Chapter Twelve
November blew in hard and cold and the temperature dropped drastically. Skirts were traded for pants, hoodies for heavy parkas, sandals for boots, and winter tires and chains made their appearance. The groundskeeper had his hands full keeping the parking lots and walkways de-iced and safe, and the hockey team was grateful they could practice inside.
Leif and Logan weren’t so thrilled the snow appeared early. When Bo ran out of punishments, he resulted to issuing hard labor in the winter. And not just at their house. There had been several years the twins had to shovel their cousins’ driveways. Of course, the pranks continued through the winter and by spring, the punishments were forgotten and a new round of pranks was on its way.
***
“If we can finish the painting, we can have everything moved by the weekend,” Cam said.
Dean nodded. “Sounds good. What time you want me over?”
“I don’t know. I’m still tutoring Aralyn twice a week, but the nights she’s got practice would be good.”
“Good for what?” Aralyn asked, dropping into the seat next to them. Neither had seen her coming.
“Um, er-” Cam glanced at Dean for help. He had wanted this to be a surprise.
“Shopping for your Christmas present,” Dean blurted out.
Cam closed his eyes as Aralyn frowned.
“What? It’s not even Thanksgiving and you two look really guilty. So out with it.”
“It’s part of a surprise,” Cam said reluctantly.
“As long as it doesn’t involve another woman,” Aralyn’s eyes were twinkling.
“No. Promise,” Cam said quickly.
“All right then, I’ll leave you to your plotting,” Aralyn kissed Cam quickly and got up, joining her girlfriends at their lunch table.
“Why don’t you just tell her?” Dean asked, annoyed.
“Because I want it to be a surprise. We’ll finally have a place where we can have some quiet. I love her family but the twins won’t leave us alone for a minute.”
“Cam’s own pad,” Dean drawled with a smirk. “What you mean is you can finally get some action.”
Cam glared at his best friend. “It’s not about that, Dean. And when we reach that point, you’ll be the first not to know.”
“Look, I know you’re Mr. Honorable, but Cam, come on. You’ve got the hottest girl in school smitten with you. Have some fun.”
“We have plenty of fun, Dean,” Cam’s eyes narrowed slightly and Dean let it drop. “You really have to wonder why Tiffany keeps you turning you down?”
Dean grinned.
Dean arrived at Cam’s house that evening, and the boys set about painting the garage apartment. Cam had finally convinced his parents to let him move into the apartment over the garage. It had been used as storage for years, and he and Dean relocated all the junk to the trash, garage or Goodwill. The water had been turned on, his father had been willing to buy some used appliances, had the carpet ripped out and replaced, and then Dean and Cam scrubbed it clean. It was small, just one bedroom that would hold his bed and not much else, a bathroom, and a fairly spacious living room. The little kitchenette was serviceable, and by Cam moving into the garage, he could escape his sister’s nosiness, and have some peace and quiet. Not to mention privacy with Aralyn.
Cam had convinced his parents to replace the old shag green carpet by pointing out it was probably full of mites and dust and other critters. The boys hoped to finish the painting tonight, before the new carpet was laid the following day.
They painted late into the night, and were bleary eyed the next day in school.
Aralyn studied him for a moment. “Why were you up so late?”
“Part of your surprise,” he answered, kissing her cheek. “It should be finished by the weekend.”
Aralyn raised one eyebrow. “After years of the twins as my brothers, I’m a bit leery of surprises.”
Cam grinned but she could see he was exhausted. “You’ll like this one. I hope.”
“Hey, do you want to forget tutoring tonight? You look exhausted,” she said.
“Right now I’ll say no, but I might change my mind later,” he admitted.
Cam barely made it through the day, earning frowns from his teachers. Begging off his tutoring session with Aralyn, he hurried home for a nap. By the time he got up, Dean had arrived and they started moving his books and smaller furniture. It had worked out nicely his mother had just purchased some new furniture, which meant Cam could have the old sofa and matching chairs for his living room, and the TV, since his father had decided he wanted a big new flat screen.
Finally, the little apartment was ready. He’d still eat dinner with his family in the house, but now he didn’t have to listen to the shrieking, giggling and drama of his sisters.
***
Aralyn sighed as she finished the third college application. She knew she had to send the stupid things out this week, her parents were asking her more frequently about it. While she had tried dropping a few hints, Bo wasn’t taking the bait but Trixie had kind of perked up. Bo was more insistent she go to college, but Trixie’s blue eyes turned kind of foggy at the thought of traveling the country on motorcycle.
