The Determined Groom: Texas Titan Romances

by Checketts, Cami

  Bridger released one shoulder and slugged him in the face. Emmett roared and bucked his body, throwing Bridger to the side. He rolled up and landed a hard punch against Bridger’s chest. Bridger went nuts, swinging at him and hollering who knew what. Emmett couldn’t hear through the roaring in his head; he took more hits than he gave, and before too long they both had future bruises, black eyes, bloody noses, and blood dripping from cuts and scrapes. It was awesome.

  “Yes!” Bridger screamed. “Yes, my brother’s back!” He grabbed Emmett in a bear hug and they rolled around in the sand. When they stopped, Bridger squeezed him so tight. “You’re such a jerk, and I totally love you, bro.”

  Emmett wiped away blood from a cut on his cheek and then pressed his hand to his nose to try to stem the flow. “You’re a loser, and I couldn’t love you more.”

  “I’m the loser?” Bridger sprung to his feet and offered him a hand up. Emmett took it and faced his little brother—“little” being a relative term. Bridger was fit and almost as big as Emmett. “Did your wee knee hurt while we wrastled?”

  Emmett thought back to a few seconds ago, and with surprise, he said, “No.”

  “Are you ready to get your butt off the couch and start training? I’ll push you back into fighting shape. It’ll give me something to do instead of sit around and be sad.”

  Emmett considered it. What would it hurt to try? He had nothing without Cambree and Creed. Why not fight to play the game he loved?

  “Come on, Creed’s watching down from heaven and he’s pissed off at you right now.”

  Cambree had said “pissed” too, and it had made Emmett smile. His stomach churned. If she’d only given his family a chance, she’d see they weren’t a bunch of stuck-up snobs. He wondered what she was doing, if she ever thought of him. Though Cambree didn’t want him, she had believed in him, and her example of pushing herself to the limit made him want to try as much as Bridger’s challenging words.

  “Creed’s going to haunt me, eh?”

  “Yes!” Bridger smacked him in the shoulder. “Come on, bro. For me.” Bridger made his eyes big and pleading.

  Emmett chuckled.

  “I’m going to be on the front row at your first NFL game. First week in September, right?”

  Emmett felt a smile grow on his face. His family’s support had always meant the world to him. “Team starts practice next week.”

  “Are they going to kick you out if you show up?”

  “I don’t know that I have my position, but they’ll give me a chance.”

  “Yes! Let’s get training, bro.” Bridger slapped him on the back. “Creed’s gonna be bragging about you to his angel buddies.”

  “Thanks, man.” Emmett sniffled, surprised there was any emotion left in him. He’d liked fighting Bridger a lot better than crying all week, and he loved that with Bridger he would now have a purpose: getting himself back into competition shape.

  “So tell me about the girl, too,” Bridger instructed as they walked back toward the house.

  “What do you know about my girl?” Emmett challenged. His girl. Cambree didn’t want to be his girl. That hurt much worse than his bloody nose and knuckles.

  “Ava Baby might’ve slipped something when we were Snapchatting.”

  “I didn’t even tell her about Cambree.” He searched his memory, realizing with a start that he hadn’t even introduced the two personally. He’d wanted to date Cambree seriously, but he hadn’t introduced her to his close friend. That wasn’t very classy of him.

  “She said you couldn’t keep your eyes off this gorgeous brunette, and the looks you two snuck at each other while she did her motivational speech were ‘adorable.’” Bridger sighed and made a moony face.

  “What does Ava know? She’s only a psychiatrist.”

  Bridger chuckled. “She’s pretty clueless about human interaction.”

  Emmett thought of Cambree that day, remembering how she took notes furiously and refused to meet his gaze. “I didn’t even introduce them. Cambree acted off with me after Ava came, and then that night she told me she couldn’t hack my wealthy lifestyle.”

  Bridger stared at him. “Ah, you’re killing me. How can we even be brothers?”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You’re completely clueless. Cambree probably thought you were with Ava.”

  “Why would she think that?”

