Chapter 16
“JUST… PLEASE WEAR SOME PAJAMAS TONIGHT?”
Cam
Icatch up to Chevelle in the marina parking lot. “Hold up.”
She stops at her car. “Didn’t you see your phone? Presley’s in labor.”
I sigh and stare at her. She cannot ignore what just happened between us. Or maybe she can. She’s doing a pretty damn good job of it right now.
I climb into her passenger seat since I still don’t have a vehicle. I need to get a car at some point, but it hasn’t been a priority since I live so close to the docks. The odd time I’ve had to travel out of town, I’ve just taken an Uber.
She backs up and drives way too fast toward the hospital.
“Last I checked, you’re not the one having the baby.” I grip her door handle before I fall into her when she makes a left turn.
I know what she’s doing. She’s driving fast because the sooner she gets us there, the sooner we’ll be swallowed up by her family. And then what just happened can be forgotten—at least for a while.
“Can we please talk?” I ask.
She has no choice but to stop at a red light, and our bodies fall forward until our seat belts tighten and we’re thrown back into our seats. “There’s nothing to talk about. It was just a release of sexual tension. I mean, we saw each other naked a few days ago. It was bound to happen.”
“But—”
The light turns green, and she slams on the gas. “You don’t owe me anything, Cam. It’s fine. You’re acting like you took my virginity.”
I lean back in the passenger seat. Fuck, is she right? Am I acting clingy?
No. This thing between us has been brewing for a long time, and I know her mind was as blown as mine by how good we are together.
“You’re right. Sexual tension spurred it, but it doesn’t change the fact that I want to see where this goes. I’ll talk to your brothers.”
She looks at me as though I’m a lunatic. “Um… you are not talking to my brothers.”
She pulls into the hospital parking lot, parking next to all the other Greene family cars.
“Yeah, I am. They should know my intentions.”
“Your intentions?”
I reach for her hand. “To date you. Get to know you better.”
“You’ve known me since I was five,” she says, taking the keys and exiting the car.
I follow suit and jog to catch up to her. “You know what I mean. Are you really denying this?”
“Are you really suggesting this?” There’s a softness in her expression for a moment, but the doors to the hospital open and we overhear Ethel arguing with a nurse, so that softness disappears. “It was just sex, Cam.”
She walks away to join her grandma at the counter.
“Still hitching rides with my little sister?” Fisher comes up to me holding a squirmy Laurie.
“Hey, man, we need to talk.”
His forehead wrinkles. “What about?”
“Well… eh…”
“How nice of Cade and Presley to include us,” Ethel says, glancing at Jed and interrupting the conversation I want to have with Fisher.
But as eager as I am to get his blessing, this probably isn’t the time.
Jed throws his hands in the air. “For the love of…”
Molly rocks their baby boy, Joshua, shaking her head at the continued guilt trip the family is still laying on her and Jed after they didn’t tell anyone when she was in labor a few months ago.
“You made me miss seeing one of my great-grandchildren being born,” Ethel says.
“I told you, he came fast. We didn’t have any time,” Jed continues to argue.
I’m fairly sure he’s lying. He and Molly probably just wanted it to be the two of them. Emelia was already at Cade and Presley’s for the night since Jed and Molly were doing a date night. Hell, they probably had sex to induce labor.
“There’s always next time,” Posey says.
“And I called you as soon as it was over,” Jed says.
Marla sits in the corner, rocking Shay, Posey and Gavin’s new little girl.
She doesn’t look bothered that Jed didn’t call them.
Except for Chevelle, every one of the Greene clan is married, and the majority have kids now.
Xavier and Clara are in San Francisco since it’s football season, and Mandi and Noah are out on one of his photo shoots, so the waiting room isn’t as crowded as it normally would be when one of them is having a baby.
Chevelle sits on the floor next to Axel and plays with the toys the hospital has for children.
Soon, Noah, Nikki’s son, joins, and Leighton, Cade’s daughter, whines to get out of Hank’s lap.
She’s wearing her “Big Sister” shirt. Before she realizes it, Chevelle is surrounded by her nieces and nephews, all vying for her attention.
I sit in a chair and watch her interact with them. How natural it is for her to take a book out of Axel’s mouth or put the rings in the right order with Leighton. She’s going to be a great mother.
Chevelle looks at me, and I smile, but she turns away.
She’s really struggling with the fact that we slept together.
I’m not gonna lie, it was the best sex of my life.
I don’t know if it’s because it’s Chevelle and I’ve waited years to have her, but I want her again and again and again.
I don’t know that I could ever get enough of her.
For the next couple hours, people pace, get coffee, go for walks.
Allie has to start her shift, so when Fisher becomes responsible for both twins, he says, “We’re out. I have to work in the morning, and if I don’t get these two asleep, they’ll be nightmares tomorrow.”
I stand to walk Fisher out, and Chevelle narrows her eyes at me.
“Well, I’m sitting right here. I’m not going to miss another birth,” Ethel says.
