Captivated Hearts

Chapter 14

Cam's knuckles felt smooth against hers, she was unsure if he did it on purpose but, she pushed the thought aside, to not think too much into their friendship.

She was enjoying the time that they were spending together, and she didn't want to ruin that with thoughts that wouldn't be reciprocated.

Questions flooded her brain, but she tried to break herself free from them. Arya cleared her throat and rubbed her fingers on the napkin that had once been wrapped around an ice cream cone. Her hands were sticky and, she didn't like that. It infuriated her. Even when she was a kid sticky fingers after eating anything would have her so pissed off that she'd cry.

"Sticky hands?" Cam questioned with a chuckled.

"Here."

She could barely make out him pulling hand sanitizer from his pocket but, the smell was strong and made her feel uneasy.

What made her feel even more uneasy was Cam's strong hands reach for hers. His hands were muscular, with veins poking out in all different areas now that he had been flexing it despite them being cold, not from the weather conditions but, from the hand sanitizer. With the hand sanitizer, he scrubbed at her hands like he was trying to get every germ off. And when he let go, she felt empty.

"Better?" He asked.

Arya clamped her hands into balls, feeling nothing but the hand sanitizer. Her hands weren't sticky anymore, which made her smile.

"Yes, thank you."

It didn't take long after that for them to get back to the house. Both were lit with streams of lights. But opposite of her house, Cam's had a tall woman with strawberry blonde hair stood on the top step, looking as if she was waiting for someone. She looked to be a little older than thirty-five from what Arya could make out.

Cam must have saw Arya staring because he looked to the women and then back at Arya.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow. Same time as today?" He asked.

Despite it being dark out, she could just make out the smile spread across his face.

"Absolutely. I'll wear my birthday suit." She joked.

Cam shoved her shoulder but not enough to hurt her and just enough to catch her off guard.

"You sure you don't want to come inside? I can make food. I'm a great cook."

Arya was obviously trying her best to spend as much time with him as possible, although she wasn't sure why.

"I would love to, truly. Considering my mom is giving me 'the look,' I should get going or I won't be alive to see tomorrow."

Arya, giggled.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Cam." Arya smiled, turning in the opposite direction and toward her house. While she walked up the steps, she was almost sure her feet were full of blisters from the day she spent walking.

Her dad's car was parked just outside, along with a black Jeep beside it. She smiled, unsure of how he managed to get both cars home. But she was very appreciative and excited that he was willing to do something so big for her. Her dad was always willing to help and treat her the way a parent should treat their child. She knew that she was lucky to have him around and that if he was, she'd be okay.

When she opened the door there was a faint smell of salt and adobo lingering in the air. She didn't realize how hungry she had been until she was sprinting up the steps and, into the kitchen where she found her dad slaving over the stovetop. He was seasoning what looked to be steak that was being seared in a pan. As much as she hated steak, she loved the way her dad cooked it with all the right seasoning.

"Hey Dad!" Arya exclaimed.

She smiled, walking over to him. She opened one of the cupboards and grabbed two plates, followed by napkins, forks and steak knives from the drawer before she went to work setting the table.

"Hey honey. How was the beach?" He questioned.

"It was good. I met our neighbor Cameron. We hung out all day." Arya smiled at the thought of Cam, reminiscing all the things they did that day.

Her father's ears perked up and a smile jumped at his face. He walked with the sizzling pan to the table, using tongs to place two pieces of fist size steaks on their plates, followed by green beans lathered in soy sauce and minced garlic, and her favorite, homemade macaroni salad.

"Cam is a great boy! He helped me all last summer working on houses. He broke a leg but, wasn't on my watch!" Her father chuckled.

The two sat across from each other, cutting up pieces of steak which her dad pilled with steak sauce. Arya hadn't even seen him grab the bottle, same with the glass of wine that sat on the table.

"I thought he was trying to make me look easy because he got so cocky." She said, emphasizing the 'so.'

Her dad chuckled, cutting a piece of steak, and plopping it in his mouth. "Oh, that's Cam for ya. Thinks he knows just about every damn thing but, he's a good kid."

She remembered Cam paying for her ice cream and even holding the door for her on their way in and out of The Conery, making her smile.

"I bet ya think he's cute. Better tell him before I do!" Her father teased.

"Dad! I don't have a crush on him." She laughed, swallowing a forkful of macaroni salad.

"I said cute, not crush. So now I know you have a crush!" He chuckled.

Arya rolled her eyes. Her dad was very clearly taunting her but, in the way they had always did with each other when she was a kid. She had gotten used to it and it just became their thing so, she didn't mind.

"He's a nice guy dad but, we're just friends. Plus, what guy would want to be with a girl who's going to have a baby."

Then again, she realized she hadn't even told him. She was worried he might react like her mom yet; he had just met her so how could he react the same? Anyone would find it crazy that a seventeen-year-old was having a baby.

Well, maybe on sixteen and pregnant they wouldn't.

"As long as you told him, he'll get used to the idea of it. You'd be surprised with that boy." He shrugged.

She knew her dad might be right but, some part of her just wasn't ready. Not even she had gotten used to the idea of being pregnant yet. It just didn't seem real to her. Maybe when she wasn't able to see over her stomach or when there was a baby being rocked in her arms it would all feel real but, as of now it didn't.