Page 14 of Back to You

He rounded the table and kissed her on the cheek before checking out the cookie jar next to the sun tea pitcher.

“You’re so predictable.” She grinned as he chomped down on a peanut butter chip oatmeal cookie.

“And you made my favorite because I called ahead.”

“I have to keep busy during the summer. It’s amazing how much more energy I have when I’m not trying to keep fourteen-year-olds’ attention while discussing Shakespeare and how relevant he is to them.”

“I loved your Shakespeare.”

She snorted. Fourteen wasn’t so long ago she didn’t remember how horrible he’d been at English Lit.

“Your dad brought down the boxes that were in the attic and put them in your room. Just the ones you have in those special crates with your sketch pads.” She washed her hands off and turned around. “You have about two hours till dinner, and then if you need us to drive you back with them, we can do that, or you can just come back tomorrow. You’re always—”

“Welcome here. I know, Ma.” He gave her a bright grin.

Those had been her ongoing words since Vivian had left home.

He doubted she even remembered when she started saying it, but he knew the exact date.

Vivian had gotten pregnant like five minutes after they broke up. There were rumors going around it was his. Which made sense because of how close the dates of breakup to pregnancy were. And he didn’t argue with it because if she needed it to be his, it was.

Period.

But then her mother had started publicly attacking Vivian and threatening to kick her out. And his mother had been acting all… motherish.

Finally, he came home one night and his parents were both waiting for him in the kitchen, each with a cup of coffee that smelled a wee bit like whiskey.

There hadn’t been any judgment or fear. Just complete love and support that if he stopped and thought about it now, it might just have him crying like a babe.

But what he remembered feeling that night was just embarrassment and anger that Vivian had done this to him. Yeah, yeah. He’d done it to himself.

The fact that, after they’d waited for years, she’d slept with a guy as soon as they’d broken up…

But telling his parents he was still a virgin ranked up there right after telling the principal he’d been involved in attempting to steal the mascot from their rivals… and had nearly gotten his ear bitten off by the darn goat.

They’d been supportive and said about a million times that no matter what he did, he’d always have a home with them.

That’s when they told him Vivian’s mom was going to kick her out. They had anticipated moving her in with them since it was their grandbaby, but now they asked him what he wanted to do.

Man, he’d been an idiot. His first thought was that this was her problem. He’d been mad and just generally pissed off at his (very good) world at that point. After letting him rage for a few moments, his dad looked him in the eye and said something that changed everything.

“Son, I can see how hurt you are, but do you love the girl or not?”

And everything flipped. Just, bam, right in that moment.

In his mind, a picture he’d never thought to consider formed. Of him and Vivian sitting where his parents were sitting when they were old—Omgosh, in their forties!—and everything being… right.

“Yes,” was all he said.

“Then she can come here.” His mom gave his dad a nod and he went on. “There will be rules.”

“Lots of rules.”

And Cam knew he’d agree to every one of them to keep her safe.

But it had been too late. Vivian was already gone. Driven to the train down the coast and off to an unknown aunt somewhere far, far away.

He was remembering it all, feeling every emotion again, as he waded through his sketchbooks, looking at the best and most varied work he’d done of the sleigh, finding some old pictures he’d forgotten and trying to put the day Vivian left behind him—again—when his mother called up.

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