Part 12 (1/2)
”Okay, that's the stock answer you guys give everyone. I'm your big bro, so what's the real deal?”
Nate turned and looked over at his wife. ”I've thought about it a lot, but the subject hasn't come up between us. And I don't know if I'm ready, Cam. The last thing I want to do is have a child and not be the parent that Dad was.”
His words resonated with Cam. Their dad had been a great father, and living up to the old man would be hard. But when Cam looked at Becca and Ty, he wanted to be a parent. He wanted to be the missing piece in their little family.
And that didn't fill him with panic the way it once would have. He thought that was a good indication that he was on the right the track with Becca. That she was the one.
”I guess you think about it,” Nate said.
”I didn't before Becca came back into my life.”
Cam rubbed the back of his neck.
”I bet.”
Becca walked right up between them. ”Ty, this is your uncle Nate. Nate, this is Ty.”
Nate looked down at Cam's son, and Cam felt a moment of familial bonding that until now he never could have imagined. He was glad to see his brother and his son together. And when Nate held out his arms to Ty and Becca handed him over, Cam realized he'd made the right choice in going after joint custody and in naming his brothers as guardians in the will.
”He is so cute,” Jen said as she came up to them.
”My brother sure is,” Cam said with a wink.
”I meant your son. But I have to agree-my husband is a hottie.”
She slipped her arm around Nate's waist and looked up at Cam. He was very happy that his little brother had found a woman who loved him. And that that love was clear for everyone to see.
”I am a hottie,” Nate said. ”I think the entire world knows that.”
She laughed. ”Gosh, I hadn't noticed.”
Nate kissed her soundly on the lips and then smacked her b.u.t.t. ”Smarty. Everything is almost ready here. Go get ready for our dance.”
Jen pinched Nate's b.u.t.t. ”I will but only because I'm the one who thought of the idea to get everyone in the party mood.”
Cam laughed at the two of them as Jen walked away. There was something welcoming and refres.h.i.+ng about being in their presence. Nate handed Ty back to Becca.
”I don't pretend to understand what's between you and my brother,” Nate said. ”But I'm glad you and Ty are here.”
”Me, too,” Becca said.
”I have to agree,” Cam said. ”I'm very glad to have you both in my life.”
Nine.
Becca hadn't expected to enjoy herself as much as she did at the rehearsal dinner. But when the music started and as the mojitos kept flowing, she found herself on the dance floor with Cam.
”This is where it all started,” he said.
”The dance floor? We met in Russell's conference room,” she reminded him.
”No, that's the past, when we were too involved in ourselves to figure out what was really important. I knew when I danced with you in New York that something had changed. You weren't the woman I had known before,” he said, spinning her around as one of Shakira's slow, s.e.xy ballads played.
”I'm definitely not the same woman. It was hard for me to be attracted to you and know I had a big secret.”
”I bet. Did you think about running away?” he asked.
It was the first time they'd really talked about everything, and she was glad to finally have the chance. ”For a minute. But I had Ty to think about. And once I talked to you that night I realized there was more to you than just a s.e.xy guy I had an affair with. I'm not sure how to say this, but I think you were right to tell me I wasn't in love with you two years ago.”
”You do? Why?”
”I didn't know you at all. If you had taken me up on my offer...we would have been married with a kid and both felt trapped and miserable,” she said.
”Or would we have uncovered the truth about each other as we have these last few weeks?”
”I'd like to think we would have, but I don't believe in fairy tales anymore.”
”Did you at one time?”
”Yes. When I was young. I spent a lot of time dreaming up where my dad was and making up excuses for why he never came to see me.”
”Ah, Becca,” he said, pulling her close in his arms. ”I'm so sorry.”
”It's not your fault,” she said. ”Life is like that sometimes. Then other times the man who you cursed for being a jerk shows up and turns out to be a hero.”
”Me?”
”You.”
He leaned down to kiss her. And saw his brother walk up right behind her on the dance floor.
”No need to ask who this is,” Justin said. ”Your son's mother, I presume.”
”I am Ty's mother,” Becca said, turning to confront Cam's other brother. ”You must be Justin.”
”I am. I'm also the family attorney. Did he mention that?”
”Back off, Jus.”
”I'd be happy to if I could understand why she kept your son a secret for so long,” he said.
”Cam had told me he wasn't ready for a family and I am a loner. I like to do things on my own. That's the only explanation you are going to get,” she said.
”That's more than he deserves. I told you not to bring this up tonight,” Cam said.