Only You (3 page)

Molly was the first Shepherd to regain control of her emotions and step back from the group hug. She gestured to the picnic table nearby, as she wiped tears from her cheeks, and the four moved to sit. Camden and Eric sat facing Molly and Jack. Eric could sense Camden's unease. The hugging had been easy, but next came the questions. He knew she feared that the most. Sure enough, Camden placed her hand in his and squeezed it, silently asking for his support.

Molly's eyes were shining, and Jack couldn't help but smile. Three years was too long to go without seeing your baby girl. He looked across the table at his beautiful daughter, and words began tumbling from his lips, like water flooding through a crumbling dam.

"Where have you been? Why didn't you write? We have been worried sick, not knowing if you were okay. Your mother cried for months! Did you go to college? Are you happy? Are you okay?" His voice trembled as the last question trailed off.

Camden began to shake, trying to form the words to even begin explaining the last three years of her life. She tried to begin telling him where she and Eric lived, but she felt as if something was stuck in her throat. Eric let go of her hand and tucked her under his arm. His fingers gently traced circles on her arm.

Molly knew there were many questions that needed to be answered, but she didn't want to push Camden and cause her to run away again. And based on Camden's reaction, she definitely was not ready to answer Jack's questions. Molly grabbed Jack's hand and reached across the table with her other hand to
grasp Camden's.

"Later. We'll talk about the hard stuff later," she said, the command in her voice not lost in the softness of the delivery. Even Jack knew that Molly meant business. Camden's body visibly sank in relief. Molly looked at her husband and her daughter, then finally to the handsome man currently reassuring Camden.

"In the meantime, are you going to introduce us?" Molly smiled.

Camden was in shock. They weren't going to push for answers right now. She was more than happy to put off the uncomfortable conversation until later. She reached over and squeezed Eric's hand again.

"This is Eric," she said. She looked at him, her eyes filled with emotion. "He means more to me than anyone in the world," she sighed.

"Well," Jack put out his hand. "Anyone who means that much to our little girl is all right by me." Eric's hand met Jack's in a sturdy shake. "Welcome to the family," Jack stated. Eric's lips tipped up at one end, and Camden stifled a giggle.

"I've been telling Camden for years that I hoped you would adopt me," he chuckled.

Molly stood and reached over the table to give Eric a hug. "Thank you," she whispered in his ear, "for bringing her home." Eric nodded in acknowledgement.

Camden's eyes searched the campsite. "Where is Brody?" she asked. Eric noticed the wistfulness in her tone. She had missed her close relationship with her brother the last few years. Eric couldn't count the number of times he had laughed until the point of tears while listening to Camden recount stories of her childhood with Brody. He was really looking forward to meeting the man who had always been her protector.

"He's running late," Molly replied. "Oh dear," she said suddenly. "We need more food."

"Mom, don't worry about it," Camden replied. "We knew we were unexpected guests, so Eric and I brought a cooler with our own food."

Molly tsked at her. "I am making my girl's favorite glazed salmon and Gram's potato salad for dinner. You will not be eating something from your cooler." Turning to her husband, Molly asked, "Jack, do you mind running to the store with me? Eric and Camden can set up their tent....you did bring a tent, didn't you?"

Eric and Camden dutifully nodded, and Molly continued. "We should be back just about the time they finish."

"Anything for you, my dear." Jack pulled Molly to him and pressed a kiss to her forehead. He looked at Eric and Camden. "Anything you can find, you can eat. Any tools, you can use. Make yourself at home." He nodded at them before
tucking Molly's hand in his. Camden stood and walked cautiously to her parents. Molly pulled Camden to them, and she and Jack hugged Camden tightly, reluctant to leave her even for a moment since she had finally returned. Jack nodded at Eric before leading Molly to their truck. There was a spring in both their steps as they made their way to buy groceries for Camden's favorite meal.

