Chapter Nine

Reese scanned the carefully handwritten note for a second time, Cam standing across from her. She cleared her throat.

“Dear Wishing Tree, my name is Aiden Brown and I’m ten years old. I wish for my little brother Austen to have a tent for his seventh birthday so we can camp in the backyard. Our dad was going to make one for us but he had to leave to fight a fire in another state and our mom is busy at work helping take care of old people. If you could give him this gift, I promise to eat all my vegetables for the rest of the month. Thank you very much. P.S. His birthday is July tenth.”

Reese sighed, the note was one of the sweetest things she’d ever read. “How kind is this wish?”

“Very,” Cam said. “The Browns are a nice family. I’ve known Willow and Wes since we were in high school. Willow is a caregiver at the Senior Center and Wes is part of the hotshot crew for the US Forest Service.”

“That’s a dangerous job.”

“It is.”

This made her even more keen to grant Aiden’s wish. “You see our dilemma?”

“Today is Austen’s birthday.”

“How long do you think it would take us?” She hated cutting into Cam’s writing time, but how could they not do this today?

He squeezed the back of his neck. “Knowing you, at least a few hours because you won’t do it halfway.”

“I could do it on my own. Or I’ll ask Nash. Yeah, I think I’ll do that so you can get back to your schedule.” She stepped away from the tree and started toward Cam’s parked car. “I’ll call him on the drive home. I want to be sure it’s done before it gets dark.”

Cam fell into step beside her. “I’ll do it with you.”

“No, you’re going to write for the rest of the day so that I don’t humiliate you by finishing my screenplay before you finish yours.”

“Oh, now it’s on. I can help you today and write a screenplay faster than you.”

“An action screenplay with car chases and explosions and fistfights and a love interest.” Not to nag or anything, but both of their futures were at stake.

“Is that all?”

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, his easygoing tone unsettling. He should be more worried about this, and then she hated herself for wishing such a thing. Deep down he was stressed enough.

“I think so,” she said.

“There’s a camping store off the highway not too far from here.”

“Do you know where the family lives? Or maybe a phone number for Willow so we can make arrangements to get in her backyard?”

He pulled his phone out of his jeans pocket. “I don’t, but I know someone who does.”

“Your mom,” she said, at the same time he said, “My mom.”

…

“This is above and beyond,” Willow said, grateful tears shining in her green eyes.

“We’re so happy to do this for you,” Reese said, standing beside Cam in the Brown’s kitchen. It had taken longer than they’d hoped to shop for everything, but Reese had made it fun for them. And by fun, she meant making up words to the songs on the radio and singing them at the top of her lungs while they drove from store to store.

Willow swiped at an errant tear sliding down her cheek. “I’ll pick the boys up at summer camp and take them on errands. We’ll get home around seven?”

“That gives us plenty of time,” Cam said. “We’ll see you when you get back.”

They got right to work and two hours later a canvas bell tent took up much of the grassy backyard. Inside the tent, they set up two ultra-soft sleeping bags, a rug, two beanbag chairs, a round coffee table, and a mini-bookshelf that held two decks of cards, checkers, Yahtzee, and comic books. An outdoor star pendant light hung from the center pole, and they’d towered a pile of blankets in case the boys wanted to make a fort inside the tent.

Stepping out through the open zippered screen door of the tent, Reese turned to peek at their handy work.

“Looks good.” Cam came to stand beside her and admire the tent.

“It looks amazing! They’re going to love it.”

“Ready to finish out here?”

She nodded and retrieved the two birthday balloon bouquets they’d bought to place on either side of the tent’s door. “You don’t know this about me, but one summer my parents sent me to camp for a week and I cried every night, I was so homesick. I think I was ten, and the other girls in the cabin hated me. They called me a crybaby.”

Cam put down a welcome doormat at the tent’s entrance. “If those girls could see you now.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean you’re smart, outgoing, a hard worker, kind, and a horrible singer.”

“Hey!” She swatted him with the back of her hand.

“Don’t go hating the truth. It’s one of the things I love about you.” He straightened the mat with his foot.

“It is?” She took a step back and looked around at what they still had left to do.

“Yeah. That you don’t care what you sound like and just let it rip is pretty awesome. You love to sing, so you do.”

