Chapter Twenty-Nine
Cam
“Are you ready?”
I laced my fingers with hers, turning us into a unit through that simple gesture.
Sue gulped, looking over at me from the passenger seat of my car. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
“Everything is going to be fine. How hard could it be to convince someone I’m madly in love with you?”
I leaned in for a deep, possessive kiss that sent my senses into overdrive. God, how I wished she was in love with me. But being lovers wasn’t the same as being in love. This was the charade we’d started, half-seriously, only a week ago, and I had to follow it through to the bitter end.
I opened my eyes, tasting her on my lips—toothpaste and cherry lip balm. If I didn’t know otherwise, I could swear she was madly in love with me. She was an excellent actress, and I had no reason to act. I was crazy about her. At least I didn’t have to worry I’d lie to Mom and Becky about that.
“Okay, let’s do this.” She took a deep breath and leaned back in her seat.
I started the engine and slid the car into traffic. We were going to pick up my mom and sister from their hotel, then meet Sue’s family at The River Café.
I didn’t even know how the day had passed. I’d done my job like a robot, checking my watch and calculating minutes until dinner time. Sue’s prayers about the tsunami were still unanswered and I wasn’t putting much stock into that plan at this point.
Next to me, she was a mess. I put on some soothing jazz, hoping to calm her nerves. It didn’t work. It was like that moment when someone tells you to calm down, and the last thing you can do is calm down. That was Sue.
In contrast, I was eerily calm. I couldn’t explain why, but I wasn’t in the least bit nervous to meet her family.
Maybe I felt protected somehow because this engagement was fake.
After Britt, I was scared of another real engagement, so I took this as a game at first. It couldn’t hurt me.
But on the other hand, what I felt for Sue was not fake at all. The ring wasn’t fake to me.
I couldn’t, for the life of me, explain what was happening in my brain. For a brief second I wished I could talk to my mother about it. She would help me make sense of things. Maybe one day I would, but for now I had to take it one hour at a time.
Sue’s mom texted her to let her know they were heading to the restaurant. She texted back the phoniest smiley face emoji in the library of emojis.
Twenty minutes later, I pulled up outside The St. Regis, where Mom and Becky were waiting for us. The moment I spotted them through the glass doors, my face split into a wide grin. I hadn’t realized how much I missed them until this moment.
Next to me, Sue was unraveling.
“Oh God, oh God, oh God,” she muttered under her breath.
“Would you relax?” I squeezed her hand hard, forcing her to look at me. “They’re going to love you.”
“They’re going to analyze me,” she corrected. “Your mother has a frigging PhD in mind-reading. She’s going to sniff out every fake thing about this engagement and dissect me like a science experiment.”
I smirked at the picture she painted. “Good thing there’s nothing fake about my feelings for you.”
I gave her no choice but to follow me out of the car.
Becky spotted us instantly. “There’s my favorite brother and his mysterious fiancée!”
She sauntered toward us with the gait of a TV host about to present a reality show.
She was almost as tall as me. If someone held a gun to my head demanding objectivity, I had to admit my sister was stunning, with long raven black hair and dark, almond-shaped eyes.
Her fashion sense was something between boho and hippie.
She wore a colorful skirt, a denim jacket covered in flowers, a long knit scarf, and army boots.
I barely had a second to react before she hug-tackled Sue, nearly sending them both into the side of my car.
“Welcome to New York,” Sue gasped.
“Oh, my God! You’re even prettier than in the pictures.” She pulled back, scanning Sue from head to toe.
I barely had time to blink before she turned to me and pulled me into a bear hug. I lifted her cleanly off her feet and twirled her around a couple of times.
“Good to see you, Bex,” I said, bopping her nose.
“Back at you, bro.” Becky smacked me on the arm. “How the hell did you land her?”
My grin widened. “I tricked her into liking me.”
“Yeah, you have a knack for that.”
Meanwhile, my mom approached with the kind of calm authority I’d always admired about her. She was dressed in a navy coat, her short dark hair sleek and sophisticated. Her sharp blue eyes missed absolutely nothing.
Sue straightened up as though she was about to take an oral exam. Which was sort of true.
“Susanne.” Mom reached for her hands, her tone filled with warmth. “I’m Helen Jones. It’s so lovely to meet you.”
Her touch was gentle, her smile kind, but I knew her too well. She was assessing Sue.
