After the hellos and introductions, we walk into the kitchen where the aroma of the food smells divine. I can see where Cam and Nash get their blue eyes from, but Cam's dark hair must be from his dad because his mom, Emma has the light brown hair Nash shares with her.
I feel better about my change of clothes when I notice she's in a long gray wool cardigan. She's about the same height as me and looks way younger than I imagined her.
"Cam told me, you're Italian and I don't know how to make any Italian food from scratch, but I promise my spaghetti with meatballs is delicious." She smiles so excitedly that I could only return the smile.
"I'll take your word for it," I tell her as I spot two empty jars of store-bought spaghetti sauce on the countertop.
There's no way I'm mentioning that to my parents. I've never had any Italian food where part of the ingredients was pre-made. Better yet, my parents are opposed to it. They say it's not real Italian food and I hardly ever eat spaghetti. There's also no way I'll break Emma's heart by telling her that.
"Take a seat at the dinner table. Cam, help me set up the table, I'll go get Nash and let him know dinner's ready." She smiles and walks out of the kitchen.
Cam takes my hand leading me to the dinner table as if I didn't know where it was. It's in plain sight and I've come to his house before.
"Does your mom know you have parties here?" I ask once I'm seated.
He smiles broadly, leaning over, giving me a better view of those deep blue eyes, "No. Don't go ratting me out tonight."
A giggle escapes me, but he quickly stops it with a soft press of his lips. His tongue darts out causing me to gasp. His mom could walk in any minute and he wants to deepen the kiss? He takes my gasp as a good sign and bites down on my bottom lip and he growls softly.
"Cameron Percy." Emma's voice is enough to have Cam standing up straight.
She's frowning at him while Nash groans, "See. This is what I deal with daily, mom."
She meets my eyes and drops her frown, looking at me sympathetically, "I promise you I taught him manners."
Smiling, grateful she doesn't think low of me just from the way she was frowning at Cam, "He likes to show them to me once in a while."
Emma meets Cam's eyes and giggles, "Set the table." She turns to Nash who looks bored to even be here, "Help your brother."
Cam and Nash move around in the kitchen, bringing everything to the dinner table. Finally having all the food in the middle of the table, we go about serving ourselves.
Emma takes a sip of her water before smiling at me, "Cam says you want to become a teacher?"
Nodding I meet her eyes, "Yes. I'm just not so sure in which area."
I take a bite of the spaghetti and I'm surprised how good her meatballs are and how well they blend with the spaghetti and her pre-made sauce. Where the sauce is lacking in flavor, her meatballs more than make up for it.
She lifts one of her eyebrows, "You'd be willing to teach high schoolers?" She glances at Cam and Nash quickly before meeting my eyes again, "They're not always the easiest to deal with."
Causing me to laugh softly, I shrug, "Sometimes they need a push. But I might want to get my master's to become a professor. I'm really good with math, I think I can do something with that."
Cam scoffs, making me turn to him and see he's frowning, "You're good at everything. You'll be able to be a teacher in whatever you choose."
My heart flutters and I smile. Emmas eyes practically twinkle now, "Aww, Cam you're so sweet to her."
Nash grumbles, "Can I eat my food in peace?"
Emma ignores him and says, "Seeing him like this makes me feel better about him going over to your house so much."
My heart feels really excited to hear his mom's approval, "My parents are fond of both Cam and Nash. My mom loves to cook so she loves the fact that she has extra mouths to feed."
Nash slurps a noodle loudly, causing us to look at him and he smiles once it's all in his mouth, "I love eating your mom's food."
After telling Nash that slurping is rude, she easily talks about how she went back to nursing after her divorce. I really wanted to ask that if she receives child support, why does she work so much. But, as comfortable as this conversation seems, I know that would definitely not be as comfortable.
Finishing up with dinner I've picked up on Nash's behavior with Emma. He's rude and mean which she just chooses to ignore most of the time. It's sad and I now understand why Cam worries about him so much and wants him so close.
I can see how Nash is so different here. He doesn't even want to be here.
*
Opening the window, my stomach twist nervously. Cam finally makes his way in, making my stomach twist for other reasons.
"Your dad loves me. Why are you making me do this?" Cam closes the window behind him.
I interlace my fingers together to keep them from shaking. "I wanted to talk."
Chuckling softly, he walks over to the middle of my bed and patting the spot next to him, "Come here, Cookie. I won't tell you this could've been done over the phone because having you close feels too good."
I sit next to him and he immediately pulls me against him, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. Allowing me to lean in. I feel nervous, excited, scared.
I think I'm ready to tell him how I actually feel. He obviously doesn't hold back when he says he likes being close to me and my kisses, etc. But, I really want to talk about our relationship. I need to know if what he's saying is real.
I open my mouth to speak, but his phone rings in his hand and the name Nash lights up.
"Hold on, Cookie." He tells me before answering. His body has gone from relaxed to rigid. He whisper shouts, "What the fuck do you mean the cops are involved, Nash. Mom just left for vacation this morning...fuck...I'm on my way."
He gets up from the bed and leans down to peck my lips after hanging up, "I'm sorry, Livy. I have to go get Nash before the cops get there. Or at least when they get there."
Getting off the bed, I follow him towards the window and stop him, "Wait. My dad can help."
Shaking his head, he leans down to peck my lips again, "Not getting your old man involved in this."
"Okay." I whisper, "Where's Nash?"
Groaning he turns to the window again while opening it, "The warehouse by the mall. He got caught doing graffiti with his friends."
I take a mental note of the warehouse before I nod.
"Call me when you get the chance." I bite down on my lip watching him climb out.
"I will." He says before climbing down.
