28. Talia
twenty-eight
Talia
“Are you ready for this?” Cam asks as we make our way down the stairway to the kitchen.
Before last night, my answer to his question would have been a resounding no . Today? I don’t know. My answer isn’t a simple yes or no. Something about this morning feels different. I feel different, and I can’t put my finger on why.
Am I ready for this?
I replay last night’s events in my head.
Losing Emma. Getting a ride home from Cam’s driver, Cliff. Rushing to my room and slamming the door shut. Crying on the tile floor of my shower as the water turned cold. Climbing into bed, numb. Grief stricken and alone. Waking up to Cam’s telltale knock on my window.
A smile pulls at my lips. I look up at the kind and charming man beside me. He’s wearing a plain black t-shirt that’s working extra hard to contain his hard biceps and gray joggers that make his ass look delectable. He just rolled out of bed, and yet he looks like he stepped off the cover of a fashion magazine.
Sometimes, I can’t believe he wants me. I’m anything but glamorous. I’m just me. A simple girl who loves her career. Cam is this amazing baseball player who is hotter than sin. He could have anyone he wants.
But he chose you, my heart whispers with a pinch.
When I didn’t let him know what happened, he rushed from the airport to my house, then climbed a twelve-foot hunk of wood and through my window—consequences be damned—just to make sure I was okay. Cam showed up because he was worried about me. His actions tell me everything I need to know.
Yes. I’m ready. Ish.
I will not kid myself into thinking I have nothing to worry about as far as my brother and mom are concerned. But I’m a grown-ass woman. If I want to be with Cam, I will be. It’s no one’s decision but mine. And I want to be with him.
That thought has me coming to a stop.
“If you’re worried, we don’t have to do this,” Cam whispers, taking my pause as uncertainty. He lifts my hand to his lips and presses a soft kiss to my knuckles. “I’ll go back and sneak out the window if that’s what you want.”
“No. Don’t go. I want to do this.” My voice is firm as I stare up into his sparkling hazel eyes. Something akin to pride shines in them, giving me the confidence I need. With poise I didn’t know I had, I pull my shoulders back and squeeze Cam’s hand. “Let’s do this.”
As we descend the stairs, a feeling of peace settles over me. My heart isn’t racing, and my palms aren’t sweating like I thought they would. The lead ball of worry that usually sits in my stomach is also gone. It seems my fears have dried up with the tears I cried on Cam’s chest while he held me tight and let me grieve. He didn’t offer worthless banalities to make me feel better. He just held me.
Cam knew exactly what I needed without me having to tell him. No one has ever done that for me before.
Silence falls, and two new sets of eyes stare at me in shock as Cam and I enter the kitchen holding hands. He returns a reassuring squeeze, grounding me. I lead us to the white and gray granite island in the middle of the room.
“Sit here, baby.” I pull out the stool for Cam and point .
He takes the seat, his brow arched and a wide grin on his face. He liked me calling him baby .
“What the hell?” My cousin Isabella gasps in shock.
“He just does what you say?” Valentina asks, her mouth hanging open. Her eyes roam over Cam’s chest, and the green-eyed monster inside me wants to scratch her eyes out.
“Yes,” Cam replies with a smirk.
“Tell him to take his shirt off.” Val wiggles her eyebrows at me.
Definitely scratching her eyes out later.
“No. Find your own man,” I snap. My face heats; I’m embarrassed at my jealous outburst.
Cam barks a laugh and tugs my hand, tucking me into his side as he drapes his arm over my shoulders and kisses my cheek. I melt into his hold, relishing his PDA.
I could get used to this, being out in the open.
“Aww. You two are so cute together.” Sofia shovels a spoonful of cereal into her mouth. She’s the best and has always been my support system, even more so now that we are adults.
“Too bad he’s a dead man,” Isabella mumbles, popping a strawberry into her mouth.
