Kiss This (38 page)

A soldier of the finest kind…”

Camryn sat in silence for a few minutes
after Brandon left her alone. They’d spent a half an hour at Zach’s
grave but she desired a few minutes by herself. It never felt good
to be in this cemetery, but today held a different feel to it.
Normally she’d be bawling before even stepping out of the car, but
this time her emotions were on the calm side.

“I don’t hide any secrets from Brandon,” she
whispered to Zach’s headstone. “I just wanted to talk to you
alone.” She took another deep breath as she considered what to say
to him this time. So much had changed, and instead of pining for
him and crying about how much she missed him, her mood was more
melancholy. “Happy twenty-third birthday,” she told him. “Things
are a lot different now and…I hope you’re happy for me. I’m happy.
I still miss you like crazy, though. Yesterday I dropped a sheet of
cookies on the kitchen floor and it made me think of that time at
Tim’s when I burned myself on the oven and dropped the enchiladas.
I wanted to cry because I ruined dinner, but you ran my arm under
cold water and made sure I was okay first, and then you scooped up
the food onto a plate and ate it anyways.” She chuckled a little
and shook her head. “I swear I fell in love with you that day. You
were so sweet like that and made me feel like any of my screw ups
or mistakes were okay.”

Camryn settled onto her bottom in the grass
and crossed her legs Indian style. Her time with Zach had been
happy and it made sense. She never imagined loving someone like she
loved him. She was right. Her life with Teague was very different.
She was happy and their relationship also made sense, but it felt
like a completely different level. They’d connected from the very
beginning, and maybe it was because Camryn was a little bit older
now, or maybe because she’d gone through losing Zach and spent two
years closed off from anyone else, but her relationship with Teague
felt seasoned. He was the piece that fit her life just right, and
she would never take it for granted.

“I’m with someone now. His name is Teague.
He’s…amazing, Zach. I know you’d like him. There are a few things
about him that remind me of you, but overall, he’s a lot different.
I haven’t been the happiest person the last couple of years because
I’ve missed you so much. But I met Teague and…he’s the right one. I
know he is. If you were still here I would have never met him—I
think—so it’s hard to accept that kind of thing. I know I don’t
have control over who lives and dies, and I still don’t understand
why you had to be taken from me, but I guess the only thing I can
do is move on and do the best I can. It took me two years to even
make a real attempt, but I finally did. I miss you, Zach. I always
will.”

She wiped a tear that finally escaped and
continued to share her thoughts. She told him everything from what
Teague was like to how much she cared about Brandon. She talked
about Melanie and her pregnancy, all of the dance work she’d done
in the past few months and why she decided not to tour anymore.
She’d visited Zach’s grave about eight times in the past two years,
the last time being around Thanksgiving. It seemed like there was
more to talk about this time that didn’t consist of lost hopes and
dreams and a broken heart.

Camryn was so caught up in sharing that she
didn’t even hear other cars pull into the parking lot. The shutting
of car doors snapped her out of the comfortable conversation with
Zach. There were other visitors at the cemetery and it reminded her
that she’d better jet before the Ashfords got there. It was rude of
her, but she didn’t want to face his parents.

She took the path and made it to the parking
lot quickly. “I’m ready for breakfast,” she told Brandon with a
smile.

So they climbed into Zach’s truck and headed
for pancakes. Camryn’s visit to Fresno was going to be short, but
she was glad she could spend it with just Brandon and not his
parents.

When he dropped her off at his house to get
her car after breakfast he said, “I miss you, kid. Keep in touch,
okay? I love your smartass texts.”

“Good because I can’t help myself.”

“Okay,” he laughed. He kissed the top of her
head and said, “Give Mel a hug from me. Tell Teague I’ll kick his
ass if he’s not treating you right.”

“Uh huh,” she smiled.

“Okay, so I don’t prefer the violence, but I
would do it if I had to.”

She laughed and kissed him on the cheek.
“Thanks, Brandon. I love you.”

“Love you too, dancer girl.”

