Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 80557 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80557 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Knowing we’d be filmed at some point today, I’d picked one of my Initiative tees in hopes that I’d be able to post a snippet or at least a link to footage on my Instagram. If nothing else, there should be a few photos I could upload.
A few minutes later, the three of us brought our food outside and sat down at the table closest to the doors. There were still some napkins and glasses left in the seating area by the grill from last night, and I was just glad I’d spent the evening with Camden instead. August had hosted a little pity party for himself earlier this morning about two participants who hadn’t been able to stop asking questions.
I sighed contentedly and stuck a piece of bacon into my mouth as I watched the King-Adair couple across from me. August was sweet, helping Camden cut his bacon and buttered toast into smaller pieces.
“I have a couple hoodies in the entryway if you want to borrow one, darlin’,” August told me.
I snorted softly and took a sip of my coffee. While he had gotten started on the eggs earlier, I’d brought in my instruments from my truck, and I’d seen a sweater and a baseball cap with Yankees logos in the entryway.
He must’ve started rooting for them when he’d lived in New York, when he was young and impressionable and didn’t know better.
“Don’t do it,” Camden said quickly. “They’re Yankees gear. Daddy’s a Yankees fan, and if you are too, I don’t wanna hear about it.”
“I wouldn’t be caught alive in a Yankees shirt,” I chuckled. “It’s a glorified clothing brand worn by tourists.”
August smirked wryly and lifted a brow.
Camden’s eyes lit up.
“I’m from Brooklyn.” It was enough explanation for me. Where I grew up, you cheered for the Mets—end’a fuckin’ discussion. “When I did my postgraduate in the city, I made sure to wear as much Mets gear as possible.”
Camden grinned widely at that and forked up some food that he shoveled into his mouth.
“You went to a local college, I take it?” August asked.
I inclined my head. “I did my undergraduate at Brooklyn College, and then I got my master’s at Hunter in Manhattan.” It almost hadn’t happened. Pop was still balls deep in grief back then from having lost Ma, and my being so much older than Nicky meant he’d been young enough to still need a functioning parent when I went to school. But Nonna had put her foot down and applied for financial aid for me, something I hadn’t been able to turn down. The opportunity had been too big. “What about you two?” I wondered.
August nodded for Camden to go first.
“I was at UCLA when I met Daddy,” Camden said with his mouth full of food. “I was trying to flirt with him, and all he asked was about my school. Like, he said it was too late for me to be outside and that I should go home and watch my cartoons and do my homework.”
I laughed.
August shook his head in amusement. “This little rascal strode up to me one night. Work at the restaurant was winding down, and I went to grab a beer from the bar. He said if I played my cards right, he’d keep me up all night.”
Christ. Why wasn’t I surprised?
“It was my birthday, and I was feelin’ lucky.” Camden shrugged.
“Did it work?” I asked.
Camden scowled to himself, so that had to be a no. “He thought I was too young for him. Such a stupidhead.”
“My brain said one thing, my body another.” August smirked. “I don’t know if I deserve a reward for listenin’ to reason that first night—or if I’m just a weak bastard for foldin’ like a cheap suit the week after when he came in again.”
I smiled.
The two exchanged a brief look that made my chest constrict. Holy fuck, they were so in love with each other. In a single glimpse, August’s protectiveness and affection were as clear as Camden’s mischief and young I-knew-we-were-meant-to-be wisdom.
“It took months for us to get serious, though,” Camden revealed. “Daddy was always working at his restaurant, and I was a double major. But once we sort of morphed into Daddy and Little Boy, I stopped pretending that it wasn’t upsetting to leave his place without knowing when we’d see each other again.”
August dipped down and kissed the side of Camden’s head. “I asked him to move in with me a couple days later.”
That was sweet.
The gold bands on their fingers glinted in the rising sun.
“I had two proud daddies at my graduation ceremony the following year.” Camden smiled smugly.
“You sure did.” August handed Camden a napkin. “Perhaps you can tell Anthony what you studied since he asked.”
I’d almost forgotten.
“Oh, right.” Camden giggled and wiped some grease from his chin. “Photography, design, and computer science. It was through that I found illustration and developing.”