Page 116 of Most Likely to Deny Love

I watched as Emily’s cheeks flushed pink, caught completely off-guard by the little girl’s candid observation. Cam’s eyes widened slightly, his own face coloring.

There was an excruciatingly awkward pause where no one seemed to know what to say next. The little girl looked up expectantly, waiting for her dad to agree with her, while the younger one just stared longingly at the cupcakes, completely oblivious to the tension.

“Alice,” Cam finally murmured, his voice gentle but firm, “we don’t just... say things like that to people we’ve just met.” He shifted his weight uncomfortably from one foot to the other, running a hand through his already disheveled hair.

Emily recovered first, hastily thrusting the cake container forward like it was suddenly too hot to hold. Her smile looked a bit strained around the edges as she said, “Well, anyway, welcome to the neighborhood. We’re just next door if you need anything. Gardening tools, cup of sugar, local recommendations,whatever.” She gestured vaguely in the direction of our house, taking a small step backward.

He nodded once, then stepped back to close the door. “Have a good day.”

As we walked back to our house, I bumped Emily’s shoulder with mine. “Well, that was awkward as fuck.”

“Very,” she agreed, still blushing.

“He seemed...”

“Guarded,” Emily finished. “Like he’s built walls ten feet high.”

I couldn’t help but smile at that. “Reminds me of someone else I know.”

Emily glanced at me, a reluctant smile tugging at her lips. “Jack?”

“When I first met him? Absolutely.” I linked my arm through hers as we walked. “Some people take time to warm up.”

“I’m not interested in him,” Emily said quickly. Too quickly.

“Of course not.”

“I’m not!”

“I believe you.” I didn’t, not for a second.

Emily huffed, but didn’t argue further. As we reached our front door, she paused. “Those little girls were cute, though.”

“Adorable,” I agreed.

“And their dad looked exhausted.”

“Single parenting can’t be easy.”

Emily nodded slowly, and I could almost see the wheels turning in her mind. “I wonder if they like art.”

I bit back a smile. “I wonder.”

As we stepped inside, I cast one last glance at the neighbor’s house. Something told me this wouldn’t be the last we’d see of grumpy Cam and his daughters.

MIA

Isettled deeper into the couch cushions, my laptop balanced on my knees as I scrolled through the job listings I’d bookmarked. The cursor hovered over the submit button on an application for a marketing director position at a boutique firm in Raleigh. My heart hammered against my ribs as I read through my cover letter one final time.

This was it. The moment I stopped planning to leave Catalyst Digital and started doing something about it. All for love.

I let my gaze drift to the third bunch of flowers Jack had sent, my lips curving into a soft smile. There was no note with this one, but honestly, I didn’t need one. It was enough to know that he was thinking of me while he was off doing whatever it was he was doing.

The doorbell rang, shockingly loud in the quiet. I frowned. Who on earth could that be? Jack? Surely he would have phoned or texted first? Butterflies rioted in my stomach as I hastily saved my work and shoved to my feet, hurrying to the door and peering through the peephole.

I froze in shock at the sight that greeted me. Not Jack, of course. But someone even more surprising. Megan stood on my doorstep, shifting her weight from foot to foot with an enormousbouquet of flowers clutched in her hands. A gift bag dangled from her wrist, and her face wore an expression I’d never seen before. Anxious. Almost vulnerable.

I stared through the peephole for another moment, my brain struggling to process this development. Megan didn’t just show up places. Megan scheduled. Megan planned. Megan certainly didn’t look nervous.

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