Chapter 5

Natalie

Afull state of shock hits me hearing that Jamison's brother plays professional basketball. Not because it seems impossible, but because surely that information would have been spilled by someone at the school. If not by the school itself, then surely by another of the scholarship winners. I guess I've really been in my own little bubble since getting there if I didn't know this.

Maybe if I'd gone to any of the sports events I'd have heard it but those were not on my agenda even when I had free time. The Mountaineers might be an absolute favorite around school, but I certainly never heard it mentioned.

"Seriously, Jordan Cartwright is your brother? The one that plays for the Marshall Mountaineers?" I ask, as his gaze holds onto mine in a caress almost as sweet as his touches.

"Yeah, and no one looks down on him for not joining the family business but following his own passions, because he works hard just like everyone else," he says with a shrug like it's nothing. "None of the other girls work or act like they want to work for the company either, but they've all taken their turns around the place, learning what they did or didn't like for the most part. Jasmine liked creating things, but she also liked planning stuff as well, so it's helped her with her business. Jaime found herself more interested in computers and art than anything there. She finished her degree in graphic design this year. Jillian's bounced between business and marketing, so she's majoring in both and will finish Presley's next year."

Honestly somehow I think it's more shocking no one mentioned that a Cartwright is attending Presley than the fact that one of the Cartwrights is a famous athlete. How did no one mention that at the scholarship dinner? Why did no one mention it? "She's at Presley?"

"She and Jaime both," he replies amazing me more that it's not just one of them, and it obviously shows. "Your surprise and the things running through your mind right now, is precisely why our parents waited until after their last kid was in college to start the endowments. If you knew someone from the family that was paying for your tuition went there, you'd probably be more self-conscious or at least make yourself aware of who they were, wouldn't you?"

"Yeah, I wouldn't want to complain to some random person how much work it was to ensure I kept the scholarship. There were a lot of times when I wouldn't want to study. My roommate would just tell me to blow it off, say to tell the people over the scholarship to go to hell and have fun. No way would I want that getting back to them," I admit.

"Precisely," he agrees, "but they didn't want anyone worrying over that. They also didn't want the schools to feel like they had to accept any of us simply because they had an endowment from our family. So, once Jillian was accepted and she'd started at Presley, they contacted all of the schools that any of us attended and began the endowments to start the following year. The one at Presley probably means the most to Mom, since the school is the whole reason she met our dad. She wanted a scholarship to specifically be for early childhood education. Not solely because it's what she was going for originally, but also because she knows how important it is for little kids to have access to quality education from an early age. Knows it's not necessarily a career that pays a great deal, but it's vitally important, whether that person uses their degree in a school, a teachers-at-home program, or even a daycare setting."

"But enough to be outraged by what happened to one recipient when they offered how many scholarships at Presley?" I counter pulling a chuckle from him.

"Even then, baby. Even with all endowment programs they have at Presley. They also have ones at State, including a handful for the technical programs. At Paulsen in Sherman, Hadley in Columbia, and Meyers in Dalewood," he says amazing me at how many there are. "Julie, Jackie, and Jeffery all went to Paulsen for at least a year. Julie graduated from there, while Jackie didn't go back after she and Ethan got married. He took a position with the company he was already working for that was based in Oak Grove, which made Jackie even happier than she already was to be marrying him. Jeffery was there for a year and a half, but there was a major issue with a girl that accused him of assault in attempt to get money from the family to hush it up. He was cleared, had an obvious alibi at the time being that he was watching a football game at a sports bar that had surveillance cameras in it, as well as showed the girl that made the claim there watching him during the same time she claimed the attack happened."

"Wow, that had to suck," I mumble, it's hard to believe what some people will do even after all the shit with Craig.

"Yeah, it was a rough time for him. He didn't go back for the second semester, transferred to State to get away from the accusations that they fabricated the alibi, were able to get away with it because we had money, and he just wanted away from all of that. The school thankfully wasn't in alignment with the groups that thought that way, did their own investigation and came to the same conclusion that the girl was lying about all of the accusations, but it wasn't enough to quiet all of the students. It's also why the endowment there only started this year. They wanted the students that were there at the time to mostly be gone so there wasn't anything said to the winners of the new scholarships."