***

Chapter 3

Brody laughed as he looked in his rear-view mirror. Tiffany and Stella may not be related, but they could pass for twins, and they both loved being naughty. It had been a good idea to invite them on the family camping trip. He couldn't take one more year where it was just him and his parents. It made it too obvious Camden wasn't there and wasn't coming.

When he was a kid, the family camping weekend had been his favorite weekend of the summer. It kicked things off and started the summer with awesome memories. He and Camden had counted down the days from spring break until the trip, and these woods were filled with his memories of her. The last couple of years had changed the camping trip from his favorite weekend of summer to his most depressing one. Camden's absence was like an unspoken elephant in the room, and Brody was sick of missing her.

Tiffany giggled, drawing his attention to the rear-view mirror yet again. His mom wasn't going to be thrilled that he was bringing along Shane and the blonde bombshells in the back seat, but at least the campsite wouldn't seem so empty. Not to mention he might get some sex out of the weekend. God knew he needed to get laid. The hours he had been pulling at Shane's bar, added with the ones he was working to get his fledgling construction firm off the ground, were killing him. No one told you as a kid how hard it was to reach your dreams. Shepherd Construction would succeed, though, or Brody would die trying.

Tiffany leaned forward, pulling him from his wandering thoughts. Her magnificent rack looked as if it was about to escape her skimpy tank top. "Do you boys think we could stop for lunch?" she asked breathily. Her voice reminded him of Marilyn Monroe during her happy birthday performance for the President. She trailed her fingers down his neck. Brody tried to keep his eyes on the road, but her cleavage was acting like a siren call. Tiffany continued whining. "I like camp food as much as the next girl, but before you take us away from civilization for two days, I'd like my last meal."

Brody saw Shane roll his eyes. Tiffany sounded as if she was headed to the electric chair. "Last meal," Shane muttered. He asked Brody continually where he found these "bimbos" all the time
. But Brody definitely wasn't ready to settle down, so he would give her whatever she wanted until he got whatever he wanted from her. And the sex with Tiffany was pretty damn good, so he would probably keep her around another month or so.

"Sure, sweetheart," Brody said. Tiffany rewarded him with a huge, artificially whitened smile and leaned back in her seat, her surgically enhanced breasts pushed forward. He noticed Stella chuckle, but as she shifted, he realized she wasn't laughing at Tiffany. Stella was laughing at some book she was reading.

Stella was as beautiful, if not more so, than Tiffany, although Brody had a feeling all her parts were natural. She was slightly more subdued than Tiffany, and she was much more intelligent. She was funny and sarcastic and outgoing. When Brody had first met the girls, he had been interested in Stella, but he realized immediately that she was a forever kind of girl. Tiffany, on the other hand, was like the female version of himself. When he decided to invite the girls on the trip, he had thought Stella would be perfect for Shane.

Shane had never been the type to be a player, and he wasn't getting any play while working at his bar. There were always single girls around, but Shane was determined his bar would be successful, and this first year had been all work and no play. Brody decided Shane needed some playtime, and since Shane was the forever kind of guy, it just made sense that he needed a forever type of girl. With any luck, both Brody and Shane would get laid this weekend.

"Guess we're going to be even later," Brody said to Shane. "Hope mom doesn't mind too much. I'll make it up to dad by doing something with him early in the morning."

Shane just shrugged and began searching the signs they passed for a restaurant the girls would enjoy. He hoped the weekend went well. He needed something to take his mind off business at the bar. He'd been working 80 hour weeks to get it making a profit, and this was the first time in the last year that he was comfortable leaving someone else in charge for the weekend. He really hoped he didn't regret taking the time off work. He was stressed about the cell signal at the campground. If Javier needed to reach him for an emergency, he was screwed. Brody said coverage was spotty at best
at the campground.

