Taken: A Kept Novella (2 page)

He laughed.

She held her lower lip between her teeth, something bright and happy shining in her eyes.

Cam returned the look, setting her smile free.

“So?” she finally asked.

He shifted in his seat, planted his palm on top of her headrest. “So, Miss Foster, if your brothers and your dad let me live, would you be interested in dating an old dude like me?”

She scrunched her shoulders together, looking like a college co-ed again. “I’d love to, Cam.”

He leaned a bit over the console between them. “No, this is where you stroke my ego and tell me I’m not old.”

She leaned a little closer. “Cam?” she whispered.

Oh, she was beautiful. His gaze roamed her face. “Yeah?”

“Tell me again what it was like before indoor plumbing.”

This was it. Had to be. He knelt in front of the updated, eighties-era, side-split house and tied his shoe. Slowly. Didn’t look like anyone was home, but he’d wait on the street leading into this cul-de-sac and watch. He knew what the guy—this Cameron John Winters—looked like. If he lived here, eventually he’d have to drive by.

Eventually he’d see who owned this home. See if he’d tracked the right guy. Found the right name.

And when he was certain and could tell his client that the man he was looking for owned this home, they’d be that much closer to the real target, the one his client had been searching for for years.

The one who, for so long, Winters had been hiding.

By the time they left the interstate, Jordan had convinced Cam to spend the rest of the day with her and her family, waiting for Dillan and Miska to return to celebrate their engagement.

Cam needed to stop by his house for some things, so forty minutes later he pulled into the driveway of his home, the front a mix of soft-red brick and white siding. He parked in the driveway and sent her a smile that hinted at timidity. “You ready?”

She’d never been to his house, which was understandable since it wasn’t close to her parents’ home. She returned his smile, forcing complete confidence into hers. “Let’s get your stuff.” Once out of the car, she followed him up the concrete drive and half-dozen steps to his front door.

He unlocked it and pushed it open for her, letting her go in first.

Jordan walked into a large, simple living room, stairs on her right going up a half level and down another half level. The hardwood floors boasted a dark stain, and the gray sectional sofa and massive flat screen filled one half of the spacious room. Beyond them sat two overstuffed chairs with an end table and lamp between them.

She faced him as he locked the door behind them. “This is nice. You remodeled all of this?”

“Gutted it.” He scanned the room, hands on his hips, then flashed her a grin. “This room is clean, but I don’t remember what state my kitchen’s in. Wait here.”

“Cam—”

“Nope.” He held up a hand as he walked past her, laughing. “Got to make sure I’m making a good impression.”

“Fine.” She drew the word out. “I’ll humor you.”

He disappeared around the living room wall, and in seconds the sounds of the dishwasher filling reached her.

Smiling, Jordan shook her head. She wandered toward the sectional. “How long have you lived here?”

“Uh, four years, I think.”

She searched the walls and end tables for pictures. Nothing. “Did you decorate this place yourself?”

“What?” he called over clanking glass.

She turned to face the wall that held the coat closet and ascending staircase. “I said did you decorate—”

A teddy bear on the bottom step cut off her words.

“Did I decorate? Yeah. I guess you’d call it decorating.”

Jordan took a step closer.

A well-worn, white bear with black eyes and paws. And beneath it, two Matchbox cars.

“I mean, I bet it looks pretty sterile to you. But it works for me. What does a guy need more than a big couch and TV, right?”

Why did he have toys on his stairs? Especially looking like they’d been left there for someone to carry upstairs and put away?

“Jordan?”

The running water in the kitchen quieted, and Jordan spun toward the couch, her back to the stairs. If he had toys, well, that was… odd. And if he knew she’d seen them, things could get really, really awkward.

There had to be some explanation.

She ran a finger along the couch cushion’s seam as Cam reappeared.

“It’s pretty plain, isn’t it?” he asked.

She crossed her arms, then pressed a finger against her lips. “Nothing a few throw pillows and art wouldn’t fix.” Maybe.

He stood beside her and nodded. “I guess.” He glanced her way. “Ready to see the kitchen?”

Maybe he collected Matchbox cars. Guys did that, didn’t they? She prayed her smile looked natural. “Lead the way.”