"That's sweet, especially for the recipients to not have to worry about anyone saying something stupid, be able to focus on their schooling instead. I'm glad your brother was able to get away from that. I take it it didn't follow him to State?" I ask, lifting my legs up onto the couch, resting them against his thigh as I turned more towards him.

"Some heard about it but with all of the proof the private investigator dug up about the girl, they came to the same conclusion that it was all an attempt to get money from the family. With Jordan playing on the basketball team there still, knowing just how little attention he paid to the girls that threw themselves at him, they left Jeffery alone. He finished a degree in data analysis and statistics, so he runs a lot of our projections and growth estimates for the company. Seems happy with it although he deftly avoids women as well," Jamison explains, and I can't blame him for that at all.

"Jennie and Joe both attended Hadley. Joe went on to get his master's in architecture from State since their program is the top ranked in the state. Jesse attended Meyers, completing their undergrad business degree and entrepreneurial master's program all within four years before coming home to help take over things so Dad could retire fully. Jude chose to go to Meyers as well as their business program was better than Presley's and State's. Jasmine, me, Jordan, and Jeffery all graduated from State. Johnnie went to Presley for their Financial Management program, Jaime just graduated from there and Jillian will next year. So each school has endowments set up to provide scholarships to those that need it."

"Which is amazing," I reply. "My scholarship was the only thing that made it feasible to attend a four-year college. Not having to worry about anything related to school was great. Knowing all I'd have to do was go to the bookstore and swipe my card to get my textbooks was a relief. There are so many of the others on scholarship that would search through for the cheapest used copy because they have to pay for them themselves still. It's rough, especially when the textbooks cost like two-hundred dollars each to come up with that while only being able to work a handful of hours to still have time to study in order to maintain the scholarship because you have to be enrolled in a minimum of twelve credit hours a semester to keep the scholarship.

"Let alone that it included a car, so I wasn't stuck on campus, unable to go anywhere or see anyone unless they were in town. Even then, the buses around campus don't run very often and if I were to take them to go see Nick, it'd take me over two hours to get there. Not including the fact that the only way to even get there is with the Metro train. He's still living out by Belleview although he works in Oak Grove most days. He says Oak Grove costs way too much to move to, plus he ends up getting a lot of calls from State students that rent houses when they need work done. The thirty miles to get from Oak Grove to Belleview isn't that bad with a car," I add, pulling a bit more of a smile from his lips. "What?"

"The car was an addition from my dad," he says, making my brow lift a bit in surprise at that. "When Mom got here, she didn't have any way to travel except with public transportation, taxis, and such. Mom offered to help him with Julie, who didn't like anyone but Dad at the time, that weekend, so he could get some work accomplished that wasn't late at night when she was asleep. They agreed on a time for her to come over, but when he learnt she'd have to take the bus, he said he'd send a car to pick her up not wanting her on it. Then he didn't want her stuck at the house or at school, having to resort to using the bus to go somewhere, so he let her use one of his cars.

"When Mom suggested they make one of the scholarships available solely for early childhood education majors, he easily agreed, then added on the purchase of a car because he didn't want anyone to be reliant on the public modes of transportation like she was. He figured most of the people that would be going for the scholarship likely wouldn't have much, probably wouldn't have a car, and it was a way he could see that they were safe."

"It's been a lifesaver for when I just needed to get away from campus, especially the last few months. If I didn't have it this last week…I honestly don't know what I'd be like right now. It let me get away from Craig, feel like I could breathe for a few minutes at least," I state, and his lips press a soft kiss to my forehead, making me smile.

"You'll be safe, always from now on, baby girl. I promise you that. I'll deal with Craig, make sure everything at school works out so you can finish if you want to go back," he adds and I nod, snuggling into his side more. "Then I guess the only thing we need to talk about before this goes further, is if you want to wait on having kids until you finish, because have no doubt, you'll be finishing school with my name tied to you. I'm not letting you go, Natalie. I'll take things as slowly as you need, but I'm not going anywhere."

My heart races, my stomach fluttering wildly at his words, unable to stop from wanting that too. No matter how much my brain is cautioning me to slow down, the rest of me wants it desperately. "You sound so certain that this is all going to work out. Craig, school, us…"

"Because I know it is. It might take time, might take some effort, but it'll work out the way it's supposed to—you with me," he states, and I shake my head with a little sigh, wishing I could feel so certain of it.

