by Hadley Quinn
He still had four more days before he could really show her what owning Teague McCallan would be like…
When Teague re-entered the store from the storage warehouse, he made sure everything was good for Jesse to close, and then left for home. Impulsively, he stopped at the store to get flowers. He couldn’t think of the last time he’d bought flowers for a girl, but for some reason, he wanted to for Camryn. He didn’t even know if she liked flowers, but it didn’t matter. It was supposedly the thought that counts, right?
He headed home first, showered, changed, and ate something really quick. When he returned to his room for his wallet and keys, he paused at the foot of the bed and stared at it. He could still picture her curled up in his sheets, blonde hair fanned over the dark pillow. He’d carried her there last night, sure that she was going to wake up and object. But she didn’t, and when he held her close to him again, she sighed and put her hands on his arms like she wanted to keep him there.
He shook his head of the image and left the house. He’d rather see her in person, anyway.
When Serena answered the door, she only stared at him for a second. She looked confused, sad even. She glanced at the flowers and frowned.
“Is Camryn here?” Teague finally asked.
Her eyes met his again and she slowly shook her head. “No, honey, she’s not. She said she was going to call you.”
Teague lifted an eyebrow. “Well if she did, I didn’t catch it.” He’d had his phone stuck to him all day, even with the sound on which was against Tommy’s policy. He was sure he didn’t miss a call. He’d even taken it into the bathroom with him.
“She left, Teague. I’m sorry. I thought she’d call you.”
It took a moment for it to register—the look on Serena’s face, and how she most likely pitied him right now. “She went back to California,” he stated somberly.
“She had a work issue that came up. But she said she was going to call you. I thought for sure…” Serena left the sentence hanging.
Teague wanted to toss the flowers into the garbage, but instead he forced a smile and handed them to Camryn’s mom. “Well I’d rather you have these, then. I certainly don’t need them.”
“Oh, thank you.”
“Okay, I gotta get going,” Teague smiled again as he angled to leave.
“She’ll probably call tonight, Teague,” Serena called after him.
He stopped at the steps and turned around. “Yeah, most likely,” he falsely agreed.
“You should call her, though. You do have her number, right?” she added.
“Uh, yep, I do. Thanks,” he replied as he pounded down the stairs.
Total fucking lie…
Chapter Thirteen
Camryn slid to the floor at the back of the room. She’d just gone through six hours of judging competitions, and four hours of teaching advanced hip-hop classes. It was ten o’clock at night, and she’d be repeating the day in another twelve hours. This was the first few minutes she had alone all day long.
“Hey, can’t get enough?” Sonja said, popping her head into the hotel’s grand ballroom. “You’re the last one here, chica.”
“Pull me up,” Camryn whined, holding her hand out.
Sonja made it across the room and heaved her into a standing position. “Sorry, babe. Your schedule was the only one without a three-hour break this afternoon.”
“Meh, it’s okay.”
“I remember when I was the one judging competitions, not running them. I swear you were in about seven competing numbers each day,” she chuckled. “And the master classes.”
They walked out of the ballroom and headed for the elevators.
“Yeah, those were busy days,” Camryn agreed. “Fun, but busy.”
“Even at a young age you were such an amazing dancer, Cam. And you still are, more than ever. There are huge things in your future, dear. I can’t wait to see the incredible things you’ll continue to do. I’m so proud of how far you’ve come.”
“Thank you,” Camryn expressed gratefully. Those “incredible things” weren’t exactly in her plans anymore, though. She’d done quite a lot over the last four years and was proud of all of it, but two years ago she was looking forward to other things in life instead. They’d been delayed unexpectedly, but her goals had never changed. “Between you and Mimi’s mom, I would never have come as far as I have,” she told her mentor.
“Well,” Sonja shrugged. “I know it was tough for you and Melanie. I never wanted you to stop dancing, so I didn’t mind taking students to competitions if an extra parent was needed.”
