couch to the floor, stretching out on the soft braided rug their mother had made when they were children. He folded his arms, his hands pillowing the back of his head, his ankles crossing.
"Look around you," he said. "Right here in this house. It's a perfect example of what marriage can be. Mom and dad, you've seen then them, how in love they still are. No one misses the way they look at each other; it's something that just cannot be overlooked. You can't stay cynical like that, Cam, not when you're here, not unless you've forgotten what we saw growing up. What we see outside this house? It's not marriage, not in the sense that we want. It's just misguided people, and they want to be loved. But they don't know what to look for."
"And us?" Cameron asked, looking down at her brother, sprawled out comfortably on the floor at her feet. "Do we know, Drew?"
"Well, I think we do," he answered, grinning up at her. "We had a good example. We know what love looks like. Real love, not just the simple companionship that people settle for when they're desperate to escape loneliness. Yeah," he nodded, "I think we know what to look for."
Beyond the doorway to the formal styled family room, Eva Kingsley smiled to herself, a single tear easing its way down her cheek. She'd been on her way into the room to retrieve a book she was reading, but had stopped when she'd heard Cameron and Drew. She'd be embarrassed to admit that she'd eavesdropped, but she'd never deny her pride in her children.
She listened a few moments more, amazed at the clear way her son saw the world, the gentle way he spoke to his sister, though his frustration was apparent in his tone. She wished, though, that Cameron could see love in the world, wished that she wasn't so caught up in the statistics of it all. Eva wished that her daughter hadn't lost the innocent romantic she'd once been, hadn’t had her heart and her trust broken at such an early age. But there was a sense of longing in her daughter, Eva knew, and someday soon, Cameron would give in. She would give up the cynical view she'd taken, and maybe then she’d let someone new into her heart. It was only then that she could heal, and then she might find love.
In the meantime, Cameron was with her brother; she was in good hands and good company. Nodding to herself, Eva turned silently and went upstairs to the room she had shared with her husband off and on for most of their lives, the room they'd grown in, the room they'd fought in. The room they'd loved in, the room they'd created their family in.
Proud that her children were learning together, growing in the wisdom that she and Adam had tried to give them, Eva smiled contentedly. She wouldn't interrupt their time together; she didn’t really need that book just yet.
***
"Is it normal to be this nervous?" Cass asked, tucking her hair behind her ear. The dark strands fell back as soon as she released them, coming forward to caress her round cheek. Rolling her eyes, she grinned.
"Now if you had long hair like mine," Cameron teased with a wink, "It wouldn't do that."
"Yeah but if I had long hair like yours, the headaches would kill me. Long hair is so heavy," Cass laughed. "Seriously though, I'm all jittery, all the time. The therapist Drew and I are seeing thinks it's cute, she says it's just bride stuff, but I just feel so nervous."
"I guess that depends on what sets it off," Cameron said, wondering if Cass would have mentioned this with Drew here. Thankfully, he'd been called in to work, which left Cameron and Cass alone for a little girl talk over the wedding plans.
"What do you mean?" Cass asked, fidgeting in her seat as she tried to find a comfortable position. They were in Cameron's office, and the hour of sitting was beginning to have an effect.
Cameron sighed. "There are lots of different things to be nervous about or afraid of when you're getting married Cass; it's just a matter of sorting out the bridal nerves from the authentic concerns." Turning, she waited for Cass to answer while she tried to focus on finding the right sample books they were supposed to be looking through.
"Hmm. I guess that's probably why the therapist doesn't seem concerned. It's probably just jitters then," Cass rambled. "I know I'm right to marry Drew; I love him with all my heart. You know, I'll never forget what it felt like to walk into that hospital room and see him all patched up from the shooting, what it was like to wonder if I'd ever get to be with him for real, without my past standing between us. And I know he loves me, too, and he's an amazing man. I'm afraid of stupid stuff, like what if something goes wrong with the wedding, or what if we have a fight or something? Or if ..." her voice trailed off, her cheeks coloring with embarrassment.
"Or if?" Cameron prodded, placing a stack of books on her desk in front of Cass.
"Or if I look bad. Fat. In my dress, I mean."
"You just try to relax. It's my job to coordinate all of that, to make sure everything is perfect and seamless. Nothing will go wrong. And you will be beautiful. You have this brilliant color in your skin when you're with Drew, and the way you love him is out for everyone to see. And you don’t look fat. You’ve actually lost a lot of weight since you started running. You look great so just try to relax, and trust me to pull this all together. Now, let's get into these books, and you can tell me what you like and don't like."
