Hot Damn (Hot as Puck #3)

23. Cami

Cami

B eckett hasn’t let me go home since he pulled into his garage last night. Nat turned up with some clothes and toiletries from my apartment first thing this morning and when I raised an eyebrow at her she gave me a look I didn’t want to argue with.

It wasn’t until a few hours later, when Detectives Clark and Anders came knocking, that I understood my best friend’s gruff delivery.

Someone broke into my apartment during the night.

And it wasn’t Kenneth Dupre because he was being entertained by the Baton Rouge Police Department at the time it happened.

Although he did give the police an idea of who might be behind the break-in just by telling them who paid him to get the scoop on Whitney Higgison.

Herman Draper.

I can’t believe he’s still hanging around after all these weeks. Surely some other celebrity has done something scandalous he could be digging up dirt on.

“Hey.”

Glancing away from my stare-down with the squirrel making itself a home in the big tree outside Beckett’s family room window, I find the man holding me hostage.

Okay, I’m not really a prisoner but when I suggested I get out of his hair by going to Mom and Dad’s, the look I got had me zipping my lips and retreating to this comfy couch.

“Are you hungry?”

“No. We just had lunch.”

“If you want something, just ask.”

“I want to get out of your hair.”

“You’re not in my hair.”

“Beckett!”

“Okay, fine. Everyone wants you to stay here.”

Sitting up, I twist around to face him. “Who’s everyone?”

“Natalie, Oakley, Blake, your dad.”

“Dad? When did you talk to my dad?”

“This morning. After the detectives left.”

“So you’re all pow-wowing and deciding what’s best for me like I’m a child?”

“No. We just want you to rest so you won’t be in as much pain.”

“I can do that at Dad’s.”

“Yeah, you could, but no one is home there.”

“Ah.” And the light bulb goes off. “I need a babysitter now?”

“Not a babysitter, just someone who can help you if you need it.”

“I don’t need it. I’ve been a mooch on you long enough?—”

“You are not mooching,” he all but shouts. With a sigh, he rakes his fingers through his hair. “Fine. I want you to stay here. I need to see you’re okay and I can’t do that if you go to your dad’s.”

“Oh. Well.”

I can’t think of what to say to that. We’ve barely spoken since we woke up this morning. The conversation we had before we went back to sleep weighed heavily on each of our minds in the light of day .

Well, I assume it’s weighing on Beckett, because it definitely felt like it was taking up a lot of space inside my head and it wasn’t my secret being revealed.

“Chase is dropping Whit off in about fifteen minutes.”

“Is it that late?” I don’t have my watch on or my phone to know what time it is, not that I’ve cared about it before now, but I guess it is getting late in the day.

“They had a half-day today so Natalie picked her and the twins up and took them to the practice rink to wait for Chase to finish.”

I pause for a minute pondering my best friend playing driver to a bunch of teenagers. “Who has the baby?”

Beckett grins, the sight of it making my belly quiver, and I have to look away for a moment.

“Rumor has it the equipment staff rigged up some kind of sled and the players have been taking turns towing her and Drew Lattimer Watts around the rink.”

I laugh at the images playing in my head. “I bet that was Branton’s idea.”

“Probably. Although Chase seems to be a big kid most of the time so he might have thought of it.”

“I can’t believe he gave up college and hockey to help raise his younger siblings.”

“He’s brave, that’s for sure. And he got that extra time with his mom.”

“It’s sad. All of them losing their parents like that.”

“Yeah, I thought I had it rough. But at least I didn’t start with loving parents and have them taken away within months of each other.”

“I’m not sure I’d look at it that way, everyone deserves to be loved by parents, birth of otherwise. I’d take that over eliminating world hunger any day of the week. But life doesn’t work like that, and we all have our traumas to deal with.”

“I think Chase and his sisters will be okay. ”

“Me too.” I smile. “Especially now they’ve been brought into the Rogues family.”

“I didn’t understand what Blake meant when she first spoke to me about joining the team, about how they didn’t just want to build a winning team but a family we could all rely on to have our backs. She was so adamant that I be prepared to support whoever needed it.”

His forehead wrinkles and his eyes go unfocused.

“I never thought I’d experience what having a large family meant. It’s just me and Whit, and unless she decides she wants a handful of children we’ll always be a small family.”

“Family isn’t blood. You should know that. Didn’t Mama Dot take care of you and Whitney?”

“Yes.”

“That’s family. Caring for each other and having each other’s back. It’s what we built when we started Rogue sportswear, it’s what we’re building with the Rogues.”

“You’ve done it. We’re not even six months in and you’ve got that tightly woven family unit. It’s why we’re playing so well, why we’re winning.”

“You’re winning because you all have skills.”

“Yes, that too, but I’m not playing with a teammate, I’m playing with family. And that makes me want to play better. For them, as much as for me.”

“Dad!”

“That was quick.” Beckett frowns and looks at his watch. “Fifteen means ten apparently.”

“Dad!”

“In the family room,” Beckett calls over his shoulder. “Why that girl can’t just come looking is beyond me.”

I smile because I know I used to do the same when I was younger. Hell, I’m pretty sure I still do it now when I go home.

“Hey!”

“Whitbee.” Beckett holds one arm out. “Come give me a hug. ”

With a roll of her eyes, Whitney walks over and delivers the requested cuddle. She surprises me by letting go of her dad and bending over to give me one too.

“How are you feeling?” she asks, a frown marring her pretty face. “You look a little pale.”