Camryn knew very well that Sonja and the other moms took her to more dance events and competitions than her own mother had. Her dad did when he wasn’t working, but she was already grateful enough that he paid for her classes and didn’t want to burden him more. She made him believe she loved carpooling with the other girls just so he didn’t feel bad.
As they traveled to their hotel rooms on the seventh floor, the two reminisced about Camryn’s teen years. After they parted at separate doors, Camryn’s phone rang the second she set her bag down.
“Hey, you,” she answered.
“I didn’t know you were back early,” Brandon said. “Melanie said you came home late last night.”
“When’d you talk to Mel? I haven’t even seen her. She wasn’t home when I rolled in.”
“I grabbed coffee this afternoon and she told me.”
“Oh.”
“So…can I come over?”
“I’m actually in LA for the weekend, judging a competition for Sonja until Sunday night. I leave Monday morning.”
“Ah, okay. We’ll get together Monday, then. So how’d the day go?”
She continued to chitchat with Brandon for the next ten minutes as she removed some clean clothes from her suitcase and tossed them on the bed. She was dying for a hot shower, especially when he asked the question she was dreading.
“So…how’d things go with that guy up north? Melanie said you were actually dating and stuff which…kind of surprised me.”
Her heart fell as she turned on the shower to warm up the water. Knowing he’d eventually ask, she was already prepared with an answer. “Oh, I left before anything came of it. How’s your new job going?” she asked, changing the subject.
She listened to his reply for another minute as she stripped off her sweaty clothes with one hand. When she finally got off the phone, she set it on the counter and stepped in the shower to wash away images of Teague.
It never worked.
***
“Eeeeee!!” Melanie squealed as Camryn walked up to the house. She threw her arms around her sister and squeezed her tight. “God, I’ve missed you and you’re even home early!”
“Have you even been home much?” Camryn asked as they walked through the front door together. “Every time I called you were out somewhere.”
“I was here twice and it sucked. There’s something wrong with me; I can’t be alone.”
“You’ve always been that way. Even when we were little you always had to be wherever I was.”
“Well, Mom was never available. If she was home, she was always reading her romance novels or watching soaps. How do you think I learned how to kiss?”
Camryn laughed. “Soaps?”
“Hell, yeah. If I wanted to spend time with Mom, I just watched a soap opera. And the first time I learned of the word ‘cock’ was from one of her books.”
Camryn rolled her eyes with a smile as she hauled her bag to her room. “You read Mom’s romance novels?”
“Well, I opened one up once and just read through the page she was on. I think I was twelve.”
“My God, Mel. Is that when you asked me what ‘burning hot channel’ meant?”
Melanie laughed out loud. “Possibly. I remember asking you that, but I’m not sure when it was. And you told me it meant a really popular TV station!”
Camryn laughed with her. “Well what was I supposed to say?”
/>
“Did you even know?” Melanie wondered honestly.
“At fifteen? Probably not. I didn’t learn a lot of that stuff until I was with Zach. And even then it’s not like people use that kind of language. Do they? I might’ve busted up laughing if he said something like that to me. Even the word pussy is funny.”
Melanie giggled with agreement. “Okay good, I’m not the only one. But does it sound okay coming out of Teague’s sexy mouth?” she teased.
Camryn knew she was just fishing for information and didn’t mean any harm. But Camryn felt her chest squeeze slightly, so she busied herself with unpacking. “Nah, I don’t think he ever said that word to me.”
“Ooh, then what did he say?” she grinned.
Camryn shrugged. “Just… I don’t know. He was cool to hang out with.” She picked up her dirty laundry and headed for the utility room.
Melanie was right behind her. “So what’d you guys do?”
She wasn’t ready to talk about this with her sister just yet, but at least Camryn could face away from her as she started a load of laundry. “Just hung out.” Melanie was silent behind her and Camryn didn’t like it. When she chanced a glance behind her, Melanie was staring at her with her arms crossed over her chest.
