Chapter 13 #2
Cooper stepped up. “Come on, Cal. That’s not fair.
Huck built that tree house and Cadee decorated it.
They should be the ones who get to give it to him.
Just like you gave him his boots for school without the rest of us being there and we didn’t complain.
We knew you just wanted the moment to be special with you and Cam.
That’s what Huck and Cadee want. You’re going to get to spend a lot of time in the tree house with Cam.
” He hooked an arm over his brother’s shoulders.
“Now come on, let’s help Mama clean up.”
Callum didn’t look pleased, but he didn’t argue.
None of them ever argued with Cooper. Probably because he was usually right.
Cadee sent her oldest brother an appreciative look before she headed over to Camden and Huck.
Before she could reach them, she was hit with two rapid-fire Nerf darts.
She started to get after her son when she realized Huck was the one holding the gun . . . with a devilish glint in his eyes.
“Oops. Sorry, Catydid.”
She walked up to him and held out her hand. “I guess Camden didn’t inform you of the Stockton family Nerf gun rules. No hits in the back or above the chest, or your Nerf gun is confiscated.”
“I didn’t hit above the chest. I hit your . . .”
“Boobs,” Camden finished the sentence.
Huck bit back a smile. “Exactly. Which is technically the middle of your chest.”
“I disagree.” She wiggled her fingers. “Now hand over the gun, Huckleberry Hennessy, so we can give Cam his last surprise.”
“A surprise? I have another surprise?” Camden bounced on his toes. “What is it? Is it in the barn? Is it living or dead? Give her the gun, Huck. I want to see my surprise.”
Huck hesitated for only a second before he handed over the gun. “This doesn’t mean you won the argument. I still say they were fair shots.”
“And I still say they weren’t.” She pointed the gun at the trees. “Now are you going to show Camden his surprise or not?” As soon as he turned to head to the trees, she shot him twice in the butt. When he turned to her with shocked eyes, she sent him an innocent look.
“Oops. Sorry. I guess neither one of us gets the gun.” She set it on the ground and looked at Cam. “Last one to the trees is a smelly pile of cow poop.” She took off running.
Both Camden and Huck easily overtook her. But while Camden continued to the trees, Huck scooped her up and flung her over his shoulder before resuming the race.
“Talk about a cheap shot. You should be ashamed of yourself, Cadee Stockton, for shooting a man in the back.”
“Butt.” Her words were choppy as she bounced against his hard shoulder. “I—shot—you—in—the—butt. Now—put—me—down.”
“Po-tay-to. Po-tah-to. My back was turned.”
“I won!” Camden crowed when he reached the trees, but his victory hoot cut off abruptly. “Hey, what’s that?”
Huck set Cadee on her feet next to Camden who was staring at the red ribbon tied around the tree trunk, cording off the stairs leading up to the tree house.
“Is that where the wasp nest is? Did you tie a ribbon there to warn people away?”
Huck and Cadee exchanged smiles before she nodded at him. He looked surprised and then grateful before he turned to Camden.
“No, it’s not a wasp’s nest. We only used that excuse to keep you from discovering our surprise.” When Camden only stared at him with confusion, he waved a hand. “Well, go ahead. Check it out.”
Camden glanced at Cadee for her nod of approval before he hesitantly moved closer to the ribbon-entwined tree. Huck and Cadee followed. She couldn’t help reaching out and taking Huck’s hand.
It had been a long time since they’d held hands. Back in elementary school, it had been a childish linking of sticky fingers and sweaty palms as they swung side by side on the playground or raced down the street together, neither one wanting the other to fall behind.
Now, it was more.
A reuniting of two friends . . . a joining of a family.
Huck’s long, callused fingers laced perfectly with hers. His palm warm and soothing. His grip strong and sure. It tightened as Camden finally figured out what the ribbon was tied in front of.
“Those are stairs!” Camden looked back at them. His face filled with joy. “A tree house! It’s a tree house!” He yanked the bow loose and charged up the stairs. Huck quickly tugged her after him. But they were only halfway up the stairs when Camden released a loud shout of delight.
Huck looked back at her and grinned. “I think he likes it.”
She laughed. “You think so?”
When they reached the top, the door hung open and Camden was racing around the small space like a pinball, touching the curtains Cadee had put up at the windows and then checking out the corkboard with the map of the world before flopping down on the cot and covering up with the sleeping bag and then racing to the table and sitting on each stool.
“This is so cool! So, so cool! Can I sleep here tonight? Can I?”
Huck glanced at Cadee and waited for her to answer.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. It’s a little too far from the house.”
“I could borrow Nana’s cellphone, she never uses it at night anyway, and call if I get scared or need you. Please, Mama! Please!”
“I don’t know, Cam. I still think you’re too young to sleep out here all by yourself. There are all kinds of wild animals that wander around in these trees at night.”
“I could sleep here with him,” Huck said. “If that would make you feel better. It’s Sunday so Honky Tonk Heaven is closed tonight.”
Camden jumped. “See, Mama! No wild animal will bother me when Huck’s here. He’s a great shot.”
She narrowed her eyes at Huck. “That he is.” She looked back at Camden. “Fine, but first you need to thank Huck for building this tree house.”
Camden gave another loud shout of joy before he raced over and wrapped his arms around Huck’s waist and squeezed tightly. “Thank you, Huck. This is the best birthday gift ever!”
The look on Huck’s face was a mixture of surprise and awe. He stood there for a moment as if he didn’t know what to do before his arms came around Camden’s skinny body and hugged him back. When he spoke, his voice was thick and husky.
“You’re welcome, Cam. I’m glad you like it. But I didn’t do it alone. Your mama decorated it with all this cool stuff.”
Camden released Huck and hugged Cadee. “Thanks, Mama. I love it! And now I’m gonna go get Uncle Cal, Uncle Coop, and Nana. They aren’t going to believe that you let me have a tree house.” He pushed his way past them and out the door.
Once he was gone, Huck looked at Cadee.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have butted in again and offered to stay the night.
If you don’t want me to, I’ll make up an excuse for why I can’t.
I’m not trying to step on your toes, Cadee.
It’s just . . .” He swallowed hard. “For the first time in my life, I feel like I’ve achieved something. Cam likes my tree house.”
Love flooded her heart. She had thought her love for Huck was dead, but all it had taken was seeing his love for their son to open the floodgates.
She squeezed the hand she still held. “It’s a great tree house, Huck. Like I’ve been trying to tell you, you’re good at building things.” She glanced at the cot. “And you might want to build yourself a bed because you and Camden aren’t both fitting on that.”
“I don’t mind sleeping on the floor. I did it all the time in the treeboat.”
“When you were a kid.”
His eyes softened. “Not true. The last time I slept in the treeboat, I wasn’t a kid.”
No, he hadn’t been. And neither had she. But talking about that night wasn’t a good idea. Not when her body already felt flushed with heat from just holding his hand.
And why was she still holding his hand?
She released him and took a few steps back. “I think it’s best if we forget that night, Huck.”
His gaze was intense and heart stopping. “Sorry, Cadee, but I’ll never forget that night . . . and not just because of Camden.”