The Favorite Son Read online

  “Do you want some tea?” Dawn asked from the kitchen.

  Camden looked up at Dawn standing in his kitchen in a knit blouse, a pair of sweats, with socks on and her hair pulled up into a ponytail. She looked sexy without even trying.

  “What kind of tea?”

  “Um …” Dawn picked up the box from the counter. “White peach and ginger.”

  “That tea is a man law violation. I don’t even know how that got in my apartment.”

  Dawn giggled. “What? It’s tea!”

  “I’m a grown man. I need some tea that’s made from like, tree bark, sticks, and rocks. You can keep those flowers.”

  “I’m sure that tea would be pretty nasty, Cam.”

  “But it’d be man tea.”

  Dawn laughed again. “Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you. Man tea or something a little sweeter, maybe?”

  Camden bit his bottom lip as Dawn unbuttoned a few of her blouse buttons and pushed her breasts up. He looked away and down at the keyboard. Lately, Dawn had been overt in her sexual advances. He wasn’t a monk, and he definitely noticed, but he didn’t understand why.

  Dawn always said that she wanted to be a virgin on her wedding day, and Camden respected that. He wasn’t a virgin—Dawn didn’t know about the two women he’d been with in college, and she would never know if he could help it.

  “Are you trying to seduce me?” Camden asked.

  “Only if it’s working.”

  “What happened to the wedding night pledge? You don’t care about that anymore?”

  Dawn crossed the living room and sat down on the piano bench next to Camden. He placed a hand on her back and rubbed little circles. Dawn seemed to relax.

  She said, “If I thought the wedding was happening anytime soon, then maybe …”

  “We’re young! Why are you in such a big hurry?”

  “Why aren’t you? Are you waiting for someone better to come along?”

  “No, I’m not. I love you.”

  “But …”

  “A wife, a family—that all means responsibility. I’m not ready for you to lean on me for everything.”

  “Your father believes you are ready for responsibility. He made you the Minister of Music.”

  “But he’s going to make Blaine a pastor.”

  “You don’t want to be a pastor, and your dad definitely said that Blaine isn’t ready yet.”

  Camden pressed his lips into a straight line. She was missing the point. No, he didn’t want to be a pastor or preach, but his father had never asked him about that. He didn’t know that Camden had no desire to be in the pulpit or run a church. He just chose Blaine for the top position, ready or not, without ever considering Camden. The same thing that he always did.

  Camden should’ve known there was a reason he passed Blaine over for Minister of Music. As usual, he had something bigger and better planned for his favorite son.

  “I think we should put a timeline on our relationship,” Dawn said. “I don’t want to be thirty having my first baby.”

  Camden winced at the words “timeline” and “baby.” Why couldn’t she understand that pressuring him would be the last thing that worked on him?

  “I see nothing wrong with having our first child when we’re thirty, well-off and homeowners. Hopefully we’ll have a record deal too.”

  “It’s not your body. Of course you don’t care.”

  Camden didn’t want to argue with Dawn. He loved her and wanted to provide a great life for her. Why wasn’t that enough?

  “So can we talk about it at the end of the year? I should know how a few things will pan out by then.”

  “So a timeline at the end of the year.”

  “We will discuss your demands at the end of the year.”

  “My demands? You make me seem like a terrorist.”

  “I feel terrorized right now, to be honest.”

  “So, a beautiful woman wants to love you, have your babies, and spend the rest of her life with you, and you feel terrorized?”

  Camden nodded slowly and Dawn frowned. She stood up and started to pace the floor, wearing a footstep pattern in his carpet.

  “This isn’t fair, Camden,” she said.

  “Neither are timelines and ultimatums. You don’t want to get me that way. I promise.”

  “You know everyone always talks about how Blaine is a womanizer….”

  “He is.”

  “But at least a woman knows what she’s getting. He makes no promises.”

  “I haven’t made any either. Not really.”