"Ooooh!!! Take this exit," Tiffany squealed. She started bouncing in her seat, singing the praises of some restaurant she was dying to try, and Shane tried to tune her out. He had no idea why Brody always picked shallow, fake chicks, but this one was getting on his nerves. The other Doublemint twin wasn't as bad, but he could already feel a headache from the short ride listening to Tiffany.

***

"Oh my God," Camden whined. "I didn't remember setting up the campground taking this much energy!"

Eric laughed at her. "Quit being a baby. Moving into our apartment was much harder," he reminded her. "It's on the third floor, and we didn't have help." Eric opened their second camping chair and sat down. He grabbed Camden's hand and pulled her into his lap.

"Come here you big, baby," he teased. "I'll massage your shoulders."

Camden lifted her hair out of Eric's way. She moaned softly as his magic hands worked the knots out of her achy muscles.

"Stop being naughty," Eric whispered in her ear. Camden giggled and turned to face him. She tucked her knees to her chest and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I'm nervous," she confessed.

"I know, baby," Eric replied. He kissed her eyebrow. "The hard part is over, though, right?"

Camden sighed. "The hard part will be seeing Brody. He's going to be pissed."

"I would be, too, if my
baby sister cut me out of her life for three years."

Camden stiffened. "Whose side are you on?" she demanded. Eric began rubbing her back in soothing circles.

"Yours, sweetie. I am just being the devil's advocate. I know it will suck, but you have to let him be pissed for a little while. He'll forgive you," Eric encouraged. "People always forgive the ones they love. I'm a prime example. I forgive you all the time." Eric grinned at her, and Camden relaxed into his comforting hold once more. He put his arms around her and began tracing figure eights on her arm.

"My parents should be back soon." Camden looked down the road. "It's starting to get dark. How late do you think Brody is going to be?"

"Don't know," Eric replied. The two sat comfortably in silence, Camden cocooned in Eric's arms, watching the sky turn colors of cotton candy, as the stars began to peek out from the clouds one by one. A rumble sounded in the distance, and Eric looked up to see a dust cloud over the road.

"Your parents are back," he whispered. He glanced at the flying dust cloud again. "Brody may be here, too. I see two cars." Camden tucked even tighter into the protective embrace of Eric's chest and arms. She couldn't help but peer at the cars parking by the camper, though. Her parents parked first, and Jack got out, heading toward the camper with bags of groceries. Camden thought he was probably in a hurry to light the grill.

Molly was close behind with several bags in her arms. When she noticed Camden start to move, she called, "Stay where you are! I want you to relax. I haven't gotten to spoil you in a while," and kept walking straight to the camper.

Camden leaned into Eric as the second car began to park. The top of Brody's Jeep had been removed, and Camden sat frozen, her eyes glued to his entourage. They had never brought guests in the past. It was always family only. Then again, she couldn't exactly judge, since she was sitting in Eric's lap, and her family had never even met him before.

Camden heard her brother laugh at something one of the blonde twins said. She stared, waiting for the moment he would see her. When the sleeping body in the passenger seat moved, causing the hat on his face to fall into the floorboard, dark curls flashed in the sunlight, and Camden thought she would choke. The ability to breathe left her. Brody had brought Shane.

As Shane's eyes adjusted to the sunshine, he stretched his arm. He couldn't believe he had slept the last part of the trip. He had worked the night before until last call, but Tiffany, Stella, and Brody had not been quiet at all. Shane lifted his hand to his chin and jerked his head to one side and then another. After cracking his neck, he looked over to Jack, who was getting another load of groceries from the truck.

"I thought your parents had been here since yesterday. Why are they just now getting groceries?" he asked.

"Weird," Brody mumbled. Only distracted momentarily, Brody turned to the back seat. "Ready for the best weekend of your lives, ladies?" As Tiffany and Stella cheered, Shane's eyes scanned the campsite and stilled as they came to rest on a couple snuggling at the fire pit.

"Holy shit," he muttered, unable to remove his eyes from the woman staring back at him.

***