Dr. Brandt: Chapter 48

Who would have ever thought that in all of this—letting Cam go, letting Warren go, and more importantly, putting myself first—I’d end up working with the children who came to Elena’s equine rehabilitation center?

I decided to take Elena up on her job offer since I’d been there almost daily. Jacks had nearly fully recovered after six months of busting his ass at Laney’s equine rehab center, and when she offered, there couldn’t have been a better solution to my employment problem.

It was practically a fairytale, maybe not to everyone else, but it was to me. I didn’t end up with Prince Charming, sweeping my son and me off our feet, though. That prince being Cameron, of course. Because in every perfect scenario in my head, Cam was the only man who could make me feel whole if I were to factor romance into my fairy tale.

But I was neither happy nor sad about losing Cameron. Jacks learned that Cameron was his father about a month after Warren was officially out of our lives. I can’t say he seemed surprised by the revelation, so even though he didn’t come out and say he already knew, it was obvious to me that he’d put two and two together long ago, which was no slight relief.

Dealing with Warren was a struggle, but I ripped that fucking Band-Aid off. He was angry and demanded to know why I’d do this to him after he’d given me a second chance. His tirade ended with the good, old-fashioned you’ll regret this because he’d never grace me with a third chance. I let him say his piece, and he stopped fuming after he realized his words didn’t have their usual manipulative effect. I think I tuned him out after he insinuated that he’d done me a favor by being with me again.

It was striking how a little insight could change my outlook entirely. How could I have thought he’d felt happy to be with me? In his mind, it was I who should be thanking him, and for too many years, I felt the same. But no longer. Never again would I allow myself to be treated as anything but an equal. I’d damn near broken my back from carrying a disproportionate emotional load in all my relationships.

Warren wanted me to believe I would be single, unfulfilled, and alone for the rest of my life because no one could love or take care of me as he could.

Well, if living single for the rest of my life resulted in me feeling excellent, strong, and accomplished like this, then I’d take it any day of the week.

“How’s Millie?” Elena asked after I walked out of the office where I did reports and financials for the equine center.

I stretched, having stood for the first time in what felt like hours. “Jacks said she can now close her hands over both reins. She’s riding the pony without him leading her around the coral,” I said, walking through the lodge-like center.

This place was gorgeous in every way, but the story of what made Elena and Collin establish this as an equine rehab center was even more beautiful.

“That girl reminds me of him,” Elena smiled, wearing riding boots that came up to her knees. “Do you want to take a ride with me? The ocean looks amazing from the top of those mountains,” she said, pointing toward the back of her estate. “It’s my favorite place to go after a long day.”

“Nah,” I said. “Jacks is putting that pony away, and we’re going to head home. I’m starved and—”

“I’m getting you on one of these horses one day,” she laughed in her contagious and youthful Elena way. “You can’t only bury yourself in spreadsheets and all that boring office stuff while you work here.”

“It pays great,” I said with a laugh.

“Right,” she answered as we walked outside. She pointed at the vomit green 1980s station wagon I’d bought with my first, well-earned paycheck. “That piece of junk would speak otherwise about how much I pay you. Collin has even questioned it.”

I chuckled and stepped down the stone steps to the car. “I’m sure he has, and because of him and Jake, I hang onto the thing. It drives them insane.”

Elena laughed, crossing her arms and looking down at me as I got in the car and pulled out my phone to text Jacks. “It’s honestly the only reason I’m cool with that hunk of junk,” she laughed. “Those dipshits need to be humbled in the car area of their lives if you ask me.”

“Exactly.”

I picked up my phone as soon as it rang. “Jacks, I’m taking off. And if you want to take your driver’s license test tomorrow, I suggest you step it up so we don’t miss dinner with your dad.”

“Be out front in a second,” he said.

Cameron said he’d loan Jackson his Maserati for the test. I swear, I didn’t know if putting Jacks in the station wagon would be a bad idea compared to the damn sports car. Either way, I wasn’t going to argue. Arguing with Cameron about doing things for his son these days was pointless.

I guess the sad part of this was that I felt Cameron and I had become amazing best friends and co-parents. It wasn’t necessarily because I wasn’t trying to take things further. Trust me, my hormones raged insanely when I was around him. Tonight, after we went to dinner, I’d be envisioning the way his eyes would get glossy as he came inside me or how much I craved his enormous cock. His moans, his growls, his teeth grazing over my nipples.

“Mom,” Jacks said, making me jump and clear my throat, scaring the shit out of me for getting horny while thinking about Cam again.

Goddammit, why couldn’t Cam just hit on me or something? Anything. I’d take sex without commitment at this point. But Cameron showed no interest, and I wasn’t going to push him to do anything he didn’t want.

“Let’s go,” Jacks said. “Or is this piece of junk even going to start?”

“Stop,” I said. “It takes a few tries before the transmission turns over. You know how it goes.”

“Thank God Cameron is letting me borrow his car,” Jacks laughed, and his eyes brightened as I put the car into gear and drove down the driveway. “And I’m almost at my budget for buying my own car, too.”

