“Let go of me!” I insisted as he looked at his fingers, which were currently turning my wrist a slight shade of purple.
“Adam Vanderhuff!” I heard rise from the stage. It wasn’t difficult to discern the now familiar voice of Olivia, aka Alice. “Do you always have to ruin everything? This is not about you.”
It was at that ill-timed moment that my mind suddenly told me to try to replicate what I had seen in those couple of jujitsu classes, and using my free arm, I swung wildly at him, connecting across his upper arm and presumably harming myself far worse than him. The shock of being the center of attention, coupled by my clumsy attempt to defend myself, caused Adam’s fingers to slide away from my wrist.
“Camdyn!” I heard Meg exclaim behind Adam, and I glanced up to see Mr. and Mrs. Vanderhuff by her side.
“He attacked me!” I blurted stupidly, rubbing my wrist gently.
“I did no such thing!” he huffed, glaring at me angrily.
“Well, you tried to force yourself on me, and that’s just as bad,” I countered.
“You’re a hellcat,” he stated, making a point of stretching to his full height as he tucked in his shirt to try to make himself more presentable. “You ought to come with a warning label.”
“Hello, I think I do!” I argued, displaying my left hand and my wedding ring as my evidence. “Besides, what part of ‘do not touch me, you creep’ don’t you understand? Honestly!”
“Wow, who knew Camdyn was so spunky!” Maureen muttered from just out of my line of sight.
“This is none of your business, Maureen,” Adam ordered, giving her a warning glance.
“Is it my business?” Olivia asked from the stage, where she continued to stand in that horribly garish wig with her arms folded across her chest.
“My apologies,” Adam stated, facing the railing and spreading his arms. “Obviously the lady and I were enjoying the play a bit too intimately and things got out of hand, but all is well, so please continue.” Aghast, I stared at him for a second with my mouth slightly open.
“Oh, I do not think so!” I rebutted, clipping my words for emphasis as I looked over the rail. “I’m very sorry for the interruption, Alice, and the Mad Hatter, and all the rest of you up there, but I can’t let that one slide. This joker refused to take no for an answer, and as a result of trying to avoid him, I will probably be sporting some bruises tomorrow. I am a happily married woman, and even though Mr. Vanderhuff here is not a ‘big fan of fidelity,’ as he so eloquently told me just a moment ago, I don’t want you to think for a second that I was doing anything ‘intimately’ with this smug fool.”
“The lady feels a need to defend herself,” he added, clearly playing for the audience before he glowered at me.
“From men like you, absolutely!” I exclaimed, glaring at him. “Ladies, please allow me to introduce Mr. Adam Vanderhuff. Is he charming? He probably could be in the right circumstance, although he ushered me out of my car this evening by calling me a goddess. Can you imagine that kind of drivel coming from a supposedly sophisticated gentleman? If by some miracle you’re still interested after that tidbit of information, I would have to tell you that he considers marriage and fidelity a kind of challenge to disrupt, not one to pursue, so he’s probably not commitment material. Had my husband been here this evening, I am sure Mr. Vanderhuff would at the very least be sporting a black eye.” Saying nothing, Adam refused to take his eyes off me.
“Fortunately, I think this little act is over, so if you will please return your attention to the stage,” I stated with fanfare, “I’m certain Adam’s sister would love to continue her portrayal of Alice. Adam, would you care to take a bow for your marvelous acting performance?” He continued to stare me down, unmoving, while his face turned slightly red.
Yeah, might have overdone it a tad.
“Thank you ladies and gentlemen!” I called, giving my own mock curtsy before I turned abruptly and motioned with my eyes, hoping that Hannah and Maureen would follow me out of that box. To my relief, Maureen was right on my heels as I padded across the gray carpet.
“Oh, Camdyn, that was hilarious!” she squealed. “Do you hear that?”
“What?” I asked, pausing and looking over at her as Hannah closed in behind us, Meg about ten feet behind. Rising out of the theater was the distinct roar of applause.