I silently tried to send her a mental message. Stay calm. Look normal. Remember, she’s not a T-Rex, so she can still see you even if you don’t move.
Sue smiled, looking remarkably composed. “Mrs. Jones, it’s so wonderful to meet you, too. Cam talks about you all the time.”
She lifted a knowing brow. “Not all bad, I hope. Please call me Helen. It keeps me young.”
She turned to me, and I enveloped her in a long hug, inhaling deeply. Her scent had been unchanged all of my life, a constant, reassuring mix of Channel and the herbs she religiously kept in her little garden.
“It’s so good to see you, Mom.” I held her at arm’s length so I could look at her. “Can we at least get in the car before you start the psychoanalysis?”
Becky chuckled. “Oh please, she started the moment she saw Sue step out of the car.”
Sue gulped quietly.
“Come on, let’s get moving.” I opened the door to the back seat. “If we’re late, Sue’s dad and brother will give me the third degree.”
“And what’s your family’s job in all this?” Becky asked Sue as she climbed into the back seat.
“To treat Cam as though he’s the main suspect in a triple homicide, and they’re the detectives investigating the case,” Sue deadpanned, making all of us laugh.
Mom gave her a look, her smile widening just a little. “Oh, I like you. Feisty. No wonder Cam fell for you.”
I pulled into traffic, and let them get to know each other, while I observed in the rear view mirror.
Becky leaned forward between the seats. “So, Sue, let me see the ring.”
Sue lifted her left hand obligingly. Becky and Mom gasped, exchanging suggestive glances.
“My, this is gorgeous,” Mom said, her eyes bright.
“Classy.” Becky turned Sue’s finger to study the stones as they caught the light. “So when’s the big day? Can I be a bridesmaid? Can I pick my own dress?”
I groaned. “Bex, can you at least pretend to behave for five minutes?”
“I don’t know, Cam. Can you pretend you’re not weirdly obsessive about organizing your sock drawer?” She turned back to Sue, grinning. “What do you think about his quirks? Does he have any new ones we don’t know about?”
Sue swallowed a laugh. “He’s done a great job organizing my condiments. I honestly love his quirks, I think they’re adorable.”
Becky cooed, fanning herself. “Boy, you’re really crazy about him. You two are going to give me cavities.”
I shook my head to hide how pleased I actually was. “I should’ve left you at the hotel.”
Mom chuckled, crossing her legs. “Becky, give the poor girl a break. It’s already overwhelming enough to meet both families at once.”
Sue turned to Mom, her eyes exuding maniacal gratitude as she sensed a potential ally. Or at least a spot of sanity.
“Thank you.”
“Of course,” Mom said, smiling. “I’d rather hear what you do. Cam tells me you’re a teacher?”
“Middle grade,” Sue confirmed. “So basically, part-time educator, full-time chaos coordinator.”
Becky let out a dramatic sigh. “Oh my God, I wish I had a teacher like you. Mine were all either ancient or terrifying. I bet you’re the fun one.”
“I try,” Sue said. “But honestly, I spend half my time preventing small fires. Figurative and literal.”
Mom tilted her head, watching Sue closely in that way that made Craig, Becky and I sweat—and not just when we were kids.
“I imagine that takes a lot of patience.”
“It does. But I love it. It’s exhausting, yet every so often you have those moments where you see a kid light up because they get something. That’s what makes it worth it.”
I glanced at her, my mouth twitching in a losing battle with a smile. I loved hearing her talk about her job. She was as passionate about education and teaching as I was.
“She’s being modest,” I said. “She’s basically a superhero. Between her classes and the school reading club, she probably runs on three hours of sleep and pure determination.”
She nudged me. “Oh, look who’s talking, Mister CEO.”
Becky perked up. “Yeah, let’s talk about that. How exactly does a guy who writes code for a living end up with someone who deals with kids all day? Seems like an odd match.”
I shrugged, completely unfazed. “She’s the one person who makes me forget about work. When I’m with her, I actually relax.”
Becky blinked. “Wow. That might be the sappiest thing I’ve ever heard you say.”
Sue turned to me, raising an eyebrow. “She’s got a point.”
I focused my attention on the traffic. “I need to be careful here.”
I tried to ignore the warm, gooey feeling this situation gave me—having my three favorite women together, bonding, talking shop.
This was all part of the act. Maybe after today we could just be ourselves and see where this relationship would go without outside pressure.