“I’m so proud of you, Jacks. I really am. I feel like you’ve turned into such an amazing, responsible young man. It’s sorta mind-blowing,” I said, leaving a trail of black smoke as we left the enormous Malibu estate.

“Well, maybe Cam’s right,” Jacks said. “Maybe disconnecting that crappy side of my brain allowed me to stop having seizures and think sharper, too.”

“Don’t get me started on that,” I said, knowing that Cam and Jacks had a million and fifty jokes about how Jackson’s right hemisphere was the only half of his brain that worked.

“Well, I’m thinking at least fifty percent better with half my brain by considering buying a Toyota pickup instead of this hunk of junk.”

“You know what?” I said, eying him. “Leave the car alone.”

“Ha,” he reached over and rubbed my shoulder. “I love you no matter what, Mom.”

Cameron

“All right, deuces. I’m out,” I said to my secretary, grateful this long-ass day was over.

I was scheduled to be in the office all day, but after two emergency calls and determining whether my patients were candidates for emergency surgery or not, I’d been spinning in circles.

I was exhausted, but the thrill of seeing Jessa and staring into those crystal blue eyes tonight at dinner, on top of being with my son, was what drove me to nearly skip out of my office.

“Hey, Dr. Brandt,” I heard a male voice call out, pretending to be a female fawning over me.

I turned back, knowing it was Collin since the neurological office center was one floor above me. “Hey, handsome,” I teased. Luckily there were no patients around to catch me acting like some whacko.

“You and me tonight, right? I know you’re lonely, and Elena is working late at the center,” he teased.

“Perhaps you and Jake can play these dumb games until the end of time, but my ass can’t.”

“Speaking of your ass,” Collin said, shifting his leather briefcase in his hand and loosening his tie, “any progress with Jessa?”

I sighed. “No,” I answered truthfully. “None at all. Amazingly enough, I haven’t been laid and have been single for an entire fucking year. I’ve got no idea how I’m doing this.”

Collin smirked, “That’s why your hands have been smooth as butter. It’s all that lotion in the late hours of that night.”

“Shut the hell up,” I said, having become way too accustomed to helping myself out these days. “I feel stuck on this one. I don’t want to pressure her, but I don’t know where she is with wanting relationships anymore. She seems like she is so happy not being in one.”

“Why don’t you ask her?” Collin said. “I swear, you’ve gone soft.”

“I’m not pressuring her. I’m just looking to see if there’s any progress between us.”

“Jacks mentioned something about you guys going to dinner tonight before his driver’s test tomorrow,” Collin said as we walked to the physicians’ parking garage together. “That’s progress, I think?”

I stopped before entering the structure and ran my hand through my hair in frustration, “I can’t find an angle in. She’s closed off, and I swear she friend-zoned my ass months ago after she bought that piece of shit car.”

“Friend zone, my ass,” Collin said. “And what is it with that damn station wagon and her anyway?”

“God knows,” I said, having wanted that answer since the day she proudly pulled that thing up to my beach house to pick up Jacks in it.

“She reminds me of Bella, being all proud of that piece of fucking crap truck her dad bought her when she had to go live with him,” Collin said.

“Who the fuck is Bella? An ex-girlfriend of yours?”

“That chick from Twilight,” Collin said as if I knew what the hell he was talking about.

“Is that a bar?”

“Jesus, dude,” Collin said as if I’d missed something in life that I should’ve known about. “Well, I can’t fault you for not knowing. Unfortunately, you are quite dumb when it comes to making a woman want you.”

“Again, completely lost,” I said.

“You know, Twilight. It’s that teenage vampire shit. Either way, Bella drove me fucking crazy with that goddamn truck. She insisted on driving that rust bucket when her boyfriend could’ve bought her a new car. It’s stupid, right?”

“He had plenty of money, too. He was a fucking vampire!” Jake’s voice resounded from behind me.

I looked at him with even more confusion. “You guys are fucking with me, right?” I said with a laugh. “Sorry, I missed the Twilight craze; however, I’m shocked you two did not.”

Collin traded some knowingly amused expression with Jake, “Hey, the way to a lady’s heart is through her mind, and if she’s in love with, let’s say vampire novels, and she wants to discuss that shit at the end of the day during pillow talk time, you fucking do it.”

“Do you know how many times I got laid after agreeing with Ash that Edward was acting like a bitch in that book?” Jake said.

“Which one, first or second?” Collin answered.

“Or third or fourth? Eclipse was like peak bitch,” Jake said as Collin nodded knowingly. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying I’m team Jacob or anything.”

“It’s cool, dude. The Quileute—” Collin started, these two obviously forgetting I was standing here.

“Can we honestly?” I said. “I mean, if you guys want to talk book clubs, please, go ahead. I’m trying to figure out how to get my girl back. It’s been a goddamn year.”

Jake gripped my shoulder. “Easily answered, man,” he said, smiling at me. “Stop acting like a bitch and communicate.”

“We do communicate,” I answered. “Like fucking friends.”

“Then it’s time to put your balls on the table and communicate more. Make a better fucking effort, and tell her you want more,” Collin said. “Seriously, be a man about it.”

