He had absolutely no interest in any woman, especially one like her, looking for a quick roll in the sack with a younger man. He wished he could; it would certainly make getting over Alexandra easier. But maybe he could flirt enough to get some information. At least settle one question.
“Wow …” he said, staring at her driver’s license and then back at her. You don’t look forty-two. I’ll bet everyone thinks you’re Jonathan’s girlfriend or sister. I’d never guess you for his mother.” He held off on the grandmother comment, knowing that wouldn’t help his quest for information.
She smiled and leaned over the desk. “And everything’s original. No aftermarket items …”
Cameron glanced up … Was she asking about the truck or referring to her body?
“Umm … yeah … Definitely top-of-the-line parts.” He resisted the shudder that swept through him. He wasn’t used to flirting, especially when his insides were churning. “Judith, your son had requested that I put everything in your name … Not to be nosy, but Jonathan admitted a few things to me yesterday. I don’t want to pry into your business, but if you put the vehicle strictly in your name and he gets into an accident and hurts anyone, they could possibly come after you.”
She sat back in the chair and nodded. “You know, you’re right. I never really thought about that. I’m an attorney, but I deal with family law, not criminal law, but you’re absolutely correct.”
Cameron leaned across the desk and whispered, as if in her confidence, “And with his drug possession arrest —” He paused, waiting for her to rebuke him. She didn’t. “Well, I don’t want to get personal, just thought you should rethink your decision. Of course, if you pay cash and it’s in his name, he could trade it or sell it tomorrow.”
Her body language mirrored his, and she moved forward again. He’d always been good at reading customers. “What do you suggest, Cameron?”
“Honestly, if I were you, I’d take a loan out in your name so there is a lien on it. But register it in his name only. Toyota Credit won’t allow you to do it, but if you are a member of a credit union, they will. Plus, you’ll get a much lower interest rate. The local credit union has the lowest rates in the area.” Cameron dropped his voice to a whisper again. “But please don’t tell the finance manager I suggested you go to the credit union. I could get fired.”
She smiled in response. “Thank you, Cameron. I won’t.”
He plastered on a fake smile in response, even though his gut churned. Now, while they waited for the finance manager to call her into his office, they’d have time to talk. And that would be a while; the finance managers were jerks on Sunday. They would stay busy on the phone, smoke a cigarette, or simply keep their door closed. As long as he’d been doing this, he could never understand why the moment a salesperson became a finance manager they turned pompous.
He and Judith got along splendidly. He hardly had to dig for information. Judith emptied all her frustrations, clearly believing he was someone she could trust. Which he was. He would have given the same advice to any of his customers.
Jonathan had clearly lied about Alexandra’s arrest for possession. According to Judith, her son was, in fact, in jail for possession with intent to sell. She did mention Alexandra — Nicky — and that she thought Nicky was responsible for his wayward ways.
Cameron found himself biting his tongue, wanting to defend Alexandra. She had never stood a chance with this woman. She had thought Alexandra was trash from the beginning. Yeah, she was beautiful, but she had no hope of a career or even being a suitable housewife; she was too rough around the edges, according to Judith.
Cameron couldn’t understand her comment. He had always thought Alexandra was graceful and elegant. She easily looked as though she’d come from money, even though she didn’t act like it.
How had he let her leave? Had Jonathan set up all of this as his mother had suggested?
Cameron quickly finished the paperwork required for delivery; though, she wouldn’t be taking the Tundra home. According to Judith, she and Jonathan would return to pick up the truck tomorrow.
Cameron decided he wouldn’t be here when they arrived. He would set up everything in the morning, but then he would have someone else deliver the truck for half a deal.
No way could he trust himself around Jonathan.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Alexandra spent the evening tossing and turning. Then all day Sunday, she moped around, crying and whining about her pathetic life.
