Page 15 of Only in Our Dream (Moonflower Cove #15)

Cameron

A lthough she hadn’t lived there since high school, a part of Cameron would always call Tennessee home.

She’d loved growing up there, playing on her grandparents’ farm with her siblings and cousins and all their animals.

Cameron loved the creaky old front porch swing at her mama’s house and still remembered rocking both of her babies on it when they’d go for a visit.

The Tennessee Valley offered Cameron a solace that the Cove never could quite match.

Maybe it was the way the autumn leaves seemed to whisper a lullaby passed down from generations as she stood on the front porch with a hot cup of coffee in her hands.

The gentle breeze blew her blonde hair softly, making Cameron close her eyes as she savored the smell of the crisp autumn air.

Although they had leaves in Maine, they were never the same as in Tennessee.

Maybe Cameron romanticized the state in her head since it wasn’t often they made the journey south anymore. Cameron’s work schedule on top of the kids’ endless extracurricular activities kept the West family beyond busy in the Cove. Trips to Cameron’s mama’s house were reserved for Thanksgiving.

And the occasional funeral.

There had been more than enough of them over the last few years, starting with Cameron’s dad just over three years ago. Each funeral was like a mini family reunion, making each death a little easier knowing her family was surrounded by so much love and support.

Of course, as she got older, Cameron missed the simplicity that was her childhood in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains.

Those days were so carefree and fun; nothing like the always busy life she had now in the Cove.

Sighing, Cameron leaned onto the white porch railing of her childhood home and sipped her coffee.

The front door opened as her mama stepped out onto the porch.

Wilma Dean West had always been a spitfire.

Her strawberry blonde hair—now from a box—was just as iconic as Lucille Ball’s red hair to their small town.

She had a standing appointment every two weeks at the local beauty salon to have her hair done, and Wilma Dean never missed an appointment.

Not even when her daughter and grandchildren were in town.

“Is that what you’re wearing?” Wilma Dean arched an eyebrow as she looked Cameron up and down. “I thought you were driving me into town.”

“I am, Mama.” Cameron set her coffee mug down on the railing and looked down at her jeans, hoodie, and tennis shoes. “What’s wrong with what I have on?”

Cameron’s question was only mildly sarcastic.

Not that Wilma Dean picked up on it. She was probably too busy wondering how her former beauty pageant daughter was now more content in a hoodie than a crinoline.

Wilma Dean sighed dramatically, taking her car keys out of her small handbag and handing them to Cameron.

“Well, it’s too late for you to change now, anyway. Come on. I can’t be late.”

Not that you’ve ever been late to your hair appointment , Cameron thought to herself as she opened the door to the old Lincoln and got inside.

The car was like a time capsule, stuck in the early 2000s when Cameron had purchased the car for her mama for Christmas.

She’d offered several times to get Wilma Dean a new car, but her mama wouldn’t have it.

It was a good thing Cameron knew her way around their small town like the back of her hand because the car’s cassette player wouldn’t be helpful as a GPS.

She passed the high school where she graduated valedictorian; drove past the grocery store where she worked after school to save money for college.

“I love that nothing’s changed here,” Cameron commented as they drove through the town’s historic downtown.

“What do you mean?” Wilma Dean laughed, sarcastically tossing her hand up as she pointed out the window. “We have seven new coffee shops on this street alone. Ain’t nobody needs that much coffee.”

“You drink coffee every morning, Mama.”

“At my house.” She nodded firmly. “Not at some new age, hippy coffee shop where they charge you ten dollars for a little cup of coffee that has very little coffee in it.”

Cameron tried to hide her chuckle. “Have you ever even been to one of those coffee shops, Mama?”

“I went once with Tina.” Her mama’s frantic sigh told her the outing wasn’t her idea. “The kids wanted to go, and I went with them. Let me tell you, our bill was over sixty dollars! And all we got was coffee!”

Wilma Dean’s exasperation with the new coffee shops made Cameron laugh.

She loved how dramatic she could be; loved how her accent sounded like the ideal southern accent.

