Camden (The Casanova Club Book 13) Read online

  She sounded like Bradley.

  We’d spent the afternoon wandering the city together. We’d enjoyed a late lunch so we wouldn’t be hungry and have to give up our spots immediately after the tree-lighting ceremony. After the tree was lit and we enjoyed the concert and performances, I intended to take Piper down to the skating rink.

  I suspected she would like that very much.

  She was dressed for the occasion in her black pea coat. It was secured tightly around her waist with a sash, and the wide lapel was popped up, framing her ruby-red wool scarf that she’d tucked under her chin and wrapped two times around her neck to keep warm. She wore a pair of fuzzy white earmuffs, and she looked cute as hell with her bright pink nose and flushed cheeks from the cold.

  Winter suited her beautifully.

  Then again, I suspected every season would suit Piper James. She was just one of those girls.

  We arrived at the front of the crowd. Piper shouldered in close to me for warmth and craned her head back to look up at the behemoth unlit tree in the middle of the square.

  It looked very out of place. A tree of this size did not belong in the middle of the city. Only when it was lit did it become one with its surroundings.

  “It’s a big one this year,” Piper said.

  I couldn’t say much to that. I hadn’t ever come down to Rockefeller Center during the holidays to see the tree in person. Sure, I’d seen it on TV, but there was no way to capture the size of such a thing with a camera.

  “It is,” I said when she looked expectantly at me.

  She buried her hands in her pockets before turning around and craning her neck to peer through the crowd. “The others should be here soon.”

  “Give them time. The crowd is thick. They might be working their way toward us as we speak.”

  Piper nodded and turned back toward the tree. “I’ve come here every year since I was just a girl to see this. It’s my mom’s favorite part of the holiday. She says Christmas doesn’t begin until the tree is lit.”

  Piper’s family, from what I was gathering, had a lot of traditions at this time of year. And none of them were the typical consumer-based traditions I was so used to seeing. It was a refreshing change of pace to spend time with someone who wasn’t obsessed with the material side of it all. Sure, she liked to decorate for Christmas, but she wasn’t the one who’d suggested we go out and spend a bunch of money on new décor. That was all me.

  Somebody let out a squeal to our right.

  Piper spun around and threw her arms open to a fair-skinned, dark-haired young woman who catapulted herself through the crowd and into Piper’s embrace. The woman buried her face in Piper’s shoulder and gave her a tight squeeze. Then she lifted her gaze from behind Piper’s red scarf to look at me. I couldn’t tell if she was smiling or not.

  When the women parted, I held out my hand. “You must be Janie. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

  Janie slapped her hand into mine. Her shake was confident and firm. “Camden. I’ve heard a lot about you too.”

  I winced. “Hopefully nothing too terrible.”

  Janie gave me a minuscule shrug of her shoulder. Her eyes glittered mischievously. “Not too terrible. No.”

  Yikes. That didn’t sound promising.

  More people emerged from the crowd. Piper’s father, at least the man I assumed was her father, was a great big burly man with a dark mustache and deep-brown eyes like his daughter’s. He had a big toothy grin when he hugged his daughter, and then he reached behind him to pull the woman he was with out in front of him. I assumed this was Piper’s mother. She was of average height with wavy brown hair down to her shoulders. Her eyes were also brown, but more of a hazel shade, and she was wrapped up in layers of gray and white with a matching headwrap.

  “It’s good to see you, sweetheart,” Piper’s mother said.

  Piper turned toward me. “Mom, Dad, this is Camden. Camden, these are my parents.”

  I held out my hand. Her father shook it first. “Mr. and Mrs. James, it’s nice to finally meet you. Piper has told me all about you and has been so excited about tonight. I’m glad we could make this happen.”

  Mr. James had a serious grip. I didn’t think he was trying to intimidate me, but I definitely had the impression he was surprised by my age. “It’s nice to meet you, Camden,” he said.