Cameron was the best mistake she’d ever made, and she’d given up too easily. Monday morning, she awoke, mulling over the events. The more she thought, the less sense everything made. If Cameron didn’t want her, why had he said he’d tried? Why had he insisted that he loved her? And why would he tell Jonathan about her? Jonathan hadn’t known that Cameron had seen him.
Of all people, Cameron certainly wouldn’t have told Jonathan about her. Unless he wanted Jonathan to find her … “No, no, no! Stop it!” she commanded. He still had concerns about the baby, about her.
Picking up the phone, she called the person she should have spoken to on Saturday. It was early; she probably wouldn’t answer. No answer. She could drive; it wasn’t easy, but she could manage.
Alexandra hobbled to her car, feeling as though she would be too late. For what, she wasn’t sure, but somehow she felt anxious as if she needed to resolve everything. She raced to the dealership, hoping Cameron would be there.
When she arrived, she saw Judith’s car in front of the dealership. Undeterred, she hobbled to where Cameron’s office was located.
Jonathan saw her and stepped in her path, immediately putting his hands on her shoulders. “Hey, baby.”
Cameron looked up at her. He pursed his lips together and then shook his head. “So, it wasn’t enough —” He sputtered out a breath and shook his head again. “You all came to pick up your new truck as a family? How cute.” He smiled a cold, vicious smile, but she ignored it. She could see the pain in his eyes and knew he was as mislead as she had been.
Alexandra shoved Jonathan’s hands off her. “Cameron, we’re not together. Whatever he told you the other day was a lie. I didn’t kiss him; he kissed me. And I was afraid if I fought him, he’d hurt me again.” She sucked in a breath, threw up her head, and attempted to keep the tears from falling. “Jonathan showed up Saturday, telling me how you were sick of taking care of me and that as soon as I was better, you’d kick me out.” Alexandra paused, trying to catch her breath; she felt as though she’d start hyperventilating at any second. “I don’t need to be taken care of, Cameron, but I do need you to love me. All I want is for you to love me.” She hobbled a little closer. “Cameron, will you marry me?”
Cameron stood up and his jaw dropped open for a second, and then he walked over to her, crossing Jonathan’s path. “Oh, God, Alexandra. I’m so sorry. I was just heading to your doctor’s appointment. Your ex-boyfriend arrived early. But I’m glad he’s here.” He choked out a laugh, through what looked like tears in his eyes. “Of course, I’ll marry you. I love you too.” He captured her face with both hands and kissed her in the middle of the dealership. Then he turned to a stunned Jonathan. “You lose, Jonathan, but I must admit it was certainly a valiant effort on your part. Thanks for making me realize how much I love Alexandra.” He looked around and then nodded toward Brad. “Brad, finish up this deal. I have a doctor’s appointment.”
Cameron escorted her toward the exit, and Alexandra was hard-pressed to keep the smile off her face as she looked at a speechless Jonathan and Judith and a bunch of faces she didn’t know. But Brad just smiled and nodded as he took a seat behind Cameron’s desk.
After opening the car door for her, Cameron took the crutches, threw them in the backseat, and then walked around to the driver side.
“Well, that went better than I’d planned,” she said after he entered the car. “I thought I was going to have to get down on my knees and beg. I wasn’t quite sure how I was going to do that o
n crutches, but I would have.”
Turning to her, Cameron smiled. Not the smile of earlier, but a genuine smile that showed off his dimple. He lifted his hand to her cheek. “You certainly don’t have to beg me to marry you. How many times have I asked you to marry me? How could you think that I didn’t want you?” He closed his eyes. “He told me that you’d been calling him, begging him to take you back. And then I came home to find him and you —”
“I’m sorry, Cameron.”
He shook his head. “No. I’m just as much to blame. I shouldn’t have played games yesterday. I should’ve thrown him out of the dealership. I should’ve torn him to pieces when he was at my home.” He stopped and rubbed his chin. “We need to get out of here before I go back in there and do something I’ll regret. I planned to be out of here before he arrived. I’d already figured out he lied about everything. I knew if I saw him, I’d want to kill him. But your comment soothed the wild beast. It was a much better victory, seeing his face. Let’s get that cast removed and get married.”