  “Dude! Have you ever Googled yourself and Ava? There are so many pictures of you two at events. They even did that spread of you two in The Rising Star, how you were supporting her charity and all. Half the world thinks you’re a couple.”

  “No. I’ve made it very clear we’re close family friends.”

  “You’re an idiot. Ava is the most gorgeous and accomplished woman on the planet, and you show up at dinners and events with her all the time. Always guiding her around with your hand on her back.” Bridger’s mouth tightened. “Then you brought her in to speak at your camp and probably walked around holding her hand and grinning like the innocent idiot you are.”

  Emmett didn’t like being called an idiot, but he was starting to see the problem. He only thought of Ava as a friend, but did Cambree see it that way? Was all of her lame reasoning why they shouldn’t date simply a bunch of excuses because she thought he was with Ava? If that was true, she probably thought he was such scum, kissing on her and dating Ava. Aw, man.

  “Really? You were holding Ava’s hand?” Bridger’s voice was edgy, totally unlike himself.

  “No.” He tried to remember. He’d been too focused on Cambree. “But she had her hand linked through my arm, and then I probably had my hand on her back.” When Bridger glowered at him, he held up his hands. “I keep it high on her back, to be a gentleman,” he clarified. “She’s like my sister, you know that.”

  Bridger rolled his eyes. “Only you would sister-zone Avalyn Shaman. Idiot.”

  Emmett pushed at his brother’s chest. “Stop calling me an idiot. I messed it up, all right?” His eyes narrowed. “You seem to think Ava’s so perfect. Why aren’t you dating her?”

  Bridger guffawed. “So out of my league it’s not even on the table to discuss.” Emmett opened his mouth to protest, but Bridger pushed at his shoulder. “So you going after the Warrior princess, or do I need to pummel you again?”

  Emmett drew in a long breath. He wanted to chase after Cambree and see if Bridger’s theory about her thinking he was with Ava was correct, but what if she just rejected him again? “Let’s concentrate on me getting my spot back with the Titans first.”

  “Ah, you are still such a wimp.” Bridger pulled him into a headlock and rubbed his knuckles on his head. Emmett pulled free and shoved him. “Stop being a loser and go after the girl.”

  Emmett shook his head. “Playing in the NFL again will be easier.”

  “When did a Hawk ever choose easy?”

  Emmett arched his eyebrows. Creed hadn’t chosen easy. Callum worked harder than any person he knew. Bridger was a screwball, but he was successful and driven to be the best, excelling at one extreme sport before moving on to the next. Maybe his carefree, crazy brother had a little wisdom in him.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Cambree waited at the start line of the Breckenridge Warrior race. Her nerves were taut and she had to force herself to ignore the crowd. Her entire family, church group, students, and friends from school and the community were all here cheering her on. There were signs everywhere showing support of their local Warrior. The race hadn’t even started and she heard her name being shouted time and again. It felt fabulous … and it was a crap-load of pressure.

  A lot of familiar competitors were here, including Shayna, who’d beaten her by ten seconds in California a couple of weeks ago. Cambree hated losing, even to someone as impressive as Shayna.

  Cambree had already done the shaking hands, wishing everyone a great race, etc. Now it was time to put all the hard work of her week in Texas, and everything Emmett had taught her that she’d
continued to implement since, into practice. This was her race; she could feel it. She was prepared, she was in the best health of her life, and even though he would never know it, she was racing this for Emmett and his family. She’d seen the news about his brother, Creed, being killed. Her heart had ached and she wanted to go to him, but she didn’t truly know him that well, even though she thought she did, and it seemed trite and unfair of her to go chase him down because he’d had a horrible tragedy. It would still never work for them to be together, so she’d focused on her training and prayed for Emmett and his family, knowing she would win this race for him.

  The gunshot went off and she sprinted out of the gate. She had an immediate lead and felt like she was flying. She could hear Emmett’s voice in her head, almost as if he were right there beside her, pushing her to sprint harder, saying, “That’s my girl!” She ignored the other competitors and took strength from the crowd cheering her on as she completed the barbed wire crawl, the slippery wall, the spear throw. She did have to stop and do thirty burpees, but they were a breeze and she smiled the whole time, thinking of Emmett. She continued through obstacle after obstacle and sprinted like she was being chased by a warthog between each one. The wall jumps and rope climb were easy. The big cargo net and Hercules hoist were a struggle, but before she knew it, she was sprinting toward the last obstacle and her name was being yelled so ferociously she forced herself to look around and notice where her competitors were. She had a clear lead.

