Secret Dad
Cameron didn’t know what to expect from Josh’s first ‘secret dad’ visit. He was arriving on a Friday evening and spending Saturday with them. Kara had seemed surprised but pleased when she learned ‘Mr. Chasez’ was going to be spending time with the Delaneys. The only other person who ever slept over was Riley – and that meant a girls’ night. This was going to be new territory for all of them.
“He’s here!” Kara called when JC’s SUV pulled up next to Cameron’s truck. She hurried out to the porch. “Hi, Mr. Chasez!”
JC was pulling his duffle bag from the backseat when he heard her. He walked slowly towards the house. That was his little girl waving and bouncing with excitement. His heart was filled with anxiety and expectation. “Hiya, munchkin!” he called back.
She put her hands on her hips, so reminiscent of Cam. “You forgot my name!” she accused.
He topped the steps and tweaked her nose playfully. “No, I did not forget your name, Kara.”
“Hello, Josh.”
JC looked up to see Cam standing in the doorway. Good. She looked as anxious as he felt. “Hey, Cam.” He kissed her cheek lightly.
“How was your flight?” she asked politely.
“Long.”
“We waited dinner for you. Come on in.”
The three went into the house. Cameron indicated he could set his bag next to the stairs. “I’ll show you the guest room later.”
JC had never been in the house. It was a large, old, homespun farmhouse. Lots of hardwood floors with area rugs and comfortable, sturdy furniture. A place where kids could grow and people could relax. “What’s for dinner?” he asked.
“Baked chicken!” Kara answered with a pleased smile. “And peas and carrots and mashed potatoes and gravy.”
“You learned to cook more than TV dinners,” JC commented as he followed Cam into the large country kitchen that also served as the dining room.
“Funny thing about kids…they want to eat,” she mused.
“What’s for dessert?” Kara asked as she finished cleaning her plate.
“No dessert tonight. I thought I’d make puppy chow for a snack later,” Cameron answered.
“Yum! My favorite!”
“Dog food is your favorite?” JC inquired of the child. “Is there something you aren’t telling me? Like you’re part dog?”
Kara laughed. “No, silly, it’s a snack that looks like puppy chow. Chex, chocolate, peanut butter and powdered sugar.”
“Very messy to make,” Cameron added. “Which is why I think is Kara’s favorite.”
Kara grinned. “Uh-huh.”
“If you’re finished, you can go into the living room and argue about what movie you want to watch first.” Cameron rose and began to clear the table.
Kara dutifully carried her place setting to the counter and left the kitchen.
“Great dinner, Cam,” JC said as he took his dishes to the sink. “Good as Nora’s if not better,” he teased. He had become rather fond of Draperville’s favorite restaurant.
“Such generous praise!” she taunted.
“I mean it. You’re a good cook. I don’t get a lot of home cooked meals.”
“You’d better go to the living room and pick tonight’s movies with Kara.”
“I should help you.”
“No, I’m fine. You go ahead.”
“Cam—“
“Friday is movie night around here. After the first movie, we get into our pajamas and curl up on the sofa.”
“Sounds relaxing.”
“Then go relax. Tonight you don’t have to be anyone but Josh Chasez.”
“Thanks, baby.”
Cameron came into the living room to see Josh and Kara on the sofa, watching ‘Homeward Bound’. The child was snuggled under the man’s arm, looking quite happy to be there. She was conflicted. Had she don’t the right thing all those years ago? She believed she had at the time but now…the two seemed to enjoy each other so much…
JC looked up to see Cam watching them. He lifted the arm Kara wasn’t occupying. “Got a free arm,” he said by way of invitation and was half surprised when she took him up on the offer.
Now this felt good, he thought. His girls cuddling with him on the big couch. It seemed more like home than any house he owned. His two girls? Well, Kara because she was of his blood. Cam…she was vulnerable and he had the urge to protect and care of her. He always had – even when she tried to be tough. He seemingly did it as naturally as he breathed – as naturally as she had tried to protect him as a teenager. He nuzzled her hair and she looked up at him. She seemed tired tonight…
The telephone rang, disturbing their rare peace.
