Brides and Brothers by Anneka R. Walker

Chapter 27

Camille

The next evening, after Camille had caught up on housework, she curled up on the couch to finish reading Emma. Apparently, not all matchmaking ended well. Should Camille be worried? The story was making her second-guess her glimpse of hope from the night before. She punched a pillow and shoved it behind her back. She was just getting into her book again when Easton walked in. He had a bowl of popcorn in one arm and a textbook in the other.

“Big test, huh?” Camille asked.

“Yep,” Easton said. “Nothing like cramming.”

“You’ve been busy.”

Easton nodded. “Between school and work, I shouldn’t have gone over to Wendy’s house last night—you know, that girl I just started dating. I did not have time for that.”

Was it Camille’s book of choice that made her wish Easton were dating Emma? “I haven’t heard the latest report about Wendy. You two must still be going forward.”

“Yeah, we’re still trying to figure it out. Her personality is a little unpredictable, and I can’t ever guess what she’s thinking.”

Camille bit her lip to keep from smiling. “Aren’t all women a little like that?”

Easton eyed her. “You should know.”

“Me?” Camille put her hand to her heart. “I never go all moody or weird on Aiden. Only every other time I talk to him.”

Easton rolled his eyes. “That doesn’t help me. You’re supposed to give me relationship advice.”

“I can tell you how to treat a woman right, but I can’t tell you if she’ll make the cut. That’s between you and God.”

Easton focused on the fireplace at the end of the room. “I haven’t ever dated seriously. None of us have. With Aiden married, following his lead feels like the natural thing to do.”

Camille slid her bookmark into place and shut her book. “You’re feeling the pressure. When I was twenty-one, I wanted nothing more than to get married. With every year that passed, I became increasingly discouraged that my chances of meeting Mr. Right were slim to none. It wasn’t necessarily so, but in my limited perspective, it felt like it. I wish I could tell everyone not to lose hope on getting married, because the Lord’s plan might take a lifetime to unfold, but it’s ten zillion times better than what we could plan for ourselves. Aiden was worth waiting for. So be patient with yourself. It’ll work out if it’s supposed to.”

Easton rubbed his jaw. “I want to make it work with the right one.”

“Put a pea under her bed.” That earned Camille another eye roll, which only encouraged her next answer. “Or hold up a mirror in front of her face and see if the mirror tells you she’s the fairest in the land.” Easton grimaced. “Better yet, see if she fits into a pair of your mother’s heels. Then you’ll really know you’ve got a winner.”

“Don’t make me call Aiden.”

Camille giggled. “I think that’s my cue to bow out of here before you start to question my mental standing. Good luck cramming for your test.”

“Thanks.”

She shut the family room doors so Easton could have some quiet to study, then crossed into the kitchen with a sudden hankering for popcorn. Easton’s had smelled good. She opened the cupboard and took out a package of kettle corn—her favorite. She slipped it into the microwave as Daegan came striding in wearing a sharp button-up shirt. She vaguely remembered ironing the shirt a few days earlier.

“Hot date with Macey tonight?” she asked. She punched the popcorn button on the microwave and turned to face him. Not everyone was having success in their relationships, but at least a few were.

“No Macey tonight. I’m taking out this new girl I met at church.” Daegan’s eyebrows danced with excitement.

“What?” Camille frowned. “Did you and Macey break up?”

“Break up? You have to be exclusive to break up,” Daegan said.

Camille blinked several times. “You’ve taken Macey out several times and domineered all her free time for nearly a month. That’s pretty exclusive.”

“Yeah, I guess.” Daegan shrugged. “Don’t freak out. I’ll probably take Macey out again next week.”

“You can’t make a woman think you’re dating her exclusively and then take someone else out. That’s . . .” Camille sputtered, her voice getting louder, as she tried to think of a word. Her pregnant brain was not the same as her prepregnant brain. She was a teacher, for crying out loud! “It’s being a player.”

“Did I hear the p-word?” Cade asked, sauntering into the room. “That’s a naughty word, Camille. I don’t think you should say that.”

Camille took her popcorn bag out of the microwave and shook it. She justified her shouting as a need to be heard over the rattle of the bag. “I have good reason. Your brother is planning on taking out some new girl tonight.”

Cade sighed and shook his head. “Only because he beat me to her. But I have it all arranged; I’ll take her out next week.”

Camille’s temper flared, and her pulse accelerated to a dangerous pace. She should keep her mouth shut, but who else would step in and say something? They didn’t have a mom, but they did have a big sister now. “Do you even care how Macey and Raina will feel about this? They’re probably turning down dates to be with you, while you two are running after every attractive female who crosses your path. If you don’t want to date them seriously, then you have to break up with them before you take any other woman out.”

“Oh, we have to, do we?” Cade said casually.

Camille scowled. “Yes! Or I’ll have Aiden come . . . come . . .”

“Spank us?” Daegan finished for her.