Reaching for her laptop, she stared dreamily at the motorcycles as she flipped through them. She had already mapped out the route. A leisurely year spent roaming Canada and the United States. If she and Tiffany left shortly after graduation, they could stretch it out even further, getting two full summers in before starting school in the fall. Plenty of time to roam across Canada before it got cold, come down through the south of the US. They’d hit some bad weather if they came home for Christmas, but they could always swap out the bikes for the SUV and then continue through the Midwest. Of course, that was hinging on good weather. Aralyn wasn’t worried. It would work out.
School next fall. The thought of four more years made her groan, but it was her best bet at leverage with her parents. There was no way they’d give her a blank check to gallivant around the country. Aralyn knew they would insist she attend school.
Really, she thought, was four years so bad a trade for a full year of freedom? She knew she would be able to get a better job with a degree, but she had no clue what sort of job she wanted. She just didn’t know what she wanted to do.
She loved the outdoors. Maybe her cousin Cap> could get her a job with the Forestry service he worked for. But, she thought, that might be a little too woodsy for her liking.
Then there were sports. She wondered about coaching degrees, if there was such a thing. Maybe she could coach hockey. She’d rather play it, but with her shoulder injury was going to keep her out a few more weeks. Once the spring round started, they could work towards Regionals. And they were close. Very close. If they could win Regionals again, they could go to Nationals. It was humiliating to get all the way to Nationals last year and get defeated in the first game. Not this time. Aralyn was determined to get her team to the top. Of course there would be scouts too, and there was always that possibility. Playing for the US Olympic team would be insanely cool. But Aralyn didn’t know if she was that good. She wanted to be.
Then there was Cam. He of course, wanted her to apply to NYU with him. If she took the road trip…he wouldn’t be going. It would be her and Tiffany.
That was a whole other can of worms Aralyn didn’t want to open. She adored Cam. She was pretty sure she was in love him. She felt warm and tingly when he was around, and safe. He kept her grounded, and happy. The thought of not seeing him every day made her hurt. So she refused to think about it.
Taking a swig of her water, Aralyn reached for the fourth application.
***
“So I finally get to see what’s kept you away from me all week?” Aralyn teased the next day.
Cam winced. “Don’t say it like that. You’ll like this.”
“I hope so, otherwise I get to smack Dean for annoying me all week, teasing me with it.”
Cam grinned as he started the Jeep. “It would do Dean some good to get smacked every now and then.”
“Yes, but he might enjoy it. Why are we going towards your house?” she asked, when they turned into his neighborhood.
“You’ll see,” he grinned.
Puzzled, she followed him up the stairs at the back of the garage.
“What, are we going to clean out the storage?” she asked.
“Nope. Close your eyes.”
Aralyn did so, smiling when he snuck in a quick kiss, but she grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him in for a longer kiss.
“No fair, distracting me,” he murmured.
Aralyn laughed. “My eyes are still closed.”
Smiling, Cam unlocked the door and guided her inside, closing the door behind them.
“Okay, open them,” he said.
Aralyn did and looked around, taking a minute to realize where they were.
“Cam-what happened to all that stuff?”
“I convinced my parents to let me move in here, so I could have some privacy, and quiet and my own bathroom,” he laughed.
“It looks great!”
His framed movie posters of classic Hollywood horror movies from the thirties decorated the walls that weren’t lined with bookcases, and she recognized the charcoal gray sofa and chairs from the Kent living room.
“Cam-this is-this is great!”
“Dean and I have been working on it all week,” he said proudly. “This is why I was so sleepy the other day; we were painting until almost two am.”
“It’s wonderful!” she squealed, her eyes shining. “Do I get the grand tour?”
Cam snorted. “Sure. It takes all of ten seconds. Living room, kitchen behind us, and through this door, the bedroom,” he flipped the light on.
Aralyn suddenly felt awkward. She had been in Cam’s bedroom once or twice, but it struck her that up here, they were truly alone. His double bed filled up most of the room, his dresser was wedged into the space between the bed and the wall.
“It’s nice,” she murmured, backing up quickly.
Cam wasn’t surprised at her sudden withdrawal; she often stopped their make out sessions before things could get too intense. He had no doubt she was worth the wait but it was admittedly frustrating.
