Brides and Brothers by Anneka R. Walker
Chapter 12
Camille
“I can’t come.”
Camille pressed the phone tighter to her ear, the text on her laptop blurring. “Mom, we moved our wedding up because this was the weekend you said you could make it.”
“I’m sorry. I had every intention of coming, but a wedding for a VIP got pushed up a few days because of a press leak. They’ve had their deposit down for six months. What am I supposed to do?”
“It’s fine.” Camille could hardly keep her voice steady. “Aiden’s family has already arrived, so I can’t postpone. I’ll send pictures.” This wasn’t happening. Camille hurried and ended the call. She hit Aiden’s name under her favorites in her contact list and barely contained her emotions while the phone rang.
“Hey, I’m almost to your apartment. How’s my bride-to-be?”
“Not good.” Camille moved her laptop to the side of the couch with a trembling hand. “Can we take a drive to that spot where you proposed?”
“Of course.”
When Aiden arrived, she let herself into his car, barely keeping her tears at bay. With a tremor in her voice, she relayed the news while he drove.
After a few minutes, they arrived at their destination and climbed out of the car. Aiden met her with his arms out, and she eagerly stepped into them. “We can postpone,” he said. “Your happiness is all that matters.”
“I don’t know what to do. I’m angry with my mom and so confused about everything. But I wanted this for me, not her.”
He pulled her back and took one hand. “Come here. I have something for you.”
Surprised, she quietly followed him into the grove of trees to the very spot where he’d proposed. He reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out a small velvet box. Her stomach flipped with anticipation. He opened the box, exposing a ring with a solitaire diamond.
“Oh, Aiden.” Camille put her hand over her mouth.
He slid down onto one knee. “I wanted to ask you properly on top of a mountain or after a romantic dinner, but our plans keep changing, and you need this now. Camille Kelly, I love you. You’re a strong woman who doesn’t fold when challenges come. I admire your resilience, your faith, and your caring personality. I promise to do my best to make you happy.”
He loved her. Finally, he had said the words she’d ached to hear. He took her hand and slid the ring onto her finger. “This was my mom’s engagement ring.” He cleared his throat but not before his voice wavered. “We can get you another one too—one of your choosing—but it feels right to give you my most prized possession as I pledge my life to you. Will you marry me this weekend, next year, or whenever you feel ready?”
Aiden’s tender smile was the view Camille wanted to see over and over again for the rest of her life. “I love you, and I love the ring,” she said. “My answer is yes, I’ll marry you this weekend.” She circled her hands around his neck and lowered her head to meet his, letting her emotions pour through her kiss. She wasn’t backing out—even if she was marrying into a family she didn’t know. Aiden wrapped her tighter in his arms. She didn’t need her mom’s support. She needed Aiden.
The definition of a wedding had to be a heavenly blur with natural side effects of fatigue and cheek strain from smiling. With the ceremony and the long day with family over, Camille was grateful they had decided to skip an evening reception and send out announcements for one later. Being a little more established in life than most newlyweds had its benefits. Okay, Aiden was more established, but she did own her own Bosch mixer, so they hadn’t needed presents and gift money to start their new life.
Camille had eyes for only Aiden, and very few thoughts were spared for her mother. It had helped having her aunt there to assist her into her dress and cry at all the right moments. Her aunt and uncle had blended right into Aiden’s big family. Aiden had an aunt and uncle come all the way from Denver, and another from Utah, to show their support. Aiden’s grandparents had also traveled from Utah and had driven with their son’s family. And Camille had finally met all of Aiden’s brothers.
She was ashamed she’d not taken time to meet them before the big day. Her fear was still there, but now that she officially belonged in their family, she had a new desire to have a relationship with them. No one had told her love would feel this way—this deep, immeasurable bond to a person and all they cared about.
After the wedding their family and friends joined them at a restaurant for a quick luncheon. As they finished up, Paul and Charlotte came to wish them one last congratulations. Camille thanked them for coming, feeling grateful for Paul’s recovery and the effort they’d made to come.
As they walked away, Aiden leaned close to Camille and whispered, “I have a surprise wedding gift for you.”
“Oh?” She hadn’t thought of giving him anything beyond herself.