Zia Rose shouts, “ Silenzio .” Silence. From across the island, she wags her finger between Isa and Val. “Not a word of this to Cat or Nico. Do you understand me?”
“Why aren’t you yelling at Sofia?” Isabella asks, offended.
I don’t blame her. She isn’t the one who runs her mouth. That’s usually Sofia’s job, who doesn’t really have a filter like her oldest sister, Valentina.
Sofia leans back in her chair. “Who do you think helped him get in?”
Val walks over and pushes Sofia. “You knew and didn’t tell us?”
“Hey! Why am I getting abused? She’s the one dating the enemy.” Sofia points at me.
My head is spinning as my cousins bicker back and forth.
“Enough,” Zia Rose shouts .
“Sorry,” the three of them mutter.
Sofia goes back to eating her breakfast while Val and Isa take seats on the other open stools, watching us as intently as they do one of the silly teen dramas they love to binge watch.
Zia Rose narrows her gaze on me. “We don’t have time for this. Your mom will be home soon.” She turns to Cam, who tightens his arm around me like a protective shield. “Let’s cut to the chase. Are you just sexing up my niece to get back at Nico?”
“Zia—” I start.
The fiery glare she gives me has the words on my tongue turning to ash.
“I’ll get to you in a minute, little girl.”
What the hell? I thought she understood.
Cam stiffens beside me. “With all due respect, ma’am, I won’t stand for you talking down to the woman I love like that. I suggest you watch your tone.”
My aunt smirks, her brown eyes sparkling.
Freaking Zia. She was testing him. I should have known better. She loves stirring the pot.
I place a hand on Cam’s chest and rub soothing circles over his toned pecs. “It’s okay. She meant nothing by it.”
He shakes his head. “No. It’s not.” He cups my face, running his thumb over my lips. “I don’t care if she’s your family. No one talks down to you like that. No one.”
Warmth floods my chest and my panties as my protective Romeo makes an appearance, ready to fight for me. I’m liquifying from the inside out for him, so much so that I can’t help but choke as I breathe his name. “Cam.”
“Talia.” He pronounces my name the same way he says “I love you” . “It’s my job to take care of you, to support you. You are the strongest, smartest, most kind-hearted person I have ever known. I will not stand by and let anyone disrespect you. It’s been like that since the first night we met, hasn’t it? ”
I think back to the night we met at the restaurant. How he wanted to save me from that creep, Kyle, by kissing me. How he stood up for me when Nico yelled at me. The way he almost punched my brother when he later grabbed my arm. Keeping us a secret to protect me from hurting my family.
He’s had my back from the start. He’s in this with me. No running.
If my cousins and aunt weren’t here staring at us, I’d straddle his lap right here at the kitchen counter and kiss the ever-loving hell out of him. Instead, I settle for a quick peck as I wrap my arms over his shoulders.
Cam’s long arm coils around my waist, pulling me close as he rests his forehead against mine. “You and me, itty bitty. Right?”
“You and me,” I promise back.
Returning his attention back to my aunt, Cam says, “Ma’am…”
Zia Rose crosses her arms over her chest. “Call me ma’am again, and I’ll poison your breakfast. Just call me Rose.”
“Rose it is, then.” Cam chuckles. “Out of respect, I would prefer this conversation to happen with your sister, but here we go. Let me start by answering your question. No, I am not just sexing your niece for revenge.”
He’s not really sexing me at all, my brain grouses.
As if he knows what I’m thinking, Cam winks at me. “I love Talia. She’s it for me. I know we are going to have our challenges—mostly with Nico—but you and everyone else just have to get on board. I’m not going anywhere.”
Rose looks over our shoulders. “What do you think, Cat? Do we believe him?”
My head whips around so fast that I wouldn’t be surprised if I get whiplash. “Mamma. How long have you been standing there?”
“Long enough,” she says, placing the grocery bags on the floor. She avoids looking me in the eye as she walks past me, and she joins Zia Rose on the other side of the island.