Jed rolls his eyes with Emelia asleep on his lap. Molly holds Joshua and gives Jed a knowing look. He rises from his seat, Emelia draped in his arms. “We’re out too.”
One by one, the siblings leave with their babies, leaving me, Chevelle, Ethel and gang, Hank and Marla.
“You can go,” Chevelle says.
“I’m good.”
“But you don’t have to be here.”
I shrug. “Cade is my friend.”
“Fisher’s your friend.”
I stare at her for a long time and catch Dori and Midge watching us. I put on a smile to not alert them of anything. “Fine.” I stand. “Let me know how it goes. I’ve got an early charter tomorrow.” I stretch. Chevelle doesn’t want me here, so I’m not going to stay where I’m not wanted.
“Hopefully we’ll have some news soon.” Marla rocks Leighton. “You go too, Chevelle. We’ll keep you all posted.”
I look at the clock and see that it’s one in the morning.
“She could be in labor all night,” Hank says.
“I thought your second just fell out?” Chevelle says.
He laughs and looks at Marla. “Laurie ended up having a C-section with Chevelle after the boys flew out.”
“You just never know.” Marla smiles at Chevelle, but Chevelle doesn’t return it.
“Okay, call us when the little one arrives.” Chevelle kisses all the cheeks of her loved ones around the room.
“Oh, I should tell you two now. I booked you for next week’s health and fitness segment.” Ethel points at us.
“What?” Chevelle looks irritated.
“The retirement home thinks it’s important for us to learn how to eat better and do some yoga and light weights and things.” Dori rolls her eyes. “I guess we can’t even enjoy our older years without people making us feel guilty.”
“And I signed you two up for the fitness portion. Teach us how to use the weights. Chevelle’s always been so flexible. You must be good at yoga.” Ethel smiles.
“We’re not personal trainers,” Chevelle says.
“No, dear, but you both spend a lot of time at the gym. We just need the basics,” Ethel says.
“Okay, send me the time. No dirty talk though. I’ve heard rumors.” I eye Midge, who’s a kleptomaniac and sex addict from what I can gather.
She pushes her black glasses up on her nose. “Talk to the men in the group.”
We leave the hospital, and thankfully Chevelle doesn’t say anything about giving me a ride home.
Halfway to the house, I turn in my seat. “Why are you being so dismissive about us?”
For a moment, I don’t think she’s going to say anything. I take a sip of the water I bought at the hospital.
“I’m not being dismissive. We had sex to ease some sexual frustration and I’m fine with it, but it doesn’t mean anything. I’m not looking for a ring or anything.”
I choke on my water, and she raises her eyebrows at me.
“Something scary?” she asks.
“No.”
She pulls into the driveway and gets out of her car. I follow and shut and lock the front door behind us.
“So your mind is made up, huh?” I ask as she’s about to head upstairs.
She turns and throws her hands in the air. “What are you thinking? That you’ll do candlelight dinners for me, and we’ll make out in the square? That people won’t be placing bets on how long we’ll last?”
Her comment throws me, and I look at her, trying to figure out what gossip has to do with us.
“Come on, Cam. We’re one and the same. Both afraid of commitment, never allowing anyone to get too close, and we have meaningless sex all the damn time. I made peace with myself a long time ago.” She turns back around and walks up the stairs. I hear her bedroom door faintly click shut.
I head to the kitchen and grab a beer, let Gunner out, and sit on the back porch with him. The air is much cooler at night than it was even a few weeks ago. Fall is approaching fast. Gunner does his business and sits next to me, so I pet him.
Chevelle’s not wrong. I am afraid of commitment, but for some reason, after we had sex, that immediate fear that usually sets in as I wonder whether the girl is going to think it means something it doesn’t, wasn’t present.
I’m ready to go all in on dating Chevelle because something with us just feels right.
But in order to do that, there are a few steps I have to take first. One, talk to her brothers. Two, let her in. Maybe if I do that, she’ll let me in too.
I finish my beer and grab a water on my way to my bedroom.
After I brush my teeth and get ready for bed, I knock on Chevelle’s door.
“What?”
“Just… please wear some pajamas tonight?”
She chuckles softly. “Okay.”
The thought of her naked behind that door is too much to bear, but honestly, I think I knocked because I wanted an invitation into her bed.
One time didn’t quench my thirst for her in the slightest, which means I’m screwed.
Lying in bed, I pull up the text string with all the Greene brothers.
Me: Can we meet this week sometime?
I don’t expect an answer because it’s so late, but surprisingly, a bunch comes through.
Cade: I’m busy getting screamed at while Presley has this baby, man.
Fisher: Boys’ night. I’m in. I’ll get back with Allie’s schedule.
Adam: Only during the day. Nights are reserved for the family.
Xavier: I’m in San Fran, man. Won’t be home for a while. But you can just video conference me in or something.
Jed: Just make it at Truth or Dare anytime I’m working.
So we have a tentative plan for me to talk to the Greene brothers about dating their baby sister. I wonder if I can reserve one of those blowup sumo suits.