  “No, but you imply forever. It’s subtle, but you dangle a carrot in front of me, tell me you want to marry me one day. And everyone would think I was a fool if I walked away.”

  “You want to walk away?”

  “I don’t, but I don’t want to be stupid either, Camden.”

  Dawn’s tear-streaked face touched Camden’s heart. He got up from the keyboard and stood in front of her. He stroked her face, kissed her lips, and embraced her. He didn’t want her to hurt, and the way her body shook as she cried told him that she was in pain. And he was the cause of that.

  “By the end of the year, babe. I promise to make a decision on when we’ll get married. I won’t keep you hanging on forever.”

  By the end of the year. Camden repeated to himself. If he hadn’t made some strides toward his musical future by then, maybe he was doing it all in vain. He might just use the IT degree and pursue a career that would allow him to marry Dawn and start a family. Maybe he would be okay with his position at the church and the fact that he might never do anything special musically.

  And if he couldn’t do that, if he couldn’t live that life, he would let Dawn go. Maybe she’d find happiness with someone else.

  CHAPTER 8

  Blaine stood outside Regina’s office door at the church, pondering what his father had said about her being the perfect choice as a first lady. He couldn’t even imagine what it would be like to marry her. Not only was she boring in bed, she was boring in life too. But she was a hard worker—the perfect administrator. She would be great at running the behind-thescenes business of a church.

  Blaine lifted a hand to knock on the door, but he put it down again. Regina hated his guts. Even if he could wrap his mind around having a relationship with her that could result in marriage, she would refuse.

  While Blaine was thinking, the door flew open. Regina’s eyes widened when she saw him. Blaine couldn’t help but smile at Regina. As evil as she always was, she was exceptionally pretty. Her skin tone was a smooth pecan brown and her heavily lashed eyes slanted slightly upward. She was on the thin side but had just enough curves to make a brother stop and stare. When they were dating before, Regina had worn her hair in a long, pin-straight style that she kept pinned in a low ponytail. Since then she’d cut it into a flirty bob that was full of bouncy curls.

  “What do you want?” she asked. “Did you lose one of your hos on the way to the supply closet?”

  Blaine smirked at the mention of the supply closet. It had been the place where he met Regina for a few trysts before she’d decided that he was the devil.

  “No. I’m here to see you, actually. Well, you used to be one of my hos, so maybe …”

  Regina growled and slammed the door to her office. Blaine chuckled and then got serious. This wasn’t what he was supposed to be doing. He was supposed to be winning her over.

  Blaine sighed and knocked on the door again. Regina threw the door open and glared. “What?”

  “How have you been, Regina?” Blaine asked.

  “How have I been? I’m blessed and highly favored. What about you? Do you know Jesus as your personal savior?”

  “Very funny.”

  “It wasn’t a joke, Blaine.”

  “Did you hear my father’s announcement at brunch yesterday? I’m going to be a senior pastor soon.”

  Regina nodded. “I did. It made me wonder about your father’s sanity. I was going to ask Lady Rit
a if she thought we needed to do an intervention.”

  “Anyway. I have a proposition for you if you can stop being evil long enough for me to say it.”

  “A proposition.”

  “Yes. I would like to call a truce. My father thinks that you would be perfect to help me run the Oklahoma City church.”

  “As your assistant?”

  Blaine scratched the top of his head and batted his eyes. “No. As my first lady.”

  “And what do you think?”

  Blaine shrugged. “I think he could be right. My father knows what he’s talking about.”

  Regina’s jaw dropped. There was a long, pregnant pause before she burst into laughter. “You have got to be kidding me! Cut the games, Blaine.”

  Blaine threw both hands in the air. “Forget this conversation ever happened. I’m good.”

  Blaine turned on one foot and walked away. He wanted to kick himself for even coming to her. Now this would be a new piece of ammunition for Regina to use in her smear campaign against him.

  “Blaine, wait,” Regina said through her few remaining giggles. “Come back.”