Cameron’s accent only showed back up occasionally these days, mostly after visiting Tennessee or when she needed to make an appeal for more money in front of the hospital board.

“I don’t understand why people can’t just make their coffee at home like I do.”

“Maybe they’re not as amazing at making coffee as you are.” Cameron smiled at her mama as she parked in front of the beauty salon. “Do you want me to come in and wait with you or wait out here?”

“Why don’t you try one of our fancy new coffee shops?” Wilma Dean smirked, exiting the car as she slung her purse onto her shoulder and headed inside the salon.

Cameron hesitated for a moment, unsure what to do.

She knew the appointment would take exactly two hours—not a moment more or less.

Wilma Dean paid for two hours and she would get two hours of service.

There were a plethora of coffee shops Cameron could visit and catch up on work emails.

Not even Thanksgiving gave Cameron a break from work.

Cancer never took a day off.

Some days, the weight of Cameron’s job hit her harder than others. Working in a small town, Cameron had had her fair share of patients who were also friends. Or kids of friends. Or even grandkids of friends. No patient was ever easy, but those always made it harder.

Checking her phone, Cameron was relieved to only find two emails from work.

She quickly sent back responses before gathering her bag and stepping out of the car.

Tucking her hands and phone into the pocket of her hoodie, she crossed the street to the nearest coffee shop with some catchy name that Cameron chuckled at.

Cameron ordered one of their specialty coffees before finding a table by the window that overlooked the beauty salon.

Since Cameron rarely had the time to read at home, she had planned ahead for the day and brought her Kindle.

She’d downloaded a new book in the high hopes she could make a major dent in her reading over the next two hours.

Cameron took a sip of the coffee—it wasn’t nearly as bad as her mama had let on—and leaned back into the rather uncomfortable steel chair ready for a peaceful two hours.

But that was all shot to shit when Beth Ann Fowler walked into the coffee shop.

Beth Ann had been Cameron’s best friend when they were kids.

They’d grown up together and were thicker than thieves.

Well, until the night they kissed… and then some.

After that, Beth Ann ghosted Cameron even before Cameron knew that was a thing people did.

At the time, all Cameron knew was that she’d lost her best friend because she was gay and Beth Ann wasn’t.

Which, for their small Tennessee town, wasn’t an uncommon opinion for people to have.

The town had changed some over the years. Cameron noticed more pride flags and rainbow stickers on houses, cars, and businesses each time she came back. And judging by Beth Ann’s new look, pride flags weren’t the only thing symbolizing a change in the town.

Over thirty years had passed since Cameron had seen Beth Ann aside from the few times she randomly stalked her Facebook profile before she finally deleted her own.

It wasn’t like she missed Beth Ann, but more so was curious where her old friends were now.

Most were married with kids, but a few stragglers like Beth Ann remained a mystery to Cameron.

For a moment, she didn’t think Beth Ann would see her. She slumped her shoulders slightly, pulling her Kindle up a little higher over her face. Peeking out just a little over the top of the device, Cameron studied Beth Ann.

Her dark brown hair was cut short into a bob. She had tattoos up and down both arms, throwing everything Cameron remembered about Beth Ann out the window. Gone was the meek debutante that Cameron had competed alongside and, in its place, stood a woman who piqued Cameron’s interests.

Oh, my god. Shut up. You want to be with Mel. Not Beth Ann.

Cameron took a sip of her coffee to clear her head.

Although Melanie and Beth Ann were very different people, Cameron obviously had a thing for brunettes.

Over her Kindle, she watched Beth Ann flirt with the barista before finally taking her drink and turning around.

It was then Cameron noticed the ring on her finger.

And when Beth Ann noticed Cameron.

“Cameron West!” Beth Ann squealed as she hurried over to Cameron. She wrapped her arms around her neck as if they had never stopped being friends. Cameron was too stunned to respond with a hug back for a few seconds. “It’s so good to see you.”

“You too, Beth Ann.”

“It’s just Beth now.”

“Noted.”

“I needed a change, ya know?” Beth ran her hand through her hair. “You get that though, I’m sure. Right?”

