Page 4 of Only in Our Dream (Moonflower Cove #15)

Cameron

T here were three places Cameron felt she spent most of her time: Taylor Memorial Hospital, Moonflower Cove High School, and Moonflower Cove Junior High.

From sporting events to plays to parent-teacher conferences, Cameron had made the schools her second home over the last decade.

She even had her favorite parking spot at the junior high—the one under the oak tree that kept the sun from her eyes while she waited for Dylan to get done with play practice.

Which was exactly what she was waiting for now.

Dylan was in rehearsals for a fall choir concert in which she had a solo.

She’d told Cameron multiple times that usually only high schoolers got solos, so it was a big deal that she got one still in junior high.

Cameron was beyond proud of Dylan. She worked so hard in school, choir, and theater.

There was no doubt Dylan could go far in whatever path she pursued.

Jonah was the same way. He was acing his first semester of his sophomore year and practicing with the hockey team. Although he was only on the junior varsity team currently, Cameron had high hopes he’d make it to varsity if he kept practicing and showed up to practice on time.

Cameron sighed. She couldn’t be prouder of her two kids. They were her world; had been since the moment she had them. Deciding to have kids without a partner wasn’t a decision Cameron ever thought she’d have to make. She always saw herself as finding the perfect woman and then having babies.

But Cameron was impatient. She didn’t want to wait around to have kids. Cameron wanted to have them when she was young and na?ve enough to think that raising a baby and starting a full-time career would be easy. Back then, Cameron took life by the horns, held on, and enjoyed the ride.

And it had been one hell of a ride.

Raising Jonah and Dylan wasn’t always easy, but it was always worth it.

She had learned to rely on other people for help, realizing she wasn’t Super Mom, no matter how much she fancied herself that way.

Cameron had built an amazing support system with her closest friends—mostly Vera, Isla, and Melanie—so she felt comfortable letting them watch her kids whenever she had to work late or had a case that was occupying more of her time.

Cameron also learned that asking for help wasn’t a bad thing.

And neither was having to miss a school recital because she was in the middle of surgery removing a tumor so that a mother could live to see their own child’s recital one day.

She liked to believe that the Cameron who first moved to Moonflower Cove for her fellowship would be so proud of the Cameron of today.

The passenger door to her SUV opened, pulling Cameron out of her thoughts. Dylan tossed her backpack into the floorboard and got inside, buckling her seatbelt before turning to Cameron.

“I rocked that.”

“I’m glad to see you have my confidence,” Cameron laughed as she kissed Dylan’s cheek. “So, rehearsal was good?”

“So good. Me and Ellie are still the only seventh graders who have solos.” Dylan sank slightly in her seat. “Even if Ellie has a bigger part.”

Ellie Mackenzie was Isla and Vera’s middle child. She and Dylan were the same age, with Ellie only a month older. They had literally grown up together and were best friends, but occasionally, Cameron saw Dylan’s jealousy for Ellie rear up.

“There are no small parts.”

“Only small actors,” Dylan completed with a laugh. “I know. I know. What’s for dinner?”

Cameron snorted a laugh as she pulled out of the parking lot. “Great transition there. Aunt Mel is bringing a pizza over for movie night.”

“Can we watch Annabelle , please?” Dylan begged dramatically. “I know you said last year I was still too young, but Mom, come on. I wasn’t. And I’m twelve now.”

“I still think that’s too young to be watching those movies.”

“Just because you’re scared of them doesn’t mean I will be scared of them.”

“I’m not scared,” Cameron nervously laughed, doing little to prove the movies didn’t keep her up at night. “I just don’t know if Aunt Mel will want to watch that.”

“She watched it with Ellie last year. In the theater. ” Dylan added as if it was the ultimate selling point. She quickly typed out a message on her phone, and she kept pleading with Cameron. “Please, Mom? I promise I won’t be scared.”

Cameron sighed. She knew, eventually, she’d have to let her baby grow up and watch her scary movie. Truthfully, Cameron hated them, which was why they were never watched at the house. But clearly Dylan didn’t have the same thoughts. At least not yet.

“We’ll see what Aunt Mel says.”

Dylan turned her phone screen toward Cameron. “She says it’s okay with her if it’s okay with you.”

“Wow, way to gang up on me there.”

“It’s what Aunt Mel and I are known for,” Dylan chuckled, putting her phone in the cup holder as she turned toward Cameron. “Ya know, Mom, you really fumbled the ball with her.”

Cameron nearly ran off the road at Dylan’s words.

Had she heard her correctly? She couldn’t have.

What on earth did Dylan mean by that? Sure, almost all of Cameron’s friends had commented that she and Melanie acted like a couple, but her kids had never said that.

At least not to her face. So, what did Dylan mean? There was only one way to find out.

“What do you mean?” Cameron nervously asked.

“Mom,” Dylan’s face grew more serious as Cameron approached a stop sign, “come on. I’m not a kid anymore. I can see how you look at her.”

“How I look at who?” Despite trying to remain chill, Cameron felt her face blushing as she tried not to laugh. “Aunt Mel?”

“ Melanie ,” Dylan’s voice was sweet and innocent, and Cameron rolled her eyes. “Come on , Mom. Just admit it.”

“Admit what?”

Going through the intersection, Cameron tried to focus on the road instead of how her twelve-year-old daughter was calling her out.

“You love Aunt Mel.”

“Of course I do. She’s my best friend.”

“Mother.”

“Daughter.”

“Why can’t you just admit it?”

“Honey,” Cameron tightened the grip on the steering wheel, “there’s nothing to admit. Melanie has been my best friend for years. Decades. I love her, yes. But she’s married to Uncle Rob.”