  “Yes!” she screamed out, moving even faster. She could see the final obstacle for this track—the eight-foot wall. Her stomach dropped. She had to get over it quickly, or the other racers would catch up. Memories of trying to scale this wall at the fitness camp and failing after being attacked by Troy raced through her mind. She forced them away and focused her thoughts on Emmett. Even though he wasn’t here, he had believed in her. She could do this.

  She swiped her sweaty palms across her shorts as she ran. It didn’t help much, as she was dirty and wet. Her heart threatened to burst out of her chest as she leapt, planted her knee into the wall, and thrust herself up with the momentum. She clasped her right hand on the top of the wall. Her hand started to slip, but she gritted her teeth and held on. Her arm felt like it was going to rip out of the socket, but she ignored it and propelled her body upward, grasping with her left hand. She flipped her body over the top of the wall and dropped to the other side.

  Cambree heard a horribly loud pop and her left knee gave out. She dropped into the dirt. The crowd seemed to suck in air as one, and then cries of exclamation rang in her ears. Cambree knew she had the lead, but it was at least two hundred yards to that finish line. She forced herself to her feet and heard another pop as she straightened her leg. She started limping forward. Her knee hurt, but not horribly, and she put more pressure on it and pushed herself to run faster. The crowd was screaming, but she wasn’t certain if it was cheers of encouragement or screams of concern and people urging her to stop.

  Cambree tried to ignore it and she didn’t let herself look over her shoulder, but she could feel her competitors gaining on her. She just wasn’t moving fast enough.

  Then she heard it: a deep, wonderful voice yelling, “Come on, sweetheart!”

  Her eyes sought the voice, and right next to the finish line was the most exquisite face. She wanted to scream his name, but she focused all her energy on his encouraging voice instead, and she upped her speed.

  “That’s my girl! You’re so tough! You’ve got this!” Emmett was yelling so loud for her that it drowned out all the other voices. “Go! Go! Go!”

  Her knee hurt, but that just made her think of Emmett even more. His knee hurt, yet he was still so tough. She was running this race for him and now he was here? It was craziness, but her heart threatened to burst out of her chest, she was running so fast and hard, and she completely ignored her knee and pushed herself into full sprinter mode.

  “Yes!” Emmett hollered. “Go, sweetheart!”

  Cambree flew across the finish line, breaking through the flimsy tape, and collapsed in the dirt. She could hear the crowd yelling and other racers thundering past her, but all she wanted was to find Emmett. She struggled to her feet, but strong arms wrapped around her and lifted her up.

  Emmett cradled her close to his chest and grinned down at her. “You did it.”

  Cambree leaned into him, trying to catch her breath. “You’re here,” was all she could manage.

  He bent down and brushed his lips over hers. “I wouldn’t miss it.”

  She sighed with longing for him. She wanted to kiss him long and hard and never let him go. “I smell worse than a bag of moldy potatoes,” she muttered, trying to push her sagging ponytail out of her face.

  He chuckled. “Oh, Cam. I don’t even know what that smells like.”

  “Spoiled rich kid.” She smiled up at him. “I was racing for you.”

  “You were?” He leaned closer, seeming content to just hug her.

  “That’s Emmett Hawk!” Voices penetrated through their bubble, and then there were phone cameras clicking and people all over them, asking what Emmett was doing here, asking if Cambree was okay, asking how she felt about her first win.

  Emmett swept her completely off her feet and elbowed his way through the crowd. “Excuse me, we need to get Cambree checked out.” He bent down closer to her. “Did you injure anything when you fell, sweetheart?”

  “My knee.”

  He nodded and held her closer. She hated that she was so dirty and stinky, but she loved that he was here. He didn’t seem to even notice how gross she was, but then again, he’d worked out with her for a week and had never complained.

