by Hadley Quinn
Teague looked at his dad and said, “You have no business talking to Camryn, whatsoever.”
“Oh, this is about Camryn,” Craig smirked. He looked around the massive table at his fellow diners and said, “Camryn is of the female variety.” He winked, making a big joke about it, and several of them laughed. “Lady troubles.”
“Be an asshole all you want,” Teague smiled back. “Because when the tables are turned and your friends find out shit about you, I’d love to see you laughing then.”
Craig’s smile disappeared and he took a measured pause. “Teague, nobody wants to hear you cry about how your family has wronged you. Children whine that their parents aren’t ‘fair’. You’re twenty-three years old, damn it. Grow up.”
“Twenty-four now, but thanks for forgetting my birthday, Dad. And do you really want to challenge me about family secrets right now?”
“Teague, I’ve had enough of this shit,” Craig said, standing from his chair.
“Oh, don’t get up on my account,” Teague laughed bitterly. “I’ll be leaving, but not before I say this. If you ever come near Camryn again, you’ll wish you hadn’t. I will air your shitty laundry so fast this city won’t know which landfill erupted.”
“Teague—”
“Don’t wanna hear it,” was Teague’s response as he turned to leave the private room. He almost ran into Max on his way out; his brother had obviously been listening to his tirade.
“Teague—” Max began.
“I don’t want to hear you, either,” Teague retorted.
“I don’t want to fight with you, bro,” Max said quietly. “If you would just talk to me for once—”
Teague was already leaving, disregarding any nosy eyes that were gawking as he made his way outside into the dusk. He was only halfway to his Mustang when his dad came storming out the private exit at the back of the restaurant.
“Teague, goddamn it, you will listen to me!” Craig shouted.
Bruce was with him, as well as two other bodyguards that came from a limo and another town car that was in the VIP parking lot. They kept their usual distance for a McCallan scene, standing off to the side. Max came barreling out of the private entry as well and hurried to chaperone his dad and brother.
“You have a lot of nerve,” Craig growled at Teague, pointing a finger. “How dare you make a scene like that! If you want my attention, put on your big boy pants and come talk to me without the audience!”
“Oh, make an appointment? I didn’t realize that worked anymore.”
“Don’t be a fucking smartass! God, Teague. Where did I go wrong with you!? You used to be such a sweet, polite little boy.”
“You mean when I was forced to join your family because my mom died? What, was I supposed to love the spotlight and vie for your attention? Automatically feel comfortable in a strange place that never felt like home to me?”
“Really? You’re really going to dredge up your ‘horrible’ childhood,” Craig deadpanned. “Jesus Christ, Teague. Did I not get you in enough counseling sessions or something?”
“No, you gave up on that when I was twelve, remember?”
“Oh yes, when you wouldn’t stop getting into fights with other kids and told the therapist you wanted to kick his ass. I remember now.”
Teague smiled and shook his head. “Who wouldn’t be pissed off after finding out Max was only my half brother because you screwed random women behind your wife’s back? Then I find out you paid off my mom to stay the hell away from you; the media found out about me anyways and you fucked over her reputation to make yourself look like a saint. It’s no wonder she fucking killed herself!”
“Teague, honestly. You don’t know a damn thing about what happened. She was leaving you at a neighbor’s house all the time so she could get high with her loser friends. What, you don’t remember that as a toddler?”
“I understand she wasn’t the best mom—even my grandma told me that—but that has nothing to do with what happened when you had me!”
“You still don’t forgive me for kicking you out at sixteen, is that it? I’m supposed to cater to a kid that didn’t want to follow my rules or stop getting into trouble? I figured it was a cry for help, okay? I sent you to your grandma. That’s what you wanted all along, right? Even knowing she was sick and wasn’t going to live very long, I figured I’d give you what you wanted anyways. I know you didn’t like my career, my house, my cars, my friends, and anything else that was associated with me.”