Cameron rose. “I’ll get it and get the puppy chow started.” She grabbed the cordless in the foyer and headed for the kitchen. “Delaney residence.”
“Cameron, it’s John.”
“I refuse to come in tomorrow,” she teased, only half joking. His golf game had improved at her expense. “I have company.”
“No, I realize it is your weekend off.” His voice became low and soft. “I thought you would want to know…Brody died a few minutes ago.”
“Oh, no! How sad for Tommy!”
“The kid wouldn’t listen—“
“He’s just a boy, John – with little supervision.”
“I thought maybe you would want to be the one to tell him.”
Better her than cold-hearted John! “Certainly. Thank you for calling, John. Good night.”
Ringing off, she dialed Tommy’s home number. As luck would have it, the boy answered. “Tommy, this is Doc Delaney.”
“No!” the boy cried, realizing she would only call this late if the worst had happened.
“I’m afraid Brody died a few minutes ago, sweetie. I’m sorry.”
“I—I…okay…” Tommy hung up without further words.
Hearing nothing but dial tone, she hit off and set the phone on the counter.
Like an automan, she put cereal in a big bowl for later, then put powdered sugar in a large Ziploc for coating the mixture. With little thought, she measured the other ingredients into a saucepan. It was at this moment, she could no longer hold back her tears. She dropped weakly onto a kitchen chair, burying her face in her hands.
JC wondered if Cam was still on the phone. He decided to check on her. What he saw brought every protective instinct to the fore. “Cammi?”
Cameron rose and tried to hide the tears. “I—I’ll get this going…” She moved to the stove.
He intercepted her and wrapped his arms around her. Much to his surprise, he found her crumpling against him, weeping softly. “What’s wrong, baby?” he asked quietly.
“Brody died,” she sobbed into the fabric of his shirt.
“Aww…damn. I’m sorry.”
“I—I know it was bound to happen. I just never…”
“Shh…shh…sweetheart, you go on and cry and whatever you need to do. Kara and I can manage alone for a while.”
She didn’t argue. “The saucepan…medium heat just until the chips are melted. Pour it over the cereal to coat it. That’s the part she likes. Make sure she washes her hands first.”
“Do I get a chocolate-coated kid?” he joked.
“Usually.” She gave him a watery smile. “Thank you, Josh.”
“You’re welcome. Go on, Cammi.” He aimed her toward the backstairs he had noticed earlier.
He had been stirring the melting mixture when Kara popped in.
“Where’s Mom?” she asked as she looked into the pan.
“She needed to go upstairs for a while,” he replied. “It’s you and me, kid.”
Kara giggled. “Oh, goodie!”
“Wash your hands. This is about ready.”
Kara stood on the short stool that allowed her to reach the sink. She washed her hands thoroughly as she had been taught and dried them on a paper towel. “You need to wash your hands too,” she told him. “Take the pan off the heat. The stuff’ll cool while you wash up.”
Obviously, the girl was well versed in the making of her favorite snack. He followed her instructions. By the time the cereal was ‘well-coated’, so were Kara and JC’s hands.
“I’m gonna get you now!” Kara chortled.
“Wha?…” JC turned only to have her smear his arms with the chocolate mixture. “Why you
little—“ He retaliated by putting his hands on her face, making certain her nose was covered.
Kara continued to laugh as she wiped her hands down the front of his light blue tee-shirt.
“Hey!” He grabbed at her, tickling her ribs with his sticky fingers. “You little minx! I’ll—“
“I should have known…” came Cameron’s amused voice. “Leave two kids in the kitchen and look what I get! Two chocolate-covered people and once messy counter.”
“Aww…Mom, he’s fun!” Kara declared.
“Yeah, Mom, I’m fun.” JC grinned like a big kid.
“Let’s see how ‘fun’ you think it is when I make you clean up the kitchen,” Cameron reminded them.
“Aww…Mom!” JC whined teasingly.
“On second thought – Kara you go take your bath and change into your jammies while Mr. Chasez and I take care of the kitchen.”
