Page 62 of Most Likely to Deny Love (Yearbook #2)

MIA

I sat at the dining room table, my laptop open, scrolling through job listings while trying to stop my gaze from drifting to the flowers beside me.

The small bouquet Jack had sent was modest compared to the extravagant arrangement from before, but the simplicity of these blooms, pink peonies and white ranunculus, made my heart flutter just the same.

I picked up the note card propped against the vase for the twentieth time today: Back soon. J.

Two words and an initial. That was all. But they were enough to send warmth cascading through my chest. I traced my finger over his handwriting, the slight slant to his letters, the confident press of pen to paper and a small smile curved my lips.

Emily stood at the kitchen counter, piping rainbow frosting on to chocolate cupcakes. “Found anything promising?” she asked without looking up.

I sighed, returning to my screen. “A few possibilities. Nothing as exciting as Catalyst, but that’s the trade-off, isn’t it?”

The words came out easier than I expected.

When I’d first realized I couldn’t keep working at Catalyst Digital if Jack and I were going to be together, the loss had felt crushing.

I’d poured years of my life into that company, climbing from junior sales assistant to sales manager through sheer grit.

But sitting here now, with all the love I felt for Jack inside me, the sacrifice seemed smaller, more manageable.

Emily set down her piping bag and studied me. “You’re really okay with this?

“I’m sad about it,” I admitted. “But I’ve weighed everything, and I know what matters more. Besides, my skills are transferable. I’ll find something good, just elsewhere.”

She nodded, returning to her frosting with a small smile. “I’m proud of you, Mia. Not everyone would choose love over career.”

“I’m choosing both, but reconfigured.” I clicked on another listing, added it to my growing collection of possibilities.

“Well, good on you.” She straightened, eyeing the cupcakes skeptically.

“No need to look like that, Em. They look amazing. It’s a lovely way to welcome our new neighbor.”

“Yeah?”

“Absolutely. Are you taking them over right away?”

“Yes, but not by myself.” Her expression turned more guarded. “You’re coming with me.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Sure, okay, but why can’t you go on your own?”

“Because I caught a glimpse of him yesterday. He’s intimidatingly attractive.”

“Oh really?” I stood, suddenly more interested. “Tell me more.”

“Tall. Fit, but not in an obvious way.” She shrugged, aiming for casual but missing by a mile. “And he has kids. Two little girls.”

“A hot single dad?” I gasped. “Say no more. I’m absolutely coming with you.”

Emily rolled her eyes. “Don’t go making a thing of it. I’m not in the market and I bet neither is he.”

“Sure sure.”

Five minutes later, we stood on the front porch of the house next door, Emily balancing the cupcake carrier while I rang the doorbell. The sound of small feet pounding against hardwood floors echoed from inside, followed by a deeper voice calling out something unintelligible.

The door swung open to reveal a man who matched Emily’s description and then some.

He stood well over six feet tall, broad-shouldered in a faded gray t-shirt, with light brown hair that curled slightly at the temples.

But it was his eyes that caught me off guard.

They were a startling green that reminded me of sea glass, framed by the kind of thick lashes women paid good money to replicate.

Those eyes narrowed slightly as they took us in, his expression hovering somewhere between suspicious and exhausted.

“Hi. I’m Emily from next door, and this is my cousin Mia. We live next door. We brought welcome cupcakes.” Her voice was higher, breathier than usual.

For a moment, he just stared at the offering as if trying to decode a foreign language. Then two little heads peeked around his legs. One had a messy blonde ponytail, the other had pigtails coming loose.

“Are those for us?” the older one asked, her eyes widening at the sight of the cupcakes.

The man’s face softened almost imperceptibly.

“They sure are.” Emily held out the container.

“Alice, Audrey, what do we say?”

“Thank you!” they chorused, though the younger one was already reaching for the treats.

“Thank you,” he said, his voice a low rumble as he gently pulled his daughter’s hand back. He cleared his throat. “I’m Cameron. Cam. Thanks for this, but you really didn’t have to go to the trouble.”

“It’s no trouble,” Emily replied, her voice still high as her fingers tightening slightly on the carrier. “I just thought it would be a nice welcome.”

“Well, we appreciate it.” He hesitated. “I’d offer for you to come in, but we’re still unpacking. It’s a disaster zone.”

“No, that’s okay. We understand.”

The older girl bounced on her toes. “Daddy, can we have one now?”

Cam closed his eyes briefly, the look of a man who’d learned that six-year-olds have no filter. “How about we use our manners first.”

“Oh, yeah. Thank you for the cakes.” Then she stared at Emily for a long moment, looking almost awestruck “You’re very pretty. She’s very pretty, isn’t she, Daddy?”

I watched as Emily’s cheeks flushed pink, caught completely off-guard by the little girl’s candid observation. Cam’s eyes widened slightly, his own face coloring.

There was an excruciatingly awkward pause where no one seemed to know what to say next. The little girl looked up expectantly, waiting for her dad to agree with her, while the younger one just stared longingly at the cupcakes, completely oblivious to the tension.

“Alice,” Cam finally murmured, his voice gentle but firm, “we don’t just... say things like that to people we’ve just met.” He shifted his weight uncomfortably from one foot to the other, running a hand through his already disheveled hair.

Emily recovered first, hastily thrusting the cake container forward like it was suddenly too hot to hold.

Her smile looked a bit strained around the edges as she said, “Well, anyway, welcome to the neighborhood. We’re just next door if you need anything.

Gardening tools, cup of sugar, local recommendations, whatever.

” She gestured vaguely in the direction of our house, taking a small step backward.

He nodded once, then stepped back to close the door. “Have a good day.”

As we walked back to our house, I bumped Emily’s shoulder with mine. “Well, that was awkward as fuck.”

“Very,” she agreed, still blushing.

“He seemed...”

“Guarded,” Emily finished. “Like he’s built walls ten feet high.”

I couldn’t help but smile at that. “Reminds me of someone else I know.”

Emily glanced at me, a reluctant smile tugging at her lips. “Jack?”

“When I first met him? Absolutely.” I linked my arm through hers as we walked. “Some people take time to warm up.”

“I’m not interested in him,” Emily said quickly. Too quickly.

“Of course not.”

“I’m not!”

“I believe you.” I didn’t, not for a second.

Emily huffed, but didn’t argue further. As we reached our front door, she paused. “Those little girls were cute, though.”

“Adorable,” I agreed.

“And their dad looked exhausted.”

“Single parenting can’t be easy.”

Emily nodded slowly, and I could almost see the wheels turning in her mind. “I wonder if they like art.”

I bit back a smile. “I wonder.”

As we stepped inside, I cast one last glance at the neighbor’s house. Something told me this wouldn’t be the last we’d see of grumpy Cam and his daughters.