“Not a vampire, obviously,” Jake added under his breath, amusing himself immensely.

I rolled my eyes and responded to Collin, “I am. I’m respecting her boundaries. Staying off that subject is doing that.”

“Bullshit,” Jake immediately said. “Has she asked you to stay off that subject when you approached it?”

“No, but she made it clear she wasn’t going to be in a relationship a year ago,” I answered.

“Unless she turned into a nun,” Collin said, “I think she may have some wants and desires by now.”

“You respect boundaries when she throws down that line, and then you stay on your side. So, unless she’s told you she doesn’t want anything to do with you aside from having a friendship, you need to step that shit up. Be a man and ask. If you don’t, you could lose her to a werewolf,” Jake said.

“Someone else could imprint on her, bro,” Collin added immediately. “You don’t want that to happen.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at how passionately they spoke about these characters that “their wives made them talk about.” My friends were such idiots, but they were mine, nonetheless. “I’ll never understand how you both make perfect sense with the stupidest analogies. It’s like being at a circus with you two sometimes.”

“Would you rather have Jim help your sorry ass out or us two clowns?” Collin answered.

“Debatable,” I answered. “I’m going to get my girl back.”

“There’s the spirit that won Edward his girl, or did he?” Jake arched his eyebrow. “Maybe you and Jessa can read a few chapters tonight before you get laid for the first time in a fucking year.”

“Oh,” Collin said, walking toward his Bugatti, “by the way, Elena says that Jessa wants you, has now for a while, but she thought your dumb ass moved on.”

“You’re just now fucking telling me this?” I answered, knowing that Elena and Jessa were practically best friends now.

“You never brought it up, and I’m not one to play matchmaker,” he shrugged. “Have fun getting laid tonight, Edward.”

My heart, mind, and soul just became lighter, knowing that this long as fuck year was over, and things might work beyond friendship with Jessa.

I pulled up to the apartment Jessa had rented about a month after Warren left like the little bitch he was.

I was more than thankful Elena had insisted on giving Jessa an opportunity to work with her at the estate. I’d noticed that all my friends’ wives were looking out for Jessa and Jacks, which relieved me so much. I loved that they all took to Jessa so quickly, and that was the thing with all these extraordinary ladies; they kept our spoiled asses grounded, and with their levelheaded way of seeing the world, they formed a wonderful bond of sisterhood.

“Be right there,” Jessa said, whirling around and locking the apartment door after she exited.

I smiled, loving the view I had from the curb. I watched her dance down the steps happily, wearing a black, strapless dress and her golden blonde hair bouncing over her perfectly pronounced breasts.

“Where is Jacks?” I questioned with confusion.

She slid into the passenger seat, and my hungry eyes roamed over her toned and smooth legs. It took everything I had to keep my dick from jumping to attention, remembering kissing along the insides of those thighs and tasting the delicious flavor of her.

Fuck! Stop, you dumb-fucker! I halted all thoughts, and my eyes went straight to hers, resisting the urge to run my hands over the silky-smooth flesh of her legs.

Did she have to wear a short dress? Collin better be right because I won’t make it another night without you, Jessa!

“Cameron,” she laughed and rubbed my arm like a schoolgirl friend. “Did you hear me?”

I’m too busy wondering why the fuck you’re treating me like we’re besties and dressed like I’m taking you to your hot date with another man.

I’d never been this mother fucking insecure in all my damn life.

“I didn’t, actually. I was distracted by how beautiful you look tonight,” I answered honestly.

She looked away. My God, I couldn’t do this shit. Every tiny little thing I did now made me so fucking worried I was doing the wrong thing. How many chances can a guy get before the woman realizes she just doesn’t love him? And won’t love him?

“Jacks is going with Collin and Jake,” she laughed. “I’m shocked you were cool with them going over the driver’s license stuff with him.”

“Hold up,” I said, snapping out of my pity party. “Those dipfucks are teaching my son the final driver’s training shit?”

“Jacks wasn’t mad about it,” she shrugged.

“He’ll be livid if he fails his written test at the DMV tomorrow,” I said with a laugh, realizing my friends were at it again.

My phone buzzed, and I opened it.

The notification was from the group chat, and there was no way I would open that shit with Jessa sitting next to me. The guys took Jacks so she and I could have a night alone together, the first time in a year, and God only knew what they were going on about.

“Okay,” I said, wishing I could mute the chat.

“Okay,” she said, smacking her palms on her knees, “let’s go grab a burger, then. I have to tell you about my day, though. It was so fucking funny…”

Jessa went into an adorable story, telling me all the details with her usual cute animation.

I had to gain confidence with this brilliant and very confident woman.

I had to make something of this. The pressure was on like fucking game day, and if there was one area I did well in, it was sports. I had to keep my focus and stay sharp.

No more of this bitchiness. I’d been wallowing in my pity for nearly a year, waiting for the day Jessa would take me back. Tonight, that all ended.

I just had to find a way to open up things. Drinks and dinner at Darcy’s would loosen us up. I just had to get our asses out of La Habra and back to Downtown LA.