Page 47 of Just Like This
“I hope you don’t mind Cami bringing you here,” Alex said, snapping my attention back to the present.
“Not at all, but I don’t know how much reassurance I can give you. I’m deploying at the end of the week.”
“I know. Cami told me.” He looked over at Cami with a slight frown. “It worries me that she’ll be alone, but she has Valerie and Palmer.”
“Sir, I’ll do everything I can to make sure that I come back. This is my last assignment.”
He nodded and seemed to understand what I wasn’t saying. I wasn’t planning on dying right before my military career ended.
“But I’ll talk to Palmer before I leave to make sure that Cami and Val are taken care of.” It was really the only promise I could make to him, and he seemed content with it.
“What about when you come home? What’s your plan then?”
I told him all about my family’s winery and how I planned on managing the production, which evolved into telling him about my family. I explained how I could relate to what Cami was going through because of what I experienced with my own mother. I left out the part about running away and not being able to cope because I didn’t want him to think I was a coward.
“Cami, could you give me a minute alone with Garrett?” Alex asked softly. Cami flicked her eyes in my direction, silently checking that I was okay. I nodded my head, and then she slipped out of the room.
Alex motioned for me to sit closer, so I pulled the chair across the room and next to his bed. “She seems to have found a kindred spirit,” he said quietly. “You know what it’s like to lose a mother and so does she. You understand her pain.”
“I do.” I leaned forward, resting my elbows on his bed. I hoped he didn’t mind. “I want to be totally honest with you, Alex. I love Cami. I’m pretty sure she was made just for me. And when I come back, I’m going to marry her. Those are my intentions, and I want you to bless them before …”
My voice trailed off because we both knew what I meant. He reached out and grasped my hand. “Thank you. But I need to ask you something very difficult.”
“Anything, sir. If it’s within my power, then I’ll do it.”
“I need you to keep a secret.”
I sat back, letting my hand slip from his. “From Cami?” I didn’t want to deny a dying man, but I didn’t want to withhold anything from Cami either.
“I’ve been looking for her mother. I hired a private investigator about a year ago, and he finally has reliable contact information.” I waited for him to continue. “I asked Palmer’s father, Tim, to try to get in contact with her.”
“And has he been able to?”
“I’m not sure. I know he sent a letter and tried to call. I’m telling you this so that you can prepare for the moment when and if Alicia returns.”
“But that could happen while I’m away.” How was I supposed to plan for this? Was I free to tell others this secret?
“I understand, and if that does happen, Tim will try to help Camille and Valerie as much as possible.”
“She’s going to hate me for keeping this secret.”
“She’ll be angry, but she won’t hate you.” I glanced over at Alex, unsure that his assumption was correct. We were silent for what seemed like an eternity before Alex finally said, “I’m happy that Camille has finally found someone to love so fiercely and passionately. I didn’t think she would ever find someone.”
“Why not?”
“Camille was devastated when her mother left. She took it personally. So did Valerie but, somehow, Valerie was able to move on. Camille has never been able to forgive her mother, and I know she considers it a personal betrayal.”
“Cami told me that she and her mother are alike. Do you think that?”
“I do. Alicia always had an infinite itch. She wasn’t content to just stay here and live a quiet life, no matter how happy. The world was calling her name, and she often took Cami with her to explore. Cami has that same itch, but she’s ignored it for so long. She traveled some, but she never truly let herself give in to that wanderlust.”
“She didn’t want to leave you too.”
Alex closed his eyes and sighed. “Yes. But Alicia also broke a sacred trust between a mother and daughter, which made Camille cautious. She wasn’t going to let herself love or be loved if that person was going to leave.”
“She told me something similar. There’s only one way that I will leave her, sir.”
“I’m glad to hear that, Garrett. And when the time comes, you can ask Cami to marry you knowing that you have my blessing. But I want to make sure of one thing.”
“Anything. Just tell me.”
“Make her see the world.”
