Brides and Brothers by Anneka R. Walker
Chapter 6
Camille
Camille clasped her hands to hide her nerves. If she did something nice for someone, it usually involved a plate of cookies. This was completely out of her comfort zone. Was she trying to impress Aiden by coming along? Their date had gone perfectly—with the exception of Jeremy, the other random stranger, and the eager waitress—and she wanted to help Aiden if she could.
When he pulled in front of a small boxed-shaped single-story house, a woman was standing on the steps, illuminated by two porch lights. It was hard to see clearly in the dim light, but as soon as Camille saw the expression of concern on the woman’s face, it was enough to make her glad she’d come.
“Hey, Charlotte. I hope you don’t mind that I brought my date along,” Aiden said as he wrapped his arms around the tall, thin woman. “Are you doing all right? What’s up with Paul?”
When Aiden pulled back, Charlotte wrung her hands. “I’m worried. He’s having some chest pains.”
“Let’s go talk to him.” Aiden let himself inside, then stepped back and held the door open for them to follow. Charlotte entered first and then Camille.
Every square foot of the room was decorated in crafts—painted ceramic houses on a shelf, embroidered quotes, and fake flower arrangements. It was a cozy atmosphere, but Camille was uneasy about intruding in a personal matter.
“He’s in the back room,” Charlotte said. “You go ahead and talk to him, and I’ll stay out here with your girlfriend.”
Aiden gave Camille a comforting look. “It’ll take a few minutes. Will you be okay?”
He hadn’t bothered correcting the girlfriend comment, not that she minded terribly. Camille forced a smile and nodded. “Go ahead. I’ll be fine.”
As soon as Aiden left the room, Charlotte pointed to a recliner chair. Camille sat on the edge and clasped her hands in her lap. “I hope your husband is all right.”
Charlotte took a seat across from Camille on a brown leather couch, giving Camille a good look at her. She had black hair, but it was clearly an unnatural shade meant to hide the gray underneath. Her face was still youthful, so it was hard to guess her age. Camille estimated her to be in her early fifties.
“I think it’s a heart attack,” Charlotte said. “But Paul doesn’t want to go to the hospital.”
“Oh.” Camille’s eyes widened. “I’m so sorry.”
“Aiden will talk some sense into him. He’s like the son Paul and I never had. My husband won’t listen to me, but Aiden has a way of helping him see reason when he gets stubborn. Whenever I need anything, Aiden always comes right over.”
“That’s sweet.”
Charlotte smiled for the first time. “You’ll never meet anyone sweeter than our Aiden. Have you known him long?”
“This is our first—I mean our second date.”
“I’ve watched Aiden grow up, and I can’t say there is anyone more selfless. He’s usually too busy taking care of everyone else to think about his own happiness. I can’t tell you how happy I am to see him out on a date with a pretty girl.” Charlotte’s eyes filled with tears. She wiped at her eyes. “I’m sorry. I’m just so worried.”
“Don’t apologize, please,” Camille said.
Aiden came out with his arm around Paul, a gray-haired man with a solid frame and large forearms. He seemed to be in fairly good physical shape.
“Let’s take Paul in to get him checked out as a precaution,” Aiden said. Charlotte jumped to her feet, but Camille stood with less certainty. Aiden gave Camille a look of regret. “I’m sorry, Camille. I’ll take you home as soon as I get Paul checked in to the hospital. Do you mind coming along for the ride?”
The four of them piled into Aiden’s jeep, with Charlotte and Paul in the back seat. In the dark, Aiden caught Camille’s gaze and gave her a grateful smile. She returned it, hoping he knew she wasn’t sorry about their date—only regretful his friend was in pain. Could a look tell a person that much? She hoped so.
An hour later, Paul was checked in to the hospital and waiting for tests. Aiden found Camille in the waiting room, and she set aside a magazine so he could take her home. Once they reached her complex, Aiden parked in the only open spot near the back. He jumped out of the car and hurried to open her door. They walked side by side on the cracked sidewalk leading around the parking lot to the side staircase to her apartment.
She caught Aiden looking at her. “What is it?”
“Thanks for coming tonight.”
“I don’t for a minute regret going.” How else could she have seen such a personal glimpse into Aiden’s life? There had been no pretenses like typical early dating scenarios.
“While they were running tests on Paul, Charlotte couldn’t stop telling him about how pretty and sweet you are. It looks like your presence really made a difference. I’m just sorry for putting you in a stressful situation.”
She put her hand on his arm. “I sincerely hope Paul recovers quickly. Why don’t you come over the day after tomorrow for Sunday dinner and you can update me on how he’s doing?” She normally scared off pretty easily, but this time she was going out on a limb. She had nothing to lose since it seemed more and more likely that she wouldn’t be in Cherish for long.
“I’d like that.” Aiden seemed relieved by the invitation.
They climbed the two flights of stairs and stopped in front of her door. Aiden took a step closer and tucked her into a quick but warm hug. His goodbye was quiet, and he didn’t linger. She watched him walk away, his hands pushed inside the pockets of his slacks. She smiled. Good men like Aiden were rare. Camille went to sleep that night with the smile still plastered to her face. To avoid making her roommate Sarah think she was strange, she fell asleep with her face to the wall.