Authors: Audrey Carlan
“You really want Tanner to be yours?” My voice betrayed my emotions.
“Precious, he already is mine. The day I met him and looked into his eyes, I saw my future. In him and in you, the woman I was meant to love.”
“Okay.” I let everything go. The fear, the worry, the past. Nate and Tanner were my future and it was staring me in the face. For once, I wasn’t going to be scared. I was just going to fall.
“Okay what?” Nate cupped my face and wiped away my tears with his thumbs.
“Okay to everything. To it all. Marriage. A family but most of all to you being Tanner’s father. I couldn’t have picked a better man if God had given me the chance to mold you myself.”
Nate’s smile was the biggest I’d seen. He jumped up, pulled me into his arms and swung me in a huge circle. “You mean it, love?”
“Yes.” I laughed, meaning every word.
“You’re making me the happiest man. I’m going to treat you and Tanner so well. And we’ll have a baby of our own right away!” He squeezed me.
I laughed and hugged him back. “I’m actually rather shocked we aren’t already pregnant with as many times as you have “conveniently” forgotten to use protection.” I grinned.
“I didn’t forget. I just bloody didn’t use them. Nothing comes between me and my woman. If we get pregnant, all the better.”
My eyes widened. “You were trying to get me pregnant?” I smacked his arm.
“Not exactly trying. I just figured if you got pregnant with my babe we’d have a wee one and move things along. Now you’re saying we can anyway. Works smashingly for me!” He kissed away my response with a toe-curling kiss.
I moved out of his arms. “So, when do you want to start all of this?”
His look turned predatory. I knew that look. I saw it not an hour ago when he took me to heaven and back on our desk. Slowly I backed up. He followed. “No time like the present, Precious. You better run because I’m going to shag the shite out of you!”
“You can’t!” I stopped when my back hit the French doors. I found the handle behind me. “I’m on my cycle remember?”
“I don’t give a damn, my love.”
“What if I do?” I tilted my head to the side as he caught me around the waist.
“You’ll get over it.” He took my lips with his own.
***
“I’m going to marry Camille,” I said, entering Collier’s office. He was on the phone.
“Beauty, I’m afraid I’ll have to call you back. It seems as though my brother’s a stone’s throw from going off the trolley. Call you soon,
wife
.” He smiled and hung up the phone. “Now what is this about getting hitched?”
“I’m doing it. I picked out the ring this morning.” I laid the blue velvet box on the table and Collier grabbed it. He opened it and saw the princess cut diamond set in antiqued white gold with baguettes on the sides. A long whistle escaped his lips.
“That’s a mighty fine ring you’ve got there.” Collier looked at the ring then back at me. His lips twisted into a grin. “She pregnant?”
“No you old sod! She’s not pregnant…unfortunately,” I grumbled and took a seat across from him.
My brother’s eyes widened. “You mean you want her to be with child?”
“I wouldn’t be against her carrying my lad, no. With Camille, Colly, everything has changed. I want to be with her all the time. I need her to have my name and for every man on this earth to know she is taken. And I’m going to adopt Tanner, too.”
Collier’s hands steepled under his chin. “That’s a lot of change in a short amount of time. Why the rush?”
“Pot, meet kettle…would you like a spot of tea, brother mine?” Coming from a man who shacked up and married his woman in less than a year, I couldn’t believe he’d spit that weak argument.
“Touché.”
I grabbed the ring and put it back in my pocket. “It’s not a rush. I just know Camille is it for me. Something about her and her son drew me in and made me never want to leave. I have a fierce need to protect them. Did you ever feel that?”
Collier nodded and blew out a breath. “Right away, yes. I wanted to lock up London and never let her out of my sight. Only now can I go a day without speaking with her, but in truth, it’s still torture.”
I smiled and stood. “Well, I can’t wait to make her my wife. Only I’m going to give her the wedding of her dreams.”
“Bloody hell, please do. At least you’ll get mum off my arse. She says now that I’ve taken away her opportunity to see me get married, she wants a grandchild posthaste.”
I grinned. “Well, brother, maybe I can take care of that, too.” I winked and he slumped back in his seat, shaking his head.
