Page 24 of Penalty Kiss
“Anytime,” I say, forcing a smile that feels like broken glass. “Enjoy the tour.”
They head for the door in a chaos of baby gear and affectionate bickering, leaving me planted beside the booth with a guilty conscience.
Through the window, I watch them pause on the sidewalk. Cam bends down to say something to Linden, and Lily’s laugh carries all the way to me. Then the men say their goodbyes and start down Main Street.
They stop at the corner, Levi gesturing down the block. And then they both head toward—
Oh no.Not there.Anywhere but there.
The alley.
My heart slams against my ribs. Of course. The one landmark in Cedar Falls I’d happily bulldoze, and they’re marching straight for it.
They stop.
Even from here, I see Cam’s stride falter. His shoulders stiffen. Slowly, he turns—back toward the bistro.
Back toward me.
I can’t see his face clearly, but I don’t need to.
I feel it—the exact second the lightbulb flicks on.
The exact moment he remembers.
Me. The alley. The kiss.
Congratulations, Tara. You’re officially the world’s worst tour stop.
By the time I spin away from the window, the bell over the door jingles. Too late. He’s already storming back inside, Levi trailing behind him looking half-concerned, half-curious.
“Hey—” Cam’s voice is low, urgent, nothing like the breezy charm from earlier. “Tara.”
I freeze mid-step, balancing a tray of clean mugs like a shield. “We’re kind of busy, Wilder. If you’re craving more decaf sabotage, I can pencil you in for never.”
Levi’s eyebrows shoot up. “Decaf sabotage?”
Cam groans. “Not helping, Johansen.” Then his gaze locks back on me, sharp and unguarded. “I’m sorry. About earlier. About… forgetting.”
Something in his tone makes Levi’s smirk fade.
Cam drags a hand through his hair, looking devastated in a way no NHL highlight reel ever shows.
“It’s not you. It’s me.” He grimaces. “Damn, that sounded like a bad breakup line. But it’s true. Since the hits, things slip—faces, moments. That alley…”
Then his voice dips. “I didn’t forget you. I lost it. And then out there, it slammed back. I saw you.”
My throat tightens. Which is so unfair, because I want to stay mad. Mad feels safe. Mad means I don’t have to admit how much it stung.
“Well,” I manage, setting the mugs down with a clatter, “congratulations. Your memory’s back. Would you like a prize? We’ve got blueberry muffins. Half-off for people who remember kissing me.”
Levi chokes on air. “Wait, what?!”
Cam huffs out a throaty laugh, though his eyes stay locked on mine. “I don’t need a prize. Just… another chance. To prove it wasn’t.”
“And for the record," his voice drawls, a velvet-wrapped threat that goes straight between my thighs, "I remembereverything now."
The tray rattles under my hands, my heart doing its annoying gymnastics routine again. Levi’s still gaping between us like he’s waiting for someone to pass him popcorn.