“Dad wanted a new entertainment system as well, so I got the other one,” he said lightly, slipping his arm around her waist.
“Wow. All the comforts of home,” she smiled. “It looks great up here. How’d you convince him?”
“It wasn’t easy. I had to point out all the flaws of sharing a bathroom with the girls, not to mention the giggling of slumber parties, the screaming over shower time, all of us trying to use the computer. I got a laptop for my birthday you know, but one of the girls is always bugging me to use it when the others are on the desktops since I set up the wireless system. Then I explained to him as editor and a senior, I needed more quiet. You have siblings; you know that’s almost impossible. Then I pointed out I was eighteen and would be at college next year, so it would be beneficial for me to get used to living on my own. But I think the final dealmaker was when I pointed out they could always rent it out next year when I’m gone,” he grinned.
Aralyn laughed. “Let me guess, Dean is already plotting parties.”
Cam grinned. “He would, except I told him no parties. It’s ok for me to have a few friends over, but no wild all-out parties. Part of the agreement I have with Dad.”
“I think it’s great,” she murmured, wrapping her arms around him and kissing him.
Cam eagerly pulled her against him for a few more kisses, and right as he was considering sliding his hands under the back of her shirt, she pulled back, snuggling for a hug instead. Cam went with it, forcing himself to think about nature specials, and not her body pressed against his.
***
Aralyn sighed in frustration as she maneuvered the small SUV through the snow covered streets.
“Stupid plows are useless,” she groused.
Tiffany just smiled vaguely. Her thoughts were on Tony-Mr. Roth, she mentally corrected herself, and remembering the way he looked at her in the tiny, out-of-the-way bookstore last night.
She had gone there for some quiet, and he was leaving as she walked in. Their eyes had met and her heart leapt when he gave her a smile. They chatted for a moment, over what she didn’t know, but she noted how his eyes were so mossy green, with a brown ring around the edge. He had gone on his way and Tiffany’s mind was useless for the evening.
“Hello, earth to Tiffany,” Aralyn reached over and snapped her fingers in her cousins face.
“Sorry, what?”
“What’s going with you?” Aralyn asked. “You’ve been moody and withdrawn for a few weeks.”
“Nothing,” Tiffany said quietly.
Aralyn brought the car to a stop at a red light. “Are you seeing someone and you don’t want to tell me?” she demanded.
Tiffany started to respond in the negative when she decided it was a good cover for her pining crush on Mr. Roth. “We’re not seeing each other.” It wasn’t a lie.
“But there’s someone you’re into?” Aralyn demanded.
Tiffany shrugged. “Maybe.”
“Who? Someone at school?” The light turned green.
“No. You don’t know him.” So that was lie number one.
“Is he a college guy?” Aralyn asked eagerly. “Tiffany, come on, you can’t keep me in suspense like that!”
“Not college,” Tiffany answered. “We can’t really be together.”
“You’re eighteen now, I’m sure Luke and Honey—wait.” Aralyn said suddenly. “If he’s not older, and you can’t be together-oh my God, Tiffany is he married?”
What a tangled web we weave…Tiffany thought. “Yeah. So we can’t be together.”
“How did you develop a crush on a married guy?” her cousin demanded.
“He’s perfect for me, except for that,” Tiffany said moodily.
Aralyn shook her head. “You couldn’t have picked you know, someone from school or even one of the colleges?”
“Guess not,” Tiffany said quietly. “Ari, I really don’t want to talk about it.”
“Okay,” Aralyn wasn’t going to press. “But don’t you dare go breaking up a marriage, you know better!”
“I won’t,” Tiffany sighed. “Besides, I’m not even sure he feels the same. It’s just a one sided crush. He doesn’t feel the same.” That was probably true enough, she figured.
“I hope for his marriage’s sake, he doesn’t!” Aralyn snapped. Aralyn pulled into Cam’s driveway. “Besides, there’s always Dean,” she said cheerfully. Tiffany rolled her eyes.
The girls dashed up the stairs to Cam’s apartment, which had been cleared and salted. It had taken almost an hour to get over through the snow.
The door was opened quickly and they hurried in.
“It’s so cold!” Aralyn’s teeth chattered.
Smiling, Cam pulled her scarf down and kissed her cold lips. Her soft, fluffy bright blue hat was pulled down tightly over her head, the matching scarf wrapped around the rest of her face.