“Girls, it’s time to go.” Rose snaps her fingers at my cousins—I forgot they were still in here—and ushers them out of the room. Placing a hand on my shoulder, she whispers, “You got this,” before leaving the kitchen.
“So, you’re the one who’s been sending the gifts? Calling at all hours of the night?” Her gray eyes focus on the way Cam’s arm is wrapped protectively around my waist.
“Yes, ma’am. At least, I hope no one else is sending her presents and calling at all hours of the night.” He looks at me for confirmation.
“Don’t look at me like that. You know it’s only you.”
A slow smile spreads across his face, reaching his eyes, at hearing my confirmation. Who knew even my hotshot baseball god of a boyfriend needs a little reassurance sometimes?
An exaggerated sigh pulls our attention back to the problem at hand.
“Lia, when I said you should get a tune-up, I didn’t mean for you to pick the one man your brother would have a fit over.”
“Do you really think he would accept any man I brought home?” There isn’t a guy out there that Nico would approve of. My brain thinks back to Kyle. The one time my brother made an exception, it turned out to be the worst dating experience of my life.
“Probably not.” She doesn’t even crack a smile at my joke. Dread pulls low in my stomach. “But I can’t condone this, Lia. It would be a betrayal to your brother. I will not be another person in his life to betray him.”
“But, Mamma…” Tears flood my eyes. Of course, she’s picking Nico’s happiness over mine. It’s always been like that. “I’m not betraying him.”
“No, Lia.” She faces Cam. The flowing stream of confidence I had before this conversation dries to nothing as my mom speaks, her voice firm. “While I appreciate what you said, Mr. Miller, I must ask that you stop seeing my daughter. If you love her the way you say you do, then you will take a step back. I’m sure you understand that family must come first in a situation like this. ”
Hot tears roll down my cheeks. I can’t believe she’s asking Cam to walk away. To leave me.
Calm as can be, Cam responds, “No. I don’t. Unlike you, my family would never stand in the way of my happiness. But I understand. Family means everything to me as well. The last thing I want is to come between Talia and her family.” Cam turns his body to face me, pulling me to his chest.
A sob breaks free as reality sets in. He’s leaving without a fight.
“Don’t.” I cry into the crook of his neck, breathing in his exotic, spicy bergamot scent.
Releasing me from the safety of his arms, he stands. “Your mom is right, Talia. We have to end this. It never should have started in the first place.”
“No.” I cling to his shirt. He can’t leave me.
“I’m sorry, baby. You have to let me go.” Cam wrenches his shirt from my grip. He drops a quick kiss on my cheek and rushes out the back door like his ass is on fire.
What the fuck just happened?
My mother wraps her arms around me. “Shh. It will be alright, Lia. In time, you’ll see this is for the best.”
How could she say that to me right now? She just chased the man I love away, decimating my heart, all because my brother is a jealous asshole.
I push her off of me. “No. Don’t touch me.”
“Lia, be reasonable. A relationship with him will never work. You don’t even know him. Sure, it’s exciting right now, but what happens later? When the thrill is gone? When your brother finds out?”
“Are you seriously trying to invalidate my feelings?” After pushing me to get out of the house and have some fun for so long, she’s changing her tune. As soon as I actually find happiness, she’s asking me to throw it all away. “You can’t tell me how to feel.”
“You think you’re in love, but this is just … infatuation.” Her words are like bullets to my chest .
How dare she. She doesn’t know the real Cam. She only knows what Nico tells her, and his words are clouding her judgement.
“No, it’s not.”
“Sneaking around isn’t love, Lia. It’s lust.”
I can’t freaking believe her right now. She is so off base. Now I know why Cam won’t sleep with me. He knew people would use this against him. He was protecting me. Us.
“You don’t know a thing about us. What we have is love. I know it here.” Placing a hand over my chest, I feel my heart steadily beat.
“He had no trouble leaving.” She scoffs, pointing toward the backdoor. I’ve never seen this side of my mom before—callous and jaded.