“Did you let him kiss you on the mouth, Cam?” she asked quietly with surprise.
“No,” Camryn replied immediately.
“Then why are you all weird talking about it?”
“I’m not being weird. I’m doing a load of laundry.”
“I’m not stupid, Camryn! You’ve never been this evasive. You don’t give a shit about any guy and you’ve offered up anything I want to know without acting annoyed. Why is Teague different?”
Camryn only sighed and shook her head, refusing to answer.
“Cam? What’s going on? Please tell me.”
“I liked him, okay?” Camryn retorted. She slammed the lid to the washer and pushed start, then turned around to face her. “He was the first guy that…” She couldn’t finish it. She brushed past Melanie and left the room, praying that her sister would just drop it.
But with Melanie, that was asking too much.
“The first guy that what?” she asked, following her to the kitchen. “The first guy you didn’t want to punch? The first guy you didn’t want to cut down to size for being an arrogant ass?” She couldn’t get a reaction out of Camryn, so she stopped beating around the bush. “The first guy that you cared about since Zach?”
Camryn froze with the refrigerator door open. Then she closed it without getting what she came for. Turning around, she sighed. “I wanted to, okay? I wanted to kiss him. Yes, it’s the first time I’ve ever felt that way about a guy since Zach. I just… It scared the shit out of me.”
“I understand,” Melanie replied softly. “Camryn, don’t be upset. I know this is hard for you but…it was bound to happen. You are gorgeous, and smart, and funny, and any guy could fall in love with you if you gave him a chance. If you actually found one that made you feel that way, then don’t be scared to go with your instincts.”
“Melanie, I don’t really feel like talking right now, okay?” Camryn said quietly. “Between all the emotional shit with mom, and then that stuff… Not now, okay?”
“What stuff?” she asked anyways. “What’s ‘that stuff’? Teague? What happened?” Camryn gave her a firm look and Melanie held up her hands. “Fine. I’ll drop it if you hang with me on New Year’s Eve. Lynn’s band is hosting a party at Trimble’s and proceeds go to cystic fibrosis. If you go with me, I won’t ask about Teague until you’re ready to talk about him. I swear.”
“Deal,” Camryn replied as she headed for the bedroom, glaring at the bird as she stalked by.
“Hey fatty, hey fatty,” he squawked.
“Shut up, Fucktard,” Camryn answered just as a knock sounded at the door.
Melanie glanced out the window and said, “Brandon’s here. You want me to send him away? I can tell him you’re sleeping or something.”
Camryn sighed and shook her head. “No, don’t lie to him. I wanna see him. I’ll get it.” She grabbed her purse as Brandon knocked again. “Hey,” she smiled, opening the door. “Can we go eat? I’m starving.”
Brandon paused briefly. “Yeah, sure. Of course.”
Camryn stepped onto the porch while Brandon looked her over. “Good, you haven’t changed at all,” he said, pulling her close for a hug.
“You expected me to…what? Change?” she chuckled. She wrapped her arms around his waist to hug him back like she normally would, but it felt different. His body felt different, his hug felt different, he smelled different…
He wasn’t Teague. She was ruined. He ruined her!
“Nah, I just haven’t seen you for what seems like forever.” Brandon pulled away to kiss her forehead. “Let’s feed you.”
“How was work today? Did you ever get that douche to back off?”
Brandon smiled as he opened the truck door for her. “You ever work with someone that causes you to look into voodoo dolls?”
Camryn laughed as she climbed in, glad for Brandon’s humor. Zach’s truck hit her with too many memories again and she fought to stifle her emotions. “Yeah. A few times.”
His shrug was the answer to her question. He shut the door and she watched him walk around the front to the driver’s side.
“Want me to hit on him and then crush his balls?” she asked when he climbed in next to her.
“Didn’t I already ask you that favor? You turned me down.”
