Page 85 of Dr. Brandt

Chapter Thirty-Six

Jessa

Although Cam didn’t believe I’d cried my eyes out on the Yosemite trip because I felt happy, it was true. He didn’t press me for more information, though, and I was grateful for that because I honestly had no other explanation for the tears.

Being in a place of total happiness, relief, and, I guess, just feeling like everything was right and good brought me emotionally to my knees in gratitude for where I was in life.

I was so thankful that I took this chance with Cameron. For the last month, all we’d done was enjoy our time together. Whether riding bikes on trails up the coast, watching Jacks and Cam throw the football around in front of the beach house, or sitting around the living room and watching basketball, it was refreshing and soothing to my once overwhelmed and exhausted soul.

Jacks had caught on to the fact that his doctor and I were an item, and though I expected him to flare up a little about it, the kid adored Cameron so damn much that he was practically planning our wedding day.

I’d come very close to telling Jacks that Cam was his father because I was beginning to feel like we were lying to him these days by not doing so. I didn’t, though, because I trusted Cam when he said that Jacks needed to be mentally strong to recover from surgery. He didn’t need to think about anything other than working his ass off to get his life back.

“So, you guys will be gone for a week?” Jacks asked, taking my bag from the trunk and placing it on my suitcase. “You sure you’re not going to Mexico to get married?”

I rolled my eyes, still unsure of leaving Jacks, but I trusted that he was in excellent care with Jake and Ash. I think Jacks was going to bounce around and visit everyone he’d simply adopted as his own—either as aunt or uncle—since Cam and I got close. We’d spent a lot of evenings during this last month being around all of them, and it brought me joy to see him develop those relationships so quickly.

“Right, because everyone goes to Mexico to get married on a whim?” I said, grabbing him and hugging him tightly. “You know you’d be the first to know if I was going to get married.”

“What if he proposes?” Jacks said, his thumb pointing back at where Cam was discussing something with the pilot of the private aircraft.

My eyes widened at that thought. “Um,” was all I could say.

“Ha,” Jacks said, hugging me tightly again.

“Hey,” I stepped back, “I know that for this last month, I’ve probably not seemed like your normal mother, and even though I’ve done some fun and crazy stuff with Cam, nobody is pushing it on the marriage stuff. I just called off an engagement, if you don’t remember?”

Jackson laughed, “That was because you were marrying the wrong man.”

“You just like Cam because he’s fun and spontaneous and makes you feel like there are no problems in the world.”

“Isn’t that why you like him?” Jacks said.

More like why I love him.

“True,” I answered.

“Well, I love the new side of you that he brings out. You’re finally smiling all the time and enjoying your life. You’re not as worried about me as you always were.”

“I love this side of your mother, too,” Cam said, turning back to us. “What are we talking about anyway?”

“Mom has changed because of you. She’s happier, gets out more, and has fun,” Jacks finished with a cheesy grin.

Cameron draped his arm around Jacks. “I agree. She seemed to be so, I don’t know, serious and, dare I say, boring before I came into her life, don’t you think?”

“Can we please go? What did the pilot say?” I asked, searching for a new subject.

“Damn, well, I guess this is goodbye?” Jacks said, his cursing taking on a whole new level since hanging around Cam’s buddies.

“Shoot,” I said. “Come here. Okay, Edmond will drive you to Jake and Ash’s house, right?”

“Yes, and they have all my emergency contact information. I’m staying with them for the week since Jake is working in the place of that doctor who’s out on paternity leave.”

“Give them hell,” Cam said, ruffling the top of Jackson’s hair. “You can still come with us if you want. I have a lovely villa I reserved for the week.”

Jacks shook his head, “You two go and have fun. Jake mentioned something about courtside tickets to a basketball game this week.”

“Really?” Cam said, turning to face Jacks. “Where’d that asshole get the tickets?”

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