“It’s not much, but I hope you’ll like it. With my extended family crashing at the house because of our last-minute plans, I don’t want to stay there tonight. So I’m gifting you an unofficial honeymoon—a weekend getaway to Island Park.”
She scooted closer to him on the wooden bench of their booth at the restaurant, amazed that he’d found time to plan anything—and even more amazed that she felt ready for it. “It’s decided. You’re my favorite husband ever.”
“Your only husband ever.”
She smiled. “That too.”
Before long, they said their goodbyes and climbed into Aiden’s car. Their family lined up on the sidewalk of the restaurant and clapped and waved as they pulled out of the parking lot. The drive to Island Park was a familiar view to Aiden, but to Camille, the wooded area decked out in fall colors left her breathless. She was married. She was loved. Was this why the colors were heightened, or was it always so beautiful?
Camille turned away from the mesmerizing view and studied her new husband. “Should we go on a hike tomorrow to explore?”
“I think we can manage that,” Aiden said.
She wondered if he would always be so accommodating. “Was it hard to find a rental on such short notice?”
Aiden gave her a curious look. “Didn’t I tell you about our house in Island Park? It’s about an hour-and-a-half drive with the best views of forest and mountains.”
“You mentioned you grew up there, but I had no idea you had a second house.”
Aiden reached over and found her hand. “Another fun surprise, then. We call it our cabin now. It’s small but comfortable. Not enticing enough for anyone to want to live there again because of how secluded it is, but it’s perfect for a weekend getaway.”
She hoped all his surprises would be as exciting. “I can’t think of anything I would like more than to spend the weekend there with you.”
Aiden pulled the car in front of the cabin, which had wood siding and a small wraparound deck and was framed by aspen and pine trees. He parked and then took her on a tour of the lot first, showing her the firepit and a crude but adorable treehouse. As spellbinding as the woods were at dusk, it was the interior tour of the cabin that made Aiden’s past come alive. Here he’d carved his name into the rail of the staircase, listened to his mom read him stories in the loft, and dreamed of his future.
He stopped at their room and smiled shyly. “This is where we’ll be sleeping.” He put his hand on the back of his neck, but he couldn’t hide the red blotches.
She knew just how to put him at ease—and maybe her too. She pulled his hand down and encircled his neck with her arms. Then, standing on her tiptoes until she was almost nose-to-nose with him, she said, “You have my permission to kiss me senseless.”
Aiden captured her mouth with his own, flooding her with warmth. He held her close, kissing her until she went weak behind the knees. Dating had been wonderful, but their love was quickly amplified, cradled in the protective promises of marriage.
Time passed quickly, as it often did when one was happiest. All of Camille’s dreams of feeling loved and treasured had come true. It was too soon for her when Sunday night came and they loaded their bags back into the car.
Once they were back on the road, Aiden smiled at her, giving her butterflies. “What did you think of our home away from home?”
Camille turned the music down on the dash. “It’ll always be a special place to me now, and it made for the perfect beginning to our marriage.”
“I agree,” Aiden said. “I love that place. Can you believe all my brothers and I slept in the loft? When we moved to Cherish, the size of the house was important to my mom. My dad spared no expense in building a home they could retire in and hold all the grandkids that would come. Tonight I’ll give you the royal tour.”
“First the cabin, then the house. I feel spoiled.” She reached over and put her hand on his arm. “Even though the house is big, I bet it’s crowded when all your brothers come home. I can’t even imagine all those men crammed into the kitchen for an occasional dinner. It’s probably worse than living in the dorms.”
Aiden’s small chuckle turned into a hard laugh. Then, suddenly, he was eerily silent.
“Are you okay?” Camille asked. Aiden’s concerned features turned panicky. She followed his line of vision to the tar-patched street. “Did you see something on the road?”
“Come on. You’re joking, right?” Aiden gave Camille a side glance.
Camille tried to comprehend what he was referring to. “What joke?”
“Camille?” Aiden’s tone was suddenly subdued.
“Yes?”
“I know we’ve talked about this a lot, but we both came into this marriage knowing there would be plenty of surprises.”
“You’re making me nervous.” Camille swallowed back her dread. What was he getting at?
