Chapter 22
“DEFINITELY LIKE LIKE.”
Cam
Ihaven’t ridden the elevator of the marina in well over a month. I debated on making an appointment with my father, but then he would’ve twisted this meeting to suit his own agenda.
Lucky for me, his assistant is out to lunch, so I knock on his office door. He never leaves his office for lunch unless my mom pulls him away.
“Come in,” he says.
I open the door, and he doesn’t look up right away. Even after his first glance, he looks down before leaning back in his chair and looking me in the eye. He takes off his glasses and tosses them on the desk.
“Cameron,” he says my name with curiosity.
Most would never imagine we’re father and son from our interactions.
I didn’t learn how to play football from him; I learned it from Hank Greene when he coached our peewee league.
Dad’s never even thrown a ball with me or taught me to ride a bike or how to fish.
Every time I asked him to spend time with me, he’d say he was setting up my future, which is what makes this conversation so nerve racking.
That’s what I meant when I told Chevelle her brothers are like my brothers. The Greenes are my family. And her dad is my second dad.
“Hey, Dad.”
“I’m actually glad you came. I was talking to your mother the other day.
I’m pretty happy with how the fishing excursions are going.
” He shuffles through some papers. My dad is familiar with a computer and has one on his desk, but he rarely uses it.
Instead, he relies on paper reports. Says he likes to mark them up. “Have a seat.”
“I’d like to start, if you don’t mind.” I take a seat, but I don’t lean back because he might kick me out as soon as I tell him why I’m here. No point in getting comfortable.
He holds his hand out to me to start.
“I appreciate all you’ve done for me over the years.” I swallow.
“You’re my son. You’re blood. I knew working down there would get you to appreciate all I’ve done.”
I try not to roll my eyes because I appreciated it before he sent me down to work on the luxury boat he gifted me. Does he even hear himself talk?
“But… I’ve found something I really love to do, and I’m going to step away from Baker Corporation and explore my own interests.”
“Step away?” he asks with a tilt of his head.
“Yeah.” I nod as if he can’t hear me.
“You don’t want to run the company?”
I shake my head.
He stares at me in confusion. “You don’t want the company?”
“I’m sorry.” I hold up my hands. “I always thought I did, but you were right. I had to learn something for myself. I need to start from scratch, appreciate the hard work it’s gonna take to get my business off the ground.”
“And what is this ridiculous business you’re starting? Let me guess, it has something to do with a Greene?”
That’s one problem my dad always has. He thinks the Greenes somehow stole me away from him, but all they did was include me.
Ever since I was little, I was asked to stay for dinner, sleepovers, and even family outings.
I was like Hank’s sixth kid for the most part, and if not for them, my childhood would’ve been really lonely.
“You know the boats you’ve seen around? The Five Seas ones with the purple stripe?”
He draws his head back.
“Those are mine. I restored them.”
Again, he stares at me, his jaw tight. “People have been inquiring. Everyone assumed it was one of our businesses.”
“It started as a hobby and it just kind of grew from there. I love doing it, but I wasn’t sure I could make enough money to make a living at it. I think I can though, now that I’ve done a few and know what I need to put into them and how much I can charge when I sell them.”
“I mean, you have an empire here, ready and waiting for you.”
This is where I assumed this conversation would go.
“I know, but I don’t want to work in an office and have to be the person people hate because I control their income.”
“Are you suggesting people hate me?” He’s clearly offended. I guess when you sit in your ivory tower, you don’t hear the grumbles from below.
“You’re the boss. Who likes the boss?”
He says nothing to that, instead turning the conversation in a different direction. “Why don’t you work out of Sunrise Bay? We can make The Five Seas part of the Baker family business.”
I knew he’d probably pitch the idea, so I’m prepared. “I want to make a go of it myself. I don’t want to feel like you’re standing over my shoulder, questioning my decisions or wondering why it’s been a lean month if things don’t continue to go well. I need to do this on my own.”