  Cambree hid her head in the firmness of his chest, not responding to the crowd around them. If she said something and it embarrassed Emmett and his family, after all they’d been through with losing Creed, she would never forgive herself.

  Her mom and her sister, Jasmine, rushed into view. Cambree didn’t have time to ask where the rest of the family was before her mom stared up at Emmett and demanded, “Who are you, and why do you have your big fat hands on my girl?”

  Cambree tried to burrow right into Emmett’s chest. He smelled so clean and manly, and if Cambree didn’t embarrass him with the media, her mom and siblings surely would.

  “I’m Emmett Hawk,” he said as if they were meeting for coffee. “Sorry I can’t shake hands right now, but I love your daughter and I want to get her to medical help.”

  “You love—?” Cambree was glad she wasn’t standing up. The world swirled around her.

  Emmett pressed his lips to her forehead as he continued plowing through the crowd with her mom and sister in tow. He got to a Range Rover and hurried around to the passenger side. The door beeped at them, and Emmett slid her gently to her feet and eased the door open. “I wish you could stay to celebrate your win, but you need to get that knee checked out.”

  Cambree looked over his shoulder at her mom; her dark eyes were big and uncertain. “Wait a minute, Mister Ranger Rover,” her mom said. “I don’t trust pushy, handsome, bossy men with my daughter.”

  Emmett smiled. “She talks like you,” he said to Cambree.

  Cambree’s cheeks flared. “She’s a bit overprotective.”

  “Understandable. I’m a little overprotective of you too, love.”

  Cambree nodded, ready to pass out from being close to Emmett again, staring at his handsome face, feeling his perfect facial hair brush against her cheek, and the way he kept throwing the “love” word around.

  Emmett looked to her mom and sister. “Would you like to ride with us, or meet us at the hospital?”

  The crowd was pressing in around them and Cambree couldn’t even count how many people had their phones up, recording the interaction.

  “Cambree, do you trust this yahoo?” her mom demanded. “He’s bigger than a Sasquatch, and he looks a little too uppity for my blood.”

  Cambree stared into his dark eyes. “Yes,” she
whispered. “I trust him.”

  Emmett grinned, lowered his head, and kissed her for the entire world to see. Cambree clung to his neck and pulled herself even closer to him as his arms tightened around her. His lips were firm and as perfect as she remembered. She savored his kiss, until she remembered there were phones recording everywhere. Pulling back, she met her mom’s surprised gaze.

  “All-righty, then.” Her mom tsked, but there was a sparkle in her dark eyes. “We gotta get the rest of our herd. You be careful with my girl.” She puffed out her chest as if she had a chance of shoving Emmett around.

  Emmett nodded seriously. “I will.” He settled Cambree into the vehicle and gave her one more soft kiss before shutting the door.

  Cambree leaned back against the headrest, drained and in shock. Was this all some crazy dream? Emmett was here, she’d just won a Warrior race, and her knee was hurt. She looked down and saw that it was already swelling. Ah, crap. But she couldn’t find the energy to be upset. Emmett was here.

  She watched him push through the crowd pressing in on him outside the vehicle before he was able to open his door and slide inside. He clicked the lock button and turned to stare at her. “Wow, you’re pretty.”

  Cambree let out a surprised laugh and ran her hand through her mud-caked hair. She glanced around at the pristine leather interior. “I’m like a pig fresh from the sty in your pristine car.”

  He chuckled. “It’s a rental.” He pushed the start button, but reached over and wrapped his hand around hers instead of putting it into gear. “Do you have any clue how much I’ve missed you?”

  She held up her other hand and held her thumb and first finger an inch apart. “A little?”

  “No. Horribly. I’ve ached for you.”

  Cambree wanted to tell him that his ache was over, but nothing had really changed with their relationship since they’d seen each other. She’d ached for him too and he’d lost his brother, but her fears of the media blasting her and her family, and all of them embarrassing him and his family, were worse than ever. The way her mom had talked to him with everyone videoing? Her face flamed just thinking about it.