“I will never forgive you for making Cam leave me. For picking Nico over me and my happiness. You do this all the time.” She’s always backed Nico before me, but this is one step too far. Asking me to give up my happiness? “You say I have a big heart and that I’m so smart. Well, then trust me. I’m an adult. I know what I’m doing.”
“Then act like one. An adult wouldn’t date a man her family despises.”
“Are you for real?”
“What do you want me to say?”
“Forget it. You don’t get it. I can’t even look at you right now.”
“Lia,” she shouts at my back.
I ignore her and head straight to my room. There’s nothing more to say. I’ve just had my heart decimated twice in the last fifteen minutes.
I can’t believe Cam left me so easily. He said he loved me. That it was me and him. Was he lying?
My breath catches in my throat as I step into my room to the sound of three taps on my window. I rush to the window and throw open the curtain. Standing outside my window is all six-foot-five glorious inches on Cameron.
He’s here .
My blood is raging. I’m so freaking mad at him and my mom. Unlocking the window, I pull it open with a growl. “What the hell do you want?”
“You,” he says matter-of-factly.
“What?” My heart trips over his answer. “Me?”
After what he said in the kitchen, I don’t want to let my hope bloom. He walked away, leaving me confused and scared, second-guessing everything.
“I want you.” He stares up at me, his voice resolute.
“You just dumped me. In front of my mom.”
Cam frowns, watching me wipe away the tears running down my cheeks. “I’m sorry I scared you, baby. I only said that garbage for her benefit. It’s you and me. You know this.”
“But…” I look away. He left.
“Baby, look at me please.”
I face him, taking in the soft, hopeful smile.
“Not more than an hour ago, I told you we should work on your last name. What did you think I meant?”
I shrug. I want to hear him say it. No, I need him to say it. To take the ache he made and filled with doubt disappear. “I don’t know.”
“Let me spell it out for you. One day, not too far from now, I’m going to wife you up. Miller will be the name you wear. I only said all that in front of your mom to buy us time. I’m not leaving. Ever. Please believe me.” Cam holds his hand over his heart, his eyes pleading for me to believe in him again. He didn’t technically leave if he was standing here waiting for me to come back to my room. He didn’t wait to explain.
“Okay.”
“Okay?” he asks, unsure if he heard me correctly.
I nod, my tears drying up.
He curses under his breath, his smile growing from ear to ear. “You don’t know how happy that makes me. How happy you make me. ”
“I’m still mad, but you make me happy too.”
“Good, because I’d only stand on this death trap for you. No one else.”
I peek out the window and look down. Holy shit, it’s higher than it appears. “Okay, I believe you. Now, get down before you kill yourself.”
“Not without you.”
“Hate to break it to you, big guy, but I have no athletic ability. I can’t climb out this window without causing serious damage to you or myself.”
“Believe me, I know, baby. Do you still have your bag packed?”
Over my shoulder, I see my overnight tote—packed and ready to go—sitting by the door. I nod.
“Then grab it and meet me down the block.”
“It will be too suspicious if I walk out of here with an overnight bag.”
“Good call. Hand it to me.”
I rush and grab my small duffle and hand it to him.
“Now, put on some scrubs and tell everyone you’re going to work.”
If I do this, I will officially be lying to my family.
Before, it was just omitting the truth. I think back to all the hurtful things Mamma told me. How she treated Cam and chose Nico over me again.
Fuck it.
If she won’t accept Cam, then this is what I have to do. I’m going to listen to my heart, and it tells me to follow Cam.
“Give me twenty minutes.”
“I’ll wait forever.”
I stare at him standing confidently on the overgrown wisteria slats of wood, and I believe him. If I could lean out the window and kiss him, I would. I blow him a kiss instead, and he gives me that sexy, playful grin that makes my panties melt.
Then he drops my bag on the Adirondack chairs below the arbor, squats down, and slides through the cracks, out of view.