“You brought the house down!” Maureen laughed. “What a riot!”
“Riot?!” Meg repeated in disbelief. “How am I going to explain this to your father?”
And, just as quickly as the sense of accomplishment had settled upon me, I was filled with a sense of dread, because what type of sane person commands an audience from the balcony during the middle of a play?
More importantly, how was I supposed to explain this new nightmare to Cole?
-§-
Maureen was relentless in her commentary on what she deemed the “Vandersnoot Smackdown” on our way back to Meg’s house. She was rather indifferent to my takedown of the smug male Vanderhuff, saying she found the episode amusing, but I hadn’t really revealed anything about his character that she hadn’t already known. My interruption of Olivia’s performance, though – albeit accidental on my part – was classified as epic by my young cousin. People would not soon forget their introduction to Camdyn Parker, Maureen insisted.
Secretly, I hoped she was incorrect. I did have my public pen name outing the next week, after all, and this whole episode was rather embarrassing.
Meg did not share Maureen’s enjoyment of my escapade. She kept muttering to herself, wondering aloud what Bill would do, and for once I felt a little guilty that my misfortune, or tendency to cause trouble, was going to negatively impact my newfound family.
If only I would have stayed with Hannah, maybe this wouldn’t have happened.
No! It wasn’t my fault, and I shouldn’t feel badly about someone else being a jerk, should I?
Probably not, but you did attempt to assault him – unsuccessfully.
Not that he didn’t deserve it, but not very ladylike, Camdyn.
“I think I might have been better off wearing my stupid shorts to the theater,” I whispered to myself, earning a giggle from Hannah next to me in the backseat.
“Are you always so dramatic?” she wondered, causing me to smirk at myself.
“Most of the time,” I admitted.
As soon as we arrived at the house, I excused myself to Meg’s closet and removed that dress, sliding my shorts back on and shrugging my way into the t-shirt. I then sat on the closet floor for a minute feeling completely sorry for myself, because this trip had turned into quite a disaster, and I felt a little bit like an accident waiting to happen. The closet seemed like the safest place for the moment.
Eventually I had to rejoin the others, though. I settled at the dining room table and helped myself to a plate of cookies that Meg set out as Hannah eyed me warily from where she still sat in her Hepburn-esque dress, looking very elegant and un-Camdynlike.
She probably can’t be my sister, can she? We’re practically opposites.
“Boys are home,” Maureen announced across the table, grinning slyly. She was enjoying my discomfort almost as much as she enjoyed the little show back at the theater. Taking a deep breath, I avoided looking at the doorway and instead focused on the half-eaten cookie in my hand, studying each chocolate chip as though I was an entomologist in a sandbox. All I was missing was a magnifying glass.
“Well, that was a bust,” Bill stated as he crossed the threshold. “The game was so bad, we left in the seventh inning.”
“That’s a pity, Dad,” Maureen purred. “You should have come to the theater. The entertainment was absolute perfection.”
“Is she being facetious?” Bill asked with a sigh as he stopped in the middle of the room, Cole stepping up behind him. He immediately pointed to my clothes and gave me a disgusted look, but instead of smiling at him, I simply looked back down at my cookie.
“Of course she is,” Meg sa
id simply without emotion, but I didn’t dare look up. Hearing Charlie and Grandpa shuffle into the room, I began studying the grain of the wood in the table, feeling very guilty.
“Olivia was horrid, of course,” Maureen explained, “but Camdyn’s performance was divine.”
“What did you do?” Charlie asked me in a hushed tone. While I pondered how to explain myself, I was preempted by the eager Maureen.
“Let’s just say Adam Vanderhuff will probably not want to show his face for a few days,” she chuckled, clearly pleased to be telling the story.
“What did she do to the poor guy?” Charlie questioned as he gave me a look of exasperation.
“Nothing, really,” Maureen assured him with a laugh. “She just got in a catfight with him and then tried to karate chop him.”