“My have you changed. It looks good on you.”
“It’s the love of a good woman. Makes me want to do crazy things.” I headed to the door. “You’ll be my best man, right?”
Collier walked over to me with a hand out. “Try and stop me.” He shook my hand then pulled me into a hug. “I’m proud of you, mate. Never thought I’d see the day that the great ladies’ man would fall for a sweet bird like Camille but I’m so glad you did. I like her. A lot. She’s a perfect addition to our family.”
“Now I just have to ask her and set a date. Best be on my way. I’ve got a woman to woo.”
“That you do. But don’t forget you have two cases in court to win.”
I laughed. “Shite. I almost forgot I had to work today. I’ll win those two cases with my bloody eyes closed!” And I could as on top of the world as I was.
Ring in my pocket. Two cases won. And the perfect location chosen. Everything was set and ready.
“Where are we going?” Camille asked for the hundredth time.
“Yeah, where we going?” Tanner asked. The lad was just as impatient as his mum.
I shook my head, finding it hilarious that these two could not handle a surprise. “You’ll just have to wait and see.” The limo pulled over to the curb. Camille’s eyes widened as we got out of the car. Tanner looked around at all the sparkling lights and started hopping up and down.
Right in the center of the theatre district sat a table with a red and white checkered table cloth. A red rope surrounded it with a bottle of champagne and apple cider waiting on the table that was set for three. I ushered Camille and Tanner into their seats. A pizza delivery man opened boxes and dished out cheese pizza onto Tanner’s plate and a couple loaded slices on mine and Camille’s.
“Pizza is my very favorite!” Tanner shoveled a huge chunk of pizza into his mouth. Camille was in awe as I poured glasses of champagne, then a glass of cider for Tanner. The lights from the theatre signs sparkled and bounced off the crystal glasses, breaking the light all around us into rainbows of color.
“This is…there aren’t words. Why?” She looked around and petted her son’s hair.
I tinkled our glasses together and looked into her eyes. “Because this, Precious, is where I fell in love with you. Right here where you spun around in a circle and looked at me as if I was the man of your dreams.”
“You are the man of my dreams,” she confirmed.
“And you’re the woman of mine. That’s why I wanted to bring you here to make it official.” I got down on one knee. Her eyes immediately filled with tears as she put her fingers to her lips. She looked around at all the bystanders that were stopping to watch the show.
I pulled the ring from my breast coat pocket and opened it. Her eyes took in the size of the ring. “Camille, I have loved you almost since I laid eyes on you. I want to live my life parallel to yours. I want to raise your son and make him my own. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
“Oh my God, Nate. Are you sure?” She never ceased to amaze me, always asking if I was sure I wanted her.
“I have never been more sure of anything in my life. I love you and want you to marry me. Say you’ll be my wife?”
Tears spilled down her cheeks as she got down on her own knees, cupping my face. “It would make me the happiest woman in the world to call you my husband. I love you, Nathaniel Walker. I always will.”
I placed the ring on her finger and she gasped. It seemed large on her finger, but I didn’t care. I wanted every bloke within a ten foot radius to be blinded by my undying love for her. With a flourish, I pulled her up to standing and kissed her. In that kiss I left all the loneliness of the past and proved that she alone was the only woman for me.
“Yippee. Mommy’s going to be marry-did!” Tanner squealed and hugged our legs. I held onto his little shoulder and kissed my girl one more time. She made that little mewl sound that I knew was solely for me. Then I crouched down again.
“Remember, when you asked me if I was going to marry your mum and I said I didn’t know?”
He nodded, head bouncing up and down.
“Well I am. And you remember when you asked me if I was going to be your daddy if I married your mum?”
He nodded again, his big bright blue eyes misted over.
“Well, sport, I’m going to be your Daddy. Would you like that?”
“Really?” Tears fell down his little cheeks and his nose reddened.
“Oh, baby.” Camille cried and hugged her son. His eyes never left mine.
“Yes Tanner. I want to be your Dad if you’ll let me. What do you say?”
“Can I call you Dad?”
My voice choked. I had to be strong. I swallowed, pushing the lump down my throat at the sincere hope I heard in this little one’s voice. “You can call me whatever you want.”