His tentative smile could easily be construed as a grimace. “Well, I’m hoping this will be a good surprise.”
“What is it?” Camille’s question came out like a growl.
Aiden cleared his throat. “After my parents died, as the oldest, I inherited the house. I also became the legal guardian of my brothers. Even though they’re adults now too, I take my responsibility very seriously. I could never replace my dad, but my brothers are a huge part of my life.” He stole a look at her. “Our wedding wasn’t easy for them.”
“I can understand that.” Camille reviewed her comments and wondered if she had said something insensitive about his family. “I was overwhelmed about the idea of meeting your family, but I should’ve taken the time to get to know them beforehand.”
“There is wisdom in that sentiment.” Aiden drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. “Don’t worry. You’ll have a chance to get to know them when we get back.”
Camille frowned. “Your brothers are still in town?”
“Oh, they’re definitely in town.”
“Do some live close? How long do they plan to stay?” Camille wondered if Aiden had bothered to stock the fridge, but she didn’t feel comfortable asking. She would check when she got home and go grocery shopping first thing in the morning.
“Well . . .” Aiden began.
“You don’t know?”
“Camille, sweetie, my brothers all live in our house.”
Camille’s mouth went dry, and she felt a surge of panic. “Stop the car!”
Aiden slammed on the brakes and pulled over without hesitation. “What is it?”
After lunging out the jeep door, Camille leaned against it and took several deep breaths. How could she live in a house with strange men? She pushed away from the car. She didn’t even remember their names. She paced up and down the length of it, trying to take in what Aiden had told her.
After a minute, Aiden climbed out of the car too. “You okay, honey?”
Had she, or had she not, married someone who lived with six of his single adult brothers? She wasn’t getting her own house by a long shot. She wasn’t giving up playing mother hen either. If she cooked for one, she’d have to cook for them all. This wasn’t a marriage; it was a setup.
“Camille?” Aiden came up beside her and drew her into a side hug. “Honey, everything is going to be fine. There’ll be an adjustment period, but we can make it through this together.”
She didn’t want to adjust. She wanted a normal marriage in a normal situation. Was that too much to ask for? She’d worked so hard to get to this point in her life. An emotional tidal wave nearly knocked her off-balance. Tears flooded her face. Within minutes, she had reached her blubbering stage. She tried incoherently to tell him how she felt, but her words were buried in her sobs.
“I don’t understand you, but don’t worry, everything is going to work out.” He put his arms around her and let her cry on his shoulder.
Seeing the wet mess of tears and snot on his sleeve made her feel a little better. That was, until the anger stole over her. She hit Aiden hard in the chest. “How did you neglect to tell me about six brothers who live at your house?”
Aiden rubbed the spot where she’d socked him. “Just five brothers, with Grant in Iraq. He’s a positive guy, but thanks to Amy, he’s more responsible and driven now.” She hit him again. “I’m sorry you’re mad. I mean, I’m glad you’re mad. You should be. I should have insisted you meet my brothers before this and avoided this whole misunderstanding.” His sheepish, pathetically guilty expression didn’t help anything. “At least you’re not crying anymore, right?”
The tears started afresh. How had she married someone who wasn’t comfortable with crying? That was something she had to get out of her system at least once a month.
After several minutes, she calmed down enough for Aiden to help her back into the car. “Sweetie?” he pressed. “Do you need me to take you to the hospital?”
Camille glared at him. “Why on earth would I want to go to the hospital?”
Aiden’s shoulders were pulled together in a tense position. “You aren’t feeling well. Maybe you ate something that disagreed with you or you need medicine to help with the stress.”
“Aiden, girls cry. They cry a lot. It’s something you’ll have to adjust to.”
His discomfort doubled before her eyes, and it made her feel a little more forgiving.
“I’ve never seen a girl cry this hard,” Aiden replied cautiously.
Camille glared at him again to make her point.
Aiden nodded as if he understood, even though Camille knew he didn’t. He didn’t get the gravity of what had happened, but at least he was smart enough to stop talking. They had foolishly run across the finish line when they should’ve crawled. Dating had been like playing pretend—all sunshine and promises sealed with a kiss. Marriage was for real.