  His wife, all five feet and a couple inches of her, clasped my hand with both of hers. She shared a warm smile with me. “We’re glad we could do this, too.”

  Piper reached for the last person lingering behind her parents. A young man, probably no more than twenty, greeted me with a sheepish grin. “I’m Phillip. Piper’s younger brother.”

  We exchanged niceties, and I hung back as Piper caught up with her family. As they chatted, things started to happen around the base of the tree. Carolers were singing Christmas tunes on the stage down below in the square, and their voices rose up into the air like the steam from the top of coffee or cider cups.

  Phillip fell into step beside me. “So, my sister taking it easy on you this month?”

  “Piper is a delight to have around.”

  Phillip chuckled. “Yeah. She’s all right, I guess.”

  I smiled. As a kid, I’d always wanted a little brother. I couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy for what Piper had that I did not. Family. People who loved her unconditionally and wanted to share their time with her. Who spoke highly of her and looked at her with love.

  Then again, I could have all of this if I wanted it.

  Had I not started the month out as such an ass, maybe I would’ve stood a real chance of these people becoming my family.

  Piper glanced at me over her shoulder as she spoke to her father. She gave me a warm smile as if to remind me she still knew I was there and that I was the man she was with.

  Maybe there was still a chance she’d choose me in the end.

  The end.

  That was less than three weeks from now.

  Janie stood on my other side, pinning me between her and Phillip. She studied the tree before her as she wrapped her arms around herself against the chill. “Last time I talked to Piper, she said you hated Christmas.”

  “Hate is a strong word,” I said.

  “Is it?” Janie mused, shooting me a look out of the corner of her eye.

  I chuckled. “Well, I might have hated it at the beginning of the month, but things have changed.”

  “My sister is relentless when it comes to this holiday,” Phillip said. “I doubt she’d let you be bitter about Christmas for long. I think she has tinsel in her blood.”

  I laughed. “I wouldn’t doubt it.”

  Piper joined us. She had a concerned look plastered on her face as she slid in between me and Janie, and then she reached down and entwined her fingers with mine. She peered up at me. “Everything all right over here?”

  I nodded. “Definitely. Do you need anything? Something warm to drink?”

  Piper shook her head. “I’m all right. Besides, the tree is going to light soon. I don’t want you to miss it.”

  She was right. Moments after the words fell from her lips, an announcement rang through the square that the tree would light in three minutes. Excited murmurs rippled through the crowd. Children giggled gleefully and parents corralled them. Fathers made deals to hoist their youngsters onto their shoulders so they could see while mothers stretched to the tips of their toes.

  Piper watched the hustle and bustle with wide, dark eyes. Her dark irises reflected the dazzling lights surrounding the square. Janie said something in her ear, and Piper giggled. The sound was more magical than the carolers down below or the laughter of children. It was pure magic.

  And I didn’t dare let anyone know I’d even thought such a thing.

  The girl was making me soft.

  The minutes passed by. Children became more and more excited. The voices in the crowd rose and grew louder until the announcers called out the final minute mark. Piper grinned up at me
. Her parents crowded in around us. Phillip wrapped an arm around his mother’s shoulders and gave her arm a brisk rub to warm her up as her teeth chattered. Mr. James peered down the row at us and smiled at his daughter as she grinned up at the tree.

  He and I locked eyes.

  I nodded. He nodded back. There was an unspoken acknowledgment between us that meant more to me than the lights and the tree and the whole of it.

  The countdown began.

  The crowd gave voice to the final thirty seconds. Camera flashes lit up the massive branches of the tree. Television stations zoomed in and their hosts talked into the cameras. The star at the top of the tree dazzled, and the final five seconds arrived.

  Piper squeezed my hand. I lent my voice for the final five seconds, and she bounced in anticipation on the balls of her feet.

  “Three.”

  “Two.”

  “One.”