The kitchen made her momentarily forget the toys. The upper cabinets were a winter white, the lowers gray and topped with what looked like marble countertops. The backsplash boasted a marble, chevroned pattern that tied it all together. A teal teapot sat on the back burner of a six-burner, stainless steel range.

“Wow. You did this?”

“Mostly.” He crossed his arms over his chest, satisfaction in his stance. “I hired a designer to get the layout and design right, but I did the tiling. Helped with the cabinet install. Put in the lights.”

She glanced up at the recessed lighting above. “You’re good.”

“Thank you.” He relaxed his arms. “I’ll get my laptop, then we’ll go.”

“Okay.”

He headed for the stairs.

“Mind if I get a glass of water?” she called after him.

“Sure.” His words came from partway up the stairs. “Glasses are above the dishwasher.”

She found the cabinet and opened it. Half a dozen tall, glass glasses stood on the right side. She reached for one.

On the left side sat a stack of small, plastic cups.

Her hand halted a fingertip away from a glass.

Cups with Disney princes and princesses. Cups with Dora the Explorer…

Cups for children.

Huh.

Cam’s footsteps sounded upstairs.

Jordan grabbed an adult glass and crossed to the stainless steel fridge, filling it there. She stayed in front of the refrigerator as she drank and scanned the pictures across the front. She’d just enjoy pictures of Cam and forget everything odd she’d seen.

She smiled at a picture of him with her brothers after doing some run together. Cam wasn’t short, but he did look a little short next to her two giants of brothers, both well over six feet tall. Cam was definitely the best looking of the bunch, though. His brown hair wasn’t as dark as hers, and he wasn’t as lean as Dillan and Garrett, but he sure had the best smile. The nicest eyes.

After a lifetime being around such tall men, dating someone closer to her own height sounded wonderful.

Most of the other pictures held familiar faces. Cam with guys from the church’s singles group. Pictures from last year’s Memorial Day party. From a winter day spent downtown. From the Fourth of July.

Funny—she’d never thought a guy would put up pictures like this. Especially pictures of friends from church. Where were the pictures of his family?

She scanned a couple more that included people she knew until she came to one with Cam holding a young girl in his arms, a smiling brown-haired woman beside him, her hand wrapped around his upper arm. Like he belonged to her. To the little girl.

To them.

Cam started down the stairs.

Jordan took another swallow and studied the picture more closely.

The girl—did she have Down Syndrome?

Yes, it looked like it.

She studied Cam’s face.

The picture seemed fairly recent. Maybe a year or so old. Who was this girl? This woman? Where did they fit with Cam? Were they family?

Or something else?

He entered the kitchen and set his laptop on the island. “Ready to go?”

“Sure.” She dragged her gaze from the picture to him.

Cam stood still, his own gaze stuck on the picture, looking as if he wished she hadn’t seen it.

Why? She looked back at it, praying her voice would sound nonchalant. “Who’s this?”

“Just…” It sounded like he swallowed. “Someone close to me.”

The little girl held the teddy bear she’d seen on the stairs.

Jordan caught her breath. What did this mean? Nothing? Something?

Everything?

She faced him again, not faking a thing this time. “How close, Cam?”

Somehow, the question softened him. “Very close, Jordan.”

“That doesn’t make me…” Should she be honest? She pushed her bangs to the side. She’d played the game with Matt, waiting and wondering, never being bold enough to ask where she stood or why he couldn’t commit. No, she was done with that dance. It was time to be bold. “I don’t know if I like that.”

Slowly, he walked to her, his hands in his pockets. He looked at the picture, then back at her. “I can’t explain her to you now, Jordan. Someday I hope to. But for now I need you to trust me.”

Though his words were vague, Jordan clung to the promise beneath them. She took a deep breath. The woman, the girl, the bear, the cups … “Okay. I’ll trust you.”

“Thank you.” His brown eyes searched hers, warmth coming from them. “That means a lot.”

Good. It should.

He held a hand toward his living room. “You ready to go?”

“Sure.”

She set the drink aside while he tucked his laptop under his arm and led the way to the front door.

