Chapter Thirty-One

“Dude, you’re sitting on a lawn chair staring into space. What is wrong with you?” Nolan asked upon finding Cam under a tree in the greenbelt that ran behind their townhomes.

“Hey,” Cam said.

“Hey?” Nolan dropped down on the grass beside him. “That does not reassure me you’re not having a mental breakdown or something.”

“I’m fine.”

“You don’t look fine.”

“How do I look?”

Nolan studied him. “Like a lovesick puppy.”

“Sounds about right,” Cam admitted. He’d filled Nolan in on his career and Leo but not his personal life.

“Seriously? Who’s the girl?” Nolan waited a beat and then his eyebrows shot up. “Reese?”

“Yeah, we got closer up in Rustic Creek.”

“Best friends to lovers. Classic, dude. But wait, she doesn’t feel the same?”

“I think she does, but I screwed it up.”

Nolan rolled his eyes. “It’s impossible that you’ve messed up that badly.”

“I hope you’re right. We haven’t talked in a few days.”

“I talked to her two nights ago.”

Cam’s back went rigid. “How did she sound?” He seriously needed to just give her a call already but he’d been unable to come up with the right words. Him. A writer. At a loss for words. Because more than any other time in his life, they mattered significantly. The ball had been left in his court when he asked for space and he once again needed to woo her to gain her trust. In him. In them.

“Good, maybe a little tired. Why don’t you text her?” Nolan suggested. “Start slow, then go from there?”

An idea came to him. During their game of This or That, she’d shared she’d never received “good morning” texts.

Done, Nuzzle. Prepare for the best mornings ever.

He also planned to send her his screenplay. He’d revised Kiss of Life and what better way to win her back than with a one-hundred-and-twenty-page love letter.

“Thanks, man. You just helped remind me of something I can start doing.” He stood and folded his chair, tucked it under his arm to walk back home.

Nolan fell in step beside him. “Glad to be of help. By the way, Sunday night, barbecue at my place.”

“You inviting many people?”

“Maybe a dozen. Feel free to bring a certain someone.”

“Actually, do you think you could invite her? I’m working on a plan.”

“Yeah, I can do that.”

“Thanks.” That gave Cam three mornings to text her before he saw her. If she accepted the invite from Nolan…

Day One: Good morning, beautiful. I’m sorry for leaving like I did. I haven’t stopped thinking about you for even a minute and hope you have a great day.

Day Two: Good morning, sexy. I hope you have a happy day. I’m picturing you, so mine is off to a great start.

Day Three: Good morning, Nuzzle. I miss you and hope to see you tonight at Nolan’s. Have a wonderful day. P.S. Something special is being delivered to your house today.

…

Reese sat on her balcony and wiggled her newly painted toes. Beside her, Melissa did the same. Her best friend had driven up from Las Vegas to surprise her for the weekend. After everything that had happened with Cam and work, Mel had wanted to deliver some girl time.

“I like the pink,” Reese said, referring to Mel’s toes.

“I like the blue,” Mel said, referring to Reese’s toes.

They’d chosen colors based on their baby predictions. Reese almost painted her toes on one foot blue and the other foot pink, but she didn’t want to freak Mel out. Twins ran in her family.

The doorbell rang, signaling the pizza delivery. “Thank goodness,” Melissa said, “I’m starving.”

They both went inside the apartment. “We’ve got plenty of snacks you know,” Reese said, walking to the door while Mel took a seat at the small kitchen table.

“I wanted to save room,” Mel called out.

Reese smiled and opened the door to find a woman holding a flower arrangement and a large manila envelope. “Reese Resnick?” the woman asked.

“Yes.” Reese accepted the flowers and envelope and carried them into the kitchen, her heart beating a little harder inside her chest. Cam had said to expect a delivery and while she loved the flowers, she was almost certain by the size of the envelope that his screenplay was inside.

“That’s not pizza,” Mel said. Then, with wide, hopeful eyes added, “Are they from Cam?”

“I think so.” She put the heavy glass vase down on the kitchen counter. The bouquet of wildflowers could only be from one place—Rustic Creek. Reese had never seen flowers like these anywhere else. She pulled out the tiny card. I’m wild about you. Love, Cam.

“Aww,” Mel said, reading the note over Reese’s shoulder.

Reese opened the manila envelope next. Her heart pounded when she pulled out the manuscript and read the title page: Kiss of Life by Cameron Radcliffe.

Near the bottom of the page, he’d written, For Reese, love you always and forever, Cam.

Her legs and hands shaking, she leaned against the counter for support.

“He’s upping his apology game,” Melissa said with a sigh.

Yeah, he was.