  The tree ignited in bright greens, reds, yellows, blues, and white. The whole square glowed under its brightness. Piper gasped and released my hand to clasp hers together under her chin. She captured my attention and stole it away from the tree. Her lips were parted in a silent “O” of awe, and her eyes dazzled and danced. There was something childlike and innocent there. It lingered in the corners of her mouth as her lips stretched in a smile. Then she applauded like the rest of the crowd and the square came back to life with festivities. The carolers’ voices rose over the clatter, and dancers took to the stage down below, and everything else in the world fell away except for Rockefeller Center.

  I’d never experienced anything like it.

  Piper spun to face me. “Isn’t it wonderful?”

  I gazed down at her. “Yes. It is.”

  She was.

  Her smile stretched. “Thank you for bringing me.”

  I wanted to kiss her. Had her parents not been watching us, I would have taken her face in my hands and kissed her for all she was worth under the light of the tree. I would have dipped her backward, not caring who was watching, and showed her just how she made me feel tonight.

  We spent the next hour milling through the crowd and stopping for hot drinks. We made our way to a quieter section in the lower square near the ice rink, where we were able to have a brief conversation with Piper’s family, who told us they’d put up their tree and the stockings already. Piper expressed that she was sad she’d missed it.

  I pulled Phillip aside a few minutes before they headed home to get his phone number. He’d given me a puzzled look when I asked for it, and I told him I’d explain later. Phillip texted me his number before putting his phone back in his jacket pocket and hugging his sister goodbye.

  While they said their farewells, Janie nudged me in the arm with her elbow. “She seems happy. I’m glad you brought her out tonight.”

  “Me too,” I said.

  “And you’ll make sure her Christmas is special? She deserves it. She’s had a hard year.”

  “Promise.”

  Janie searched my eyes. Then she nodded and looked down at her feet. “Thanks.”

  I said goodnight to Piper’s parents and stood with my arm around her shoulders as we watched them all disappear through the crowd to make their way to where Janie’s car was parked some several blocks away.

  Piper gazed up at me. “Tonight was perfect. Thank you.”

  “It’s not over yet.”

  “Oh?”

  I tipped my chin toward the ice rink. “How about we strap on some skates and go for a few laps?”

  She smiled and pinched her bottom lip between her teeth. “I’m a shitty skater.”

  “Excellent. Sounds like free entertainment to me.”

  Piper laughed and swatted at my shoulder as we made our way to the rink to rent two pairs of skates. I helped lace hers up and made sure they were good and tight. Then I pulled her up to her feet and let her balance herself with my elbow as she hobbled to the entrance of the rink.

  When we hit the ice, she gripped the glass railing. I pushed away from her and booted out into the rink before circling back and coming to a sliding stop in front of her, spraying ice up around me.

  She arched an eyebrow. “You’ve clearly spent some time on skates.”

  “It was a cheap winter sport for a kid. Find a pond. Borrow a friend’s skates. Play hockey all day.” I grinned. “It was the highlight of winter for me.”

  “I’m going to make an ass of myself out here.”

  I held out my hand to her. “No, you won’t. Come on. I’ll help you.”

  She looked skeptically at my outstretched hand for a moment before reaching out. I pulled her gently away from the boards. She squealed nervously and clung to me when I was within arm’s reach. Then slowly, I began skating, pulling her along behind me until she was comfortable enough to stretch out and only hold my hand as we did a lap.

  “This isn’t so bad,” she said somewhat timidly. A smile stretched over her cheeks. “I think I’m getting the hang of—”

  The point of her skate got caught in the ice. She wobbled precariously. I tried to steady her, but her feet went out, and she crashed to the ice, landing right on her ass. She blinked as I spun around and crouched in front of her, worried she was hurt, and then the bubbliest laughter poured out of her.

  I couldn’t help but laugh as well. “Are you all right?”

  She nodded as tears of laughter formed in the corners of her eyes. “Help me up. Let’s try that again.”

  And that was what we did.

