Page 150 of Take This Heart
My grandmas gasp when they see everything. They’ve seen it at various stages but wanted to be surprised with the final look.
“You’ve outdone yourself,” Grandma Donna says.
“Good gravy, this is gorgeous,” Grandma Nancy adds.
“Thank you.” I squeeze both of them. “It took a lot of hands on deck to make this happen.”
I smile at all the new employees Camden has hired. Everyone is so nice and excited to be part of this new venture—I think he made great choices. I walk back to the kitchen and Tully is already here, standing next to Camden. I inhale the aroma of fresh herbs and garlic, meat and desserts competing with each other.
I’m barely in the door when Juju barrels past me, her heels clicking against the floor. She lookslivid.
“I should’ve known better than to bring desserts for you!” she shouts over her shoulder. “You can find someone else to do your bidding, Camden Whitman!”
She nearly collides with me and stops just long enough to hiss, “You look really pretty. I’ll let you deal with that a-hole.”
Camden laughs. “May as well call a jackass ajackass,Juliana.”
“Okay,jackass,”she mutters, going out the door.
“What did you do to her?” I ask, wide-eyed.
“She was later than I wanted with the pies and cheesecakes. And she made mousse cakes and bread pudding. I didn’t ask for mousse cakes or bread pudding.”
“You gave her a hard time for bringing extra desserts…” I stare at him, dumbfounded. “Youarea jackass! I can’t believe you. Why does she bring out the worst in you?”
“Did you hear the way she talked to me?”
“Like you deserved, it sounds like!”
He sighs. “Come on, don’t pile on.” He looks at me sheepishly.
“Okay, but stop being mean to my friend. Haven’t you heard? You’re the nicest brother.”
“Hey!” Tully says. “Again,I’mthe twin. He is not. Therefore, I am supposed to be your favorite everything.”
“You’re my favorite also,” I tell him.
Tully grins and bumps me in the hip, until he hears the wordalso. I give him a side hug to make up for it.
“How are you doing besides being a temperamental jackass over getting extra desserts?” I ask Camden.
He wipes his hands on his apron and grumbles, “Iwasfine. Until she showed up.”
Milo walks in and my dad, Dylan, Noah, and Grayson are with him. Everyone is dressed up in their best suits, hair to perfection, and the smell of aftershave is a little overwhelming in this space. Their hair has grown out more and they all look so handsome. Every single one of them, my dadincluded, could be models if they wanted to. They never would, but theycould.
“I’m excited for this night. Amazed at how it all came together. Blown away by how many helped make it happen,” Camden says. “Especially all of you.”
Noah opens a bottle of champagne and fills a glass for each of us. For Grayson, he pulls his travel cup out of his bag. “Chocolate milk for you,” he tells him.
Grayson beams up at him and then smiles around the room.
Noah raises his glass. “I’m proud of you, brother. To Camden. For creating something beautiful and inspiring.”
We all click glasses.
“To Camden,” we repeat.
“To family,” Tully says, and we repeat.
