Page 30 of Call It Love (Sterling Mill #5)

Anna

I set a mug of coffee and the creamer in front of Cam and pushed the sugar toward her.

“Thank you.”

I slid into the chair across from her. “You’re welcome.”

Her spoon clinked against the mug as she stirred it slowly. The silence between us was awkward, but I waited. I felt it was up to Cam to start.

“I appreciate you letting me in,” she said finally.

I wrapped my hands around my mug, drawing comfort from its warmth. “You came to talk. Hard to do that if there’s a door between us.”

“I wouldn’t have blamed you for leaving it closed.”

“It wouldn’t help solve things. You’re important to Chase. That matters to me, believe it or not.”

Cam nodded slowly, her shoulders dropping a fraction. “I’m sorry, Anna. I shouldn’t have confronted you the way I did. In front of everyone. That was unfair to them, to Chase, and especially to you.”

“I agree. I won’t lie and tell you it didn’t hurt. I’ve spent years being accused, dismissed, and judged. I knew we’d have to hash things out. But I’d really hoped you’d take the time to talk to me. Like you are now.”

Guilt flickered in her expression. “I should have. And I still have questions. I know I can be stubborn, but I promise I’ll listen to you and try to understand.”

“Thank you.”

“What was really hard to understand is why you left. And why with Mason?”

I had to give her credit. She didn’t dance around the issue. She went straight to the heart of it.

“I thought I was doing the right thing,” I said, staring down at the swirl of cream in my coffee.

“I didn’t want to hold Chase back. I felt like he was only with me because it’s a small town.

But away from here, there would be all kinds of glamorous girls I couldn’t possibly measure up to.

I told myself if it were meant to be, he’d return. ”

“And he didn’t. Not right away, anyway.”

“No, he didn’t. He didn’t even argue with me. Then, when he went somewhere else on his first break instead of coming home, it was a sign I’d been right to break things off.”

“I remember that. I was mad at him for not coming home. But it was for a rare opportunity to spend a week on a big commercial farm in Georgia.”

“I know that now. But then, it was just him not coming home. And in the meantime, Mason spent his weekends here, most of them coming to see me. He was so charming. Attentive. My mother didn’t help.

She was completely taken by him. She was constantly telling me to get out of here.

That farm life was too hard. Mason was my ticket out, she said.

What I realize now is that it’s not the life she hates.

It’s the seclusion my father has forced her into.

She thinks it’s like that on all farms, that the work is too constant.

I was just too young to see it and too star-struck by the promises Mason made.

So I chose him. Biggest regret of my life. ”

She stared at the table, absorbing it all.

“I guess I can see how all those voices could blur together. Confuse things. And now I’m a little mad at Chase for letting his pride get in the way and not fight for you.

Maybe we have that in common.” She hesitated, then blurted, “But it wasn’t just Chase who missed you.

I missed you, too. Uncle James and my grandparents—we all missed you.

It felt like losing a family member. And when Chase found out you’d run away with Mason, he was shattered.

It made me go from sad to angry. It wasn’t until our grandparents and Uncle James died that he pulled himself together. ”

I reached across the table and placed my hand over hers.

“It hurts to hear that. I hate knowing I caused so much pain. I don’t expect you to forget those feelings.

But I hope, at least now, you understand better.

” I steadied my voice. “There were so many times I dreamed of running away from Nashville, but things were…difficult. I felt trapped. And ashamed.”

Her fingers shifted slightly beneath mine, but she didn’t pull away.

“I promise I didn’t come back to pick up where we left off like nothing happened. But Chase and I…we’ve realized those feelings never disappeared. They were just buried under time and pain. We feel like we’ve been given a second chance. Knowing what we lost, we’re not taking it for granted.”

Cameron’s eyes focused on our hands. When she finally looked up, her eyes were glassy. “I appreciate you telling me this. And I’m more sorry than you know that your marriage was unhappy after…well, you know, everything you gave up. I have a feeling there’s a lot more to your story with Mason.”

I couldn’t help but flinch, but she squeezed my hand.

“I don’t think we’re at a point where you’re ready to share that.

But I think I understand better. I can take one look at my brother and know he’s completely in love with you.

And I’m pretty sure you feel the same way.

I hope you both get the happy ending you deserve. ”

I blinked against the burn rising in my throat. “Thank you, Cam.”

She shook her head and cleared her throat. “Now that that’s out of the way, I heard you stood up to Beverly Seymour last night. That alone earns you extra points in my book.”

I laughed, the tension between us broken. We might still have a little way to go, but I felt like we were on the right path.

“I didn’t know that was such a big deal, but now I’m wondering what the heck I just got myself into.”

“Oh, wouldn’t you like to know?” she teased. “I’ll give you two little hints. Don’t let Hans Zimmerman anywhere near the drinks. And beware of anything Crazy Tillie tries to pass off as a pet.”

“Okaaay. That sounds slightly ominous.”

Chase walked in at that moment, wiping his hands on a rag. He looked between the two of us.

“Well, I don’t see any broken dishes or signs of blood.”

Cam crossed her arms. “You sound almost disappointed.”

He held his hands up. “Nope. Just feel like I’m witnessing a miracle. ”

He looked at me, his eyes catching mine with that soft, familiar warmth. “We good?” he asked.

I glanced at his sister.

She nodded with a grin. “Yep. For now. She’s still under review, pending the barn dance. If she can pull that off without running away, then you’re witnessing a miracle.”

“I’ll take it,” I said, laughing. “You’ll see.”