9 - Tastes Like I Failed The Course

Camila~

"Well, goodnight son," I was about to close the door when he called me back. "Dong worry, I've told Mike and the boys—" I gave it a second thought, "well, grown men, will behave. They just got into a headed argument, that's all."

"No, not that." He said quietly. Looking at how serious his face was, I made a mental note to be calm and listen. 

"Okay honey, what is it?" I sat down next to him.

"I'm supposed to resume school next two weeks. We're poor now. You've got to speak to dad."

"Right," I knew what he was talking about. "You want me to kiss his ass..."

He clicked his teeth,"he's your husband. You've been with him for so long. And you want some other woman to claim everything? Just because she says she's pregnant. For all we know, she may even just be lying."

"I will give him a call," I stopped him right there. "Caleb, I know it's none of your business. But your dad hurt me. You need to understand that you're not the only one hurting here."

"So? You'd just let your pride get in the way? You are poor. You can't drag me into that."

This was getting too heavy for me to bear. Hopefully one day he'll come to realize his childishness and just...I dunno, respect me?

"I'll give your dad a call tonight. We'll meet tomorrow and talk." I promised. 

He just nodded and laid down with the blankets covering him. He had turned his back now, "sure, my cue to get out of your room." I shook my head and let him be. "Oh God," that came out as a tired sigh, "sometimes I wish he was a girl." Maybe then he'd understand. 

I sighed as I sank into my bed—that soft comfy bed I almost moaned out loud. But...! I gotta call that son of a bitch. 

I reached for my phone and dialed his number. "Oh come on, pick up you--!" No answer. Damn it.

Dialing the number again, I waited...until,

"Camila?" It came as a soft groan. "Uh, it's almost midnight. What do you want?"

"What do I want?" My breath was quickening right now. That bastard. "I'm your..." His what? Wife? Ex wife? I swallowed whatever I had wanted to say to start over. "Jaxon, we um, we need to talk." I said at last.

"Okay."

"Yup. Hey, uh, how is...um, Vanessa? How's she doing?"

"Camila," his tone was hard.

"It's fine." I quickly added. "None of my business, I get it. I uh, we just need to talk. So see you tomorrow? Before you go to work, say 7am?"

"Sure. Tomorrow at 7am. How does St. Gp sound like?" 

St. Gp was a weird name for this restaurant we all used to go to. When we were...still family...

"Yup. Tomorrow. Okay then—" before I continued, he'd hung up. "Okay. It's a date then,"

The next morning came in a breeze. How I was able to sleep like a baby? I didn't really know. I freshened up and grabbed a dress on. Loving minis, this dress was a red flared one sitting above my knees revealing slender legs. My dressing would not be complete without my pair of white sneakers and a little makeup. 

Hair was wrapped in a donut bun, red cheery lipstick delicately applied on my rosebud lips and my winged eyeliner(my signature look). It was always difficult to draw the wings but I was perfect at it now. 

My round face was accentuated with dangling flowery earrings. "Okay, you are ready to go."

The time was still a little past 6. It wouldn't hurt to quickly grab something to eat. 

Everywhere was clear. "Awesome. Now I just have to sneak into the kitchen and..." My steps were altered as I found him standing by the sink. Nico?

This tall Greek god of a man turned his back, leaning his elbows and just...his sleeveless flaunted strong arms and the cloth hugging close to his body did everything to trace his abs and biceps. 

His hair looked messy again, that I want to style it like I did with Caleb. I found myself smiling at that thought. Those curly messy thing! My fingers were itching to start digging through.

If only I can reverse in quiet steps, he wouldn't have even known I was around—

"You don't look like someone who'd use cherry blossom fragrance," 

He said all of a sudden, making me jump. "Oh shit,"

"I'm like a werewolf." He said with a scoff, turning to face me. "I have a strong sense of smell."

"Wow, he's rich, handsome and has a strong sense of smell too?" I teased.

"Better warn you there," he came closer, "everyone knows I'm a narcissistic fool. Call me handsome one more time, and I'm proposing."

Damn it, this fool was really hot when he smirked like that. I was smiling like a moron now, "you look like shit though. Are you okay?"

He blinked. "I thought the makeup would cover my black eye."

I laughed out loud. "Makeup?" 

"Oh love, there's so many things you dunno about me yet. What's that cat eyes stuff on your eyes? I can draw better."

"Draw? You think we draw on our faces?"

He shrugged. "Real good artist, a lot of you."

"You could just say, hey you're beautiful. And that's it, not that hard."

He shook his head, "I'm not ready for marriage right now. What would you think if I started calling you beautiful? Besides, your son would kill me."

That actually made me roar out in laughter that I fisted a tear from my eyes. "Yea no, Caleb would literally kill you." With a sigh, the smile slowly vanished and everywhere became quiet again. I couldn't stop looking at him though. His left eyes appeared slightly swollen and then, the black undereyes. 

"No, but are you good for real?"

His shoulders moved up and down, those tired eyes did not meet mine now. "I drank myself to sleep. Yea I'll bounce back. Lemme quickly go and draw my makeup now."

It wasn't so funny but I faked a laugh. He drank himself to sleep? Well...it's none of my business now, was it? He had his friends to worry about him. 

"I'm just gonna help myself to something to eat,"

"Oh yea, of course." He moved over to the counter and poured some ready made coffee into the mug, stretched his...strong arms...to the cabinet up to reach for another mug. After filling a decent amount of coffee inside, he gave me one and sipped from his. 

"Thanks," my face was a mask of horror right now. "But, what the fuck? You're drinking it naked! I-I always thought people pretended to like black coffee only in movies."

He was actually laughing at me now. "So you wanna add...you wanna dress your coffee up."

"Yea," it sounded like an obvious thing to do! "I'm just gonna fetch the milk and whip some cream too. Also, sugar..."

I was next to him now. "What? What are you looking at?"

"Nothing," he said casually. "Just wanna see the coffee after her... makeover."

"Sure, whatever. I just need—"

The words caught in my throat. I didn't like the way his eyes lingered on me, slow and deliberate, like he was noticing things I hadn't even noticed about myself yet. It made my skin feel too warm.

And then there was the smell of him. Clean soap, dark coffee, and something woodsy underneath it all. Cedar maybe. Masculine without trying too hard. The kind of scent that stayed in the air after someone walked away.

"The sugar is in the cabinet—"

Just leave already!

"I know. I know where it's at."

He blinked once before bending slightly to match my height. His bright eyes searched my face, calm and confident in a way that only made me more nervous.

"Camila Torres," he murmured, "you're gonna be trouble."

My lips parted to respond, but my brain had completely abandoned me. Holding his gaze suddenly felt impossible, like trying to stand still in the middle of a storm.

Breaking away from him became a three-unit course.

And I was failing miserably.