Page 14 of The One I Want

CHAPTERFIVE

“Their house isn’t as far out of town as I imagined,” June told Cameron when he pulled the BMW into the driveway of a sprawling ranch home in a wooded area southwest of Denver.

When Deron had mentioned having her and Cameron over for dinner, June had felt hopeful but hadn’t wanted to get too excited. It could easily have been just one of those things a person said when they wanted to put someone off.

On Tuesday, Cameron had called and asked if she was open to dinner Thursday night with his sister and brother-in-law. He had made it clear it would be pizza and beer, nothing fancy.

Both Nyla and Deron had crazy work schedules, but they did know how to pick up the phone and order pizza.

“It isn’t far, but it feels away from the action,” Cameron said, shutting off the ignition. He rounded the front of the car to follow her up the walkway.

When her hands began to tremble, June clasped them together and told herself to think of this as a business meeting with an important client she needed to win over with her sincerity.

“It’ll be fine.” As if sensing her unease, Cameron gave her arm a squeeze. “This is important to you. It’s also important to me, because I want to help you find closure.” Cameron offered a reassuring smile. “Just remember, I’ll be right there beside you. If he balks at answering questions regarding that night, I’ll help you stress the importance.”

The front door swung open just as they reached the porch.

“I told Nyla I thought I heard a car drive up.” Deron’s gaze fell on June. “Welcome to our humble abode.”

Compared to his in-laws’ house, the home was humble indeed. But this ranch possessed a charm and warmth that wrapped itself around June the second she stepped inside.

A living room anchored by a massive fireplace and decorated by someone with an eye for comfort had some of the tenseness leaving June’s shoulders.

Until Nyla stepped out of the kitchen.

“Welcome.” Nyla’s smile came close, but didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I hope Deron told you we’re keeping it simple tonight.” Nyla directed the comment to her brother. “Pizza and beer on the back patio.”

June stepped forward. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Everything is ready.” Nyla smiled. “We were just waiting for you.”

If June hadn’t looked at the time right when they’d driven up, she might have worried they were late, but she knew they’d arrived ten minutes early.

“Well, we’re here.” Cameron slung an arm around June’s shoulders. “Let’s eat.”

“We ordered two different kinds of pizza.” Deron slanted a glance at June. “In case you’re a vegetarian, one has black and green olives, and the other is a meat lovers.”

“I’m not,” June told him. “Both sound wonderful.”

“Can I get you something to drink?” Nyla asked, still playing the part of the perfect hostess. “We have wine, Mountain High beer and an assortment of sodas.”

June knew Mountain High was produced by Anson’s family brewery.

“Is the wine white?” Cameron gave her a poke in the ribs. “June only drinks white.”

“Really?” Nyla’s brows knit together. “You don’t like any of the reds?”

June chuckled. “I have this habit of spilling anything red on myself. Whatever wine you have is fine with me.”

“The pizza sauce will likely get you anyway,” Cameron deadpanned.

This time, June laughed aloud. “Probably.”

Out of the corner of her eye, June caught Nyla studying her and Cameron as if she was surprised by their ease with each other.

While Deron told Cameron about an upcoming football party he and Nyla planned to host in the skybox at the start of the Grizzlies season, Nyla focused on June. “You and my brother appear…close.”

For the briefest of moments, June considered denying it, but stopped herself. “Cameron is a wonderful, caring man.”

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