Page 50 of The Long and Winding Road

Cameron placed her hand over her heart. “You don’t know how happy that makes me. We’ve all wanted him to find someone special for so long. He’s such a good guy and a wonderful father to Caden.”

“I’m already sold on him,” Lexi said with a laugh. “I have been since I was fifteen.”

“This is so awesome,” Mia said with a happy-sounding squeal.

“Don’t get too far ahead of us,” Lexi said. “It’s all still new again. We’ve got a lot to figure out, and of course, Caden is part of that.”

“It’s still very exciting,” Cameron said. “We love Max very much.”

“So do I. I always have.”

When tears filled her eyes, Cameron fanned her face. “This is right out of a rom-com. High school sweethearts meet up at their tenth reunion and pick up where they left off.”

“I knew I shouldn’t have left you in here with them,” Max said when he appeared in the doorway. “Knock it off, Cam.”

“Knock what off? Did you or did you not reunite with your first love at your tenth reunion and rekindle the old spark?”

Max glanced at Lexi, who shrugged as she grinned.

“We might’ve done that,” Max said, returning her smile as he gazed at her.

“This is the best thing to happen in Butler in years,” Mia said. “Since my dad fell in love with Izzy!”

“I know,” Cameron said. “It’s been a long time since we had a good romance to sink our teeth into.”

“Keep your teeth and everything else away from Lexi,” Max said, sliding his arm around her and leading her out of the dining room.

“Bring her back!” Cameron called after them.

“In your dreams,” Max said over his shoulder. To Lexi, he said, “Sorry about them.”

“They’re great. I had the nicest time talking to them.”

“They didn’t pump you for details, did they?”

“Not directly, although I suspect they wouldn’t have objected to details.”

He huffed out a laugh. “No, they wouldn’t have. Everyone was up in my grill outside, so I figured I should come rescue you. I’m used to them. You’re not.”

“I remember Abbott mania from years ago.”

“That was before my six brothers had wives in addition to my three sisters who like to know everything that goes on. That doesn’t even count the cousins. Will suggested I might want to rescue you—from his own wife, who’s more in the know about us than we are about ourselves.”

“That’s cute.”

“She’s fascinated by the family dynamics, having been raised largely by nannies after her mom died having her.”

“Aw, that’s sad.”

“It is, but she’s the greatest. We love her.”

“They love you, too. They want you to be happy.”

He drew her into a hug. “With the exception of every minute I’ve spent with Caden, I’m happier than I’ve been since the last time I saw you.”

After the party,they sent out for pizza, and some of the family hung out to eat before parents started taking kids home for baths and bedtime.

“Did you get a final head count today, love?” Linc asked his wife.

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