Page 26 of Brides and Brothers
“I think we can manage that,” Aiden said.
She wondered if he would always be so accommodating. “Was it hard to find a rental on such short notice?”
Aiden gave her a curious look. “Didn’t I tell you about our house in Island Park? It’s about an hour-and-a-half drive with the best views of forest and mountains.”
“You mentioned you grew up there, but I had no idea you had a second house.”
Aiden reached over and found her hand. “Another fun surprise, then. We call it our cabin now. It’s small but comfortable. Not enticing enough for anyone to want to live there again because of how secluded it is, but it’s perfect for a weekend getaway.”
She hoped all his surprises would be as exciting. “I can’t think of anything I would like more than to spend the weekend there with you.”
Aiden pulled the car in front of the cabin, which had wood siding and a small wraparound deck and was framed by aspen and pine trees. He parked and then took her on a tour of the lot first, showing her the firepit and a crude but adorable treehouse. As spellbinding as the woods were at dusk, it was the interior tour of the cabin that made Aiden’s past come alive. Here he’d carved his name into the rail of the staircase, listened to his mom read him stories in the loft, and dreamed of his future.
He stopped at their room and smiled shyly. “This is where we’ll be sleeping.” He put his hand on the back of his neck, but he couldn’t hide the red blotches.
She knew just how to put him at ease—and maybe her too. She pulled his hand down and encircled his neck with her arms. Then, standing on her tiptoes until she was almost nose-to-nose with him, she said, “You have my permission to kiss me senseless.”
Aiden captured her mouth with his own, flooding her with warmth. He held her close, kissing her until she went weak behind the knees. Dating had been wonderful, but their love was quickly amplified, cradled in the protective promises of marriage.
Time passed quickly, as it often did when one was happiest. All of Camille’s dreams of feeling loved and treasured had come true. It was too soon for her when Sunday night came and they loaded their bags back into the car.
Once they were back on the road, Aiden smiled at her, giving her butterflies. “What did you think of our home away from home?”
Camille turned the music down on the dash. “It’ll always be a special place to me now, and it made for the perfect beginning to our marriage.”
“I agree,” Aiden said. “I love that place. Can you believe all my brothers and I slept in the loft? When we moved to Cherish, the size of the house was important to my mom. My dad spared no expense in building a home they could retire in and hold all the grandkids that would come. Tonight I’ll give you the royal tour.”
“First the cabin, then the house. I feel spoiled.” She reached over and put her hand on his arm. “Even though the house is big, I bet it’s crowded when all your brothers come home. I can’t even imagine all those men crammed into the kitchen for an occasional dinner. It’s probably worse than living in the dorms.”
Aiden’s small chuckle turned into a hard laugh. Then, suddenly, he was eerily silent.
“Are you okay?” Camille asked. Aiden’s concerned features turned panicky. She followed his line of vision to the tar-patched street. “Did you see something on the road?”
“Come on. You’re joking, right?” Aiden gave Camille a side glance.
Camille tried to comprehend what he was referring to. “What joke?”
“Camille?” Aiden’s tone was suddenly subdued.
“Yes?”
“I know we’ve talked about this a lot, but we both came into this marriage knowing there would be plenty of surprises.”
“You’re making me nervous.” Camille swallowed back her dread. What was he getting at?
His tentative smile could easily be construed as a grimace. “Well, I’m hoping this will be a good surprise.”
“What is it?” Camille’s question came out like a growl.
Aiden cleared his throat. “After my parents died, as the oldest, I inherited the house. I also became the legal guardian of my brothers. Even though they’re adults now too, I take my responsibility very seriously. I could never replace my dad, but my brothers are a huge part of my life.” He stole a look at her. “Our wedding wasn’t easy for them.”
“I can understand that.” Camille reviewed her comments and wondered if she had said something insensitive about his family. “I was overwhelmed about the idea of meeting your family, but I should’ve taken the time to get to know them beforehand.”
“There is wisdom in that sentiment.” Aiden drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. “Don’t worry. You’ll have a chance to get to know them when we get back.”
Camille frowned. “Your brothers are still in town?”
“Oh, they’re definitely in town.”
