Page 23

CHAPTER 23

Naomi

Liam is reciting Appies’ player stats on the ride home from his first ever actual hockey practice, and I zoned out five minutes ago.

My sole focus is on trying to do math in my head. Specifically, I’m trying to estimate when Camden might actually get to my house based on flight times, waiting in baggage claim, the ride back to the Summit, and then driving to my house. That’s assuming his flight isn’t late and that he comes straight here.

So far, my math is either wrong, or he’s going to get here after I’m asleep.

“Ugh,” I groan, turning onto our street.

“What’s wrong?” Liam asks.

“Nothing.” It’s just that spring is starting to show by way of bright green leaves and flowers. The azaleas are nearly in full bloom, blazing even in the fading light of dusk.

It’s beautiful, but I’m not in the mood for nature’s cheer. Read the room, nature. Blooming right now is just rude .

It’s been a full week, which feels longer because, after the state he was in when he left, no amount of phone calls, texts, or video chats could make up for not being with him. I know we’re okay—the constant I love you s, now that we’ve both said it, reassure me of that—but still. It’s felt a little bit like we’ve been in a prolonged fight.

I won’t feel better until I am in his arms.

I won’t be ready for any happy stuff—even celebrating the arrival of spring—until I see Camden’s face again.

And then I do.

Because he’s on my front porch, sitting in one of the new chairs I bought when the weather got above sixty-five degrees earlier this week.

Camden. He’s home. He’s here . And he’s standing as he catches sight of my car, now speeding toward the driveway.

“Mom—the mailbox!”

Liam’s warning doesn’t come in time to save our mailbox.

I only clip it, but that’s enough to uproot the whole thing. It topples over, spilling the mail I’ve forgotten to collect for a few days across the front lawn.

Who cares? Camden is back.

“I’ll buy a new mailbox. Camden trumps mailboxes,” I say as I throw the car in park, unbuckle, and sprint toward the porch.

Camden runs down the steps and I jump into his arms, grateful for a man whose job prepares him for full-contact hugs. My feet dangle above the sidewalk, but he’s got me.

I unabashedly nuzzle into his neck, smelling him and feeling the soft drag of stubble against my cheek. His hands tighten around my lower back, and his exhale sounds like one of pure relief.

“You’re home,” I whisper, blinking away tears that have surprised me. “By my calculations, it should have been much later.”

“You were doing calculations to figure out when I’d be back?”

“Badly, apparently. But yes.”

“Your calculations might have been correct.” He pauses. “I asked if I could come back on an earlier flight. I needed to see you.”

“Same.” I squeeze him tighter, then press my lips to his ear. “I love you.”

It feels so good to say it while I’m in his arms.

Camden pulls back, setting me on my feet as he cradles my face in his hands. “I love you, too.”

A throat clears behind us.

“Can I hug Coach Cam now?” Liam asks. His tone is annoyed, but when I step away from Camden, I can see Liam’s wide grin.

“Sure,” I say.

I almost warn Camden that we came straight from hockey and Liam stinks, but then I don’t. He’s probably used to hockey stink by now. Liam can’t be worse than a locker room full of adult men after a game.

My eyes get dangerously leaky again watching the two of them embrace.

“I missed you,” Liam says.

“I missed you, too.” Camden meets my eyes over Liam’s head.

I lose the battle, a tear slipping down my cheek.

“Time to shower, bud,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady. “Make sure you dump all your gear in the laundry room so I can wash it. And let Panda out back, okay?”

Liam returns to the car for his bag, then smiles at us both before disappearing inside where I can hear Panda barking a greeting.

“I would have brought Panda out, but the door was locked,” Camden says.

“I should get you a key.”

“I’ll get you one for my house, too,” he says. “Although …”

He stops, and though I have no reason to get nervous, I do. “Although what?”

“Let’s sit.”

I definitely don’t like the sound of a sitting down conversation, but I follow Camden to the porch chairs. He grabs mine and drags it closer to his, making me laugh and cutting through my nerves a little.

“That’s better,” he says. He pulls his phone out of his pocket and starts talking as he looks for something. “I did a lot of thinking those first days when I was shutting you out. Which, again, I’m sorry about.”

“You’re forgiven. We talked about it, Cam.”

“I know. I still feel bad that you had to call the guys to get me.”

I smirk. “Or are you just sorry because of how they helped?”

