Page 31 of The Brooklyn Way

“Whenever I talk about losing my parents, it usually makes the other person uncomfortable that they brought it up.”

“Did you lose them… together?”

“I did.” I looked up at the ceiling. I could talk about my parents’ death without crying or getting too emotional, but I did find that I had to steady myself first. “Uhm, my dad was a long-haul truck driver. He drove large loads coast to coast for as long as I can remember. When he finally retired, he always wanted to take a trip where someone else did the driving. So, he and mom booked a train trip on TrailTrack. It was supposed to be a three-day trip from Chicago to San Diego. The train went off the track somewhere in rural Utah. The train fell down an embankment and toppled over on its side. Eight people lost their lives at the scene, my mom was one of them. My dad survived the initial accident, but he… succumbed, that’s how the doctor’s put it. He succumbed to his injuries three days later. I think he succumbed to the news that my mom was gone. That’s how I ended up with Vince.” I scoffed a little before I spoke again. “We were dating very casually at the time. I really wasn’t even all that into him. I mean, he was cool, but I didn’t see a future there. Then, I lost my parents, and the only thing that looked the same about my life was Vince. He was the only thing that was there when they were alive and still there once they were gone. I think I clung on to him for that reason. He was a form of… stability, because my life and my mind were all over the place.”

Cameron stood from the seat next to mine, turned my chair so it was facing him, and pulled me into a very tight hug. He held me while softly stroking my hair. I could feel the warmth of his body heat and hear the rhythmic thumping of his heart. It was the most comforting hug I’d received in a long time. I wrapped my arms around his waist, laid my head on his stomach, and stayed there for a while.

When I felt all right, I released him.

He started to clean up our trash. “Let’s get ready to go out to the deck. We have about twenty minutes before the sun does its thing.”

“Okay. I just need to use the bathroom.”

I closed myself in Cameron’s powder room, placed my hands on my knees, and took a deep breath. It had been a minute since I had to tell somebody about the fate my parents suffered.

“At least you got through it without crying.” I quietly commended myself.

I ran a thick paper towel under the stream of cool water at his pedestal sink. Cameron had the most gorgeous house that was the best mixture of contemporary stylings paired with vintage touches. I lightly blotted my face with the paper towel, paying particular attention to my eyes. Once that was done, I tossed the paper towel. I emptied my bladder, washed my hands then met Cameron out on his deck.

Before I could sit down in my usual chair, he pulled me into his lap. I didn’t protest. I made myself comfortable in his lap, resting my head on his chest.

“You okay?” His deep baritone rumbled softly in my ear.

“I’m okay.”

He placed a kiss on the top of my head. “Good.”

Cameron smelled delectable, like masculinity mixed with sunshine, mixed with the salty sea.

“Uhm.” I inhaled deeply. “You smell so good.”

His laugh was light. “I’m glad. That shower gel came from France or somewhere and cost about two hundred dollars an ounce.”

I sat upright. “For shower gel? I mean, I’m familiar with perfume being expensive, but two hundred dollars for an ounce of shower gel? It goes down the drain when you rinse, right?”

He laughed again. “You’re crazy.”

“You’re out here dropping stacks on shower gel? I didn’t think men cared enough about stuff like that. I’ve known them to drop stacks on gym shoes—”

“Gym shoes.” He cut me off. “You’re so fucking Chicago. I’d never heard them called that before I was drafted by The Bison.”

“Don’t change the subject.” I laid my head back on his chest. “Who bought you that shower gel, some chick?”

“Not you acting jealous,” he teased with a snicker.

I buried my face in his armpit.

He let me, but that didn’t stop him from talking his shit. “Don’t get embarrassed now. You out here acting real territorial over me right now. Acting like you’ve got a claim to me.”

“Sorry,” I mumbled from his armpit. “You’re right. It doesn’t matter who bought the overpriced ass shower gel.”

We both laughed, then stilled as the sun made its final descent below the horizon.

I wasn’t expecting Cameron to drive us to Rickie’s. I expected to go home, get my own vehicle, and drive myself. But when he pointed out that I was already at his house and that I was currently living on his property, it made the most sense for us to ride together.

“I think you just like being with me,” I joked as I buckled myself into his pickup truck.

“You think I’m ashamed to admit that, Brooklyn?”

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