“Ha ha!” Kara taunted JC as she headed out of the kitchen.
Once the child was out of earshot, JC was prepared to defend himself. He was pleasantly surprised when she turned warm eyes on him. “Cammi?”
“You’re fun,” she said softly. “Kara really likes you.”
“I’m beginning to think she’s a pretty cool kid,” he admitted.
“I’m glad. She is a very special little girl.”
“Has to be – she’s part of both of us.”
JC’s second visit was much like the first. He and Kara bonded over Friday night movies. Cameron had run late at the clinic, so JC had gone to Nora’s for carryout, complete with apple dumplings.
“You’re such a dear, Josh,” Cameron said to acknowledge his thoughtfulness when she joined the two on the sofa.
“Hey, my girls deserve the best – or since you didn’t cook – second best,” he told her as his arm went around her shoulder so she could rest against him.
“Mom isn’t the best cook,” Kara announced. “Grams is.”
“Ah, yes, my devoted, supportive daughter,” Cameron mocked.
“Kara, hasn’t anyone told you, Mom is always the best,” JC scolded lightly.
“Only telling the truth. Mom says to be honest.”
He chuckled at the girl’s pout – looking adorably like Cam.
Turning his attention back to Cam, he noted how tired she seemed. “Rough week?”
Snuggling her cheek against his shoulder, she closed her eyes. “Mmm…one emergency after the other.”
Bussing her forehead tenderly, he said, “You rest. When this movie is over, I’ll send Kara up to get her bath and pj’s on.”
“Mmm…hmmm…wake me if I snore.”
“I don’t recall you ever snoring.”
”Because you slept like a rock.”
Kara studied the adults thoughtfully, wondering why JC was suddenly a part of their lives. Most of the time, he was very kind and sort of teasing with her mother. To her, he was like a larger than life playmate. But as much as the girl adored him, she didn’t know why he had suddenly appeared. “Mr. Chasez, how long have you known, Mom?”
JC turned his attention to Kara. “Twelve years.”
Her big blue eyes went wide. “Before me?”
He smiled warmly. She was here because of him. “Long before you. We were friends as kids.”
“Wow.” With that, she went back to watching her movie.
JC was aware Cam had fallen asleep, her head pillowed on his chest. Again the old protectiveness reared its head. She was not a fragile woman by any means; she could be tough as they came. Still he was compelled to watch over her as she slept.
“Movie’s over, Mr. Chasez,” Kara announced quietly. “If you make the popcorn, I’ll go do my night chores.”
“Thanks, Kara. Could you set out the popcorn before you go upstairs, please?”
“Sure.”
“And open your mom’s bedroom door so I can carry her to bed.”
Cameron woke as JC placed her on her big bed. Her eyes blinked open as he eased his arms away. “Oh, my! I slept that hard?” She bolted up, flustered.
“I thought you were pretty much out for the night,” JC told her as he straightened.
“I’m so sorry, Josh. What a terribly hostess—“
“Hostess? Cam, I’m not here as a guest. I’m here as Kara’s father,” he reminded her gently.
“Kara—“
“She’s in the tub right now. I’m gonna microwave some popcorn. We’ll watch another movie or two. I’ll make her brush her teeth and then I’ll tuck her in. I have her all tomorrow, so I may as well get used to it.”
Cameron was a trifle bit surprise at JC’s ease with their daughter, like he was born to the role. Guilt and “what if’s” assailed her. “If you don’t mind…”
JC reached out and smoothed her hair. “Not in the least. Get some rest. Tomorrow will be here before you know it.”
She gave him a grateful smile. “Thank you, Josh. I’ll take you up on your generous offer.”
“Good.” He head for the door. “See you at breakfast.”
Kara was fairly easy to get along with Saturday morning. She and JC watched cartoons, played computer games and took a walk around the farm. Late in the morning found himself sitting on the floor while Kara sat on the sofa, combing his hair.
“You got hair like me,” she stated. “Nice and soft girl hair.”
“Girl hair?” He was startled.