Craig's not going to just disappear from my life because Jamison's now in it. If anything, it's likely to make it worse.

"I don't want anything to happen to you because of me," I warn, finding myself wrapped up in a hug that's like being wrapped in heaven.

"Give me Craig's information and I'll have him dealt with, baby," he says, his tone reassuring and calm, but the anxiety is rushing through me just thinking of him showing up when I'm with Jamison, tearing this sweet heaven away from me.

"Craig…he scares me, Jamison," I admit, finding his gaze after taking a deep breath, trying to tame down the anxiety once more. I don't want to rely on the medication because it makes me sleepy, and I need to be alert in case he shows up.

"I know, Nat. I know he scares you, I can feel it in the way your heart's racing. It's not the same as when I touch you, kiss you. When I do that, it pulses, quickens along with mine. Right now, it's beating so hard, so fast, it worries me, baby. I know it's your body's reaction to the adrenaline, the fight or flight response trying to figure out what's best, but I hate that you're feeling it at all. That you've had to deal with it all on your own," he adds, his hand cupping my cheek and my eyes flutter shut. He presses a kiss to my forehead, settling my racing pulse for a minute, and I try to cling to it, to this feeling of safety and…love that wraps around me.

I know it's crazy to think that's what it could possibly be, but there's nothing else that fits. Yes, I want him physically, but this right here is more than just lust. The way he's holding me, touching me isn't arousing desire and nothing else inside me. It's waking every part of me, and I don't want to let it go for even one moment.

"Tell me who he is, and I promise, I'll make sure he stays away from you," Jamison offers bringing the words I've only told the therapist after the cops laughed me out of the precinct.

"He's not just showing up where I am, trying to get me back, Jamison. He's been carrying a gun with him, pulled it out at least twice when I was just talking to a man. Not so they'd see it," I add as his brow rises in surprise. "He'd be standing behind them watching us, lift his shirt, so I'd see it in his waistband, or grip the handle through his shirt, showing me it was there. He's not just going to walk away because you tell him to. I told the cops he threatened me with a gun, and they said I was being hysterical. That Lieutenant Commander Dennings' son wouldn't do such a thing. That he'd only ever use a gun responsibly or if someone was threatening him and as his girlfriend, I should be grateful that he'd protect me with it."

"Shh, it's okay, baby," Jamison says as my voice cracks, tears hitting hard, and I'm once more wrapped up against his chest, his hands holding me close. I want to drown in the sense of security being with him gives me. It's heady and so tempting to just stay right here like this forever.

"It's not," I admit, not fighting when he lifts me onto his lap. "I want this…you, me, this thing that's happening between us," I add when he tilts my face up to his, brushing away the tears. "I want it more than I ever imagined possible to want something, but every time I try to imagine what it might be like to be with you, next to you back in Oak Grove, my brain starts screaming at me to stop being stupid and just hide away."

"Which is why I'm not going to press you for anything more than acknowledging that this is something right now, baby," Jamison states, his eyes somehow soft even while shining with desire, as they hold mine. "Until Craig is handled, out of your life, I know you're going to be looking over your shoulder, fighting this, which is why I want—need to help. Call me selfish for it, but I want you all to myself, Nat. To know that when you're with me, you're thinking only of me."

That pulls a little laugh from me, and I shake my head at him. "I don't think it's coming from a selfish place, Jamison. I think it's coming from a really amazing and special place, because that's the type of man you are, and I love it, but it also scares me."

"Scares you how, baby?"

"That I'll lose it, you, because you won't admit to just how dangerous Craig is, can be. I haven't felt like anyone's been there for me, on my side first and foremost since my parents died and losing it would hurt worse than never having it again now."

"And if I promise that won't happen? That I won't do anything stupid. Have no intention of just going up to the bastard and threatening him to stay away from you? Does that reassure you more, make it easier to accept that I'm going to help, that nothing will stop me from ensuring you're safe now that I've found you, because you're mine. The woman made for me to take care of, to keep safe…to love in every way a daddy should love his baby girl," he adds, and my heart absolutely stops for a long moment as shivers of need flood my system.

Nothing on earth has ever sounded as perfect as what he just said. Not a single thing and a smile hits my lips wanting more of it.