and honor each other. They were married now. Both of them wore shiny new wedding rings. They’d put on quite a show.
But that’s all this was. A show. A sham, really. Cameron was not in love with her, never would be. And if she thought about it, she couldn’t really be in love with a man who didn’t love her, could she? No. And if she found herself wishing, just once in a while, that he really did love her, then she was a bigger fool than anyone.
It was time for her to face the fact that all she had with Cameron Duke was a marriage of convenience. With benefits, of course. Rather nice benefits, to be sure, but those were a far cry from love everlasting. And the sooner she accepted that reality, the better off she would be.
Eight
That evening, Sally took the baby and all his baby necessities to her room for Jake’s first sleepover. For Sally, it was an adventure. For Julia, it was an excuse to worry.
Cameron ordered champagne to go with some of the hors d’oeuvres they’d brought back from the wedding ceremony. Julia changed out of her white dress and into something cozier while Cameron poured the champagne.
As she walked into the living room, she stopped abruptly. “Did your mother take the wet wipes with her?”
“I don’t-”
“I’d better check.” She turned and ran back to the bedroom, then returned after a few seconds. “I guess she got them.”
“Julia, relax,” Cameron urged, and handed her a fresh glass of champagne.
“You’re right, I’m being silly.” She took a sip and started to sit down on the couch, then jumped up. “Oh, no. I forgot to give her the brush for washing out the bottles.”
“Sweetheart, my mother is not going to wash baby bottles.”
“Oh, God, of course not. What was I thinking?” She took another sip of the champagne, then sighed. “I guess I just miss him.”
Feeling relaxed, Cameron leaned his elbow on the mantel. “Hey, at least you’ve had him around for the past nine months. How do you think I feel? I just…”
He cut himself off as he saw Julia’s eyes narrow in on him like a heat-seeking missile. He wondered if it was possible to snatch the words back, but it was too late. She turned on him like a rabid dog. “So you still blame me for keeping him from you?”
“No, I don’t,” he insisted with a firm shake of his head.
She walked right over and smacked his arm. “All it would’ve taken was one lousy phone call, but you were too damn proud to give an inch.”
“You’re right, sweetheart. But at the time, it seemed like you were a little obsessed.”
She stopped in her tracks and turned on him. “Obsessed? I was not obsessed. I was-” she flailed her arms, trying to find the right word “-I was driven.”
He realized they’d never truly discussed all her emails or his blatant disregard of them. Tonight didn’t seem like the most opportune time to delve into it, but the subject wasn’t going to go away. “Look, you sent me four emails in one day, Julia. I’d call that a little obsessive.”
She folded her arms tightly across her chest. “So you actually saw my emails.”
“Yes, I saw them,” he said reasonably. “I opened the first one where you demanded that I call you. And I almost picked up the phone, but then I noticed you’d sent three more in rapid succession and I figured you were a little, you know.”
“Obsessed,” she said pointedly, and continued her pacing.
He shrugged. “I guess. But that’s all in the past. Let’s forget about it and enjoy the evening.”
But she wasn’t ready to let it go. He was troubled that she was no longer fuming but instead looked a bit forlorn. “I was pregnant and alone, Cameron. Nobody would’ve blamed me for being a little obsessed.”
“I don’t blame you,” he said. “I’m just explaining how I felt at the time. In hindsight, I wish I’d called you, but back then, I was being cautious.”
“Oh, because so many women are obsessed over you?”
He wasn’t about to explain to his lovely new wife that there actually had been a few dangerously obsessed women over the years. Right now, Julia was venturing into perilous territory and Cameron didn’t see a safe way out.
“Look Julia, you’re upset and-”
“You’re darned right I’m upset.”
“Then let’s sit down and talk about-”
“Never mind, Cameron,” she said, pacing away from him, then whirling around. “I’m sorry, but I can’t do this right now. I need some time to think. I- I’m sorry.” She turned and ran down the hall to the second bedroom where she went inside and closed the door.
“That did not go as planned,” he muttered, staring down the hall, almost not believing what had just happened. He’d screwed things up royally. He wasn’t sure how, he just knew this was his fault.
The fact was, they were married now. They shouldn’t be fighting, they should be having sex. Rubbing his forehead in frustration, he walked to the wet bar and poured himself a healthy shot of Scotch. Holding the glass up, he toasted himself. “You’re a knucklehead.” The whiskey burned all the way down his throat. And so did the realization that he’d hurt her.
But she’d caught him off guard. He was so used to Julia being reasonable and smart and funny, he hadn’t recognized the signs. She’d worked night and day to put together the wedding. And she’d been worried about the baby. He didn’t realize how worried, so he hadn’t helped matters one bit.
Fortified by several more generous slugs of Scotch, he flopped down on the living room couch, thinking he’d watch the football game. But he dozed off before he ever had a chance to switch on the television.
Something was pounding against his head. Had he really had that much to drink last night?
“Dada!”
Cameron opened one groggy eye and saw a blurry-looking Jake, up close, smacking his little hand against Cameron’s forehead.
“Hey, buddy,” Cameron whispered, grabbing his hand. “Let’s use our indoor voice, okay?”
“Dada,” Jake cried in excitement, then bobbled and plopped back on his well-padded butt.
Cameron’s vision began to clear and he could now see Julia standing a few feet away, her arms folded across her chest, shaking her head at him.
“Don’t yell,” Cameron said in surrender. “I know I’m a slug and deserve your wrath, but I want you to be happy and I want us to be together. I apologize for everything. Can we start this whole thing over?”
She smiled, enjoying the moment. “I’d like that.”
That night, Cameron was determined to seduce his wife. This time, he did everything right. The baby was off to spend the night with Sally again, he’d stocked up on more champagne and ordered a small platter of appetizers. And there was Julia.
Sitting on the couch, he framed her face with his hands and gazed into her eyes. “Forgive me, Julia.”
“Of course,” she said simply.
“I don’t really want to get too far into it,” he said, “but I’ve lived with anger in my life. Let’s make a pact never to go to bed angry again.”
She searched his face and must’ve found whatever it was she was looking for, because she nodded. “It’s a deal.”
“Good.” He kissed her. Then he reached inside his pocket. “I have something for you. A token of my feelings for you, as well as my gratitude, and…well. Here.”
He pulled out a slim blue box and handed her the gift.