“I’ll stop feeding you!” Camille marched off to her room with her popcorn and book but stopped halfway there. She turned, tears pricking her eyes, and pointed at them. “It’s the code of a gentleman—the difference between a guy I can respect and one I can’t.”

The next morning, Camille gagged while brushing her teeth and lost the contents of her stomach in the bathroom sink. She took a deep breath and rinsed the sink. Loving her body was hard these days. She put her tired head on the counter, and her hands shook as they gripped the edge. Where were her happy thoughts? Regardless of her lack of positivity, she was going to have to buck up.

Her nausea was much worse if she slept poorly, and last night had been rough. Daegan and Cade had had her so riled, she’d called Aiden to complain about them. After pouring her heart out, he’d told her she’d blown the situation out of proportion. Daegan and Cade were noncommittal, lighthearted, and silly, and she needed to adjust her expectations for them. When she’d begged for him to interfere, Aiden had reminded her that they were grown men and would have to reap the consequences of their actions.

That meant she was going to have to break it to Macey and Raina, because obviously Daegan and Cade weren’t going to man up and do it themselves. Camille turned on the shower and took her time getting ready. The boys were used to getting their own breakfasts again, but on weekends Camille forced herself to make them something special. Today it would be for Easton, Flynn, and Benson. Cade and Daegan would have to cry over their cereal bowls while the rest of them ate something extra gourmet.

She put on her house slippers and padded to the kitchen to find something palatable for her sensitive tummy. She saw a note on the fridge and pulled it from underneath the magnet.

Sorry for last night. We fixed it with the girls.

—C&D

They must’ve called Macey and Raina and broken up with them. It was the decent thing to do, even if Camille wished they hadn’t needed to do it. She would have to bring some chocolate to her friends and commiserate with them.

She rubbed her eyes. How many days until Aiden was back? Moments like this made her miss him more than ever. If he were here, he’d be dealing with this too. How was she ever going to have a normal marriage if Cade and Daegan were noncommittal and never moved out? Her eyes misted over. She’d been an eternal watering pot for the last two months. She swiped at her eyes and sniffled a few times as she pulled out her cookbook.

Later that morning, while Camille was sitting on a couch in the family room and folding laundry, Daisha called her.

“Camille’s Washhouse, this is the laundry lady speaking. How can I help you?”

“Sorry, wrong number,” Daisha replied. “I was calling for Millie’s Matchmaking Services.”

Camille chuckled. “Let me transfer you. Okay, Wishes for Kisses, Camille speaking.”

Daisha snorted. “I had no idea your talents were so versatile. I’m impressed.”

“No, I’m impressed. You have impeccable timing,” Camille said into the phone. “You always call while I’m folding laundry, which is exactly when I need someone to distract me. I could give the commercial laundry businesses in town a run for their money. Someone needs to know about my talents.”

“They’re lucky to have you over there. Free labor and all.”

Camille smiled. “You’d better believe it. They do help a little, but I don’t have the patience to stare at dirty work clothes until their wash day comes. And I think serving them has been what I needed. But you didn’t call to hear about laundry, did you?”

“Nope, I’ve got something a little more important on my mind.”

“What’s up?” Camille cradled the phone between her ear and her shoulder so she could set down the towel she’d just folded and pull out another.

“Benson sent me flowers this morning.”

Camille dropped the towel into her lap and held the phone closer to her ear. “You mean Derek?”

Daisha sighed into the phone. “No, I mean Benson.”

“Derek will have his head. Don’t tell him. He’ll forbid you from coming here again.” Camille leaned back into the couch cushion.

Daisha chuckled into the phone. “I don’t think Derek is going to care. At least, I won’t know if he cares or care that he cares.”

“Ouch, that’s harsh. I’m not following exactly. Did something happen between you and Derek?”

“You mean Benson didn’t tell you about last night? I told Derek no, as in we’re done. Of course, I gave him my answer over dinner, and when he freaked out, I couldn’t stay. The next thing I know, I’m walking home in ten-degree weather with only my jean jacket to keep me warm. It was about the worst idea ever. Benson happened to be driving by, and when he saw me and pulled over to pick me up, you’d think I would’ve been relieved, but I wasn’t exactly in the best mood.”

“Are you okay?” Camille brought her fist to her mouth and whispered a silent prayer for her friend. Ending a relationship was no easy thing.

“It’s rough, but the flowers are helping.”

“Benson should’ve waited a few weeks, at least, before making a move. I would totally understand if it creeped you out a bit.” Camille sighed. She picked the towel up off her lap and folded it, setting it on top of the others. Then she pushed the laundry basket away and propped her feet up on it.

“He sent them as an apology. He told me off for acting all tough about the breakup. I don’t know what he was thinking. Like I would bear my heart to him on a drive home. We’re not even that good of friends.”

Camille tried to piece together what had happened. “He didn’t send them because he’s celebrating that you finally dumped Derek and he wants to ask you out?”

