Page 118 of Double Daddies
“Well… this is it,” Cami says as Ben maneuvers the bright blue Maserati into a tight parking spot.
“Nicely done,” I congratulate him.
“Hey, I appreciate you noticing.”
Cami huffs loudly. “Are you two going to be like this the entire time?”
“Like what?” I blink at her in surprise.
“Just… just be normal!” she says, smacking the side of her handbag.
I take her hands in mine and lock gazes with her. “Cami, I know you’re nervous right now, so I’m going to let that slide.But you need to remember who you’re talking to and keep it respectful.” I maintain eye contact and watch the flare of stubbornness in her brown orbs. But as I continue to look, bit by bit, it subsides.
“Sorry,” she mutters.
“Forgiven.” I bow my head to her hand and kiss the back of it. “Now, let’s go eat.”
When I meet his eyes, Ben mouths, “Well done,” and I grin at him.
Then he steps out of the car and opens the door for Cami. She won’t let go of my hand, though, so I have to crawl out after her. Then, no sooner does Ben shut the door, she grabs his, too. If it was under any other circumstances, I would tease her to “be normal,” but I know that will not go down well right now.
I wish I’d had a chance to talk with Ben and find out more about Kingslay since he is clearly so important. I have never had a problem charming people, but I feel like I’ve never been to a more important meeting in my life. We make an odd trio—a very nervous, petite, curly-haired brunette shrinking herself between two men. I’m wearing my lucky business suit—a three-piece navy suit that I’ve worn to every business deal negotiation I’ve ever attended, which I’ve subsequently come out the winner—and Ben is casual in black jeans and a Celtics T-shirt. Yet, as we make our way across the street and to the bustling, upscale steakhouse, I don’t see anyone looking twice.
Cami either doesn’t realize or it doesn’t help her anxiety, because the tension in her body radiates over, and I have a feeling the only reason she doesn’t bolt is because we’re flanking her.
Ben must feel it, too, because he stops just before we get to the steps in front of her. “Cami… we can cancel if you want to.”
She looks at him, agog. “You always say it’s rude to cancel last minute.”
“Itis,” I say before he can answer. “But if that’s what you need right now, then it’s the right thing to do.”
She hesitates, her bottom teeth working her bottom lip as she looks between the two of us. “I love my brother.”
I nod encouragingly.
“I love my family. My friends. Co-workers. But…”
“But?” Ben prompts gently.
Her dark eyes are wide and apprehensive. “I don’t know if they… how can they accept… and I wasn’t thinking about all that when we… maybe the hormones…”
“Whoa, whoa.” Ben steps closer, and I move my arm to her back.
We’re boxing her in with our bodies, reassuring her, protecting her—whatever she needs. “You have to complete a sentence,” I tell her, my voice firm, but compassionate. “We can address them one at a time.”
“Maybe it’s just the hormones making me feel like this,” she blurts, working backward. Her eyes leap again, from face to face, assessing, second-guessing.
“What are you saying?” Ben asks.
“What if… what if…” Cami takes a deep breath and drops her head. She’s looking at our shoes when she mutters, “What if when the baby’s born… this isn’t what I want?”
Her question hits me like a punch I didn’t see coming. My stomach knots and my chest feels heavy. I’m still processing when I hear Ben. Ben, for whom this would be excellent news. Ben, who perhaps has been hoping for this very thing. I force myself to shut out my own emotions and listen.
“If you make that decision, then that’s okay, because we’re both here foryouand what you need.” Ben’s tone is warm and soothing. “But I don’t think you will.”
“You… you don’t?”
“No. I’ve known you a long time, Cami, and one thing I know about you is that you care deeply about people. So deeply, in fact, that you inspire others to care as much as you do.”