Her stomach fluttered at the compliment. Cam said nice things to her all the time, especially when she needed to hear them most. That’s what best friends did, lifted each other’s spirits.

“It’s recommended people wear earplugs when you’re belting out Taylor Swift, but we can’t all be prepared for such a noise,” he added with a smirk.

And then they went and ruined it—in the best possible way.

She laughed. “You’re so in trouble on the way home.”

He picked up a flashlight to load with batteries. “Do your worst.” He rolled his lips together, like he was trying not to laugh at his own joke. So cute.

So cute? She shook her head to rid it of the thought. There had to be something new in the Rustic Creek water because she and Cam were acting differently, noticing each other in ways they’d avoided their whole lives. Well, most of their lives.

Before she could say something witty back to him, her cell belted out Taylor Swift. Funny timing. “Looks like we conjured her,” Reese said.

“Or it’s Melissa.” Cam kneeled in front of the two red plastic Adirondack chairs they’d purchased and started assembling the telescope they’d found on sale.

He was right, of course. Reese had three different ring tones: Taylor Swift for Melissa, Earth, Wind & Fire for Cam, and the standard Blues for everyone else.

She answered her other best friend’s call. “Hi, Mel! You’re on speaker. I’m with Cam.”

“Hey, Melissa,” Cam called out.

“Hi! Did I catch you guys at an okay time? You’re not in the middle of writing an important scene or something?”

“Your timing is perfect.” Rather than get into what they were doing, Reese got straight to the point of the phone call. She’d been waiting to hear from Melissa all day. “Now tell me everything! How did Scott take the news?” Mel had found out last week she was pregnant. Luckily, she and Scott were the forever kind of couple, but the unplanned event had weighed heavily on her.

“He asked me to marry him!” Melissa screamed, so loudly that Reese was pretty sure the next door neighbors heard her.

“Oh my God! Congratulations! I’m so happy for you.”

“Congratulations,” Cam added.

“Thank you. Obviously, the pregnancy was a shock, but he’s had the ring for a couple of months. He was just waiting for the right time and after I told him about the baby, he got down on one knee and proposed.”

“Oh, Mel.”

Pregnant? Cam mouthed. Reese nodded.

“Don’t you dare cry on me when we’re not together to hug it out.”

“Sorry.” She rolled her bottom lip between her teeth to curb her emotions. “I can’t help it.”

Cam put the telescope aside and stood so he could bring her against his chest for a hug. “Her lip is quivering, but I’ve got her,” he said to the phone.

“Thanks, Cam,” Melissa said.

Reese took a deep breath, in through her nose, out through her mouth. “I’m so bummed I’m not there to celebrate with you.”

“Can you FaceTime later?”

“For sure. I want to see the ring on your finger, not to mention your beautiful face.” She pulled away from Cam, immediately missing his comfort and warmth. As per usual, except this time when their eyes met afterward, she’d swear a firebomb of attraction passed between them.

“Don’t freak when I say this, but we might elope.”

“What?” Reese took several steps away from Cam to break the pull between them. (It mostly worked.)

“We want to get married before the baby comes. And I don’t want to have a big belly on my wedding day. Scott’s cousin has a place in Lake Tahoe so we’re thinking September with immediate family and close friends. Are you ready to be my maid of honor?”

“Yes! And I’ll help with everything.”

“I know you will.” Melissa giggled. “Uh, my fiancé is waggling his eyebrows at me right now and saying ‘Caleb.’”

Reese rolled her eyes. Scott had been trying to get her together with his twin brother for years, but they had zero chemistry. Not to mention if it didn’t work out, it would put a strain on her friendship with Mel. “I assume he’s the best man.”

“You assume right.”

Cam went back to assembling the telescope, his back to her. Finally! The inexplicable power drawing her to him deflated now that he’d turned away.

“You know how I feel about dating him.”

“I know, but a girl can dream can’t she? If you married Caleb, we’d be sisters-in-law.”

The telescope tipped over with a thunk before Cam quickly righted it.

“You’re already a sister to me.” Friends since middle school, she and Mel knew each other’s secrets, favorite frozen yogurt flavor, first celebrity crush, and where to find each other’s spare key.

“True. Okay, I’ve gotta go. My fiancé is making kissy faces at me. Talk later. Love you! Bye, Cam!”

“Love you!” Reese disconnected, beyond thrilled for her best friend.