“Totally.” Cameron wasn’t sure what Beth was insinuating, but agreeing seemed like the quickest way to get her to leave. “So Cory is your…”

“Husband, yes,” Beth laughed.

“Oh, that’s awesome.”

“I think so.”

Cameron wanted Beth to get the hint that she wasn’t eagerly excited to talk to her, but she also didn’t want to be rude. So instead, she picked up her coffee and took a sip. Beth playfully tapped Cameron’s ring finger.

“Oh, I don’t see a ring!”

“Nope, no ring.”

“Divorced?”

“Never married.” She took another sip of her coffee, this time with her right hand holding the cup.

“But you have kids.”

“I found a way around the marriage thing to have them.”

Beth nervously laughed, clearly unaware that Cameron had never been married before.

“Well, I guess it takes all kinds then, doesn’t it?”

Cameron opened her mouth to say something, but a handsome man appeared outside the window and waved at Beth who smiled back. “That’s Cory. I should go. It was great to see you, Cameron.”

“You too, Beth.”

Without another word, Cameron watched yet again from behind her Kindle as Beth embraced Cory before they walked down the street hand in hand.

The casualness of it made Cameron’s heart happy.

Not specifically for Beth or Cory, although she was happy for them.

But her feelings were more toward the town as a whole.

Living in Moonflower Cove meant that sometimes Cameron forgot the rest of the country wasn’t as accepting of different sexualities as the people of the Cove were. Pulling out her phone, Cameron opened her text thread with Melanie.

I miss you.

The three words were almost instantly read by Melanie.

I miss you more.

No way.

Yes way!

Cameron smiled at the series of emojis Melanie added to the text. It was quickly followed by a selfie of Melanie with Everleigh Mackenzie. She could tell from the picture that Vera must have brought Everleigh to work, and she’d made herself at home at the nurses’ station.

Although Cameron had invited Melanie to join her in Tennessee for Thanksgiving, Melanie had decided it was best to stay home for the holiday.

She didn’t like that, but Cameron understood.

The optics of going out of town with someone in the middle of a divorce might not be the best for Melanie.

At least she was going to be spending the holiday with the Mackenzies tomorrow, though.

Evie! I miss her too!

More than me? Melanie added a winking emoji to the text.

Never. Cameron sent back a kissing face emoji with the text.

She and Melanie texted on and off for the next hour as Cameron waited for her mom.

Each time her phone lit up and Melanie’s name popped up, Cameron felt like a teenager all over again.

Part of her couldn’t wait to get back to the Cove so Cameron could see her again.

When she saw her again, Cameron wanted to take her in her arms and kiss her and never let her go.

“What’s that look for?” Wilma Dean’s voice startled Cameron from her daydream as she dropped her phone onto the wooden table. “Cameron Jean, are you looking at porn?”

“Mama!” Cameron exclaimed. “Why would you say that?”

“You have that goofy grin on your face. The same one I saw when I found you reading your brother’s sports magazines.”

“Ahh, yes. The swimsuit edition.”

Wilma Dean rolled her eyes. “Are you still looking at half-naked women?”

“ No ,” Cameron sarcastically retorted. “I was talking to Melanie. You remember Melanie, right? From work?”

“The pretty one.”

Cameron blushed as she nodded.

“Well, at least your taste in women has gotten better over the years.”

The offhand comment meant more to Cameron than Wilma Dean probably knew.

Her parents never made her feel different or unloved after she came out.

Instead, they’d stood by her since that day and never stopped.

Her siblings had been the same way. Cameron knew how lucky she was to have that kind of family in a small Tennessee town.

“Now, come on.” With a firm wave of her hand, Wilma Dean motioned for Cameron to join her. “We have a lot of work to do before Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow and little time to do it in.”

“We would have had more time if you hadn’t had your hair dyed,” Cameron teased, earning her a glare from Wilma Dean. But as the middle child, she was used to it. “Sorry, Mama.”

“And for that, you can sit at the kids’ table tomorrow.” Wilma Dean smirked, letting Cameron know she was mostly teasing.

But Cameron had a feeling she would still wind up at the kids’ table tomorrow.