“The alcohol, the women, the power trips, the bribes, the—”
“This is ridiculous,” Craig shook his head. “And how have your few years of adult life been, Teague? Perfect? You don’t drink, you don’t smoke, you don’t fuck up at work, you don’t have pre-marital sex, you don’t leave children fatherless because you can’t handle a breakup?”
“Dad, let’s not get into—” Max tried to say.
“I don’t drink,” Teague cut in. “And I don’t smoke either, thanks to Camryn, whom yes, I do have sex with even though we’re not married yet, and no I would never abandon a child no matter what was going on in my life!”
“Oh?” he chuckled sarcastically. “That’s interesting. So while we’re casting stones, why the hell did you interrupt my dinner to talk about your new girlfriend? You’re the one lying to her! I only told her the truth!”
“This has to stop, guys,” Max said quietly, looking around the parking lot. There were now restaurant patrons turning into spectators as they glanced over in recognition, and the McCallans didn’t need any more negative publicity.
“Get in the limo,” Craig growled as he turned on his heel to head for the VIP lot.
“Fuck that,” Teague said, unlocking his car door.
“Teague, can you and I talk? Please?” Max begged. He tried to open the passenger’s door but it was locked. “Jesus, just open the door,” he murmured over the car, trying not to look disgruntled in front of the public.
“Only if you get out of my car when I tell you to.”
“As long as you don’t dump me off in front of a horde of teenage girls or something. That wasn’t funny, Teague.”
Teague wanted to at least smirk at the memory. He and Jay had ditched Max to fend for himself at the mercy of fans that had recognized him at a bowling alley four years ago.
But Teague only glared at his brother as he slid into the driver’s seat. Against his better judgment, he reached over to unlock the passenger’s door. Max climbed in when the engine rumbled, just as a couple of spectators were getting bold with their cameras.
Teague pulled out of the lot calmly and drove north. He had nothing to say to Max but had no idea why he bothered to let him in his car.
“Why’d you make a public scene, Teague?” Max finally sighed. “Because you know that’s what would hit him the hardest? This is going to stir up more shit.”
“Yep, you know me. Troublemaker and headline taker.”
Max barely smiled as he shook his head, but he wasn’t sure what else to say to him. They drove in silence for a minute before Teague pulled over to a small parking area next to a vacant soccer field.
“My life is going to hell again, Max.”
“What happened with Camryn the other night? When she was out walking. Did you tell her about Chase?”
“Why the fuck am I talking to you?”
“Because we need to, little brother. We shouldn’t be enemies, Teague.”
“You have got to be kidding me,” Teague laughed. But it was bitter and he felt like he was going to lose his mind. “You and dad… I just can’t do this anymore.”
“The rumors are starting again.”
“I don’t fucking care. It’s not my problem.”
“One more month,” Max said. “Please, Teague.”
They sat in silence for a few beats until Teague shook his head. “I’m done with it, Max. Deal with it on your own.”
After another few seconds of silence, Max replied, “Take me to my car.”
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Teague was mindful of the traffic laws this time as he returned home. He was also aware of the harsh way he’d left Camryn sitting in his truck, deserving an explanation. He’d berated himself the entire way home, using every swear word in the book. Now she wouldn’t answer her phone when he called, and she wouldn’t respond to his texts.
He couldn’t blame her. He’d acted like a major dick. Something had come over him that he couldn’t explain; something maddened every ounce of his protective nature and he panicked.
Needless to say, by the time he hurried through the door of his house and found that Camryn was not there, the reality of it knocked him on his ass. Jay recounted the entire evening to him, from the time Teague peeled out of the driveway in the Boss to the moment Camryn left the house.
After listening to Jay’s report, Teague sat on his bed with his elbows on his knees and he dropped his head into his hands. Complete and utter defeat had washed over him when he came to his room and found her gone. Not seeing her car parked at the house didn’t shut him down right away; even Jay informing him that she wasn’t there meant nothing. But the second he entered his room and she wasn’t in it…
He learned an entirely new meaning of “man down.”
