Page 12 of Brides and Brothers
He flicked it with his thumb again and declared tails. “You’re kidding me.” What was he going to confess after that? He looked up at Camille and smiled. “Okay, confession: I was nervous to eat your banana bread.”
“That’s hardly a confession.” Camille laughed. “I could tell by the way your face scrunched up when you saw the pan. It was almost as bad as when you tried the smoothie.”
She stole the penny back, flipped it into the air, and grumbled when it landed on tails again. “I’m only teaching here because I didn’t get into the doctorate program I applied for.” She covered her face with her hands for a moment. “Super embarrassing, but there’s no use hiding it.”
“What kind of program was it?”
“I have a master’s in communications and was hoping to get a PhD for a public relations position. Part of me was relieved I didn’t get it, because I really...”
“You really what?”
Her cheeks colored. “I’d rather spend my life raising a family and teaching on the side.”
A slow smile spread across his face. “There’s no shame in dreaming for a family.” He wondered if her dream included raising adult children. They were practically the same thing.
She pushed her french fries away and folded her arms, resting them on the table. “My mom would be disappointed if I didn’t have a career, but I love the idea of a home and kids. Maybe I’m a romantic.”
“You and me both, then.” Though,romanticwasn’t the term for him. He just lived and breathed family. He used to want to be a dad more than anything, and now he was to his brothers. Parenting didn’t always look the same for everyone, and he’d found himself in the role much earlier than he’d expected.
It was her turn to smile. “It’s nice to know we share the same goals.”
He ducked his head, thinking suddenly of his parents. “At the end of the day, family is all that matters.” He cleared his throat and reached for the penny. Heads. He picked a lighter topic. “What’s your dream vacation?”
“Hawaii. Definitely Hawaii.”
“You didn’t even have to think about it.”
“What’s there to think about?” She played with her straw in her glass. “It’s paradise... or so they tell me.”
The two of them laughed over a few more questions, getting lost in conversation with each one. Unfortunately, the waitress interrupted them again, her eyes on Aiden. Camille snickered while the waitress flirted, and Aiden had to bite his tongue to keep from snorting himself. It took a minute to get rid of her, but Aiden was now convinced the diner was the absolute worst place for a date, despite the great milkshakes. He pushed the penny toward Camille, eager for a new scene. “Last round?”
“Heads!” she yelled. Her face reddened, and she regarded the other tables self-consciously and lowered her voice back to a normal decibel. “Sorry, I got a little too excited. Here’s your question, and yes, it was inspired by the waitress. How many girlfriends have you had?”
“Loaded question.” He leaned back in his seat and stared at the checkered walls. “Not many.”
“Maybe I should have asked how many girls you’ve kissed.”
He squirmed and shook his head. “I don’t think that’s a PG topic.” He’d be embarrassed to admit how few girls he had kissed. “Let’s just say I should’ve made the time to date more.” Being with Camille was making him rethink his priorities.
“I’m surprised.”
“Why?”
“You have a cocky smile, and you definitely strike me as a flirt.”
His brow rose. “I can’t help my smile, but a flirt implies a lack of serious intention. If I’m flirting with you, you don’t need to guess where I stand.”
“Are you flirting with me right now?”
“Do you want me to?” He stared at her, and she didn’t look away. He felt something forming between them, and it scared him a little.
Camille bit back a smile and pushed the penny his way. “You’d better finish the game before you get off topic again.”
Aiden got heads too. “Are you ready for this one? Who’s it going to be? Me or Jeremy?”
Camille snorted. “You—definitely you—but only if I don’t catch you running off with the waitress.”
“Done!” Aiden leaned across the table. “It looks like we have a future together.”