"Okay," Cass said, reaching forward to lift a small booklet that listed linen choices. She flipped through the pages, each one complete with a tiny square of fabric.
"What kind of budget are we looking at?" Cameron asked. "Have you guys talked much about that yet?"
"Actually, there sort of isn't one," Cass said, tucking her hair behind her ear again. She tensed slightly, nervous again. "My, um, my mom is paying. Janet says it's her right, that she raised me, and that Jim provided well for her. She says it’s one of the things he provided for in his will. She won't let me argue with her."
"Well that's good," Cameron said. "For you, anyway. You get your princess day, and you don't sell your firstborn. Win-win." She laughed at the horrified expression on Cass's face, taking out her notebook to jot down things Cass liked.
"I'd just as soon do it cheaply at the clerk's office," Cass said. "You know, and save the money for furniture or something. I don’t need all this attention, you know. I'm no princess, I'm just a regular girl. I've not had an easy road in life, and I don't pretend life is a fantasy. But I know that Janet wants this, and I know that Drew wants it for your mother. We don't want to do anything huge, but we're definitely in the market for something nice. You know, swanky enough for the moms," she laughed.
"Oh, well if you want swanky enough for my mom, you need this book, not that one," Cameron said, reaching over to take the linen booklet Cass had been looking through. She pressed a thicker, heavier book toward her, gesturing for Cass to take it.
"Wow, look at this!" Cass exclaimed, opening the book to a random page near the middle. This book, too, was complete with fabric samples, but there were full spread photos on each page also, showing off different sets of crystal, china and cutlery.
"This book is bit fancier, but everything you see comes in the set together," Cameron said. "It's kind of done as a package deal. Now, it's all rental stuff, of course, but the best thing about this company is that they come and set everything up for you, and then they come back to take it all down again. Their work is top-notch too, very professional. They’re my favorite to work with. But it’s nice to look through there, because it's kind of 'what you see is what you get.'"
"I like that; it makes it easier to choose. I don't have to worry that I picked forks that don't match the napkins or something," Cameron laughed.
Looking through the book, she couldn't help being somewhat intimidated though. There were place settings with flowers as part of the picture; did that mean she had to choose those flowers? There were settings that had one little aspect or another that she didn't like. Could she edit these settings to fit her style, or omit things that she didn’t like?
Better to just stick with the pictures and try to find one she liked as it was, she thought, turning to the beginning of the book. It took a long time, but finally Cass turned a page and saw a table setting that made her gasp.
The tables were draped with a heavy and elegant fabric, thick and sturdy, in a rich, deep cobalt blue. Linen napkins were layered folded together in a fan shape that showed off the layers beautifully in peacock shades of cobalt, emerald and violet. The stemware and china were simple and classic, all a pale clear glass with the slightest hint of amethyst, gleaming on the blue drapery of the table.
In this photo, it was the cutlery that was truly luxurious. It looked heavy, each piece strong and sturdy and elegant, the tips curved precisely, carved with the image of a peacock feather and enhanced with rhinestones set in the eye of the carving.
The center of the table in the photo was stunning, emerald green ivy and ferns spilling out of an oversized bowl, interspersed with deep purple roses and the rich velvet blue of the barlow columbine.
"What about this?" Cass breathed, turning the book to show Cameron what she'd found. "Do you think Drew would go for this?"
"I think that's a good choice. The flowers are beautiful, colorful. They fit your personality well," Cameron smiled.
"But Drew?"
"I think, in this, you should get to choose what you like. But if it's important to you, yes, I think Drew would like this. The colors are playful and fun, instead of being stiff or formal. He'd like that very much."
"What's next, then?" Cass asked, leaving the book open on the desk in front of Cameron.
"What's next is that you get out of here, and go use this," Cameron smiled, sliding an envelope across the desk to her. "It's a gift receipt for a massage at a parlor I know of, and they really do up the whole spa experience there. Sort of a 'welcome to the family' gift from me."
Cass looked up nervously, meeting Cameron's gaze. "Are you sure?" She asked, relaxing when Cameron nodded
"Well, thank you then. For everything," Cass murmured. "Your friendship means a lot to me."
Several minutes later, she was finally on her way, leaving Cameron confused and alone at her desk.
"Something is wrong with me," she muttered. "Planning weddings all my life and I never had an ounce of romantic envy. Until now."
***
"So how's the planning coming?" Eva asked, leaning forward. She turned another page in her magazine, waiting for her daughter to answer.
"It's good, mom, really good," Cameron grinned, her brown eyes rising to meet the green of her mother. "Cass is really excited, and I can't help being excited with her. Planning a family wedding is different somehow, you know?"