“I want to call you Dad.” his voice broke and tears ran down his cheeks. I pulled him into my arms, making sure not to hug him too tight.
“I love you, Tanner. I’m going to be the best father to you and husband to your mum. Okay? I promise.”
“Okay, Dad.” Camille gasped, and I choked back the tears at hearing him use my new title. “Can I have more pizza now?” he asked and wiped his nose along his shirt sleeve.
Camille and I laughed as did the half of New York that had stopped to watch us.
“Yes, son. You can have more pizza now.” I fluffed his hair and served my boy another slice.
The three of us sat as one little family. Camille stared at her ring and picked up her glass. I picked up my own and Tanner held his up. “What should we toast to?” Camille asked.
“To us. Mum, Dad and my son.”
Tanner beamed and we all clinked our glasses, sealing the toast with love and a bright future.
Chapter 17
When a woman becomes engaged, something changes. A confidence that you didn’t have before fills your essence, adds a bounce to your step, and seals a smile to your face. That’s how I felt. Like a confident, happily-in-love woman who had the whole world ahead of her. Nate gave me that last week when he put a shiny diamond ring on my finger, declared his love for me on the streets of New York, and asked me to be his wife. As if that wasn’t enough, he even asked Tanner if he could be his father.
I hummed along with a tune I had playing on my iPod as I dusted our desks. Nate and Tanner were playing soldiers in his room down the hall. Tanner’s squeals of laughter were music to my ears. In the past three weeks, he’d changed so much. No longer was he timid with Nate. He, too, seemed to be filled with a confidence driven by a secure and stable home life.
Smiling happily as I cleaned, I shifted the mess of papers and files on Nate’s desk, trying to put them in some semblance of order. Something caught my eye. My name. I sat down in his leather chair and tugged the bright red folder from the messy stack of files. Yep, Camille Johnston–Full Investigative Report was neatly typed on the flap. On the top of the file was a yellow sticky note with a Stark Investigations logo and a Manhattan address, phone, number, and website.
In almost illegible writing, I made out the following:
Walker –
Hope this info gets you the girl.
-Johnny
What the hell was this? Nate had me investigated? Why? When? So many questions ran through my mind as I opened the file. Inside were approximately ten to fifteen sheets of information. The first was a summary of the rest. I scanned the first page noting my name, address, a picture of my driver’s license, my employment history, however brief. Page two had a copy of my high school transcripts, my current college coursework and grades. The next couple pages were marked “confidential” and were a history of my foster care. It clearly showed each home I’d been placed in from birth through age eighteen. A social worker’s commentary about removing me from abusive homes was noted.
As I read the pages, the memories of that life slammed into me. My heartbeat sped up as I read through each account of abuse and the corresponding hospital or child psychology visit. It was worse when I was younger. I didn’t remember the broken arms, legs and bruises. There was even a full written statement from my Kindergarten teacher. She was convinced I was being beaten and called child protective services, who paid a visit to the home. The home turned out to have ten foster kids living there and two sisters who were prostitutes.
Jesus. It was shocking how little I recalled. The pages included Doctors’ reports after I was pulled from each home, confirming I was still a virgin, my hymen intact. Reading this part particularly turned my stomach. A heavy ache in my gut, chest, and heart made me feel weighted, rooted to the chair. I was barely able to move as memories poured over me. Years of abuse, regret, and sadness came back in a thunderous wave that choked me. My stomached churned and I grabbed the trash can and retched the remains of my breakfast into the can. Dry heaves wracked my body. As I came back to the here and now, I felt a cool cloth on my forehead.
“It’s okay, love. You’re okay.” Nate’s voice broke through the terror of reliving my past. I gripped him to me, holding on so tightly I may have bruised him. He didn’t care. He held me tighter, whispering sweet nothings, petting my hair, back and sides until I calmed down. I grabbed a tissue off his desk, blew my nose, then slumped back into the chair.
“What happened? Why did you get sick?”
I took a deep breath and searched his eyes. Nothing but concern and love stared back.
“How could you?” I grabbed the file and shook it in his face. He looked at it as if he’d never seen it before.