“So you’re just leaving.” He throws his hands up.
I nod. “It’s what makes me happy.”
“It’s hard to be happy with no money, Cameron.”
I shrug. “I did well on the first and second boat. But I learned a lot this month, what I need to do to spread the word and make a name for myself.”
He nods over and over again.
“Gage can take over the excursions if you want. He did a great job the other night.”
He continues to nod without speaking a word.
“Then I’m going to go.” I thumb behind me toward the door.
“Your mother will be disappointed. She always loved that this company would be passed down to you and then your own son someday. But I suppose a few wooden boats will be the same for your son, right?”
I stand, not willing to listen to him degrade me.
He’s the reason I didn’t believe in myself at first. The fact I kept my company hidden for this long.
But I’m not going to allow him to control me anymore.
“If I’m blessed to have a son, I hope he finds what he loves, and I’ll do what I can to nurture that love. ”
My dad’s forehead creases. “What does that mean?”
I shake my head. Even if I went off right now and told him everything I feel, in the end, he’d still blame me for being ungrateful. “Nothing. Thank you for everything.”
“Hold on.” He digs in his drawer, pulls out an envelope, and grabs a set of keys from inside. “Here.” He tosses them at me. “The keys to your jeep and the keys to the storage locker. Your salary paid for those things.”
It feels so good to have my jeep back. I felt like a loser driving Chevelle’s car this entire month. “Thanks.”
“Good luck.”
I clutch the keys and walk out of his office feeling freer than I ever have. I wish I would’ve done this ages ago.
Once I’m outside, I notice Chevelle’s boat is docked, but she’s not there.
Me: Where are you?
The three dots appear and disappear, then the text pings.
Chevelle: I’m at Fisher and Allie’s. Babysitting while they go out for a lunch date.
Me: Okay.
Chevelle: Did you talk to your dad?
I decide not to message her back but unlock and climb into my jeep. I run my hands along the steering wheel and relish having this little piece of freedom back. It’s been way too long.
I can’t wait to tell Chevelle and see her reaction when I get to Fisher’s. When I get there, I knock on the door.
She whips it open. “They’re sleeping,” she says through a clenched jaw.
“Oh, sorry,” I whisper.
We’re quiet as I tiptoe into the house, and she shuts the door.
She looks at the monitor and sighs. “They’re still asleep. So to what do I owe this visit?”
I wrap my arms around her waist. There’s been more affection between us, but I think I still take her by surprise sometimes. “You have to see how good I am with children. It’s the next step for us.” I kiss her once.
“Try again,” she says.
“I quit. I told my dad everything. And guess what?”
She smiles wide. “What?”
I dangle the keys. “I got my jeep back.”
“So you won’t be relying on me anymore?” She pretends to pout.
“Now I get to drive you around like a real man.” She gives me a bland look, and I chuckle. “Kidding, of course. You can drive me anytime.” I wink.
She smacks my arm, then wraps her arms around my neck. “I’m so proud of you. How do you feel?”
My hands travel down her sides. “Fucking fantastic.”
“I bet.”
I pull her into me, pressing my lips to hers, not waiting to slide my tongue into her mouth. God, she feels good. I lead her backward, kissing her thoroughly. My hands roam her body, and she moans as I nibble on her bottom lip.
“What if…” She glances over my shoulder at the front door.
“Please, they’re gonna take their time. We’ll just make out a little. No harm.” I get her on her back on the couch, and I ease down on top of her. My hand slides up under the hem of her shirt.
Her head falls back and her fingers weave through my hair. I love when she does that. My pants get tighter as I become harder. Maybe just making out was a bad idea, but I want her so badly right now.
We quickly get lost in one another. Before I know it, her shirt is off and she’s straddling me.
I pull down the cups of her bra, both hands massaging her tits and teasing her nipples with my thumbs.
I pinch one, and she arches her back, offering them to me.
