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“Try not to worry about that now,” Cami said. “Let’s take all this one step at a time.”

For the first time since she’d met Tara, she saw a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

Sarah took Tara upstairs for a shower and showed her a spare bed she could use tonight. Every decision that had to be made could wait at least until tomorrow. Until then, Tara needed a good night’s sleep and a place to recover. At least as much as Lolly would allow her to sleep, because she asked for the baby and of course they couldn’t refuse her.

Though they’d all made the offer in good faith, none of them really knew Tara or exactly what to do about her. But giving her a chance seemed fair considering her past, and fair to Lolly, as well. It felt like the right thing to do. But with the wedding coming and Christmas and… everything, Cami felt suddenly exhausted herself.

“I should go,” Gus said to her as the meeting with Tara broke up. “I’d better go find Ella.”

“Liam took her out to the barn. I’ll go with you.” She grabbed a coat by the door and slipped it on.

“By the way, did I mention what a great job you did with the pageant?” he said.

She groaned as they walked out onto the porch. “The pageant was a disaster. And one day, soon, I’ll appreciate the hilarity of the disaster. But Tara showing up there was a perfect ending to a perfectly crazy night.”

“Not one parent there would call it a disaster. Probably more on a scale with an adorable memory they’d chalk up to the wonder of six, seven and eight-year-olds’ ability to create chaos.” He looked at her sideways. “Hey. Are you really okay?”

“Why do you keep asking me that?” she said, focusing on the light on the barn to fend off the sudden rush of dizziness she felt. “I’m fine. Really. I’m just tired and… I think I… forgot to eat today…”

Except now, he was watching her with an annoying frown as a clammy sensation and a flush of heat poured through her. He grabbed her by the arm just as her world began to inexplicably turn dark around the edges. Then, astonishingly, blinked out altogether.

*

Cami’s eyes flutteredopen at the feel of something cool and wet on her forehead. At the sight of Gus leaning over her, looking all… dreamy and weirdly worried. “Guuuss… hi.” Then she blinked and took in her surroundings. What was she doing on the couch? “Oh! Gus!!”

“Take it easy,” he said, pushing her back down. “Just lie still a minute.”

“What… happened? Why am I—”

“You fainted. Outside.”

She gasped. “I did not. Faint. I have never fainted in my life.”

“Oh yes, you did,” Shay said. “Gus carried you back inside. Good thing we have a doctor on the ranch tonight. A strong doctor at that.”

A grin replaced the worry on his face. “Nah. You don’t weigh that much.”

“Thanks?” she said, uncertain whether to be horrified or disappointed that he’d picked her up and cradled her in his arms and she had zero memory of it.

Ohnnnhhh.Her head felt muzzy.

“Now, you lie still,” Shay said, being her usual mother-hen self. “I’m going to get you some orange juice.”

Cami pressed a palm against her face, encountering a cool, wet towel someone had placed there. “Ugh. How embarrassing.” She sat up insistently, still a little dizzy.

“Okay. Now you’re just being stubborn,” he said, but allowed her to stay sitting.

“No. I feel dumb. I’m… really sorry you had to—”

“Nothing to be sorry about,” he said, holding her hand. His fingers curled around hers. “Your flame just sputtered out in the yard, that’s all. You’ve had a week. Everybody’s got their breaking point. Probably Lolly, school ending, all the rehearsals and the pageant. Not to mention all the prep you’ve been doing for the upcoming wedding.”

“The wedding!” She groaned at the mention and flopped dramatically back down on the cushions. “There’s still so much to do!”

“Not tonight, there’s not,” he told her. “Here. Drink some juice.” He took the glass from Shay’s hands and forced her to drink.

She obliged.

“Nothing’s going to fall apart because you’re not handling everything,” Shay told her in no uncertain terms. “We’vegot the wedding. All of us. And, Cami, it’s Will and Izzy.Family.”