Page 62 of Sunny Skies Ahead
“How romantic,” Lilliana said. “It reminds me of. . . of. . .”
Kameron leaned forward, concern etched into the lines of his face as Lilliana turned away from him.
“You need to go,” Lilliana said, and a lead ball of emotion quickly replaced the butterflies in my stomach. “Thank you for coming, but you need to go. Please. I can’t talk about it. I don’t want to talk about it.”
I quickly waved the nurse standing near the entrance to the common room over, sensing that things were about to go south.
“I love you, Mom. It’s okay.”
Lilliana looked back at him, but gone was the delight that had been there just minutes before. She looked hollow now. A ghost of who she’d been.
Kameron stood to leave, and I placed my teacup on the table before chasing after him. We took off our guest badges and signed out before Kameron practically ran out of the door into the parking lot.
“Kam, wait,” I said, chasing after him. When he turned around, devastation written into his features, I did the onlything I could—wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.
He clung to me, and his shoulders shook with the force of his emotions. I buried my face in his neck, inhaling the earthy scent of his cologne.
“I’m here,” I whispered. “I’m not leaving.”
I felt the truth of it in my bones. I wouldn’t leave him. Even if our romantic feelings for one another faded, even if whatever relationship we had between us fizzled out, I wanted him in my life.
Whatever that looked like.
“Let’s go home,” I murmured. “A snuggle with Bass will do you good.”
Kameron sniffled and pulled away from me, wiping his red cheeks and shaking out his shoulders. He turned his face away from me, and I linked our hands together, a silent reassurance that he didn’t need to turn away from me.
“Let’s go home.”
Chapter nineteen
Kameron
Ishoved down on the “for sale” sign one last time before wiping my hands on my jeans and stepping away to admire my handiwork. It was several days after our trip to Laketon to visit Lilliana, and I’d never been more grateful for the distraction of being busy. Imogen had gone back and forth on whether to list the house for sale.
After many conversations with Abbie and Kelly Sakis, she’d finally made the choice to list the house and see what happened. If she didn’t find a buyer she felt comfortable selling to, she’d keep it. And if they found a buyer, she would figure out what her next steps would be.
Kelly had suggested adding the sign, not because there was a ton of foot traffic, but because it would look nice for listing pictures.
Imogen hugged herself tightly as she looked at the sign. Her cheeks reddened, and I sensed her tears were about to fall long before they actually did.
I walked over to her, replacing her arms with mine as I hugged her tightly.
“You did good.”
Imogen nodded and sniffled, rubbing her nose with the back of her hand.
“I know, this is the most attractive thing you’ve ever seen,” Imogen said, laughing through her cries. “God, I’m a mess.”
I pulled back from the hug so I could hold her face in my hands and smiled.
“You’re always beautiful,” I said, and meant it. Imogen rolled her eyes, but I saw the gratitude shining in them before she turned away.
“Why is it that men always say that?” Imogen said, sticking her hands in the pocket of her jeans before striding back up the driveway.
Because this is what it’s like to be in love, I wanted to say.You’re always beautiful because I care for you so deeply that the rest of the world fades away when I look at you.
I might be losing my mind under the pressure coming at me from a thousand different directions, but my feelings for Imogen were the one thing that hadn’t faded in the last few weeks.
