Page 70 of The Long Game

But Cameron Caldani was on autopilot.

He ignored my query, pulling a very large and serious-looking hammer out of the box, and straightened back up.

And then, without a word, he went full-on Hulk on the bed.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Cameron

I couldn’t catch a break.

With a shake of my head, I scanned the mess before me. Not only was Willow’s food scattered all over the kitchen floor, but there were puddles of water and… Were those some of my coffee beans? I kneeled down to get a better look. Yes.

Joined by a few auburn feathers.

“Willow?” I called loudly, rising to my feet. I waited for the sound of her paws on the hardwood, or for one of her whiny responses, as I was sure she knew what she had done. But the cabin remained dead quiet. “Willow? You better not have chased down that goddamn rooster.Again.”

And although I hoped she hadn’t, there was certain relief on the off chance that I wouldn’t be startled awake by the insufferable crowing. The rooster, it seemed, had taken more of a liking to the Lazy Elk after pecking at Adalyn’s sandwich.Adalyn.

I remembered last night, and a wave of hot frustration swept me head to toe. It had taken me a full hour to dismantle the goddamn bed and carry it outside to my truck. And fuck me, the past months spent in retirement had come at a price. My arms were sore, myback hurt from knocking the thing down, and I was almost sure I’d pulled a muscle somewhere on my neck when I’d driven us back to the farm to get her things. I—

I shook my head.

There was too much to do this morning, I couldn’t allow myself to think of her. Of last night. It always started the same way. I’d recall something remotely related to her, and then I’d be summoning all sorts of other things.

Like those bloody overalls. They’d been so tight, making her look… Different. Homey. Inviting. Almost relaxed, for a change. Even with all those curves snug and confined. Ready to burst under the seams. Or my hands. They made me wish she would burn all her clothes and exclusively wear the goddamn things from now on.

My phone rang from the kitchen counter, snapping me out of that dangerous train of thought.

I stalked to the device and scanned the screen.

Liam.

I accepted the call. “What.”

“Wow,” he huffed. “Well, morning to you, too, sunshine.”

I rolled my eyes. “I fired you. Why are you calling me again?”

“You didn’t fire me,” he countered in that smug tone I knew so well. “You encouraged me to resign. And most would appreciate the fact that our friendship is transcending a terminated business relationship.”

I held the phone to my ear with a shoulder and served myself a second cup of coffee from the pot. “You were my agent, you were never my friend.”

“God, I’d forgotten you’re a prick,” Liam said with a breath. “But I love you anyway, so I’m going to pretend you didn’t disregard fifteen years of friendship.”

“Don’t pretend to miss me.” I brought my mug to my lips and took a long sip. “We both know I was a nightmare to work with.”

“Christ. You’re in some mood today, mate.”

I returned the device to my hand and crossed the living room area to the glass doors facing the front yard. “Maybe I am,” I admitted,looking out and taking in the beautiful expanse of green before me. My gaze somehow ended on the shabby cabin to the right. I wondered if she was awake. What she would wear today. If her hair would be up or down on her shoulders. Lately she’d let it down and I— Fuck. “What do you want, Liam?”

“Would you believe me if I said I called to check on you?”

“No.”

“That’s what I thought. It’d take a miracle for you to talk about your feelings anyway.” A calculated pause. “How are my favorite girls doing, then? Ditched you yet?”

As if summoned by the man who’d been in my life for almost two decades, Pierogi climbed on the patio banister. She stretched her paws and laid on top of it, turning into an orange ball of fluff. “Pierogi’s good. Napping half the time like she always does. And Willow…” I recalled the state of the kitchen floor. “Willow is still bitching at me every chance she gets. She hates it here.”

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