  Before long, she was skating ahead of me. I came in behind her with my hands on her hips, steering her around the rink and guiding her around people. She stretched her arms out like she was on the bow of the Titanic. Her hair fanned out behind her and tickled my nose.

  I was aware of everything happening around me for the first time in years. The cold bite of the air on my cheeks. The way her hair smelled of coconut and lavender, a stark contrast to the scents of Christmas all around us. Her hips were warm and full under my hands. Her laughter was more joyful than the ringing Christmas bells in the hands of the carolers.

  For the first time in three decades, I felt genuinely joyful. And whole.

  Chapter 15

  Piper

  The sequins of my dress tickled my palms as I ran my hands down my thighs and stared at my reflection in the full-length mirror in my guest bedroom at Camden’s.

  My stomach fluttered with nerves at the thought of the office party tonight. And tomorrow night, the Casanova Christmas party. I was glad the office party was coming first. I doubted I’d have the energy for it if I spent the night prior surrounded by a handful of men I was head over heels in love with and whose hearts I knew I would be breaking in two weeks time.

  Two weeks.

  My hands stilled on my thighs. My gut rolled, and I placed a steady hand on my stomach, willing myself to keep it together. Now was not the time to come apart. Now was the time to put one foot in front of the other and survive the storm. I could grieve in January.

  I had a party to go to. And I owed Camden at least that for how good he’d been the last week. There was something between us now. Something real and raw and honest and hopeful. It was more than friendship, which frightened me, but his company helped mute the fear of the impending end of the year.

  It helped mute a lot of things actually.

  The dress I’d picked for the party was a floor-length full-sequin gown. It was lavish and beautiful, and every movement I made had the whole thing shimmering like it was alive. The sequins were in shades of rich greens and blues, making the dress appear almost teal in certain light. I’d paired it with a sheer, forest-green shawl and chandelier earrings. My hair was loosely curled and pinned in a messy but classy bun off to the side, showing off the open back of the dress.

  I hoped Camden liked it.

  I also hoped it wasn’t too much for an office party.

  There was a knock on my door. “Piper? Almost ready? The car will be here in ten minutes.”

  �
�Yes,” I called back. I turned to the side and took one last look at myself. It didn’t matter how perfect the dress was. Or the makeup. Or my hair. The nerves were still running the show. “I’ll be right down.”

  Camden’s steps faded away down the hall.

  I sighed. “You can do this. It’s one little office party. Save your nerves for tomorrow.”

  The words didn’t do anything to calm the storm raging in my gut. I squared my shoulders anyway, lifted my chin, and marched out the door and down the hall to make my way downstairs. I threw my shawl over one shoulder and pulled it across my front to drape it over the other. I gripped my gold clutch in one hand as my heels clicked all the way down the hall across the floor.

  At the top of the stairs, I paused with a hand on the railing and gazed down into the living room. Camden was standing in front of the windows, looking out at the city. He was wearing a black suit. His hands were in his pants pockets. His posture was perfect. His broad shoulders and narrow waist were highlighted by the bespoke suit, and I found my breath catching in my throat as I stared down at him.

  He was a hell of a lot of man.

  I cleared my throat.

  Camden pulled his hands from his pockets as he turned around. His eyes slid up the staircase and landed on me, and then his lips parted, just a bit, and his eyebrows lifted. “Wow.”

  I bit the inside of my cheek and looked down at my gown. “Do you think it’s too much? I have other things I could put on instead if this is a bit too fancy.”

  “It’s perfect,” he said. “Come down here so I can get a better look at you.”

  His eyes followed me down the stairs. He met me at the bottom and offered me a smile that calmed the panic inside me.

  “Piper,” he said, his voice softer than I’d ever heard it. “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Part of me wants to forgo the party and just keep you to myself.”

  I giggled in spite of myself. I would have liked that too, but spending time alone with him when he was looking at me like this sounded dangerous. Things would happen we couldn’t take back. Lines would be crossed.