“It was fine.” He finds whatever he wants on his phone, but instead of showing me, he locks it and sets it on his knee before taking my hands in his. “I have some issues with my family that I haven’t dealt with. Mike being here has made them bubble up to the surface, which ultimately, is a good thing for me.”

He draws in a breath, and I squeeze his hands.

“I haven’t talked to my family in a few years. When I went to live with Mike and his family, my mom got pregnant. A total surprise. They had twin girls. They both had some complications the first year, and they couldn’t come out to see my games. Then they started forgetting our weekly calls, and I just … felt like I’d been replaced.”

“Oh, Cam.”

“When I went home, all the dynamics were different. I didn’t feel like I fit anymore, and I honestly didn’t feel very wanted. I didn’t have much of an emotional connection to my sisters, and my mom didn’t understand. I think she was angry with me, and I was angry with them both.”

“That had to be really hard.”

“It was. But I’ve had a lot of time to reflect on it, and while I do think they could have handled things better, I was an emotionally immature teenage boy, used to everything revolving around me. I didn’t handle it well, as Mike could probably tell you.”

“Is that why you’re so committed to helping him now?”

Camden nods. “I won’t desert him when he didn’t desert me.”

This makes so much more sense. I mean, I know Camden is a great guy, the kind who would help someone in need. But having Mike live with him, paying for all the caregivers—that’s more than most people would do.

“I don’t think I’ve mentioned my mom to you,” I say.

“I met your dad, but I think I assumed your mom had passed.”

“No. She just decided she wanted a different life, one that involved academic pursuits and no children. My dad raised us.” I hold up a hand when I see the look of concern on his face. “I really am okay with it now. She used to call every Sunday and we’d have dreadfully awkward phone calls. Last year, I finally asked her if we could stop doing that.”

“Do you ever talk?” Camden asks.

“Not on a regular basis. But when either of us calls or texts, it’s because one of us wants to, which is better. It’s not a great relationship, but I don’t see it changing, and I want to invest in the people who really care about me and want to invest right back. It’s not similar to your situation, but I guess I want you to know that I can relate on some level. And I understand the inclination to help Mike.”

“Good. But this means he’ll be with me long-term,” Camden says. “And I know that could make things … difficult for you. It means you’re not just getting me; you’re getting me and Mike.”

“You’re getting me and Liam,” I point out.

“It’s not quite the same.”

“It’s not exactly the same, no. But I would never ask you to choose between Mike and me. I like him, and so does Liam.”

“Good. Because I’ve done some thinking.” Camden turns his phone on, then flips it so I can see the screen. It’s a house—a craftsman similar to this one, only larger. “I put an offer on this house.”

I jerk my head up to stare at him. “What? You’re buying a house? What if you get traded or something?”

“I talked to Coach on the road. He’s been bugging me about signing an extension. If I want, I think the organization wants me to stay. At least for a while. And then … we can see.”

“We?”

“Yes, we . Whatever future plans I make, I want you to be an equal partner. Which is why I’m nervous about the house. I know you want to end up back on Oakley, which I’m definitely open to. For now, with you and Liam settling in, this seemed like a good option. It was the only place I could find in all of Harvest Hollow that fit all the criteria, so I really hope you like it.”

“What criteria?”

“Why don’t you take a look while I tell you?”

I scroll through the photos of the place, which is absolutely stunning. Where my rental has been updated nicely, this one has been completely remodeled to create an open-concept floor plan that still retains all the charm and architectural details of the original build. And so much square footage. All of it beautiful.

“I needed a place with two master bedrooms—at least one of which was on the first floor. A few extra bedrooms, and a fenced backyard. As a bonus, it has a fully finished basement.”

“It’s amazing,” I tell him, reaching the last two pictures. Camden points to the screen.

“That’s the most important thing I needed, and only this house has it.”

“A garage apartment?” I ask.

“For Jordan. I’d like him to be the only caregiver for Mike. A full-time, salaried position with housing included. So, I guess I actually come with two people, not one.”

“Good thing I like both of your people. Did Jordan say yes?”

“He did. But he told me I was stupid for not talking to you first.”

“About hiring him? Or about the house?”

“About both. He’s right, but the agent said this house would go fast. Since it was the only one with everything, I don’t want to wait.”

“Things with us are still so new. Put in an offer. You don’t have to run things by me, Cam.”