“I’m fine. Tired. I don’t think I slept very well even though I slept if that makes sense.”

“It does.” Turning to Beckett, she asks, “Can we order pizza for dinner?”

“I pulled a tray of lasagna out of the freezer.”

“Oh, that works. Can we make garlic bread?”

“Sure. Go check we have what we need and if not, I can duck out and get it while you stay here with Cami.”

“I don’t need a babysitter!”

Beckett grins at me. “It’s not you I’m referring to being babysat.”

“Oh.” My indignation leaves like the air from a popped balloon.

“I also don’t need a babysitter, but I’ll stay with Cami if you have to go to the shop. Let me go check what we have.”

Whitney is out of the room before I can blink. It’s always surprising how quick kids move, how much energy they have, even when you’re prepared for it.

“Did she seem off to you?” Beckett asks, his frown aimed at the doorway Whitney disappeared through.

“Ah…no. Why?”

“I don’t know. I can’t put my finger on it but something…”

“She’s probably still out of sorts after yesterday. And don’t forget there was the thing with her car. The drama around her post revealing her existence to the world. A lot has happened in a few weeks.”

“I guess.” Shaking his head, he turns back to me. “You’re probably right. With the move down here, the new school, the pre-season and now the regular season starting. It is a lot at once. Hopefully these few days away will be good for her. ”

“I was planning to work while we’re there but now…” I shrug. “I might need to see if Deb can come with us.”

“Give her a call. Even if you feel up to working, she’ll be able to help and you won’t have to carry anything, you can get her to do it.”

“True.” Looking around I try to remember where I left my phone.

“It’s upstairs. In the bedroom with your bag.”

“Ah, right.”

Pushing up, I get almost upright when Beckett strolls out of the room tossing, “I’ll get it,” over his shoulder as he goes.

I can’t help the growl that rumbles in my throat. I’m getting tired of being treated like an invalid. Yes, I’m hurt. Yes, the bruises look bad. And yes, I’m slow to move, my muscles stiff from the beating they took courtesy of stone steps.

I get all that. But I’m still capable of doing things and it’ll help me recover if I move.

“He treating you like you’re spun glass?”

My gaze goes to the doorway. With a sigh, I continue upwards, using the arm of the chair to steady myself until I’m sure I’ll stay upright. “Yes. He is.”

“That’s normal.”

I arch an eyebrow Whitney’s way. “Oh? How so?”

“He takes care of those he loves. You should have seen him with Mama Dot. And whenever I’m sick it’s like his world is ending. He can’t do enough to help me feel better. I’m pretty sure he sleeps on the floor in my room. Except I don’t know that he actually sleeps.”

Her shrug is subtle, but her words hit me like a sledgehammer.

Beckett doesn’t love me. He feels guilty I got hurt trying to protect his daughter.

“I’m sure what you say is true, but in my case it’s the fact I took a tumble saving you. Although, I’m fairly sure you’d have saved yourself if I hadn’t been there. ”

“I don’t know. He seemed determined. And after getting up close with him yesterday, I realized he’s been following me around the last few weeks.”

My muscles tense, pain shooting in every direction, and I suck in a breath. “Following you? Have you told your dad? The police?”

“I told the detectives yesterday.” She looks over her shoulder quickly before continuing. “And no, I haven’t told Dad because he’ll lose his shit when he finds out.”

Yes, he will. Of that I’m certain, but now I know and I don’t like liars, and keeping something like this from her father feels like a lie.

“You’re going to tell him, aren’t you?”

“Ah, well.” She looks at me sheepishly. “Not if you tell him.”

Whitney blows out a breath and drops her chin when I don’t reply.

“Fine. I’ll tell him after dinner.”

“Tell me what?” Beckett asks. Skirting around Whitney, he brings me my phone. “You’ve got a few missed calls.”

“Thanks”

Turning, he crosses his arms and glares at Whitney. “Tell me what?”

“The guy from yesterday has been hanging around. I’ve seen him a few times and yes, I told the detectives.”

Beckett’s body vibrates with what I can only assume is rage. “Kenneth Dupre has been following you?”

“Yes, I think so, but until yesterday he didn’t get anywhere near me.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, Dad.” She folds her arms in a perfect imitation of her father and glares right back. “I wouldn’t lie to you about something important.”

“But I’m only just hearing about it now?”

“I didn’t have a chance before you left with Cami last night.”

“You could have called. ”

“Why? It wouldn’t make any difference telling you now or then.” With a shake of her head, she turns to leave the room. “We don’t need anything from the shop. I’ll get started on the garlic bread.”

“Whit!”

“Leave it.”

Beckett spins to face me. “What?”

“Leave it. She’s right. Telling you last night wouldn’t have made a difference.”

“It’s like she’s keeping things from me. She’s never done that before.”

I know the look on my face has to telegraph my sheer incredulity at his statement. The man who’s keeping a huge secret from his daughter has the audacity to complain about her delay in telling him she put some things together recently.

“She didn’t realize she was being followed until yesterday when Kenneth tried to grab her. She couldn’t have told you before that.” I take a step closer. “And people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“She isn’t the only one keeping things to herself because she thinks it’s the best thing to do.” Brushing past him, I head in the direction Whitney went. “I’ll help Whitney with dinner.”

“I’ll—”

“We don’t need help.”

The growl behind me shows his frustration and to be honest, he’s not the only one feeling that way.

I hate it when people act hypocritically.

I hate it even more when they act that way and they’re too dumb to see they’re doing it.