“Yeah. Just a sec!” she raced up the stairs.
“Girl hair…” JC muttered. Okay, so he hadn’t been into getting his haircut…But having his own daughter announce he had girl hair…Something about that ate at him…
When Kara returned, she had what looked like a small tackle box with her. She sat back down. “I’m gonna make you pretty,” she told him.
“Wha?…”
Cameron arrived home and made her way to the house. She had decided she would have to make up for her lack of hospitality by making JC a home cooked meal that night. She also wondered how the morning alone had gone. She’d had no emergency calls, so she assumed it hadn’t been a total disaster.
“I’m home!” she called as she entered the living room. What she saw made her want to grab a camera to take a picture for posterity.
There in the middle of her living room sat JC Chasez of *NSYNC with his long, dark hair up in various braids, barrettes, bows, and other decorations. When he caught the amusement in her eyes, he looked mortified.
“You said your mother never came home on time!” JC reminded Kara, his embarrassment glowing red on his cheeks.
Kara giggled. “Almost never.”
Cameron couldn’t hold it in any longer. She howled with laughter, pointing at Josh. She would manage to get herself under control until she looked at him again – and once again she was laughing, tears streaming from her eyes.
“Dammit, Cam…” he growled.
“I—I’m sorry, Josh…It’s—It’s just that…”
“Can it, Doctor Delaney,” he muttered.
When JC arrived for his next visit, he sported a much shorter haircut. No more ‘girl hair’ for him.
When JC couldn’t get away to see Kara, he made sure to call her at least once a week. They emailed simple ‘hello’s’ nearly everyday. And if Cameron and JC could coordinate their schedules, JC would get on line with Kara via Instant Messaging. Kara no longer questioned the presence of her friend Mr. Chasez. She simply enjoyed his large presence in her life. She didn’t know he was her father – or seem to understand his celebrity.
All the fears and worried Cameron may have had fell by the way side. Once again, she and JC were able to share a friendship. When something happened to one of them, the other one was the person they wanted to share the news with. His visits were warm and comfortable and he never attempted to undermine her authority with Kara.
JC found himself missing Kara’s impishness or her bright smile. At odd moments, he’d see something he knew she’d appreciate and missed sharing it with her. To keep peace with Cam, he refrained from showering the child with material gifts. He wanted her to have everything, but most of all, he wanted her love. In the end, he knew that achieving that goal was more of a matter of giving of himself and his time, not of presents. JC Chasez had fallen in love with his daughter and wanted to be her father.
“Want to be my choreographer?” Cameron asked JC over a Friday night dinner.
“What?” He looked from his plate, thinking he had misunderstood her.
Kara giggled. “Mom got snookered.”
“What does that have to do with me?”
Cameron sighed tiredly. “The women’s group decided on the yearly fundraiser—“
“Mom would rather make a pie,” Kara added.
“This year they decided to do a musical review type thing.”
“Mom hasn’t sung in forever!”
“Cam, you have a lovely voice,” JC told her.
“But dancing? Josh, I haven’t done that in years! I could have screamed when I heard what they chose for the finale – and what they are thinking of having me wear—“
Kara chortled and clapped her hands together in delight. “They want Mom to be sexy!”
“As you can see,” Cameron told Josh, “my own daughter has little faith that I can pull ‘sexy’ off.”
JC reached over to brush Cam’s cheek with the back of his fingers. Where had the sassy, confident girl of their youth gone? “Baby, you can so pull off sexy without half trying.”
“Will you help me, Josh? I know I shouldn’t ask…”
“Why not? We’re friends.”
“Just a few steps so I don’t look like a total fool.”
“Not a problem. What’s the song?”
“It’s Raining Men.”
Kara laughed as JC choked on a swallow of water. Cameron jumped up to thump his back.
“Josh, are you all right?”
“Geeze, Cammi…”
“Doc and the Holidays,” Kara stated gleefully. “Riley is gonna be a Holiday.”
“Kara thinks I’m a joke.”
