Page 43 of Sunny Skies Ahead (Watford Sweethearts #2)
Chapter thirty-two
Kameron
T he Warrior’s Foundation had promised us a brief wait while they deliberated.
On day three, we’d all gathered in the Winding Road farmhouse, ready to receive the news.
Abbie and Imogen were baking cookies in the kitchen, while Connor and Lucas lounged on the couch with Bass running laps around the living room.
My chest tightened at how perfect the scene was. After my dad died, I’d struggled with finding and making friends. Even in the Marine Corps, I’d tried to keep a healthy professional distance between myself and the people I worked with. I never dreamed I would have a family like this.
More than anything, I hadn’t dreamed I’d have a woman like Imogen to call mine.
As if she heard my thoughts, she looked at me over her shoulder and blew me a kiss.
A moment later, my phone rang, and I almost jumped out of my skin.
All conversation ceased, and all eyes landed on me as I fished my phone out of my pocket.
The caller ID showed a Seattle area code, and a lump formed in my throat.
“Good morning. Is this Kameron Miller? ”
I damn near dropped the phone, despite the fact that I’d been expecting this call.
“Yes, it is.”
“This is Candace, from the Warrior’s Foundation. We wanted to let you know we made a decision.”
Imogen appeared at my side and squeezed my hand encouragingly. I focused on the feeling of her skin against mine as I waited for the final domino to fall.
“The main grant you applied for, the Warrior’s Grant, will be going to another nonprofit.”
My grip on the phone tightened. Connor and Abbie were clutching each other, waiting with patient ears, and I shook my head, making a “cut the camera” motion underneath my neck. Abbie’s face fell, and Connor’s expression turned stoic.
Abbie immediately turned to whisper to Connor, no doubt discussing the next steps and how we were going to come back from this.
Imogen had already muttered “freaking Claudia” under her breath.
I untangled my hand from hers and began pacing around the living room, grasping for words that didn’t convey how utterly crushed I was in that moment.
“That said, everyone on the selection committee was inspired by the Winding Road story. We would like to work with you in a more intimate capacity.”
What?
I paused my steps, fumbling for the right words to remain professional and not an asshole. But another offer of funding outside of the Warrior’s Grant was a curveball I hadn’t expected or rehearsed for.
“I don’t follow. ”
“Winding Road serves a population that needs this work. There are relatively few nonprofits that focus on healing the effects of PTSD and traumatic experiences holistically. This is something our foundation has been at the forefront of researching for the last decade. We’re fascinated by the idea of having a front-row seat for a case study on how for-profit and non-profit programming might coincide, as with the two subsections of Winding Road Farm and Recovery. ”
There was a brief pause as Candace shuffled some papers in the background. I sucked in another short breath of air.
“The Warrior’s Grant included a monetary stipend and resources, and this mentorship—should you wish to accept it—would include those things and more.
We’ll send all the details to your email, including the contract.
Take a few weeks to think things over and review the contract with your lawyer.
If you have questions, or if you’d like to sit down for a conversation with someone you’d be working with, let me know. I’m happy to arrange it.”
“It’s an honor,” I said, my throat closing up as a new well of emotion rose in my chest. “Thank you for seeing the value and vision in Winding Road. It means more than I can express.”
“What?” Imogen whisper-yelled. She looked ready to combust. “What’s happening?”
“You’re more than welcome, Mr. Miller. We look forward to hearing from you. We’d like a formal decision by the end of the holiday weekend.”
“Thank you,” I said, not knowing what else to say. Thank you wasn’t powerful enough to describe how meaningful this gift was. This was more than I could have hoped for .
Imogen’s phone dinged with a new email, and her face lit up as she briefly read the subject line. Her gaze snapped to mine as I exchanged closing niceties with Candace before.
“Is she serious?” Imogen said. The excitement and wonder in her eyes made me weak in the knees.
We’d done it. Not in the way we’d originally planned, but we’d done it.
“I think so,” I said, still slightly dizzy from the emotional roller coaster I just got off.
Imogen let out a whoop of excitement as she launched towards me, hugging me tightly.
“Wait, what’s happening? Explain yourselves!” Abbie cried. “Are we celebrating or crying?”
“They gave the grant to someone else, but they extended us another offer. It’s funding and mentorship, the same as the Warrior’s Grant, but it sounds like it will be more personalized.
They really see potential in us,” I said, not fully believing it, even as I wrapped my arms around Imogen and buried my face into her shoulder.
The comforting scent of her perfume mixed with the fresh mountain air enveloped me.
“This is really happening,” I said. “Am I actually getting everything I want?”
Imogen’s laugh was bright and beautiful as Connor, Abbie, and Lucas came over to swarm us in a big group hug.
“There’s no one else in the world who deserves it more, Kam,” Lucas said, and for once, I believed him.