“Oh my goodness,” Bill breathed, settling onto a dining room chair. At that point I dared a glance at Cole, who was staring me down with those deep brown eyes.
Wow, I’ve blown it this time.
“I’m not entirely certain he didn’t deserve it,” Meg informed her husband, and as I watched Cole’s hand go into his hair, I steeled myself for a lecture.
“Cam,” was all he whispered, and I set the cookie down on the table, rising abruptly to my feet.
“It wasn’t my fault,” I blurted, words flying out before I could measure them. “He was right there at the car, calling me goddess and being all smug and flirty, and then he was being all creepy, telling me I mesmerized him. And then, telling me the fates wanted us to be alone, and I told him not to touch me…that I was a married woman. ‘I’m not a fan of fidelity,’ he said. I shouldn’t have tried to break out my jujitsu, but he tried to kiss me…”
“My poor girl…” Grandpa muttered, momentarily interrupting.
“…and my wrist hurt really bad. He didn’t even let go when I kicked him, so yes, I did… I defended myself, and I had a right to.”
Chest heaving slightly, I stood there helplessly and waited for someone to take up for me, or for Cole to scold me – really for anything. All I received, though, were a few seconds of complete silence, followed by the beginnings of laughter coming from none other than my own brother, just seconds before my husband joined in, chuckling at my expense.
“It really was quite undignified,” I mumbled, causing them to laugh even harder. At that point, even Bill allowed himself to laugh a bit. Feeling completely ill-at-ease, I stood there stupidly as everyone around that dining room enjoyed my misfortune. Even Hannah stole a smile and hid her laughter behind her hand.
“You’re in rare form, Cammie,” Charlie choked out. “First yesterday with the gas station bathroom incident, then getting involved with that drug sting, and now finding your way into a fight…”
“And that wasn’t all,” Maureen cackled across the room. “The play completely stopped, and Camdyn commanded the entire theater from the balcony, completely excoriating Adam and making him out to be a buffoon. When she was finished, she even took a little curtsy.”
Gosh, that sounds terrible.
Letting my shoulders slump, I stared at Cole as I watched him laugh, eventually giving me that irresistible grin, after which I sighed loudly.
“Well, in any case,” Bill interjected, “tomorrow will likely be an interesting day at the office.”
-§-
Once everyone had their fill of laughing at my expense, the three of us headed back to the hotel, me sitting in the back seat rather dejectedly while Cole and Charlie discussed the ballgame. Fully convinced that they weren’t concerned with my crummy evening, I leaned my head against the cool window, staring out into the darkness.
We made it to our destination without either of the boys speaking to me, and as I walked back to the room I shared with my husband, I wondered if it would truly be our first weird and disjointed evening as a married couple. Up until that point, even when I had done something idiotic, he had forgotten it by bedtime. I took a deep breath as he opened the door to our room, and then I strolled inside purposefully, heading straight to my suitcase to find my pajamas and toothbrush. Pulling the zipper down and the flap back, I felt a warm hand against my waist, and I paused for a moment. His other hand slid around me, holding me against him, and he settled his chin on my shoulder, resting his face next to mine.
“Why didn’t I know that you were skilled in jujitsu?” he wondered, lightly kissing my neck.
“Please don’t tease me,” I whispered, wrapping my fingers around his arms. “I already feel stupid.” He squeezed me tighter and leaned to the side so he could look me in the eye.
“Don’t get me wrong – I’m borderline furious,” he admitted, a muscle twitching along his jaw. “Part of me wants to find this guy and teach him a lesson.”
“But…” I suggested, feeling a deeper explanation coming.
“But there is something unbelievably attractive about knowing you are faithfully mine to the point of trying kung fu on a guy.”
“Cole!” I protested as he brought his hand up to hold my face still.
“Remind me never to cross you,” he joked with a grin.
“As if you could,” I muttered.
“Oh, I could,” he assured me. “I’m considering doing it right now, just to see the little warrior in action.”