JC pulled Cam close, his arm around her waist. “Your mom was the prettiest, sexiest girl in Orlando – and she’s just gotten prettier,” JC told Kara.
“You got a crush on Mom?” the girl asked.
“I did when I was fourteen and I didn’t stop crushing on her till I was seventeen.”
“Why did you stop?”
“Mom moved away.” He gave Cam an affectionate squeeze. “She was my best friend.”
“Ever kiss her?”
“Kara!” Cameron protested. “That’s quite enough—“
“It’s okay.” JC released Cam and leaned toward Kara. “Yes, I used to kiss her. Wanna know something?”
Kara nodded, leaning in. “Uh-huh.”
He winked at Cam. “You’re mom used to be a real good kisser.”
“Josh!” Cameron objected.
“Now…let’s finish dinner so I can learn you some moves.”
Since all the Delaney women were involved in the fund raising program in one way or another, JC arrived on Friday afternoon to watch Kara. After a quick, early dinner, Cameron was off to the dress rehearsal with Riley, leaving father and child to fend for themselves. Kara was antsy that night, even more active usual. JC guessed it was probably the fact that the whole family was involved in an event she was not participating in. After she was unable to sit still for even one movie, JC made a decision.
“Wanna show me where this thing is being held tomorrow? Maybe we can get there to pick Mom up when she’s done.”
“Cool!”
One could hear the strains of “It’s Raining Men” long before entering the second floor auditorium of Draperville High School.
“Sounds like we timed it about right,” JC commented as he and Kara snuck into the darkened auditorium.
Damn! JC caught sight of Cam wearing a fuzzy white top that rode up to show her mid-drift…He swallowed hard as she turned and bent over in tight black leather pants and tall black boots. He was glad the dim lighting hid his reaction to the woman he had once loved with everything in him. Cam had definitely grown some nice curves. He wanted to drool at the vision of her pert, shapely butt cupped in rump-hugging leather…
When the last note ended, Kara broke loose to run down the aisle, clapping and calling, “Yay, Mom!”
Squinting, Cam saw the man who slowly followed her daughter. “What are you two doing here?”
“We came to give you a ride home!” Kara declared.
Cameron looked to JC. “I thought you understood Riley was bringing me home.”
“The munchkin had ants in her pants, so we decided to come get you,” he told her. His eyes ran appreciatively over her outfit.
The look in his eyes made Cameron blush. “I—umm…I have to change…”
‘Why?’ he wanted to ask. Damn, she looked fine! “Sure, Cammi.”
Tucking a stray strand of toffee-colored hair behind her ear nervously, she wet her lips. “It’ll only take a few minutes.”
“Take your time.” JC sat down on one of the hard wooden seats. “We’ll wait.”
“Can I come, Mom?” Kara asked.
“Not this time, baby. You wait with, Mr. Chasez.”
“Okay.” The child climbed on JC and used him like a recliner. They grinned at each other.
Cameron tried not to think too much about the look in Josh’s eyes or the way father and daughter looked so alike when they smiled. They both had crinkly eyes and the same toothy-ness when grinned.
On Saturday afternoon and early evening, once again JC and Kara were left to their own devices. A trip to DeKalb for MacDonald’s wasted part of the time. The plan was to have a late dinner when the show was over so Cameron could join them. Once in the bigger town, JC took Kara into some shops to entertain her. They picked up some videos for a Friday night. He was amazed that the child wasn’t begging left and right for everything she saw. He discovered his daughter didn’t consider herself deprived, because she didn’t have every video game or every toy. He had to give Cam a lot of credit for raising Kara to be a child he would be proud to take anywhere. Later they went back to the farm to get ready for Cameron’s show. JC was pleased with the day he had spent with his daughter – and longed to tell her who he was, so he could also tell her she was loved by her sire.
JC sat on the stage waiting for Cameron to come out after the variety show. Kara was entertaining him with her version of “It’s Raining Men” a la Doc and the Holidays. It was so precious to watch her try to imitate her mother’s provocative gestures. With a certain amount of fatherly pride and a heavy dose of protectiveness, he decided his daughter was going to be a heart breaker – just like her mother.
