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“Okay, I’ll behave.” She laid a hand on his thigh and squeezed, enjoying the flexing of hard muscle beneath her palm, all too aware of exactly how that muscle felt without the denim covering. “For now.”
Chuckling, he pulled into the heavy city traffic, his concentration focussed on navigating the traffic-logged roads around the Docklands while she tried to keep her mind off the constant nagging worry that the kids’ issue was bigger than he was willing to acknowledge.
Chapter Fifteen
Camryn’s face ached.
Her cheeks were stiff and her mouth hurt from too much smiling. Blane’s family were amazing. They’d welcomed her, chatted with her, plied her with food, showered her with attention, and she’d smiled through it all until her gut seized and her heart bled as she and Blane fielded the inevitable ribbing question for a married couple: ‘so when are you two lovebirds having kids?’
Blane had deflected that one nicely but she’d caught the significant look passing between his folks, as if judging her for possibly not wanting kids?
She’d have to get used to it. Either that or tell a family she’d only just met about her personal problems and she had no intention of doing that yet. She may have laughed at the incessant teasing from his sisters and relaxed in the sprawling homestead on a half acre block in outer suburbia, but they still weren’t her family.
It was times like this she missed her folks, her mother in particular. They’d always been close, she’d always confided in her, and during her harrowing health ordeal she’d wished for her mom’s comforting hugs too many times to remember.
Ever since Blane had sewn the seed that maybe, just maybe her folks had done what they’d done out of love rather than an awful desire to control her, she’d been wondering if it was time to lay the past to rest, to head home and give her folks a chance to explain.
It wasn’t like they hadn’t tried to broach the gap but she’d slammed the door in their faces, metaphorically, every single time. Until they’d stopped trying.
Coming here, surrounded by genuine warmth and happiness and familial love, rammed home how much she missed her own family.
Being welcomed by the Andrews family as Blane’s wife was lovely. Maybe it was time to reintroduce her family to her husband.
“Hiding won’t work. They’ll hunt you down eventually.” Blane slid his arms around her waist from behind, enveloping her in welcome warmth, cuddling her close. “They approve, by the way.”
Turning in the circle of his arms, she slung her arms around his neck. “Your family’s great.”
“Can I let you in on a little secret?”
“Shoot.”
“I was worried about you being thrown in the deep end, meeting the whole clan at once.” He paused, his arms tightening as if he expected her to bolt. “Facing Sandi, Monica, and Jodi in all their nosy glory is tough. You’ve been amazing, handling them all.”
Her heart clenched. He looked so happy that she’d passed the family test with flying colours, when the last few hours had served to deepen the chasm between them. She’d never felt so torn, wanting him so badly it hurt, knowing she couldn’t give him what he wanted.
And as painful as it was, seeing him with his nieces and nephews today showed her that no matter what he said, settling for only her would eventually not be enough.
Pain sliced through her, swift and deep, cutting her determination, weakening her resolve, at the thought of letting him go.
But there was no other way.
How could she not? She loved him that much.
He’d once let her go to follow her dream, she’d have to do the same for him no matter how much it would tear her apart.
“Uh-oh, you’ve making that face again.”
She managed a small smile while her insides churned with dread at the enormity of what she had to do. “What face?”
“This one.” He pulled a tight-lipped, frowning, cross-eyed expression, drawing a chuckle from her. “I call it your ‘thinking too much’ face.”
He smoothed a finger between her brows, his touch soothing, as she wished he could erase the ache in her heart as easily as the lines from her forehead. “It always worries me. It means you’re deliberating something big or going to deliver news I won’t like. Correct?”
He knew her too well. However, now wasn’t the time or place to get into what she was thinking.
“I’m just tired. The café was jam-packed last night and I had to do some inventory ordering after we closed.”
“And you’re exhausted after letting the twins climb all over you. I know the feeling.” He leaned closer and brushed a kiss across her lips, a soft, lingering kiss that touched her soul. “You really were amazing today. Thank you.”