Who would I be if I denied her the pleasure of my mouth on her tits?
“I love your tits.” I take one in my mouth, my tongue swirling around her hard nipple.
Her hand slides down between us, and she rubs my length through my pants. My dick twitches in her hand, desperate to be freed.
The front door opens, and laughter rings out for one second before Chevelle and I still. I look over her shoulder and see a pissed-off Fisher.
“Shit!” I say.
“I didn’t hear the car.” Chevelle climbs off my lap, holding her arm over her tits and grabbing clothes before running out of the room.
Allie is biting her lip to stop herself from laughing.
“What the fuck, Cam?” Fisher’s hands are fisted at his sides.
“What?” I situate myself so Allie doesn’t have to see my raging hard-on.
“What the hell are you doing?” The line between Fisher’s eyebrows is as deep as I’ve ever seen it.
“I told you I was gonna pursue her.”
Allie raises her eyebrows and leaves the room. She must be in the kitchen because I hear noise coming from there.
“I didn’t think she’d actually go for it. Fuck.” He pushes his hand through his hair.
Allie peers around the corner. “Language.”
“The kids are asleep. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.”
I sit up on the couch. “What? Am I that bad? I’m not good enough for your sister?” I try to keep the hurt from my voice.
He sighs. “No, it’s not that. It’s just…” Chevelle returns to the room, and he looks at her for a long beat, speaking to her now. “He’s my person.”
I’m thrown by his words. Fisher isn’t an emotional guy.
Half the time I don’t even know what he’s feeling because he’s so nonreactive.
Sure, I see how he loves Allie and the twins, especially the way he talks about them.
But us, we’re best friends. I share everything with him.
That’s the reason I felt it was so important to tell him about Chevelle.
“He’s mine too,” Chevelle softly admits.
Allie walks out of the kitchen. “Fisher Greene, if you think you’re going to sabotage this between them just because you’re worried you’ll lose Cam if it goes south, we’re going to have words. Everyone, come into the kitchen so we can talk about this.”
We all follow because as nice as Allie is, she’s got a scary side too.
We all sit at the kitchen table, and Chevelle looks at a small box that rests in the middle. “What’s this?”
“Just something I found in the basement. I’m trying to get it open, but no one has a key. I think I’m gonna have to drill it.”
They’re talking about this damn box when really, I just want to get this cleared up.
I look between them both. “I can be both of your people.”
“Excuse me?” Allie says and looks at Fisher.
“He’s my person,” Fisher admits, and Allie teasingly slaps his arm.
“I’m supposed to be your person. I’m your wife!”
He turns to her. “You are. It’s just Cam was there when my mom died. I told him everything, and he always understood that if I was quieter, I was thinking of my mom and stuff. But you, you’re my person now.”
“Sure. Okay.” She rolls her eyes.
“But he’s that for me too. I guess we could’ve told you,” Chevelle says.
“Hello, I did tell him, and they all blew me off like I didn’t have a chance with you.” I turn to her. “And look… we’re on our way somewhere, right?”
Chevelle takes my hand, threading our fingers together. “I hope you can accept it, Fisher, because regardless of your feelings, I’m going to date Cam.”
He pretends to choke on something, and Allie rolls her eyes. “Grow up, Fisher. You’re not in high school. Just because you turned a blind eye to their obvious feelings for one another all these years doesn’t mean they’re not there.”
Fisher looks at both of us. “Really? You two like each other? Like like?”
I smile at Chevelle. “Definitely like like.”
She matches my smile. “Totally like like.”
I kiss her, just a small peck, but Fisher clears his throat. “Can you guys refrain from doing that for a little bit? At least until I get used to this.”
“No.” I kiss her again, and she giggles. “Now that you guys are home, we’re gonna go home too.” I stand and offer Chevelle my hand.
“Do we need to talk about this some more?” Fisher says.
“There’s nothing to talk about,” I say and lead Chevelle out of the house.
Everything is right on track now.