Cameron wasn’t sure why she added the last bit in. Pulling the car into the driveway, Cameron parked it and looked over at Dylan.

“But if she wasn’t married to Rob,” Dylan looked down at her hands in her lap, “would you love her as more than a friend?”

The air seemed to be sucked out of the SUV as Cameron tried to figure out not only how to answer the question but also why Dylan was asking it in the first place. Had someone said something to her? Had she noticed something between them?

How could she? There’s nothing there.

Cameron internally snorted a laugh. She would be lying to herself if she believed that. Truthfully, things would probably be different if Melanie hadn’t been married to Rob. But Cameron couldn’t tell Dylan that.

“Why the sudden curiosity, hmm?” Gently, Cameron tucked Dylan’s hair behind her ear. When Dylan looked back up at her, Cameron noticed a sadness in her eyes. “Talk to me.”

“I dunno,” Dylan shrugged, her tone borderline defensive. “Forget it. I’m sorry I asked.”

Dylan started to get out of the SUV, but Cameron locked the doors.

“Nope. We’re talking about this. You started it.”

Since they were born, Cameron had always kept an open line of communication with her kids. They always knew they could be honest and open with Cameron, and she would do the same in return. So Dylan being defensive would not fly with Cameron.

“Where’s this coming from?”

“I don’t know,” Dylan repeated. “It’s stupid.”

“It’s not stupid if it’s upsetting you.”

Dylan sighed, leaning back into the seat as she looked up at Cameron.

“I just want you to be happy.”

Cameron couldn’t have been taken more off guard if Dylan had told her she was going to the moon. Dylan wanted her to be happy? But Cameron was happy. She had two amazing kids, a job she loved going to, and friends who always had her back. So she was happy.

Right?

She was suddenly doubting that as Dylan kept talking.

“I’ve seen you dating all these women. I know you don’t care about them because you never introduced them to us.

And I get it; it’s part of your Mom Code or whatever.

But I’m not a little kid anymore and I know you.

I can tell when you’re really happy and it’s not by dating whatever woman happened to get your attention for a few dates. You’re happiest with Aunt Mel.”

Being called out by her twelve-year-old wasn’t on Cameron’s bingo card for the day. She had no prepared answers and had nothing to say to negate anything Dylan had just said. Because, truthfully, Dylan had nailed her.

Cameron had been mindlessly dating women over the years with no intention of pursuing anything more than drinks or dinner.

She never invited them over to her house or to meet her kids.

And she always ended up at Melanie’s house at the end of every relationship venting about how that person wasn’t for her.

Melanie never judged her, never made her feel bad for not settling down with someone.

She simply refilled her wine glass and let her keep talking.

But that’s just what friends did, right?

Yeah, and they kiss on New Year’s Eve, too.

Shaking that memory from her head, Cameron focused back on Dylan.

“Honey, I am happy. Honestly. I’m sorry that my dating habits have made you question that. That’s really why I don’t bring anyone around; I don’t want you or Jonah to get attached and then for them to leave.”

“You don’t have to hide them, Mom. We know you date and it’s cool with us.”

“So, you and Jonah have…”

“Discussed every woman you’ve ever dated?” Dylan smirked. “Yes. Yes, we have.”

“For how long?” Cameron asked, the shock of the entire conversation still wearing off.

“Since you dated Alisa from HR.”

Great. So seven years ago.

“But don’t worry, Mom.” Dylan smirked again. “Jonah agrees with me and just wants you to be happy, too.”

“Well, I appreciate you both looking out for me. But I promise you that you and your brother make me happier than I ever thought possible.” Cameron tilted her head, smiling. “Except maybe when you call me out for liking Aunt Mel. ”

Cameron tried to play it off as if she’d never considered the thought before. But she could tell by Dylan’s look she didn’t believe her.

“Whatever you need to tell yourself.”

With a laugh, Dylan gathered her bag and exited the car. Cameron followed behind with her own bag in tow. As Dylan crashed out on the couch watching TV, Cameron stood in the kitchen mindlessly munching on M&M’s as she thought about what Dylan had said.

You’re the happiest with Aunt Mel.

Was that true? Was it so obvious that her kids had picked up on it? And if they had picked up on it, who else had? Vera? Isla?

Melanie?

Cameron’s stomach did somersaults at the thought. Melanie was married. Had been for years. Sure, Cameron knew Melanie and Rob weren’t the happiest in their marriage. But she’d never wish for their divorce for her own selfish, hidden desires.

Although apparently not too hidden.

“Get your shit together,” Cameron whispered to herself as she closed the M&M bag with a clip. “Mel is married and your best friend. You can’t keep having these thoughts.”

Not even after New Year’s Eve.

Not for the first time since the holiday kiss, Cameron mentally kicked herself for doing it.

It had done nothing but confuse the shit out of her since then.

Because why did Melanie turn toward her lips as Cameron went in to kiss her cheek?

Especially when she knew Isla was taking their picture.

The question would haunt Cameron forever.

Or until she got the nerve to just ask Melanie.

The alarm over the front door dinged, signaling someone had opened the door. Cameron knew by Dylan’s less-than-excited chatter it was Jonah and not Melanie. She didn’t know why, but she felt a pang of sadness knowing it wasn’t Melanie.

Oh, my god. Relax. It’s just Mel.

But that was the problem. It was Melanie .

The one Cameron was happiest around and whom she’d been dreaming about kissing for months.

Shit.

Forcing a smile, Cameron headed for the living room to join Jonah and Dylan.