The doorbell rang again, and this time Melissa answered it while Reese held the manuscript against her chest. She’d responded to each of his morning texts with a simple thank you, but deep down what she felt was anything but simple. There was so much she did want to say to him, but it had to be in person. And she needed to be sure she had all her thoughts in order.

The yummy scent of barbecue chicken pizza hit her nose before Mel entered the room. Reese grabbed a couple of plates and some napkins to place on the table.

“Let’s eat,” Melissa said, putting the pizza box down, taking a seat, and pulling a slice out in record time. “Oh my God, this is good.”

Reese agreed, chowing down on her piece.

“So, about tonight,” Mel said. “I think I’ll stay here, that way if you want to spend extra time with Cam, you can.”

“What? No. You have to come with me or I’m not going.” Nolan had invited her to a barbecue at his house. A casual thing with a few friends, so she didn’t have to attend, even though she’d already texted him to ask if she could bring Mel.

“You’re going.” She pointed her pizza at Reese. “Cam lives right next door and he’ll be there and you two need to kiss and make up so all is right in the world again.”

“But you’re driving home tomorrow.”

“I’m going to see you again in two weeks for wedding stuff. Besides, I’ll be asleep by seven.”

Her pregnancy did zap her of energy. “Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

“Okay. I am anxious to see him and I think I’m finally ready.” She eyed the script on the counter.

Mel’s head tilted to the side. “I know you are.”

They finished off half the pizza while talking about Mel’s upcoming wedding plans. The big day was taking place in Lake Tahoe like Mel had hoped.

While cleaning up, Reese noticed a yellow envelope peeking out of the stack of mail she’d grabbed earlier. She slipped it free and, seeing the return address belonged to Pixie, couldn’t open it fast enough. Inside she found a lovely card and a few photos from Founder’s Day. A picture of her with Cam, Nash, and Gael at the Taste of Rustic Creek. A shot of all of them smiling broadly, kids and parents, in the town square. A candid photo of Cam and his dad, laughing.

When she came to the last two photos, her breath caught. They were pictures of her and Cam, one from the cocktail party, taken while they danced. The other was from the Founder’s Day parade, the two of them smiling at each other rather than watching the float passing by. She remembered that exact moment. Not what they said to each other. But how she felt. Like she’d swallowed happy pills and her feet weren’t touching the ground.

God, she missed everything about him. Tonight couldn’t arrive quick enough.

“You two are beautiful together,” Melissa said, coming to stand beside her. “I’m here if you need me, but I don’t think you will.”

Reese hugged Mel then picked up the screenplay. “Do you mind if I—”

“Not at all. I would’ve been shocked if you didn’t want to read it right away.”

An hour later, she knew her life would never be the same.

“There she is, my partner in crime!” Nolan called out when Reese walked into his two-story townhome. A sign on the door had read Come on in.

“Hi, Nolan. I haven’t even had the interview yet.” She looked forward to it, though and planned to take the job if it was offered to her. The idea of doing a podcast excited her more and more every day. She handed him his favorite six pack of beer and glanced around. “For you.” His townhome mirrored Cam’s but had more of a bachelor pad vibe.

“Thanks,” he said, holding up the gift. “Come grab a drink.”

She followed him to a nice sized kitchen with an open sliding glass door. People were socializing and moving from inside to outside and vice versa, party cups or small plates of food in their hands. She recognized one or two people. But she didn’t see Cam anywhere. Had he changed his mind?

“What can I get you?” Nolan asked. Various drinks littered the kitchen countertop.

“Just water for now, please.”

Nolan grabbed a plastic cup and reached behind him to fill it with water from the fridge. “Food’s to your right and”—his attention caught on something to his right, making Reese turn her head— “your boyfriend’s to your left.”

Boyfriend.

Is that what Cam had told him?

“Hi, Reese,” Cam said, looking amazing in jeans and a cream-colored T-shirt that made his eyes shine like rings of solid gold. Those eyes also said he’d missed her and wanted to touch her as much as she wanted to touch him.

She forgot all about the water and Nolan and everything else and walked straight into his arms. “Hi.” Just like that. No pretense. No should she or shouldn’t she. This was the man who’d written a movie for her. About her.

About the two of them.

He wrapped her in a warm embrace, resting his chin on top of her head. She melted against him. Her soft body connected to his hard one, their hearts beating the same cadence. She took a slow, deep breath. He smelled like home.

Her fluttery stomach and butterfly-addled head proved her love for him had only grown stronger this past week despite the strain between them.

“My work here is done,” she heard Nolan say.

She smiled against Cam’s chest. He must have arranged her invitation to this evening’s get-together.

