Page 29 of Unstoppable Love

“Talk to her?”

“That’s your plan? Doesn’t sound like much of one to me.”

“What else am I supposed to do?”

Grams gave me a look that made me want to hang my head in shame, and she didn’t have to speak to let me know she was disappointed in me.

“I thought you’d be smarter than this, Cameron Kelley. All these years, I told you to back off because you had dreams to chase and goals to reach and a life to live, and so did she. But I warned you, you didn’t act when you should have and that love would slip through your fingers, and now the best plan you can think of is to talk to her?”

She shook her head. The retirement home had a hairstylist on staff. Grams saw her like clockwork, and since this morning was Sunday, she’d been up early, getting her hair set and curled and all the things she would have done had she been able to make it to church like she used to.

I’d shown up looking like I’d rolled out of bed, my hair undone, and my scruff unshaven.

I leaned back in the small loveseat built more for a small child than a six-foot-three man. “What do you suggest?”

“Kiss her again.”

I laughed and shook my head. “I think that’s what caused the problem.”

“Well, if she likes your second kiss, then the problem’s solved.”

“I’m serious, Grams.” This was me risking my friendship with Isaiah and risking hurting Ava. Again. It was asking her to take a chance on a guy who not only hurt her, probably more than anyone else, but to get over the fact I not only lied but held on to that lie for years. Grams didn’t know all of that, and I’d never told her specifics, but she knew enough.

She blew out a breath and then hid a yawn behind a hand that was frail, liver-spotted, and aging far too much for my liking. With her eyes closed, she rested her head back against her chair and rocked it, wearing her fluffy, ultra-fuzzy hot pink slippers covered in rhinestones.

“That girl has loved you since she knew what love was, Cam-honey. You hurt her, and you kept up at that hurt, and I know when you wanted to fix things, I told you to wait, but you had too much to go do and she had to figure out who she was. Give her some time. She’s still working on it, especially now that that boy is out of the picture.”

I bit back a grin. Grams did not like Kip.

“I’ve waited long enough.”

As soon as I moved back to Denver, I wanted to talk to her. I’d fought this for years, and now she was in my home. Staying with me. We had weeks to figure this out, fix what we’d—I’d—broken.

“You’ll see.” She reached over, found my hand on the armrest of the loveseat, and patted my hand. “You’ll see.”

I didn’t see shit.

“All right, Grams.” She was yawning again, and I cringed before she could see. She was getting tired too fast these days. It was barely nine in the morning, and I knew she’d be napping before long. “I’ll keep you updated.”

“Make sure you move quick, though.” Grams’s words were slurred and slow, her eyes closed. “Wanna see my favorite granddaughter happy, truly happy, while I still have my sight.”

Since the thought of anything happening to Grams made my gut clench, I stayed silent. “I’ll call you.” I kissed her cheek.

“Love you, Cam-honey.”

“Love you too, Grams.”

“What do you mean she’s gone?”

I wasn’t sure I’d ever raised my voice to Bram or Connie Decker, but there I was, in their living room, and both of them had eyes as wide as Pluto.

“She left last night. Came back and was all out of sorts and said Lydia was taking her to Denver. You don’t know what happened?”

I knew exactly what happened, and one of those was that Ava was clearly not planning on holding up her end of the promise she made last night.

“No, sir.” Because like hell I was going to tell the man I kissed his daughter, admitted I’d lied to her for years, and then she took off crying.

Jesus. Had I hurt her? Had Jimmy before I’d gotten a hold of him?

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