Page 42 of Single Glance

Hadley instantly stiffened in my arms, staring at the document in my hands. She tried to swipe it from me, but my arms were longer. I shifted, holding it just out of her reach while she stretched to grab it.

“Is this a business plan?” I asked, scrolling through the pages in awe. I might have almost failed my only business class in school, but from what I could tell, the plan seemed on point. It was thick and very thorough. There were neighborhood reports, pricing models, even a five-year expansion plan. Graphs and projected numbers lined all the pages. Someone had clearly put a lot of time and effort into making this plan a reality.

With one last huff, Hadley grabbed the portfolioand chucked it back into the box. “It’s nothing.” Her tone was dismissive, but there was something else lurking within it. Disappointment? Resignation? I didn’t know, but I hated the sound of it. She snuggled back into my lap. “Are we done with the show and tell part of this night? Because whatever you’re cooking smells amazing, and I could use some sustenance after the workout you gave me earlier.”

“Come on, menace,” I laughed as I pulled her up with me. “Don’t want you telling anyone I starved you.”

But as soon as Hadley turned around, I grabbed the document and shoved it into my workout bag, desperate to learn more about the woman quickly stealing my heart.

THIRTY-THREE

After my talk with Cam, I felt better, lighter. When Cam first asked about my past, I wasn’t sure how he’d react. With so much judgment lurking in my history, I never expected him to take it as well as he did. Cam surpassed my expectations, and his words healed a part of me. His unwavering support washed over me, reminding me my past wasn’t a weakness. For the first time, I didn’t have the weight of it pushing me down.

He was right—while I’d wished to change my circumstances so many times, if I had, where would I be now? My childhood might have been more idyllic, but I wouldn’t be sitting at this table, laughing with two of my favorite people in the world. The only time I paused was when he pulled out my business plan. The thing was practically a relic, part of my senior thesis, discussing why I wanted to pursue education. With the help of a few business majors, I was proud of the final product, especially when my professor said it would easily secure funding for the future. Once it was finished, I’d planned on showing it to Victoria, but it was right around the time she left for her brother’swedding—where she was re-introduced to Adam, and her life changed. So, in the box it sat, covered in dust like the dream itself.

It was hard not to be a little resentful. It was always meant to be our dream. But the more time went on, it seemed like it would never come, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t convince myself to pursue it alone. So there it sat, at the base of my closet—until the roof caved in. It was tempting to throw it away, but that seemed like too far of a leap, so I stuck it into a box, closing the lid on it and any other dreams I had of becoming an entrepreneur.

When Emilia yawned, Cam hauled her into his lap and kissed the top of her head. She had gotten so big, so fast, but he lifted her like it was nothing, holding her tight to his chest. It was the sweetest sight in the world, and I grabbed my phone, snapping a photo of them to hold on to it for a little longer.

Cam must have sensed me staring, because he lifted his head and winked at me. My entire gut twisted, and heat filled my cheeks. This man was crawling underneath my skin, and there was no way to pry him out—not that I wanted to. It was almost as if we’d been fighting this connection all along, relying on our animosity to bury any lingering feelings.

“C’mon, sleepy bug.” Cam stood, Emilia still nestled in his arms. She snuggled against his chest and rested her head on his shoulder. “Let’s get you ready for bed.”

She nodded, then turned toward me. “Are you going to be here tomorrow?”

“Yup.” I reached to rub her back. “Laila and I are here until your mom gets back, and then we’ll see what’s going onwith the carriage house.”

“Yay.” Emilia yawned. “I like when you’re here with us.”

“Me too.” Cam’s eyes twinkled as he glanced down at me. Emilia waved goodnight, and it warmed my heart. It hadn’t taken long, but we had a little routine I loved. While I used to pretend I wanted my space, it was nice being here with Cam and Emilia. Normally, on nights when Cam was home, I made myself scarce, retreating to the carriage house alone. While Laila was there, it wasn’t the same as having the two Sedas around. They made me smile, made me laugh even on my worst days. After a lifetime of not having a family, things had shifted, and I was becoming more entrenched in their world.

Emilia let out a loud laugh upstairs, and the sound broke me out of my thoughts. My work was piling up—I had an entire stack of math tests to grade—but I remained in my chair, too overwhelmed to even move. The past twenty-four hours had been a lot—the days before too, if I was being honest.

Things were shifting between Cam and me. While we’d said a lot of things out in the carriage house earlier, I chalked them up to our heightened emotions during sex. That, I could handle. Words whispered against flushed skin, promises made while desire pulsed through your veins—those were easy to write off.

But what did it mean that I still wanted those things, hours later, when we were fully clothed? I might have craved his touch more than my next breath, but I wanted more than that. I wanted everything. The quiet nights together, talking about our days around the kitchen table. Cheering him on at his home games and talking through his away ones too. I wanted to carve open my chest and tuckhim inside all my most painful, brittle memories, knowing Cam would always keep me safe.

Those familiar alarm bells started ringing in my mind, the kind that loved to remind me that the good can’t last forever, especially with Cam. Sure, we’d agreed this meant something, but what was it? Were we just filling the time until Victoria got back, and then we’d retreat to our separate corners?

That idea soured my stomach; I couldn’t to imagine life like it used to be. I knew too much about Cam now, had seen his softer side. If he wanted to walk away, I had no choice but to let him, though I wasn’t sure I’d survive it.

“Get it together,” I hissed to myself. There were plenty of other times I’d had to start over, times when my life upended itself and left me spiraling. I’d survived all of those—I could survive losing Cam too.

At least, that’s what I tried to tell myself when he walked back into the kitchen and scooped me into his arms. As we ascended the stairs, I waited for him to turn left to my borrowed bed. Instead, he turned in the opposite direction and took me into his room.

“Cam,” I said. “What are you doing?”

“Did you think I’d let you sleep away from me?” He pressed a kiss to my neck. “Not happening, menace. We’re not sleeping in the same house but in different beds.”

“But what about Emilia?”

Cam frowned for a moment, like he hadn’t quite figured that out. He shrugged. “Emilia’s a pretty good sleeper most of the time. Unless there’s a storm, she probably won’t come in here.”

“And if she does?” I insisted. “How are you going to explain it to her?”

“Tell her you’re a big scaredy cat and had a nightmare.”He laughed against my skin before pressing another featherlight kiss to my pulse point. “That you needed me to keep all the big, evil monsters away from you.”

“Cam,” I snapped.

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