“I’m impressed he cared enough to send flowers, but let’s not jump to conclusions.”

Camille had a sneaking suspicion they were for both reasons. “What kind of flowers were they?”

“Roses.”

“The color?”

“Red.”

“Oh boy. I’ll have to have a talk with that guy.”

Daisha half-coughed, half-laughed. “What? No! The red color doesn’t mean anything. The note said it all. Besides, he likes Emma, remember?”

“Maybe he does; maybe he doesn’t. One date doesn’t mean he’s in love with her. And I think the color does mean something. Just last week Aiden sent me flowers. In his note was the meaning of each color. If you ask me, brothers think alike. I guarantee Benson sent you that kind and color of flower for a reason—the very reason you refuse to believe.”

“Two words for you: Benson and Emma. Benson is way out of my league, and he’s unavailable. I was lucky to have Derek. It’s my own fault that my heart didn’t appreciate him enough to keep him.”

“Was the note with your flowers any good?” Camille tried to squelch her curiosity, but it wasn’t happening.

“He said he’s not the best communicator and apologized for blundering everything. He said he hopes things work out for me . . . yada yada.”

“That’s sweet!” Camille said.

“Especially after the way I treated him. The timing was awful for me to run into him, and I probably would’ve kicked a dog if I’d seen one.”

“So what’s your game plan?”

“Game plan? I’ll graduate after next semester, hope not to get sucked back home, and maybe try to find a job somewhere in the west.”

Camille could sense her friend’s depressed state from her tone. “Today’s Saturday. You should stuff your textbooks under the bed and come hang out with me. I’ve got chicken in the crockpot, and dinner should be delish.”

Camille heard Daisha sigh. “I would, except I’m not ready to run into Benson again.”

“I could always come to you, if that’s the case. I was planning on bringing something over for Macey and Raina anyway.”

“Oh, why?”

“Because Daegan and Cade dumped them last night.”

“Last night? The four of them were singing quartets in our living room last night. It was so painfully annoying that there’s no way they’re over.”

Camille’s eyes widened. “I can’t believe it! They actually fixed things. I hope it was because they really like Macey and Raina and not because I made them feel guilty.”

“What happened?”

“Apparently, nothing a lecture from their big sister couldn’t fix.”

“Macey and Raina are gushing every ten seconds about how in love they are. Whatever you did, it worked.”

Sighing, Camille adjusted her phone. “I don’t think Daegan and Cade are quite there yet, but they are officially off the naughty list. I guess I’ll be baking for them instead.” Camille closed her eyes. “They didn’t deserve me acting like their mom . . . again.” Or maybe being pregnant meant she had permission to act that way now.

“Don’t be too hard on yourself. How are you feeling, by the way?”

Camille hadn’t told anyone about her pregnancy. Aiden needed to know first. She’d just let everyone assume the antinausea medicine was for her thyroid and she was perfectly fine. She couldn’t hide her fatigue, though, and her tummy looked bloated but relatively normal.

“Better, thanks. I’ve still been sleeping in, but the guys are pretty cool about tiptoeing around so they don’t wake me up early. They’re the best.”

“How’s Aiden?” Daisha said, changing subjects.

“He’s overworked and eager to come home. I talk to him during the day if he takes a lunch break and then again after dinner. I miss him like crazy.” That was an understatement, but with how emotional she was lately, crazy seemed a fitting word for a lot of things. She could imagine her mother would be eager to see her like this and complain about how Camille’s life was one big mistake after another.

“Are you guys going to be rich after this? I could use a house for a graduation present.”

“Ha ha,” Camille said. “I think it will be a lucrative deal, but it will be our money. The money he earned before went into the farm fund. Aiden wants to separate things so Benson becomes the financial representative for that entity and will be able to use the farm money to build a house for himself and his future family. I don’t know why I’m telling you all this. Aiden hasn’t even told Benson.”

“Sounds complicated.”

Camille sighed. Why did she have to be grouped together with the word complicated? “It is, but Aiden’s right. There isn’t any reason we should take the family’s money if we want to go on a trip or buy a new car. They all shared everything before, but Aiden wants everyone to have their own bank accounts and their own money. It’s crazy to think they managed so well before. I wish there were an easier way to go about it though. I’d like a husband who lives in the same state.”

“Now that you’re feeling better, maybe you could stand being in the car long enough to drive down and be with him. You do have a semiportable job.”

“I’ve thought about it, but he works long hours, and I’d be stuck in the hotel room. He’ll be home for Thanksgiving. It’s only another week. And, by the way, you should spend the holiday with us now that you’re off the hook with Derek. We’re going to Island Park. You’d love it!”

“Thanks, but I’ll ask around here to see what my roomies are doing before I commit. I’m their den mother, remember?”

Camille knew the real reason, but she didn’t press the issue. “If you change your mind, you’re always welcome.”