Page 11 of Sunny Skies Ahead
We hadn’t discussed it. I honestly wasn’t sure he remembered it. But I remembered how comforting his touch had been, how safe I’d felt knowing that he was there, and the relief I’d felt when I hadn’t needed to ask for him to step in.
“It’s far less about the work, and more about giving you the space to figure out what you want. I know what it’s like to outgrow something you once loved with your whole heart. It’s painful and, frankly, terrifying, to wake up one morning and realize something you’ve dedicated part of your life to is no longer serving you.”
A lump formed in my throat, and I swallowed tightly. My stomach twisted uncomfortably. That’s exactly how I felt about the homestead, and judging by the sincerity in his tone, that must have been how Kameron felt about leaving the Marine Corps.
As I glanced towards the living room, where Abbie and Lucas were engaged in a rather heated debate over what board game to play, I felt that familiar sensation of guilt rise within me. I didn’t deserve what Kameron was offering.
Kameron’s eyes met mine, and my heart stumbled for an entirely different reason this time.
“I’d need to figure out what to do with the homestead. And home repairs, because I’m honestly scared to leave the house some days for fear that a wall is just going to collapse.”
I still felt guilty. It felt weird to accept what seemed like an objectively good deal to help me figure out my next steps in life.
Kameron smiled softly, and my knees threatened to buckle.
“You could work remotely most of the time,” Kameron said. “I’m not an expert, but I imagine you could handle most administrative tasks, like checking emails and scheduling content, from any location.”
He was right. Aside from the initial setup, like getting the lay of the land at Winding Road, I could do most of my work from home during the week.
Which was good, because the idea of doing all of those tasks near Kameron Miller felt like I was signing up for danger.
Because when he looked at me the way he was now, gentle blue eyes fixed entirely on me, like nothing else existed, I felt the urge to break my promise to myself.
“There’s no pressure either way,” Kam said, angling his body towards the sink to continue loading the dishwasher. “Just something to think about.”
“Thank you,” I whispered, forcing myself to look away from his face. I picked up the long forgotten plate and turned the faucet back on, wincing as it sputtered for several long seconds before the flow resumed.
I chewed my bottom lip as we finished rinsing the dishes in silence. Kameron turned the dishwasher on and headed back towards the living room. I leaned back against the stove, watching all of my friends in the other room. My conflicting desires warred within me. On the one hand, this was the perfect opportunity for me to do something different and make a sustainable, steady income.
But then I remembered the way my heart flipped when Kameron trained his attention on me, and I felt myself slipping.
I couldn’t afford to get my heart broken a second time. I wouldn’t survive it.
That, I was sure of.
Chapter four
Kameron
Idon’t know what had possessed me to ask Imogen to come work at Winding Road.
Sure, I’d been thinking of it for the last several weeks. It was clear, based on our conversations after the festival, that she felt like something had shifted for her the last few months. She no longer felt that same connection to homesteading, and Lucas and I really needed some help in the administrative department, especially with Connor about to become a revolving door.
Given what I knew of Imogen’s history—namely that she’d left town to follow her now ex-husband shortly after graduating from high school—I knew she was attached to this place. It’s hard to let go of something that had been a haven for you after one of the worst times in your life.
Regardless, I felt like an idiot for ambushing her the way I did.
One heated game of Catan later, Abbie was yawning and leaning into Connor’s shoulder. Even Imogen, as determined as she was to kick everyone’s ass at her favorite board game, was fading.
“Ready to head out?” I asked Lucas. Lucas made a dramatic show of yawning and stretching his arms above his head.
“Might as well.”
We packed up the rest of the board game and shared sleepy goodbyes before heading out the front door. I made my way to the driver’s side door of my truck, taking a moment to look out at the stars above.
Watford was gorgeous. It was a small town, for better or for worse, but the view of the beautiful night sky, clear and undeterred by light pollution or skyscrapers, felt like a balm for my soul. I’d always known I belonged in the mountains, and when I’d found the little stretch of land that eventually became Winding Road, I knew in my heart I’d made the right decision.
“You good man?” Lucas asked, and I shook my head, pressing the unlock button on my keys.