Melissa—married. With a baby on the way.

Life could change in the blink of an eye.

Cam spun around. “You okay?”

That he thought to double check and ask her that made her insides melty. “I’m okay. I wish we lived closer, but I’ll see her soon.”

“She’s still hoping you’ll go out with Caleb.”

“Yes, but…”

“You’re single again and Melissa wants you to be happy. Maybe you should give the guy a chance.”

Cam had never encouraged her to date Caleb before, so why now? It couldn’t only be because she was single. Was he pushing her into someone else’s arms because it had felt good to have her in his, and that freaked him out? It definitely freaked her out.

“But,” she emphasized, “he’s Scott’s brother. If things didn’t work out it could ruin my friendship with Mel. I can’t take that chance. She’s family to me.”

They exchanged knowing glances. The same was true for the two of them, which meant this new, wonderful, but dangerous awareness between them had to end.

He bent down to pick up a soccer ball. “So you don’t trip over it.” Standing back up, his eyes tracked her body, sending a surge of warmth through her. She hadn’t changed out of her clothes from earlier, but added a cute little zippered hoodie over her tank top.

“I tripped over it once! Sheesh.”

“It’s kind of hard to miss.” He placed it on an Adirondack chair, a playful smile tugging on his mouth.

“Need I remind you of the time you tripped over a stability ball?”

“It was easy to miss,” he retaliated.

“It was bright blue!”

“You sure?”

“Oh my God. Yes, I’m sure. I’m also sure you tripped over it because you were checking out that brunette on the treadmill, the one who always wore the white cropped tees.”

He scrubbed a hand over his jaw. “That’s right. I remember her.” A faraway look crossed his face. “She had nice—”

“Cam.” Reese did not need to hear about his thoughts on Miss Perfect Body who didn’t even sweat while she ran. Everyone sweated!

“Form,” Cam finished, his golden brown eyes full of mirth.

Lighthearted Cam made it difficult to form a coherent thought that didn’t include sexy and funny, so Reese looked away to take in the backyard. “I think our work here is done.”

Cam did the same, then raised his hand for a high-five. “Nice job, partner.” He zeroed in on her eyes, looking so deeply she was pretty sure he just French-kissed her soul. Suddenly it was a lot warmer outside than it had been a minute ago. It’s just your imagination. Cam does not want to kiss any part of you.

“I’m sorry it took longer than we planned.”

“I’m not.” An appreciative look softened his chiseled features. Or maybe it was the fading daylight creating a glow around his head. “You’re a good reminder that life doesn’t revolve around work.”

She moved to stand behind an Adirondack chair with her hands curved over the top of the slatted seat back. “Thanks. It’s good to hear you say that.” Although now wasn’t the best time for him to realize it. With Leo beyond eager for Cam’s screenplay, her best friend needed to hop to it. Today had been her fault, but it wouldn’t happen again.

A car honked, drawing their attention away from each other.

“I think that’s Willow,” Cam said.

A second honk sounded. “I think you’re right.” Reese took one last look around the campsite they’d created and smiled in satisfaction. “We really can’t stay and see their reaction?”

“It’s supposed to be anonymous.”

“We could break the rule.”

“We’d better go. Come on.”

They hurried over to the gate and waited until the boys and Willow were no longer out front. With the coast clear, they jogged to Cam’s car and made their getaway.

A few minutes later, Cam parked on the circular drive in front of his parents’ house. Always a gentleman, he hurried around to open her door.

“Want to come to the guesthouse to write?” She dragged her feet, not wanting to walk away from him quite yet. Not unusual, considering he really was the peanut butter to her jelly.

“Thanks, but I think I’m going to stay here. Do you want to come in for something to eat?”

A tiny thrill floated down her spine at his wanting more time with her, too. Which meant she definitely needed to say good night.

“That’s okay. I’ll see you tomorrow. Good luck with the writing.” She walked toward the guesthouse and he walked toward his front door.

“Good night,” he tossed out.

She sensed his eyes on her but didn’t turn around. She strode straight into the guesthouse and collapsed on the couch to check her phone. She’d felt two vibrations and had a good idea who the new texts were from: Agent A.

She’d yet to send him today’s update, hoping he’d give up on using her. No such luck there, so she reluctantly texted him back what she believed to be true in her heart. All good! Be ready to have your socks knocked off.