Aralyn kissed him back, warming up almost instantly.
Unbuttoning her long coat, Cam took it and hung it behind the door as she unwound her scarf. Tiffany followed suit.
“We’ve got some hot cider. I’m pretty sure Dean didn’t spike it,” Cam said with a smile, drawing Aralyn close.
“As long as he didn’t spit in it,” Tiff muttered.
Cam laughed. “I promise, no saliva.”
It was inevitable she and Dean spent time together, but she made it clear they were not double dating and he better not even think about putting an arm around her. While she didn’t mind hanging out with him, she had no interest in dating him.
She wasn’t in the best of moods to begin with. She was hoping to do some work in the library after school today; she knew Mr. Roth often spent his afternoon there. She was trying to get up the nerve to ask him what he was always working on. Occasionally she walked past while he was on the computer and it looked like he was writing something long. A novel, maybe?
Tiffany grinned and moved towards the kitchen as Cam pulled Aralyn back to him for another kiss.
“Give it a rest,” Dean groaned, appearing with a big bowl of popcorn. “You’re making me nauseated!”
Taking a seat in the big chair, his eyes drifted toward Tiffany, who was bringing in the hot cider and cups. She sat across the room from him, leaving the sofa for the lovebirds. He couldn’t help but admire her in the elegant cream colored angora sweater, brown slacks that showed off her slender frame, and the simple gold jewelry. Her long hair was down as usual, and Dean often wondered what it would be like to run his hands through it. It was getting superlong, he noticed.
The trivial pursuit game was sitting out on the table, and becoming their usual game.
Cam and Aralyn often teamed up but tonight, Aralyn declared they should play individuals. Cam eyed her, surprised.
“You been reading the cards?” he asked mildly, which earned him a smack on the arm.
“No, I just think I am capable of doing decently at this game without your brain,” she replied loftily.
Cam hid his smile and agreed. He half wished it was just him and Aralyn tonight, watching something romantic, but he knew it made all the parents feel better that they spent time with their friends, especially now that he had his own apartment. The last thing he wanted was an angry Bo Duke on his doorstep, thinking Cam was taking advantage of his daughter.
Finally it was decided the girls would team against the boys, and the cousins held their own against Cam, the self professed geek, and Dean, the pop culture king. Dean would gag loudly when Cam would console Aralyn with a kiss when she got a wrong answer, while Tiffany would semi-playfully threaten Dean to not even think about it.
***
"So Mr. Duke," Cam started as they sat at the table, "how'd you get Mrs. D to marry you? Did you have some romantic surprise set up?"
"Oh, it was bloody romantic!" Leif snickered.
"Bloody is right." Trixie handed the bowl of mashed potatoes to Sean, who put a small mound on his plate, shaping it into a peak. "He was lying in front of me with blood gushing out of his chest from where he had been shot."
Cam almost choked on his tea. He knew the pretty blonde woman had been a US Marshal like her husband, but he hadn’t heard many stories about it.
"Not my most romantic moment," Bo said with his trademark grin, "but I didn't know how else to get her to say yes."
"As if I would have said no," Trixie smiled at him, her china blue eyes twinkling.
"Aw, now you've done it!" Logan exclaimed.
"They're gonna start kissing!" Leif groaned.
"My eyes! My eyes!" the twins shouted together, covering their eyes.
Bo and Trixie laughed as Aralyn simply shook her head and Cam grinned. Sean sat watching before he began to methodically eat his pile of mashed potatoes.
Cam loved his Sunday dinners with the Dukes. Every other Sunday he and Aralyn had dinner with his family, but it wasn't nearly as much as fun. His parents were polite but generally quiet, his sisters were all just in awe of Aralyn, the Homecoming Queen, and he knew the formality bothered Aralyn.
The Duke home was noisy, warm and cozy, exactly as it should be he thought. If only his parents were as involved in their children’s lives as the Dukes. And not just the Dukes, but the entire Belden-Duke Clan. He had spent enough time around the majority of them to know that this was a family he’d love to belong to.
Meet the cast in full & see the family tree!
Author’s Notes
- a huge yeee-haaa! To Donna, my fabulous editor!
- I know this chapter was kind of tame, but I promise there’s more excitement coming up! Nothing is without its purpose!
- You can witness the bloody marriage proposal in Down the Road, chapter 6.
- Word Count, 3,427
|