Cameron watched JC and Kara from the wings for moment. He enjoyed their daughter – the affection was clear. She wondered if he noticed how Kara’s eyes crinkled at the corners when she smiled – just like his. Did he see her unruly mop of dark curls as his? Or the well-defined cheekbones emerging from her baby-roundness of her face? Did JC see how very much of him was in Kara?
“Hey, Mom!” Kara called and ran to her mother’s side. “You changed.”
JC rose to join them. “Yeah, Mom, you changed.” The sexy leather pants she had worn for the last song still had him drooling.
“Mr. Chasez, she isn’t your Mom,” Kara pointed out.
JC laughed. “Don’t I just know it.”
The tight leather was not Cam’s style. She didn’t see herself as a vixen-type.
“So...” Almost as a natural gesture, he swung Kara up on his hip. “McDonald’s again?”
“Yeah!” Kara crowed.
John Petersen watched the trio. He had known that an old boyfriend had come back into Cameron’s life. Now he knew why. You couldn’t see the man with the child and not know. Jealousy burned in the pit of his gut. He had played the patient suitor for too long to let an interloper step in.
“So, you play sperm donor once and that gives you carte blanche to come back – after deserting Cameron in her time of need?” John scoffed at JC.
Cameron gasped. “John, you have no idea...”
“Oh, look at them together!”
“John—” The mother growled in warning.
“It’s plain to see he’s Kara’s father.”
Silence. The dead silence of surprise.
Finally, Kara laid her head on JC’s shoulder and whispered, “You’re my daddy?”
He wasn’t going to deny it. “Yeah, baby, I am,” JC told her.
“Thank you for that lovely announcement, Doctor Petersen,” Cameron said coldly as she put her back to the man. “Still up for McDonald’s?”
“Only if Daddy comes,” Kara clung to JC.
“Of course, Daddy’s coming.” Cameron smiled at the man who was now in her life whether she wanted him there or not.
On the drive to the Golden Arches, Kara insisted on sitting in between her parents on the front seat. Once they arrived, she told JC her order, not her mother.
“Why don’t you find us the best seat in the house?” JC suggested to the girl. He realized ‘Mom’ was about to burst from things she wanted to say.
“Okay, Daddy!”
“I could kill John Petersen,” Cameron ground out.
“I’m sorry, Cam. This isn’t the way I wanted...” JC apologized.
“Whatever are you apologizing for, Josh? You didn’t blurt it out for the world to hear.”
“You aren’t mad at me?”
“For what? For letting my daughter call you ‘Daddy’? Certainly not. It’s obviously what she wanted.”
For the first time in an hour, JC took a deep breath. “I know we were gonna wait.” He slid an arm around her waist and let her rest against him.
“It was taken out of our hands, Josh. At least now we don’t have to worry about how she’ll take the news.”
“Pretty well, unless I’m totally reading her wrong.”
“Oh, no. You’re right on the money.”
Kara watched her parents together. They weren’t smoochy like some parents. They seemed friendly, but she’d never seen him sneak a kiss or anything. Hmm...
“Tired, Mom?” she asked.
Cameron looked down with a fond smile. “Maybe a little. I’m not used to shaking my moneymaker.”
Kara went through some gyrations that they supposed were dance steps. “I still can.”
“Her father’s child,” the mother laughed.
“Geeze, do I look like that?” JC grinned.
“Sir, may I take your order?” The bored young man behind the counter asked JC.
“Mom, you go sit down.” Kara led Cameron to the ‘best seat in the house’ and urged her to sit. “Daddy and me will get the stuff.”
“Daddy and I,” the mother corrected.
“No, Daddy and me.” Kara skipped away and Cameron decided against a grammar lesson.
Once home, Cameron instructed Kara to do her bedtime routine.
“I want you and Daddy to come to tuck me in,” the girl announced as she headed for the stairs.
Cameron looked to JC. “Welcome to fatherhood 101.”
“No, babe, that would have been diapers and two a.m. feedings,” he told her. “I’m getting an advanced crash course.”