Fat chance though. The next thing would be everyone asking us about the wedding date.
Everyone would butt into our business. It would never end—until we ended.
When we reached the restaurant, I pulled into the valet lane outside The River Café. We stepped out of the car. Sue was subtly doing breathing exercises. Mom adjusted her hair, exuding elegance and style. Becky was practically bouncing on her toes, clearly loving the drama of the moment.
I circled around and offered Sue my hand like a true gentleman.
“Last chance to make a run for it,” I whispered.
She narrowed her eyes at me. “Don’t tempt me. You’ve no idea how close I am.”
I smiled and squeezed her fingers. “Too late now, fiancée.”
She sighed, and I led her inside.
The moment we stepped through the doors, the restaurant’s soft lighting and ridiculously elegant atmosphere enveloped us.
The place was stunning—the Manhattan skyline glittered beyond the enormous windows, the scent of fresh flowers and gourmet cuisine filled the air, and the soft murmur of conversation hummed beneath a live jazz trio playing in the corner.
I barely had time to soak it in before I spotted Sue’s family. Even if I hadn’t met them online, I would know them instantly in any crowd.
They were already seated, their energy loud even in the silence.
Sue’s father was perusing the wine list, his brow furrowed in reverent concentration.
He was an imposing man with silver-tinged dark hair and a square, clean-shaven jaw.
His wife sat beside him, effortlessly stunning in an ivory dress that hugged her body.
Her silver hair might have looked unkempt on another woman, but on her it exuded class.
She was the epitome of beauty and grace—poised, commanding, and intimidating as hell.
The man I presumed was Sue’s brother, Paul, was a younger version of his father, with darker hair and a short beard. His wife, Michelle, glowing with pregnancy, was smiling warmly, one hand resting on her belly.
Next to them were two empty chairs, waiting, like the hot seats in an interrogation room.
Becky let out a low whistle beside me. “Damn, it’s like meeting royalty.”
Mom chuckled. “I like them already.”
Next to me, Sue was a bundle of nerves. I was almost grateful for it, because keeping her calm kept me calm.
I pressed a kiss to her temple and whispered a quick encouragement in her ear. “Deep breaths. We got this.”
Sue’s mother’s eyes lifted and locked onto her daughter. Her entire face lit up in a radiant smile.
“There she is!” She rose gracefully from her chair, crossing the room in fluid steps, arms wide open.
I felt Sue brace for impact.
“Susanne.” Her mother pulled her into a tight, motherly hug, firm enough to let her know she still micromanaged her life. “You look gorgeous.”
She drew back, cupping Sue’s face between her hands and scanning her, as if checking for flaws in her expensive china set.
Then her eyes flicked to me, and—God help me—they sparkled.
She turned her full attention to me.
“Cameron,” she practically purred, clasping my hands in hers. “Even more handsome in person.”
I gave her my most charming smile. “Mrs. Morelli, it’s a pleasure.”
Sue’s mother giggled. I was used to having a positive effect on women most of the time, but her reaction surprised me. Judging by Sue’s expression, she’d never heard her mom make that sound in her life.
Sue hastily introduced everyone, then her father stood, more serious than a mafia boss in an old black-and-white film. He adjusted the cuffs of his navy suit, his dark eyes taking me in with quiet scrutiny.
He reached out a hand. I took it, matching his firm grip, meeting his gaze straight-on.
“Cameron.” His tone was serious, his spine straightened to its full height as he emphasized the ‘a’ in my name. “The man who put a ring on my bambina’s finger.”
I nodded. It wasn’t easy to keep my cool, but somehow I did. For Sue.
“Yes, sir,” I said firmly. “Best decision I ever made.”
Sue’s dad held my gaze. “We will see.”
Paul snorted into his wine glass. “Oh yeah, this is going to be good.”
Michelle nudged him. “Behave.”
Mom stepped forward next, extending a warm hand to Sue’s mother.
“Helen Jones. And this is my daughter, Becky.”
“Oh, it’s wonderful to meet you both,” Sue’s mother said. “Helen, you raised an incredible son.”
Mom smiled serenely. “And you raised an incredible daughter.”
Beside me, Becky whispered, “I love her.”
We all took our seats, and Sue threw one last desperate glance at me, just as her dad called over the waiter.
“Wine,” he said. “We will start with wine.”
Sue and I exchanged a look. It had begun.