She climbed into her car and headed south
for Camarillo. Melanie had a doctor’s appointment at three, and
Camryn had promised she’d go with her. It was twelve-thirty when
she parked in front of Teague’s house and didn’t see her sister’s
car. She shot her a quick text as she walked up the driveway.

“Texting and walking could cause an
accident,” a voice startled her.

Camryn turned her head to see Teague’s dad
coming up the sidewalk behind her. Then she noticed a dark sedan
with a driver parked across the street and she wondered if he’d
just arrived or she hadn’t even noticed the car.

“Can we talk for a few minutes?” Craig asked
her.

Camryn dropped her phone into her purse, and
even though she was suspicious beyond measure, she kept a neutral
face. “Sure. Out here is fine.”

He took a few more steps toward her but
looked around the neighborhood. “I understand taking precautions,
but I’m a little more exposed out here than I’d like to be, if you
know what I mean.”

She looked around, and although she knew
what he meant, she didn’t care. “Well I don’t know what else you
have in mind, but I know you’re not welcome in Teague’s house. I’m
respecting his wishes first and foremost. Actually, I shouldn’t
even be talking to you right now, so excuse me for being rude, but
I have other things I need to be doing right now.”

She left him on the sidewalk but she could
tell he followed after her. She was about to make a beeline for the
front door, but his voice slowed her down.

“It’s actually Teague that I’d like to talk
about. And yes, I’ll respect his wishes and we can stay
outside.”

Camryn stopped on the porch and turned
around to face him. He was waiting for her agreement. “Fine, how
‘bout you sit over there. It’s somewhat secluded.” She pointed to a
slab of burl that had been made into a bench. It was in the corner
of the front porch and there were shrubs next to it that provided
some privacy.

“Thank you,” Craig replied with a nod.

He moved to the seat and sat down, but
before he could offer her a section of the bench, Camryn sat down
on the porch and leaned against the house. She waited for him to
speak first.

“Well first of all,” he began, “I’m
surprised that Teague has made some of the decisions that he’s
made.”

“Like what?” she asked curtly. There was no
reason to prolong this conversation.

Craig looked at her for a moment but
apparently decided to be just as abrupt. “Like you, for starters.
It was pretty quick.”

“And?”

He paused for a second. “And it makes me
wonder.”

“Is that your place? To question Teague’s
decisions?”

“When it comes to things that can ruin my
family, yes.”

“
Ruin
your family? Do you see me as
some sort of threat? I don’t give a damn about your family name,
how much you’re worth, or how famous anyone is.”

“You’re not aware that Teague barely makes
two hundred grand a year? That’s not much in my family, Camryn. If
you think he’s worth more than that, then you’re mistaken.”

Her mouth dropped open at his audacity. “Are
you kidding me? You think I want
money
?” She stood and said,
“I love Teague for who he is. I don’t know how much he makes and I
don’t even care. I have nothing more to say to you, Mr.
McCallan.”

“Teague is a broken kid and he makes
decisions on a whim. He doesn’t think about things in the long run.
I’m just trying to warn you. I don’t want you to be in the middle
of his mess. If it’s the industry you want, then I will do that for
you. I think you’re beautiful and a very talented dancer—I’ve seen
some of your work— and I can put you in the next film I’m
producing.”

Camryn could only stare at him. A what? A
movie? Craig McCallan wanted to cast her in a movie.

“You’d be a dancer, what you’re used to,” he
continued. “You don’t even have to have lines unless you want them.
I can make any of that happen, Miss Jacobs. You’d be incredible on
the big screen. I think you’d absolutely love the cast you’d be
working with. What do you think?”

Holy shit, he was asking her to be in a
movie
? She’d almost danced in one before, but after her dad
died, there were too many changes happening already. She was lucky
that Sonja had made other dance opportunities possible later on,
which is how she got into music tours post graduation, but the idea
of dancing in a movie had always intrigued her.

“Why are you offering me a spot in a movie?”
she asked. “I don’t understand.” She motioned to him and said,
“This is not standard. People like you don’t make personal visits
to potential cast members.”