Shutting the window, I turn and walk towards my door. Cam might not want the help, but it would be better if he had it. Opening my door, I walk to my parent's bedroom door and knock. I have to knock one more time before my dad opens it.
"Is something wrong, Liv?" He says groggily, his eyes narrow, trying to see me through the haze of his sleep.
"Nash is in trouble. Cam is on his way to go get him, but the cops are getting involved." I tell him in hope that he sees this as a big deal as much as I do.
His eyes widen and the sleepy look he had is completely gone now, "Shit. Let me change really quickly. Meet me downstairs in a minute."
I go in my room to get a hoodie before going downstairs and my dad wasn't lying when he said he'd be down here in a minute. His hair is still all over the place, but he's changed in jeans and a hoodie.
Quickly getting in the car and driving down to the warehouse, I noticed my dad stiff and deep in thought.
"Are you okay, dad?" I ask when he stops at a red light.
Blowing out a deep sigh, he lightly shakes his head, "Why didn't Cam call me?"
If he asks me how I found out, I'm going to have to lie and tell him I was on the phone with him. I can only hope I'll sound convincing.
I shrug, "He didn't want to bother you. I'm pretty sure given what time it is now."
He shakes his head again and the light turns green, "I should talk with Nash."
Glad that I didn't have to lie, I stay quiet for the remainder of the time. Driving there is fairly quick this late at night. Just as we're getting there, the red and blue lights on the two cop cars are on and four boys are sitting on the sidewalk, handcuffed. Cam is talking to one of the officers, but even from here, I can see the officer shaking his head.
Getting down, Cam turns to the sound of the car doors shutting. My dad walks towards him, quickly meeting him halfway.
"What happened?" My dad asks Cam who quickly tells him that Nash got caught doing graffiti with his friends.
Nash is sitting up straighter when he notices it's my dad who Cam is talking to. "They don't want to let him go with me. I showed them my driver's license showing them I'm eighteen, but they're not budging. They want my mom, but she's on vacation right now. They said if she doesn't show in ten minutes, they're taking him in."
Another car pulls up and a lady in her pajamas walks up to another officer.
"Okay, kid. Let me see what I can do." He pats Cam's shoulder and walks over to the cop Cam was talking to.
We watch as the lady talking with the cop starts yelling at one of the other boys sitting next to Nash. The cop walks over to uncuff him and hands him his backpack.
"Shit." Cam whispers and I notice he's looking at my dad and the cop.
My dad has gotten closer to the cop and his eyebrows are furrowed down. The cop put his hand between them, seemingly trying to get him to calm down.
"I'm gonna have to beat Nash's ass if my mom has to leave her trip early," Cam mutters, running his hand through his hair.
The cop walks over to Nash and leans down to uncuff him and hands him his backpack. My dad and Nash walk back to us. My dad meets his green eyes with Cam.
"Nash, get in the car." My dad's voice is thicker with demand leaving no room for Nash but to nod.
"How'd you do that?" Cam says after Nash gets in his car.
My dad shakes his head, "Just said you guys were staying with me while your mom was away. He said he's going to have a ticket sent home so your mom is going to find out about this whether he likes it or not."
Cam shakes his head meeting my dad's eyes, "I'm sorry you had to come out here in the middle of the night. Really, thank you."
My dad takes a big breath and looks down before meeting his eyes again, "Thank god my wife talked me into only having one child." He chuckles softly, "I'm serious about getting Nash into a routine. Bring him over at seven in the morning."
Cam finally smiles softly, "I'll do that. Thanks again, Lorenzo." He pulls me in a hug, causing me to wrap my arms around his lean waist, "Thanks for telling your old man when I told you I didn't want him involved in this."
Pulling away, he kisses my forehead before going to his car and driving off with Nash. I turn to my dad already making his way back to the car. Getting in he seems pensive again.
"Okay, dad. What's really wrong?" I have to know why he looks deep in thought.
Shaking his head, he starts to drive, "Cam reminds me a lot of me. I remember always thinking when was your Uncle Vinny going to understand to grow up. In the back of my mind, I always hoped or wanted for someone to help me. I think it's part of why I left for college the first chance I got. I grew up way before I needed to and I wouldn't wish that on anyone else. I want to be that person for Cam and Nash. I want to help them."
"Is this the kind of trouble Uncle Vinny would get into?" Giovanna and Carla had said some things about their dad being involved with drugs.
They've never seen it with their own eyes. They just know the rumors that go around their city and the way Uncle Vinny dresses is the epitome of someone with money. Every time I ask him what he does for a living, he just says he's a businessman.
My dad chuckles softly with no humor, "Sometimes worse than others. After the cops become familiar with who you are, they don't care if it's something as small as just throwing a gum wrapper on the floor. They're taking you in."
When we get home, my mom has the lights in the kitchen dimmed, with a mug in her hand. She's sitting on the kitchen counter with a silky robe wrapped around her as she skims through her phone.
"I'm sorry I woke you before I left, sweetheart." My dad walks in, quickly nestling himself in her arms.
Gross.
I quickly walk up to my room, leaving my dad to explain everything to my mom.
Settling back in my bed, I look at the time and notice it's three in the morning. Cam's name lights up on my phone and I quickly answer.
"I'm sorry I didn't get to spend the night with you, Cookie." Cam breathes through the phone and I can tell he's stress, "Did you still want to talk?"
My heart squeezes, "It's okay. We can talk another time. You should get some sleep since you need to have Nash over bright and early."
The courage that I had to talk to him has been demolished. I'm not going to talk to him about this when he has bigger problems to deal with.
He chuckles softly, "Yeah. He's already dreading it."
I laugh softly, but my heart is already feeling so twisted with relief and disappointment, "Goodnight, Cam."
He groans before sighing, "Goodnight, beautiful."