Alexandra smiled as she leaned her head against his shoulder. “Yes, let’s do that. I missed you, Cameron. Not even two full days without you and I nearly went insane. I don’t know what I was afraid of, but I was so anxious to get to you this morning.”
He pressed his lips against the top of her head. “You’re right. If I couldn’t have found you this morning, Alexandra … there is no telling what I would’ve done to him. I’m so ashamed I believed anything he said.”
Cameron pulled into the doctor’s office parking area without another word. After assisting her to the entry, he led her to a seat, and then signed her in at the receptionist. How could she ever have doubted Cameron loved her for even a second? And he didn’t just want to take care of her; he took care of her because he loved her. Letting her go without begging and fighting had proved that.
“Are you excited?” he asked, taking a seat beside her.
“About getting married? Yes. I’m thrilled.”
He chuckled. “I meant getting the cast removed, but that works too. Not to be rude, but if you don’t mind me working on my phone, I’ll find out what we need to do to get married.”
Cameron smacked his phone down on his lap. “Man! Why did I think this would be easy?” His voice rose unexpectedly. Her husband-to-be hardly ever raised his voice; he was one of the gentlest men she’d ever known. Even her father, who’d been like a fairy-tale king to her as a child, would often get upset over trivial things. Cameron, on the other hand, though he worried about her, he seemed to be okay with whatever she wanted.
They were still sitting in the office, waiting on the x-rays of her leg, which thankfully the doctor seemed optimistic.
“What is it, Cameron?”
“I want to marry you tonight … I don’t want to wait. But Florida has a three-day waiting period after obtaining a license, and the Bahamas is two days … and you need a passport. I don’t suppose you have one, do you?”
“No, do you?”
“Yes, I went on several missions trips to Guatemala and Costa Rica, so I had to get one.” He sighed heavily. “No wonder people choose Vegas. All you need there is a driver’s license and birth certificate. I have an idea. How ’bout we fly there, get married, stay a couple of days, and then return back here by Friday to go on a cruise Saturday?”
She smiled at his impatience. “Or … we could get a license today and marry on Thursday or Friday right here.”
Huffing, he pulled her face to his. “Why do you have to be so sensible? It doesn’t cost that much; we can fly and stay for four nights for around a thousand dollars. That’s nothing.”
She shook her head. “I don’t need all that, Cameron. It’s too much.”
“Alexandra, do you realize … I can make that on one vehicle? I’ve spent nothing on myself for years. I haven’t taken a vacation in forever. I need this; I need you.”
“You have me. What’s three more days?” She couldn’t help but laugh. She’d been bugging him nonstop, and now he acted as though he wouldn’t be able to make it three more days without making love. “And it’s not about the money. I want to get married on the beach, here. At Cherie Down Park. Where we had our first kiss. It will be more romantic, don’t you think? Then, if you still want to go on a cruise, we can do that too. But I don’t need it. I’d be just as happy spending our honeymoon here.”
He scrunched up his nose. “With my mom in the house? I’d rather not.”
“So, here then? In three days? Then a cruise. Do you want to see if that can be arranged?”
“Yes,” he conceded as the doctor walked back into the room.
The doctor pulled out a few x-rays and placed them on a lighted board on the wall for them to see as well. “Looks good, Alexandra. I want you to take it easy, but I also want you to put pressure on it. It will feel strange at first since you’ve had to keep all your weight off it, but it has healed quite well. All the paperwork is at the receptionist’s desk so you can check-out when you are ready.” The doctor left the office.
“Cool. I’m free, Cameron!” she squealed.
Cameron just smiled. “Not for long. The courthouse is right down the street; we can get a license today. Several companies perform beach ceremonies. I’ll contact one of them, and there is a seven-day cruise leaving for the Caribbean on Saturday. So … as much as I don’t want to wait an extra moment, how ’bout I arrange the wedding for Saturday, and then we’ll head directly to the boat afterward.”