“Oh, but we do,” he replied. “When there’s
someone that I really want for a role in a movie I’m in or
producing, then I do whatever I can to let them know how much
they’re desired. Generally they’re big stars already, but this time
I’ll make an exception. You, Camryn, are a face that I want in my
movie. I promise you will enjoy it. Please say yes.”

“No.”

“No?” He raised his eyebrows.

“No, I don’t want to be in your movie. I
know how Teague feels about you and I would never do anything to
make him unhappy.”

He studied her for a few seconds as he
assessed her words. “You care about how Teague feels? Isn’t the
industry what interests you instead?”

“What?” she scoffed. Then she thought back
to his earlier words.
If it’s the industry you want
… And his
mention of Teague’s income? “You honestly think I’m using Teague
for his connections to you? You’ve got to be kidding. Get out of
here. I have nothing more to say to you.”

“Then I’ll put Teague on the set, too. I can
make that happen.”

“He won’t do a movie for you, so what makes
you think you can make it happen?”

“If you do the movie, then Teague will do
the movie. It’s as simple as that.”

“No, I won’t do the movie because
he
won’t do the movie. It’s as
realistic
as that.”

Craig smiled at her and shook his head.
“God, I can see why he’s so smitten with you. Have you considered
studying theatre? Honestly, Camryn.” He reached for his wallet and
searched for a business card. “I think you’d be a natural. I have a
friend you could work with if you—”

“No thank you,” she interrupted dryly. “I’m
not interested. And using me to get Teague to work for you is
pretty shitty.”

She turned for the door but Craig said, “I’m
giving you a chance to make it on your own, Camryn. Because when
Teague’s secrets come out, I’m sure you’ll be looking for a new
place to live.”

Camryn slowly turned to face him again, her
heart racing at the word “secrets.” She hated that word, especially
when talking about relationships. “What secrets?”

Craig’s lips were a tight line as he took a
moment to pause. Finally he said, “He has his own family, Camryn. A
girlfriend and a son.”

The whole world came to a halt around her.
Except for her heart pounding in her ears, she felt like time had
stopped. Craig was still as a statue. So was the grave look on his
face.

She swallowed the lump that was beginning to
form.

“I was hoping he’d tell you but obviously he
hasn’t,” he continued. “I just want you to be aware of it. I’m
trying to give you something to fall back on. Please do the movie,
Camryn. Give yourself a good paying job so you don’t have to keep
drowning in other people’s problems. He needs to step up and be a
father to the child he abandoned and you seem to be standing in the
way. I know it hurts to hear it, but he’s already got a family
waiting for him to get his head on straight.”

She couldn’t imagine Teague being with
anyone else but
her
. She loved him. He loved her. They were
in
love
. How could he possibly have that with someone
else? It was incomprehensible, but being caught off-guard like that
was a slap to the face. A bomb was being dropped on her life when
she was finally happy. Suddenly things were beginning to make sense
when she didn’t want them to. Teague was always dealing with
“family” issues. But he never went into detail about what those
issues were. He always talked about his dad and brother, his
cousins or other relatives. But the situations were vague and he
never revealed much.

Then there were his physical therapy
appointments, and his time spent training at the gym or for a
particular stunt. She’d actually witnessed him work, so maybe that
wasn’t a lie, but it didn’t mean he was working every time he told
her he was.

Oh good God, what was happening right
now?

“I have to go,” she said, fumbling for the
door again.

“Camryn, I’m sorry. I didn’t know how else
to say it.”

“Leave me alone,” she mumbled. “I don’t even
know if I can trust you, so it doesn’t matter.”

“You don’t trust me? Do you really think I
want to waste my time playing tattle tale with the
townspeople?”

She turned around and glared at him.
“
Townspeople
? This is your
son
we’re talking about!
How dare you stand there with that smug look on your face and
expect me to jump all over information that you gave me! I don’t
even know you!”

“You’re saying that you don’t believe me?
Fine, Camryn, I’ll give you proof.” He pulled out his phone and
scrolled through it for a few seconds until he flashed a picture at
her. “How about that? Obviously that’s Teague, and that’s Kate and
their son Chase.”