  Blaine walked back up the hall. “Look, I am not all that thrilled about it either, Regina. It’s not like I’m goo-goo ga-ga over you or anything.”

  “You mean ga-ga. You’re not ga-ga over me.”

  “Huh?”

  “Babies say goo-goo ga-ga.”

  Blaine stared at Regina, trying to figure out why she had to interrupt him for something so stupid. “Who cares what babies say? I’m trying to do what my dad wants me to do here. He says you’re good for the ministry, and so I’m here. But if you ain’t feeling it, I’m sure I can find lots of women who want to be first lady of a megachurch.”

  “A megachurch? You haven’t even broken ground on the building yet and you’re calling it a megachurch.”

  “Call me optimistic about my future, then,” Blaine said. “I’m believing it, so it’ll happen.”

  “I like that. I actually like what you just said.”

  “You act like you’re surprised about that.”

  Regina chuckled. “I am surprised. I pretty much despise you.”

  Blaine’s first thought was to agree with her and say, “Ditto.” But he had actually started to buy into his father’s idea. He could see Regina helping him build a huge congregation. He could envision himself enjoying the rewards of being a megachurch pastor. So G.I.F.T.E.D would sell millions of records with him in ministry. He’d be a pastor and a celebrity.

  “I don’t hate you,” Blaine finally said. “I can see why you feel that way about me, but I don’t hate you.”

  “But you don’t like me very much either. I’m not stupid. I’ve heard the things you say about me around the church.”

  “Only in response to the things you say about me.”

  Blaine and Regina stared at one another. Neither of them was ready to give in, but neither was walking away from the other or the idea.

  Blaine broke the silence. “It could work. You know you want me.”

  Regina rolled her eyes. “I agree with one part of that. It could work. Are we supposed to just announce that we’re getting married, and go from there?”

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa! Not so fast. My dad says we should start dating again, and then after a while we can get married. I think we should try to get to know one another.”

  “You mean like have a real relationship?”

  If this was going to work, Blaine knew he’d have to be able to trust her. If they were enemies, there could be no trust.

  “Yeah, at least a friendship.”

  “Oh, well you started this off by saying you had a proposition for me. I thought this was just a business transaction.”

  “It is both.”

  “So how much are you all going to pay me?”

  Blaine blinked and shook his head. He hadn’t thought about offering her money. He thought the prestige of being a first lady would be enough for her.

  “I mean you’re asking me to be one half of a loveless marriage for the sole purpose of working me like a dog to build your church. I believe a check is in order.”

  “Let me talk to my dad about it,” Blaine said, having no idea how much would be offered for something like this.

  Regina took Blaine’s hand and squeezed. It didn’t feel like a romantic gesture. It was more like how a kindergarten teacher would squeeze a little boy’s hand if he said he had an accident.

  “Don’t worry, Blaine. I’ll talk to your father. We’ll figure out the particulars.”

  “You will?”

  She nodded. “Pastor Wilson and I speak the same language.”

  “Um … okay then.”

  Regina smiled. “You can take me to Buttons on our first date. I like their Thursday night jazz.”

  “A lot of our members go there.”

  “That’s the point, Blaine. It’ll be a statement.”

  Regina’s cell phone buzzed in her pocket and she took it out. “Yes, First Lady. Mmm-hmm. I sure will…. Okay.”

  “Your mother is so demanding,” Regina said. “But that’s okay. Someone else will have to deal with that soon, because I’ll be too busy running my own assistant ragged. Maybe your brother’s girlfriend, Dawn? She’d make a great assistant for your mom.”

  “I don’t know. I guess.”

  Regina stood on her tiptoes and hugged Blaine. “Well, boyfriend, I’m looking forward to this. And don’t worry. The secret is safe with me.”

  Blaine waited until Regina untangled herself from his arms. “Thank you. My dad is going to be happy about this.”

  “Forget about what your father will feel. Think about how you’ll feel to be the pastor of a megachurch and have a congregation full of people putting you second only to God. It’s incredibly sexy, Blaine.”