"I can see how that would be," Eva laughed. Closing the magazine on the kitchen bar, she settled more comfortably on her barstool perch. "Any spoilers you're willing to share with your dear old mom?"
"You know I won't," Cameron laughed. "But Cass will be here in a second, so you can feel free to ask her." She turned her head, digging her hands back into the lump of bread dough she'd been kneading.
Right on cue, there was the sound of the front door slamming, and Cass's voice rang out from the hallway. "What smells so good?" She breezed through the door to the kitchen, dropping her purse on the counter next to Eva with a thud.
"I'm making rolls for tonight's dinner," Cameron laughed, peeling the paper from the end of a stick of butter and using it to grease a baking sheet.
"That's awesome, and they smell so good! I wish I didn't have yoga tonight," Cass laughed. "I can't believe the way you cook. And seriously, no training?"
"Nope, no training," Cameron answered. She waved a flour-crusted hand in Eva's direction. "Ask my mom."
At Cass's questioning look, Eva shook her head. "She learned on her own," Eva said, smiling over at her daughter. "When she was little, she would just mix stuff together, and we'd all have to line up and try it. Eventually, she got a feel for what was good and what was awful. And now? Well, you've tasted."
"Well, I'm no Iron Chef or anything," Cameron said, blushing modestly as she ripped the fragrant dough and formed it into little balls, lining them neatly along the buttered baking sheet.
"Alright, enough about food, tell me about the wedding, girls," Eva laughed.
"There isn't a ton to tell you yet," Cass answered, opening the oven door and stepping aside for Cameron to slide the rolls in. "I've chosen some colors and some little things, but we're far from finished, right Cameron?"
"Oh there's still plenty to do, but you've done most of your part already," Cameron said, opening a bottle of wine and pouring the dark liquid into three rounded goblets. "You still need to choose a gown and things like that, but the rest of the planning is really on me. That's what you've hired me for, remember?"
"I'd actually really love if you two would come with me when I go to try on dresses," Cass murmured shyly, her dark eyes lowered, watching as the fingers of her right hand twirled the engagement ring on her left.
Eva gasped, a smile widening her mouth, slightly deepening the fine lines that creased her skin. "Really?" she asked. "I'd hoped you would ask! Drew doesn't talk much about the wedding plans, and I'd so love to be more involved."
"Well, Janet's going to come. And the twins will be coming, of course," Cass answered.
"That will be wonderful," Eva laughed. "I've wanted to meet Janet for quite a while now! A foster mother, you said she was?"
Cass nodded, looking to Cameron, who placed an encouraging hand on her shoulder. "My family sort of all died when I was young, and I was raised in the foster system. Janet and her husband were the last to take me in. Jim is gone now, but I still see Janet often, and her daughters are just a bit older than I am. They're all the family I ever had."
"Well, aren't you a fortunate young woman," Eva murmured, sipping from her wine glass. "Adopted into two families then, and you shall be well-loved here. Thank you for inviting me to come along for the dresses."
"Of course," Cass said. She turned to Cameron, a glimmer in her eyes. "Speaking of inviting people to go places, I did think of someone new to invite to the wedding, but since the invitations have been sent out, how do we handle that?"
"Well, I can call the person, or set up a simple invitation and pop it in the mail. Who did you want to add?" Cameron asked.
"The therapist I was seeing before. Remember, because I met Drew there?" Cass was digging through her purse as she spoke, and finally turned back to Cameron with a small white card in her hand. "He stays busy though, so you might have an easier time just dropping by his office. I think you could catch him between appointments."
There was an unusual lilt to her voice as she spoke, the hidden hint of a laugh raising Cameron's eyebrow. She exchanged a look with her mother, turning to Cass and taking the card to examine.
"Mackenzie Caswell," she read. "So you're saying I should go to his office? Wouldn't it be easier on him if I just send something along? Maybe I can rustle up an extra invite from your stationery order."
"Oh you know," Cass said, bru
shing off the idea with a wave. "Mail, it can be so unpredictable. No, really, you should make a stop over there and just give him a little talking-to. The, er, personal touch, you know." Unable to keep the grin from her lips, she turned her back and made a show of pouring more wine into her glass. Eva caught her gaze though, curiosity shimmering in the clear of her green eyes. Cass gave her a wink, and Eva covered her quick grin with a cough.
"I think it's a lovely idea, dear," she said, sliding her wine glass over to Cass to be refilled. Grinning over their conspiracy, she waited until Cass slid the glass back to her, and lifting it, she gave the rich liquid a swirl.
Prescription For Love (The Kingsley Series) Page 4