“You want to fight me?” I asked with a laugh, as he brought his face close and brushed his lips against mine, just barely, before he inched himself away.
“Yeah, I think so,” he said with a smirk, twisting me around and smacking me playfully on the cheek. “Fight me.”
“I’m not going to fight you,” I told him, shaking my head as I rolled my eyes a bit.
“Come on, Bruce Lee,” he teased, tapping me on the cheek again. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”
“No.”
“Just show me how hard you hit him,” he insisted, holding his hand in the air. I clumsily swung my arm forward and connected with his palm, at which point he started laughing. “That’s all you’ve got?” he wondered. I recovered and tried again, giving him a warning glance before I threw all my weight behind the movement. As soon as I connected, his fingers closed around my arm and gently shoved me back.
“I could have used you tonight,” I joked, as he removed his hand from my wrist and wrapped his arms around my waist, staring into my eyes.
“Sounds like you did okay.”
“No,” I stated adamantly, putting my hands against his chest. “I need you. All the time. Desperately.”
“Keep talking,” he suggested with a twinkle in his eye.
“No, thank you,” I sighed. “I don’t feel like talking.” Widening his eyes, he raised his hand and pressed it against my forehead.
“You don’t feel hot,” he muttered, after fake-checking me for a fever. “Don’t get me wrong – you’re always pretty hot. You were a lot hotter earlier, though, in that red dress. I hadn’t seen you in a dress since that white one you wore a couple weeks ago.”
“You just…”
“Shhh,” he whispered, placing his finger against my lips. “You don’t feel like talking, remember?”
Chapter Sixteen
When I awoke the next morning, I had to check my phone to find out what day of the week it was. Considering the fact that Cole and I were supposed to get back into a routine after our “honeymoon week,” our lack of any normalcy was starting to make me feel a little like old Camdyn, flying by the seat of my pants.
Friday? How can it already be Friday?
Rather than text-stalking Cole like he had the day before, Charlie had managed to talk his way into our room while I was in the shower. When I emerged from the steamy little room, it had been to a lot of commotion and a mad scramble back out of sight, while Charlie insisted that he hadn’t seen anything. Seriously, a little warning would have been nice. Instead, I had to wait while Cole brought me something from the suitcase. The items he brought me didn’t match, and I had to get dressed and then dig through my suitcase and repeat the process, bu
t at least I didn’t have to do any of that in front of my brother, so I didn’t complain.
Besides, Charlie seemed really happy, and I knew that he was overjoyed to find that we had a grandfather after all these years. The two Charlies had been getting along great so far, and they had made some sort of plans for the day. Imagining myself tagging along with the boys, I twisted a couple of pieces of my hair into ringlets with my finger and tried to look presentable without any true amount of effort. Giving up, I pulled my hair loosely on top of my head, allowing a few tendrils to escape and fan out about my face.
“She’s finally ready,” Charlie announced as I stepped fully into the room. Placing my hands on my hips, I gave him a playful little smirk.
“You’re looking very cute this morning,” Cole remarked with a grin, and I immediately forgot about Charlie.
“Really?” I asked, giving him a flirty smile.
“Stop it right now,” Charlie ordered. “You two are not ruining my day with your canoodling or your lovey-dovey mushy garbage. When I’m in your presence, I demand that you act like normal people.”
“He demands it,” I whispered to Cole, giving him a wink and making a kissy face.
“How am I supposed to comply with your elder brother’s rules with you trying so hard to thwart him?” Cole asked, inclining his head toward Charlie.
“Ugh, you’re even talking like her,” Charlie stated as he wrinkled his nose. “It might have done you some good to be separated for a couple of days, so you could detox.”
“Maybe,” Cole agreed as he smiled at me, “but it’s too late now. I’m afraid I’m past all hope.” Taking a step towards him, I let him wrap his arms around me as I placed my elbow gently on his shoulder, continuing to look at my brother.
A Reason to Forget (The Camdyn Series Book 3) Page 21