“Maybe I’m in a bargaining mood,” she shrugged.
“You’re always ready to make a bet.”
Camryn couldn’t respond to that. The first thing that popped into her head was Teague’s gorgeous face, and then guilt flooded her chest.
She tried to put the last week out of her thoughts as they hit up a great Mexican restaurant, and all it took was to ask and Brandon stopped at the grocery store so she could replenish her empty fridge. As they carried bags into the kitchen, Camryn asked if Melanie had been good while she was away.
“I’ve barely seen her,” Brandon shrugged. “Any time I called to see if everything was okay she was always out somewhere. When I stopped by the coffee shop the other day, it was the first time I saw her since you’ve been gone. The girl likes to sow her oats, you know.”
Camryn frowned. “Yes, I know. And it worries me. I feel like… Shit, I feel like a mom that’s failed her kid.”
“Oh come on, Cam,” he smiled. “You know you can’t put that on yourself. You practically raised Melanie and you’ve done a great job. You’ve always looked out for her. I mean you broke some guy’s nose, for God’s sake.”
She barely cracked a smile. “Well he deserved it.”
“Yes he did. And you were there to make sure she was okay. You always have been.”
“She was only seventeen,” she shook her head with the memory.
“And that fucker was twenty-five. You did what you had to.”
“Yeah but… I mean Mel lied about her age and… Well I just feel she does shit like that and it’s because she’s never been taught right.”
“Camryn,” he stated firmly. “You are the most honest person I know. If she learned how to lie and deceive people, it wasn’t from you. Zach used to say you were hell on wheels with angel wings.”
Just hearing that again made Camryn’s heart fall. Zach said the same thing to her a dozen times, and she could even hear his voice in her head.
Brandon noticed her change in demeanor as she put the last of the pantry items away. He stepped behind her and wrapped her up in his arms, setting his chin on her head. “I’m sorry that makes you sad. My brother wouldn’t want you to be sad, Cam.”
“I know,” she whispered, swallowing back the sob that wanted to escape. She wasn’t going to cry, though. She didn’t like to cry in front of people.
Brandon kissed the side of her face. “Hey, let’s take Melanie bowling tonight.”
Camryn’s smile was genuine, and she could already picture her sister rolling the ball with two hands granny-style and Brandon’s commentary to go along with it.
She took a deep breath as she nodded, grateful for the distraction. “Yeah, that’s sounds perfect.”
But being back in California was already turning out to be bittersweet…
Chapter Fourteen
“I haven’t seen you look this sexy since Gina’s wedding,” Melanie said, looking Camryn over. She was wearing a plum colored chiffon dress that went mid-thigh and a pair of black heels. Her blonde hair was down and lightly curled, and her makeup was that “barely there” look and just right.
“I guess sexy isn’t what I shoot for,” Camryn replied.
“And tonight you are?” Mel questioned with a tilt of her brow.
“Pssh, no. I just meant it’s not a look I go for.”
“Well you hardly have to try. I was just meaning I like seeing you in a dress. You have awesome legs.”
“So do you.”
“Yeah, but yours are…toned. Shapelier. Mine are too scrawny.”
“Dance will do that for you. And this too,” Camryn added, slapping her own ass. “I’ll always have a booty as long as I keep dancing.”
“And a following of men that want to touch it,” Melanie winked. She put on another coat of lip gloss and said, “Let’s jet.”
After another minute of finishing touches, both girls headed for Trimble’s. It was ten-thirty, an hour-and-a-half after the party started, and a dramatic entrance was what Melanie had in mind. More than half the men in the room noticed the blonde sisters as they entered, and the other half noticed within the next thirty seconds. Melanie was overjoyed with the attention; Camryn was not. She scanned the room until she found what she was looking for—her security blanket—and made her way over to Brandon.
“Damn, you look gorgeous,” he said, kissing her on the cheek. “You remember Danny and Nick, right?” Brandon nodded to them.