  Before he could respond, Regina was all over him again. This time she kissed him like a woman who knew him intimately. It stirred up every bit of his flesh. He pushed her away.

  “Not in the church.”

  “Really? You never had that issue before.”

  “Never been up for a senior pastor job before. Not messing it up.”

  Regina grinned and wiped her lips, removing the excess lipstick. “You’re right. Never let your good be evil spoken of. See you Thursday evening. I’ve got some work to do.”

  Regina closed the door to her office in Blaine’s face as he stood there in a haze. This had happened too fast, almost as if he’d had nothing to do with it at all. It felt like the conversation was a formality.

  Blaine would talk to his father about compensating Regina. He wasn’t going to have them making deals behind his back. Regina was smart—too smart, but Blaine wasn’t dumb. She would know from jump that he was going to be in charge of the Oklahoma City church—not his father.

  CHAPTER 9

  Camden looked at his watch and frowned. Blaine was forty-five minutes late for So G.I.F.T.E.D’s standing Thursday night practice. He had a new song to teach the group and he wanted Blaine to lead it, but if they were going to sing it on Sunday he needed to show up.

  Amber, Akil, and Dawn sat around the table in the music room, Akil picking a few strings on his bass guitar.

  “Maybe Blainesky is out on a date with his new girlfriend,” Amber said.

  “Who? That girl Trina?” Dawn asked.

  Akil shook his head. “Nope. She’s to the curb. Her grandmother caught Blaine leaving their house late at night and told him he needs to marry Trina.”

  “Then who is the new chick? Anybody we know?” Dawn asked.

  “Yep,” Amber said. “But I need y’all to guess. This is top-secret intel.”

  Camden pulled his eyebrows together and frowned. “Why do we care who Blaine is dating?”

  “Because this is juicy,” Amber said. “Stop being a party pooper, Camden. Tap yo’ little keys and look at your watch, and leave the fun to us.”

  “Spill it,” Dawn said. “I want to know.”

  “
Okay, I’ll give y’all some clues. She’s evil …”

  “Delores,” Akil said.

  Amber shook her head and laughed. “Nah, she’s too old. Plus, I think she’s checking for Pastor’s assistant.”

  “Stephen?” Akil asked. “If he can pull her, then I can pull her. Shoot, Delores is fine for an old lady.”

  “You’re getting off topic,” Dawn said. “Come on with the next clue.”

  Amber looked over at Camden before she spoke. He really didn’t care to know which woman in the congregation Blaine was taking advantage of. Blaine’s exploits were old news as far as Camden was concerned.

  “Okay. Here’s the second clue. It’s a power move.”

  “A power move? What’s he doing? An arranged marriage or something? Pastor Wakes across town does have a single daughter, but she’s like nineteen,” Akil said.

  Amber covered her mouth with her hand and giggled. “You’re partially right, Akil, but Pastor Wakes has nothing to do with it.”

  “Just tell us who it is. We’re never going to guess,” Dawn said.

  “It’s Regina,” Amber said. “He’s dating Lady Rita’s assistant.”

  “What? He dated her before, and it didn’t work out. What is he thinking?” Akil asked.

  Camden was silent, mostly out of shock. He was fully aware of how things had transpired between Regina and Blaine. It hadn’t just ended badly, it had been a nightmare. They’d both endured speeches from Pastor Wilson on discretion and sowing their royal oats in secret behind Regina’s putting Blaine on blast to both their parents.

  “Why would he be dating her again?” Camden asked. “They hate each other.”

  “Apparently, according to my source, it has to do with the church in Oklahoma City. Either Pastor wants them to get married or he wants everyone to know they’re dating. Something about showing how much Blaine has matured.”

  Camden tried to contain his irritation at hearing this information. His father had not only chosen Blaine over him for the senior pastor job, but he was grooming him and playing matchmaker? It was beyond annoying, worse than Blaine’s incessant tardiness.