“Tell me where she went,” he barely whispered.
“She just said she was going for a drive,” Jay answered. “But that was two hours ago.”
Teague slowly exhaled as he considered his next move. “What was she like when she left?”
“You mean emotion-wise? I’d say…calm hysteria.”
Teague barely peeked out from his hands. “What the fuck does that mean?”
“The storm was brewing inside. She’s hurting, Teague, but when she left she was trying not to fall apart. Sounds like you got mad at her or something.”
“Fuck, what have I done,” he murmured, covering his face again.
“I really wanted to tell her, man. Do you know how hard that was? This needs to end, Teague.”
“I know,” he sighed. “And it will. I got a text from Max telling me that my dad told her, and it caught me off guard. I was such an asshole to her. But I want to tell her the truth no matter how hard it will be. I can’t lose her, Jay.”
“I know, buddy. And you won’t. You two are meant to be. Even I can see that. I know you’re waiting on other things to happen first, but I think you should just tell her.”
Teague only nodded but didn’t trust himself to speak.
Jay shifted his stance in the doorway. “Hey, if it helps…”
Teague looked up, removing his hands from his head entirely. He knew hope was plastered all over his face and he was fully attentive.
“I’m sure Melanie knows where she is,” Jay offered. “Those two are never apart without knowing where the other is, you know?”
Teague slowly nodded. “You’re right. Where’s Mel?” he asked, standing up.
“She’s sleeping. She went to bed an hour ago.”
Teague glanced at the clock. It was barely after eight-thirty. “Is she feeling okay?”
“She’s had a long day because of that fucker ex of hers. The pain meds I pushed her to take made her sleepy.”
“Ah fuck,” Teague groaned. “I totally forgot about Jordan. Is Melanie okay?” Looking at his cousin closer, he finally noticed evidence of Jay’s fight. Teague angled his head to spot a bruised cheekbone and a slightly swollen lip. “Are you okay?”
Jay almost laughed. “Pssh, hell yeah I’m fine. But forget about all that for now. What I was gonna say is that Melanie might be…in a confessing state of mind right now, if you know what I mean.”
Teague eyed him for a moment until he slowly smiled. “Huh. Hint taken. Thanks, cuz.”
“No problem,” Jay bobbed his head with a smirk.
Teague passed him through the door but came to a stop as a thought occurred to him. Turning around with a smile he asked, “So what’d she reveal to you?”
Jay’s expression was serious as he shrugged and said, “That I’m a badass hottie. And her hero. You know, the usual.”
Teague laughed and shook his head as he left the room. But he sobered as he approached the other hall of bedrooms at the south end of the house. He paused at Melanie’s bedroom door and lightly knocked. After listening for a few seconds, he knocked again and called, “Melanie? It’s Teague.” Opening the door cautiously, his eyes adjusted to the darkness. She slept with a nightlight, though, so it wasn’t too hard to see that she was in bed under the covers.
He approached the bed and sat down at the edge. It was funny that she looked so much like Camryn when she slept, but a younger version. He lightly patted her shoulder and in a soft voice said, “Hey Mel, it’s Teague. Wake up, please.”
She moved a little and made a quiet noise. Then she turned onto her side facing him and smiled in her sleep.
“Melanie,” he said a bit louder.
“Hm?” she replied. He patted her shoulder again until she opened her eyes. “It’s your turn to go pick up the mail,” she mumbled and closed her eyes again.
Teague couldn’t help but smile. “Okay, sweetie, I will. But I need Camryn to help me. Where is she?”
“Hmphrrrmmmm,” was the reply.
“Melanie?” he said louder.
“Jay, I’m not hungry, I promise,” she partially groaned.
“Mel, it’s Teague,” he said, shaking her gently again.
“Teague?”
“Yep. Can you tell me where Camryn is?”