He scoots closer, perching on the edge of his seat as his brown eyes search mine. “But that’s the thing—we’re not so new. Not really. And I want to do more than run things by you. I want to make decisions together because I want a life with you. I wanted a house you’d love, a house with space for Liam to grow up, one with a yard for Panda.” He shakes his head. “I want to marry you, Naomi.”

My heart goes positively feral in my chest. A wild, unsteady rhythm. “You do?”

“Yes. But I’m not asking you that—yet. I have plans for it, but I needed to talk to you about all this first. Because our lives are both a little more complicated.”

“Camden Cole, are you asking me if you can ask me to marry you?”

“Yes.”

“Then, yes. You can ask me to marry you. Want me to tell me what I’m going to say when you do?”

His smile is slow and a little smug. “I feel pretty good about the answer.”

“Yeah? Maybe I should make you sweat a little more.”

“Please don’t.”

I laugh, feeling a lightness in my limbs. Like the cork popped on a bottle of champagne inside me, and now my blood is fizzy with joy. “Okay. I won’t. I meant what I said on the phone. I want to put down roots with you. And I guess I can wait for an actual proposal. If you don’t make me wait too long.”

“How long is too long?” he asks.

I weigh my words, not wanting to sound desperate and also not wanting to hold back.

“Let’s just say … if you had asked tonight, I would have happily said yes.”

His eyes flare. “Good to know. Before that, two more things.”

“Anything.”

“First, I want to call my family.” I can see the shift in his features and the nervousness written there. His hands shake a little, and I squeeze. “Will you sit with me while I do?”

My breath catches, and a warm wave of tenderness unfurls in my chest. Leaning forward, I place a kiss on his lips. I mean it to be soft and quick, but I realize as Camden kisses me back that we didn’t kiss when I greeted him. My mouth seems bent on reminding me how remiss I was.

After a moment, I pull back, dizzy and breathless. “Sorry, I got a little distracted.”

“You’re not the only one,” Camden mutters.

“I’d love to sit with you while you call. Anything you need. Did you mean right now?”

“I’m tired of running,” he says.

“Then I’ll be with you when you stop.” I climb into his lap, handing back his phone as I wrap an arm around his neck. “You’re really doing this now?”

He scrolls through his phone, and it makes my heart squeeze when I see he still has his parents on his Favorites list. “I don’t want to. I’m scared,” he confesses. “But I don’t want it hanging over me any longer. I’m so tired.”

I snuggle in closer, leaning my head on his shoulder. “I know. And I’m here.”

For a moment, we sit there in the darkness. I hadn’t realized that dusk fully fell while we were talking, and now everything is cast in the soft, forgiving light of a full moon. Camden stares at the phone in his hand for what feels like forever. Then he taps the screen and puts the phone up to his ear.

I can feel his breathing and heart rate both quicken, and I continue pressing closer, wanting my weight and warmth to reassure him as I let myself envision a future of moments like this—sitting on the front porch with Liam and Panda. I expand the vision to include Mike and Jordan, then picture us all having dinner in the house Camden showed me earlier.

It feels like a dream. Better than a dream. The kind of wish so good that I never could have imagined it becoming a reality.

I’m sitting close enough that I can hear a man’s voice saying hello on the line. Camden clears his throat. “Hey, Dad? It’s me. Cam.”

I sit with him through the call, trying to hold back tears. It’s an emotional call, though slightly awkward as Camden talks to his dad and his mom, who sobs so loudly I can hear her through the phone. Though Camden doesn’t cry, at times, I can feel him shake a little, and I continue to hold him, pressing a hand to his chest.

At some point, Liam lets Panda out front, and he sits at Camden’s feet, head in his lap.

When they finish, Camden sets the phone down and wraps his arms around me. “Thank you,” he whispers into my hair.

“Anytime.”

Panda, clearly feeling neglected, shoves his head in between us, demanding attention. Laughing, I scratch the dog behind his ears. He gives me a smile in return. Though it still throws me off to see a dog baring its teeth, it’s a lot less scary than it was.

“Oh, hey—you forgot the second thing you wanted to tell me.”

Camden chuckles. “Right. I forgot. Maybe I should save it for another night.”

I pinch the area near his ribs that I know is sensitive.

“Fine,” he relents. “The other thing I wanted to tell you is that with the new house, you have to promise you’ll take better care of the mailbox.”

He’s still laughing when I wrap one hand around his neck and pull his mouth to mine.