Page 49 of Sunny Skies Ahead
Kam paused with his fork halfway to his mouth as he looked at me. My heart lurched in my chest.
“I just wanted to make sure you knew I’m bisexual. I like girls and guys. Everyone. All.”
I might as well dig my own grave.
“I remember,” he said. “I don’t want to dismiss you sharing that with me, but I also want you to know it doesn’t change anything.”
I blinked.
“Did you think that would change something?” Kam said, inclining his head slightly.
“No,” I said earnestly. “I just. . . I don’t advertise my sexuality, not because I’m not comfortable telling people, but because it’s my life. I’m comfortable with who I am and I don’t need to open myself up to unnecessary criticism or comments from people.”
“Understandable,” Kam said. “And if you told me because you’re worried that your sexuality might interfere with a romantic relationship, I promise you it won’t.”
I smiled then. Kam coughed awkwardly as he realized what he said.
“Not saying we’re entering a romantic relationship,” he corrected. “But if you wanted to, it’s a non-issue. I like you for who you are. That includes your past relationships and your sexuality.”
He really,reallyneeded to stop saying things like that before I fell head over heels in love with no way to dig myself out.
“Since you shared something with me,” Kameron said after another bite of his dinner, “I’ll share something with you. I don’t want kids.”
I startled. “I don’t know why that surprises me.”
Kameron shrugged. “I think many people our age want to do the whole family thing, and I can honestly say that life hasnever appealed to me. I love my job, and the work that we do here. Bringing a child into this world is something sacred, and I know myself well enough to know that it’s not what I want. People have told me I’ll change my mind, but I won’t. I’m okay with the choice to be childfree.”
“I’m the same,” I said, trying not to sound too eager. “I decided kids wouldn’t be in the cards for me a long time ago. And I’m very much okay with the idea of being Auntie Im.”
Kameron chuckled. “How long do you think it’ll be before we’re visiting Connor and Abbie’s little family?”
“I give it a year, tops. They’re not going to waste anymore time.”
“I hope so,” Kameron said with a wide smile.
“The childfree conversation leads me to my last point,” I said. I set my fork down and rubbed my sweaty hands along my thighs. “I’m not getting married again.”
Kameron paused. If any of the three things we’d already talked about would be deal breakers, it was this one. I told myself it would be okay, even as I waited for the rejection.
“I want to find love,” I murmured. “I hope I find someone I can share my life with in the way I deserve. But I can’t tie myself to someone in that way again. It’s not—it’s not something I can do again.”
Kameron’s eyes softened.
“That’s okay,” he said quietly, reaching for my hand. “Honestly, marriage has always been a distant concept for me. Something I saw everyone around me doing, but something I couldn’t quit envision for myself. For a long time that wasbecause I’d convinced myself I’d never find someone who would love me unconditionally like that, but now. . .”
“Now?”
“Now there’s someone in my life who I care deeply about, who doesn’t want to get married,” Kameron murmured, his eyes never leaving mine. “And it feels right.”
I ducked my head, suddenly blinking back tears. There was something about Kameron’s demeanor that stripped away all pretenses. He saw me as more than the sum of my past.
My past. The last and final piece of this conversation that needed to be had before we could entertain the notion of a relationship.
“What if we took an after-dinner walk?” Kam said.
I met his eyes once more, searching his expression for any hint that his offer might not be genuine.
“That would be good.”