But as they passed the staircase, Jordan couldn’t help looking for the teddy bear and toy cars.

The staircase was empty.

Before dialing his client, he waited until the silver Altima drove by and turned at the intersection.

“Yes?” the man said, never one for
hello
.

“I found him.”

Something creaked in the background. “Really. What’s his name?”

“Cameron Winters.”

“Cameron Winters.” Silence held for a few moments. “Then we’re looking for a Hannah Winters.”

“That would be my guess.”

“You found her yet?”

“No, but I’m on his street and he just left with a woman.”

“Hannah?” Excitement colored the client’s tone.

“No. Younger. Darker hair.”

“Maybe she knows where Hannah is.”

“Maybe. I wouldn’t know.”

“You will.”

“Of course.” That went without saying. He started his engine and followed the path the Altima had taken. “Now that I know his name, I can start looking for her under her maiden name. Give me a few days, and I’ll have more information.”

“I want it faster than that, Thomas.”

Impatient, arrogant clients were the worst. “I’ll get the info when I get it, and not before.”

The man grunted. “Fine. Just… I need to find Hannah.”

“And we’ll find her. If we have the right man, Winters will lead us to her.”

The afternoon could not have gone better.

Sure, there’d initially been some tension after Jordan saw Anna’s picture and he hadn’t been able to talk about it, but lunch together at her favorite Mexican restaurant eventually fixed that. By the time they left, two hours and one big tip later, it felt like everything was right between them again.

It felt so right being with Jordan, like she really was the woman he could spend his life with. The woman he could grow old with.

The woman he could trust Anna and Sophie with.

When they finally headed to Jordan’s parents’ house, it was almost time for dinner. Dillan and Miska arrived at the same time, and Jordan oohed and ahhed over Miska’s ring.

Jordan’s other brother, Garrett, was already there, and it seemed to take a good ten minutes to get everyone out of the foyer, what with all the hugs and congratulations and women gushing and everything.

Shari, Jordan’s mom, had cooked a special meal to celebrate the engagement. Seated at the table next to Jordan and across from Dillan, Cam felt like one of the family. Like a part of one of the best families he knew.

How much he wanted a life like this.

After dinner, he hooked his laptop up to the Fosters’ TV and, again, seated himself beside Jordan as they watched the video he’d recorded of the proposal. There wasn’t much audio to speak of since he and Jordan were too far from the couple to pick up sound, but the video had caught little bits of Jordan’s excited whisperings, her barely contained squeal when Dillan had dropped to one knee, and a few deep chuckles from Cam.

And of course, it had also captured all the romance of a couple getting engaged.

Cam glanced at Dillan and Miska seated close together on the couch, Dillan’s arm around her, his fingers stroking her shoulder. He couldn’t stop smiling, glancing from time to time at Miska who couldn’t stop watching the rerun of their engagement.

Across the room, Shari wiped tears from her eyes, and her husband squeezed her hand. Even Garrett, the one who always had a joke for everything, seemed happy with the day’s event.

Would they react the same if it was him and Jordan getting engaged?

The depth of how much he hoped so surprised him. How had he fallen so fast for Jordan? Could he be this certain this quickly? What if he told her too much and then she ended up not being the one?

Could he risk telling her everything? Putting Anna and Sophie—and even himself—at risk?

The video ended, and Jordan squeezed his arm. “That was so great. I want to see it again.”

Heaving a dramatic sigh, Garrett pushed himself up off a recliner. “You girls watch it to your heart’s content. I say us guys need to shoot some hoops.”

Like Cam ever had a chance to win, playing against two guys that tall. “Why do you always want to play basketball when I’m here?” he asked.

Garrett grinned, as if he’d read Cam’s mind. “Dillan, you in?”

“What?” Dillan looked up from where he still sat, deep in conversation with Miska.

Cam stood. “Actually, I need to head home.”

Jordan linked her fingers through his. “Already?”

Garrett and Dillan straightened. Eyed him.

Suddenly it felt a bit hot and crowded in the living room. “Yeah, I need to go. Got some things to take care of tonight.” Anna might be home soon, and she’d probably need some sort of help. Emotional help. Either she or the kids.