They pulled apart. “Come to my house?” he asked.

“Yes.”

He took her hand, sending flutters up her arm, and marched her out of Nolan’s like a man on a mission. His touch and take-charge attitude infused her entire body with warm, tingly sensations.

And hope. She planned to have the word tattooed next to her butterfly.

They walked next door, each step heightening her awareness of him. She’d been to his townhouse a thousand times before, but this time meant more than any of those others because they weren’t only best friends now. And he clearly meant to show that to her. He paused in the entryway to let her take it all in.

Wildflowers from Rustic Creek filled practically every available space. There had to be at least fifty arrangements, their pretty yellow color and pleasant scent turning the whole first floor into an incredible garden.

“Cam,” she whispered, so overcome with gratitude and love that her body shook.

“We’ve loved each other for a long time,” he said, “but we fell in love in Rustic Creek and I wanted to bring some of that magic here tonight.” He took her hand and led her further into the house, to the living room where they sat down on his comfy leather couch.

He took her hands in his. A visible swallow bumped its way down his throat. “I’ve missed you.”

“I missed you, too.”

“And I’m so sorry for what I said to you. I was out of line and I want you to know there is no one I hold in higher regard than you. I’m sorry if I made you feel like your value was less than mine.”

“Thank you. And I’m sorry, too, for not telling you about Leo right from the start. I truly was trying to help you.”

“I know.”

“Shay told me you were willing to leave the agency for me. I don’t want you to leave unless you want to leave.”

“I’m not sure yet, but it isn’t because I need space from you, or distance. I’m a better man because of you, Reese. I’m lucky to have you in every part of my life and I promise I will never push you away again. You’re staying at CTC, right?”

“Yes.” She belonged there, pride and dedication feeding her desire to continue work with Shay.

“You’re going to do phenomenal things there, I know it.” Cam squeezed her hands. “I’m so proud of you.”

“I’m proud of you, too. I…” She choked back tears. “I read Kiss of Life. It’s amazing, Cam, the best thing I’ve ever read. It was touching, poignant, inspiring, and the characters, especially Emmett, tore my heart to pieces and then put it back together again in the best possible way. With compassion. Understanding. Family. And love. There was so much love between him and Aria.”

“I’m glad you liked it.”

“Loved it,” she corrected. “The way you described our unique bond, and how you’ve found echoes of me in you, and that you can feel things deeply again because of me—”

“You mean Emmett and Aria.” He raised his eyebrows in a far too appealing way.

“Right.” She brought their entwined hands to her mouth and kissed his knuckles. “So, tell me about Cam and Reese then.”

“Not much to say…”

She let go of his hands and gave him a little push on the shoulder. “Try again, mister.”

He cupped her face, his palms warm and gentle. “I love you. I love you with everything I’ve got.” He gave her a few seconds to absorb that and then he kissed her. The kind of kiss that marked a beginning with no end, his soft but firm lips latching onto hers with passion and devotion. In that moment, she knew—no, she felt—his forever love for her. He kissed her like there was nothing the two of them couldn’t conquer together.

They were once again on the same page.

She didn’t like when he pulled back. She wasn’t done with his kisses yet.

“I love you, too.” She climbed into his lap, gave him a few seconds to process it and then kissed him until she needed to take a breath. “I’ve loved you since I was eight years old.”

“Really?” he asked amused.

“I’ll tell you about it later.” She loosened her hold around his neck and turned more serious. “I’m still a little scared,” she admitted. “We can’t walk away from fights, and we have to promise to always see each other’s point of view. And we have to be careful with our families and—”

He shushed her with a quick kiss, his eyes shining with affection. “You are my forever. Never doubt that again. You are fierce, strong, compassionate, uncompromising, and I’ll never have enough words to tell you how much I love you. Our families are only going to grow stronger because of that.”

Her bottom lip quivered. The words he used were all she’d ever need.

“You’re also beautiful. Sexy. Funny. And I really want to get you naked again.”

She palmed his cheek. “You are my everything, Cam Radcliffe.”

“Should we continue this upstairs?” One corner of his mouth inched up in that annoyingly sexy way of his.

“You could get me naked right here.”

His smile widened. “I like the way you think, Nuzzle.”

“You know, I need to come up with a nickname for you. What do you think of Stud Muffin?”

“No.” He stood them up and placed her in front of him.

“Hunkadunk?”

“Definitely not.” He started to unbutton her blouse.

She took her eyes off him for just a second, to enjoy the flowers and homey feeling. He had major game when it came wooing. “How about Loverboy?”

“Reese.” He stopped undressing her.

“Yes?”

“Less talking, more getting naked.”

“Okay, my love.”