“Bedtime: wash face, brush teeth, get into pj’s. Read a book or sing a song, depending on mood of child. You got one up on me in the singing department.”
“You have a lovely voice.”
“C’mon you two!” came a command from above.
“Meet you in her room in ten,” Cameron said with a laugh.
Cameron had a private bath, but JC ended up sharing the other bathroom with Kara to brush his teeth. It was strangely intimate and a tad bit unsettling. He was used to his own space to do personal duties of almost any sort. Now he had a giggly munchkin standing in front of him as he rinsed his mouth.
“Done?” Kara asked.
“Yeah...”
She pulled at his tee shirt to get him to bend over. She then delivered a loud, smacking, wet ‘muwah’ kiss to his mouth. “Minty fresh!” she said in imitation of her mother’s proclamation after teeth brushing.
JC laughed and picked her up in a fireman’s carry. Controlling the wiggling, giggling bundle, he proceeded to her room where he gently dumped her onto her bed.
“One of the other rules is don’t wind this one up before bed,” Cameron stated from the doorway. She wore a bathrobe over her oversized sleep shirt. Why did she feel so exposed? Josh wore a tee shirt and loose pajama pants, so he was fully covered.
“Can’t help it. She kissed me and got me all excited.” JC defended his actions and made a cross-eyed face at Kara who began giggling again.
“Okay, Chasez,” the mother declared as she came to the bedside. “You are the one who gets to stay up with her if she doesn’t settle.”
Kara hopped up on the mattress to receive her mother’s kiss
“Mmm...minty fresh!” Cameron didn’t disappoint.
“Pass it on!” Kara crowed. “You gotta kiss Daddy.”
Both parents looked at each other, then it dawned on them...
“Wait! I’ve been snookered!” JC protested.
“That’s not the rules!” the girl told him.
“I don’t know the rules.”
“Doesn’t matter. She’s gotta kiss you.”
Cameron still looked mortified.
“Geeze, Cam, I don’t bite,” JC assured her.
“I know...”
Kara eyed her mother. “Rules are rules.”
“C’mere, Cam. I’ll make it painless.” JC did as Kara had done, a kiss mostly of noise and hardly any lips. “Muwah! Minty fresh!”
Cameron blushed and Kara gleefully jumped up and down on the bed.
“Enough of that, young lady,” Cameron commanded.
JC swept the child up and placed her flat, head on the pillows. He pulled up the covers and adjusted them. “How’s that?”
“Good.”
“Book or a song?” he asked.
“Dad, where’re you gonna sleep?”
For a moment, the question took him by surprise. “Umm...the spare bedroom.”
“Mom has a big bed.”
“Kara...” Great, just what she needed! Cameron thought dismally. Her own daughter trying to put Josh into her bed! “Your father and I aren’t married.” It was a simplistic explanation at best.
“Neither are Jenny’s or Patrick’s parents. They sleep together.”
Could he sleep with Cam and not disgrace himself? JC wondered.
“Have you and him ever slept together in the same bed?”
“Well, yes...” Cameron answered truthfully, except they hadn’t slept much...
“Please?” Kara wheedled. “Jenny says her mom and dad let her sleep with them sometimes.”
“So, that’s what this is all about...” Sense of belonging. It wasn’t unusual for Kara to crawl into her mother’s bed – especially on Sunday morning.
An eight-year-old chaperone. Was that enough to keep his renewed hunger for Cam in check? JC wondered.
“It’s a big bed,” Kara reminded her.
Swallowing hard, Cameron met JC’s eyes. “Well?”
“It’s only like for one night, right?” JC asked.
“Uh-huh,” the girl answered.
“I’m game if you are, Cammi.”
The endearment from their youth melted the last of her resistance and she nodded.
“Yay! I get the middle!” Kara flung off the blankets and bounded out of bed. She headed out the door. “C’mon.”
“Oh, yay, I’ve just been manipulated to kiss and sleep with you,” Cameron muttered as JC pulled her towards her bedroom by her hand.
He winked. “And I didn’t have to do a thing.”