“That sounds wonderful, Cameron.”
“I was hoping you wouldn’t say that.” He harrumphed. “Five more days! It’s maddening, Alexandra.”
“It’s been nearly three months; I think we can handle a few more days.” Carefully, she lowered her feet to the floor but didn’t put any weight on her right foot. Obviously noticing what she was doing, Cameron jumped to assist her. As much as she wanted to complain, his touch felt too good.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
The days went by quickly and before Alexandra knew it, it was Saturday.
Neither Cameron nor she had anyone standing up for them, but standing on the beach were several of their closest friends. Cameron, of course, had more than Alexandra, but she’d invited Lilith and her two stepsisters, along with several of her coworkers — well, ex-coworkers. She’d already informed Gary she wouldn’t be returning. When she explained she was pregnant, he stopped arguing with her.
The beach ceremony was beautiful. They stood under an oak-stained arbor covered in green ivy and assorted flowers with antique looking lace running through the wood slats.
The natural colors complemented the sand and the ocean perfectly. Alexandra found a simple tea-length, off-white dress. The wide straps sat on the edge of her shoulders, and the neckline tapered down gracefully, revealing a larger than usual chest. A byproduct of her pregnancy, no doubt.
For Cameron, they decided on a cream-colored Tommy Bahama shirt and rayon pants. It was very beach-like and incredibly sexy.
The constant rhythmic sound of the waves lapping the beach and the breeze rustling her hair soothed her soul as she listened to the preacher recite the simple wedding vows they’d decided on. Cameron smiled at her as the preacher told him he could kiss the bride. He took a step forward, wrapped his arms around her, and kissed her as though it was their first kiss, and in a way, it was. It had been where they shared their first kiss, and now that they were married, Cameron seemed to lose all inhibition, seemingly forgetting that they were standing in front of friends and family.
His mouth enveloped hers with a passion she’d never felt, and his hands moved up her back and behind her neck, pulling her closer as if he’d never let her go. And that was just fine with her. When he finally pulled back, she felt lightheaded. “Um, wow,” she said on a long exhale.
He leaned down to her ear. “It’s been a long time, Alexandra. That’s just the beginning.”
She wiggled her eyebrows. “We need to put you in Tommy Bahama clothing more
often; it brings out your wild side.”
He pulled her to his side as they walked down a path of pink rose petals scattered on the sand in between the rows of chairs. “No, darling, you bring out my wild side,” he whispered in her ear, making her body shiver with anticipation.
After the wedding, they had a two-tiered cake from the local Publix bakery and punch under an awning provided by the wedding planners. The morning went splendidly, and now they were in a limousine heading minutes up the road to leave on a seven-day cruise to the Eastern Caribbean.
Cameron had timed the morning so that they would arrive at the port around two, after all the hustle and bustle had died down. His mother had assured them if they arrived just before the last boarding time at two-thirty, they’d sail through. She’d been right. It took less than fifteen minutes, and they were boarding the cruise liner.
The November day was incredible, the temperature, a perfect mid-seventies with a clear blue sky. She couldn’t have ordered a more perfect day.
Immediately after boarding, Cameron escorted Alexandra to the back of the boat, to a private deck for ages twenty-one and over, teasing her that they’d have kids soon enough, no need in dealing with all the noise of the pool area tonight.
As the boat started to move, Cameron wrapped his arms around her while she stood at the railing. “So, how do you feel, Mrs. Alexandra Nicole Collins? I think that flows rather well, don’t you?”
“Yes, I do,” she admitted, leaning back against his chest. “So, when do we see our room?”
“I figured we should wait until after dinner and pictures. They take wonderful portraits on-board.”
She turned around in his arms. “You want to wait until tonight?”
“As you said, we waited three months, what’re a couple more hours?”
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