“You are in so much trouble,” she whispered with a tiny giggle. “She’s gonna spank you.”
He tried not to laugh, but Jesus, he hoped so. “I know, Mel. I need to find her so she can spank me.”
She giggled again. “You guys are so disgusting,” she slurred. “Why can’t I be disgusting too?”
He paused and scratched his head as he thought of a response to that but nothing came. “Um, I need to find Camryn, Mel. It’s important. Where’d she go? Is she at Tim’s? Sonja’s? Mimi’s?”
“Random sauce.”
“What? Melanie, I can’t understand you.” He shook her hip this time to rouse her a little more. “Mel, where is Camryn? I need to find her.”
Melanie sighed and moved to her back. “She’s at Brandon’s house,” she mumbled.
Teague was grateful for an answer and was about to pop up to run out of the house. But she grabbed his wrist and her eyes slowly opened again.
“You’re too sexy,” she drawled sleepily.
Teague froze as his eyebrows shot up, but then he remembered what Jay told him she’d said earlier. She was obviously in a complimentary mood while in la-la land. “Thanks, Melanie. You go back to sleep, okay?”
“For Camryn, I mean,” she added softly. “Perfect for her. Not Zach,” she barely shook her head.
He swallowed, not understanding what the last part was all about. “Um, thanks Mel. She’s perfect for me, too. I love her more than anything and I still hurt her. I messed up with a lot of things in my life, but Camryn seems to forgive me and… I just hope she’ll forgive me this time.”
The only response he got was a tiny little snore. Her eyes were closed again and she was asleep.
He smiled and pulled the blanket up to her chin and then quietly left the room. When he pulled his keys out of his pocket and headed for the door, Jay popped out of the kitchen.
“Hey, she tell you?”
“She’s at Brandon’s in Fresno.”
Jay narrowed his eyes. “Her ex?”
“No, a friend.”
“You know where he lives?”
“My P.I. does. I’ll call him on the way there.”
“So you’re gonna go there and…and what, Teague? It’ll be midnight when you get there.”
“I don’t care. She should be here.”
“She actually said that before she left. You know, that she shouldn’t go. But she also said she needed to drive to clear her head because she was so p
issed with you.”
“Well hopefully it’s clear because I won’t be leaving once I get there.”
“Be careful, buddy. Drive safe and…just don’t fuck anyone up, okay?”
Teague smiled. “I think I’ve beat myself up enough for now.”
Jay barely nodded. “Okay, just looking out for you, man. I’ll drive you if you want.”
“No, I’ll be fine. Stay here with Melanie.” He headed for the door and said, “Oh and by the way… She says I’m sexy.”
He couldn’t see Jay’s reaction from behind him, but before he shut the door Jay called out, “Well I’m her hero!”
Teague smiled and shook his head. Good God, what was life going to be like in seven months…
***
“Here,” Brandon said, handing Camryn her hot cocoa.
“Thanks.” She took it gingerly, noting the steam escaping the brim.
Brandon sat down on the couch next to her, still watching her carefully. “Maybe you should try to get some sleep, Cam. The day just needs to end for you. Tomorrow will be better.”
She blew on the surface of her drink and then took a tiny sip. “I sure as hell hope so.”
They sat in silence for a minute as Brandon flipped through channels on the television.
“Are you sure you don’t want to call him back?” he asked again.
“It’s too late right now. And I just texted him that I’m fine and that I’ll see him in the morning, ready to talk.”
“Oh. Okay,” Brandon nodded. But he didn’t feel this guy deserved a conversation with Camryn if he’d been keeping secrets from her. Holy shit, you want a girl to marry you but you have another family? That was unacceptable, and Brandon had been trying as hard as he could to keep his rude comments to himself.
Camryn set her hot chocolate on the coffee table and curled up against the corner of the couch next to him. Thirty minutes of silence passed while Saturday Night Live aired as background noise. Neither of them had really been invested in the rerun but it was a necessary buffer.
