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But it happened. Everything was falling into place, and I was home. There was a ton of work ahead, and I knew it was going to be hard, but I was ready for it. I was finally feeling the excitement that was lacking from starting at the university. I'd had to find the path for myself, cutting it through the dense obstacles of what was already established when necessary. Rather than being intimidated by all that was still ahead of me, I was looking forward to it. I wanted to see what I could do and the difference it would make.
As excited as I was about this new venture, and about being near Camden again, I knew there was the possibility our reunion wasn't going to go the way I’d hoped. I was still holding on to the feeling that he hadn't been so concerned about me leaving and knew there was the chance he could either not care much that I was back or even be uncomfortable with it. The time apart was short, but it could have given him the chance to see he didn't really want a relationship with me.
We'd talked during my time away, but none of the conversations included him telling me he wished I was back home, or that he was having a hard time without me. That could end very awkwardly, but the worry of that possibly happening wasn't enough for me to not want to see him. I'd missed him so much, and I'd been thinking about him the whole time I was gone. No matter what was going to come of it, I needed to see him as soon as I could.
I knew his routine enough to know he'd be studying in the library when I got to campus, so that was where I headed. It didn't take too long to find him. I glanced around in the stacks a bit just for good measure, but my steps brought me quickly to the second floor and the study room where we’d reconnected during our tutoring session.
I could see him through the narrow windows on either side of the door, sitting at the table with his study materials spread out in front of him. He wasn't hunched over the papers or typing on his laptop. Instead, it almost looked like he was just sitting there staring into the middle distance. I paused when I saw him, my heart beating faster and butterflies swarming in my stomach.
He shifted in his chair, and I moved closer to the door, not wanting him to see me through the window. Taking a deep breath, I opened the door and stepped inside. There was one more second of nervousness before all worry that Camden might not be happy to see me there disappeared. His mouth fell open, and his eyes widened, a look of stunned surprise crossing his face.
"Kristen?" he finally asked.
I grinned. "Hi." He stayed sitting in the chair, still staring at me, and I threw my hands up. "That's how you're going to greet me? No hug or anything?"
That brought Camden to his feet. He rushed around the side of the table, and an instant later, I was in his arms. He held me close, hugging me tightly as he pressed a kiss into the side of my neck, then trailing more up my neck and across my cheek to get to my lips.
"It's so good to see you," he said. "What are you doing here? I didn't know you were planning a visit."
"Are you still studying? I can wait until you're done."
"I'm done," he said quickly, and I grinned.
"Okay. Why don't you come to my hotel, and I'll explain everything?" I suggested.
Camden nodded, and I waited while he gathered everything up and shoved it into his backpack. When he was ready, we left the library and walked hand in hand to where I’d parked. No longer having a place to live in town was a slight stumbling block to moving home, but it wouldn't slow me down for long. There were bound to be places available, and finding one was my mission for the next day. For now, I was looking forward to telling Camden everything and finding out where we stood.
The hotel where I was staying wasn't far from campus. Made up of primarily efficiencies along with a few more traditional suites, it was a popular spot for students to live while they were taking classes.
We got into the room, and Camden glanced around. I'd chosen one of the suites, preferring the separate bedroom and living room areas to the studio with a kitchenette. It wasn't like I planned on doing a considerable amount of cooking, anyway.
"Come sit down," I said. "Want a cup of coffee? I bought real coffee so it's not the hotel stuff."
"Sure," he said.
I made us coffee and brought it over to the seating area to sit close beside him on the couch.
"I'm sorry if showing up threw you off," I said.
Camden shook his head. "No, not at all. I was just really surprised. I still am. Like I said, I didn't know you were planning a visit."
"Well, I wanted me being here to be a surprise. But it also isn't a visit."
"What do you mean?" he asked. "You can't possibly commute to Van Hope from here."
He looked so confused, I had to laugh.
"No, I can't. I will still be teaching there, though." I told him how I was feeling about not fitting in on the campus and feeling like it wasn't what I was supposed to be doing. "As a teacher, I always wanted to make a difference to my students. It wasn't just about lecturing and making them memorize facts. I wanted to be a part of making people's lives better and giving them a chance to fulfill their dreams.
“But while I was on that campus, I realized they already had so many opportunities. They had enough they could take it all for granted. There were some exceptions, and I was glad to find them before I left. But for the most part, these were kids from wealthy families who were going to be taking over family businesses or would never actually have to work and were only in school because it was expected of them.
“They weren't the people wanting to start their own business, or to grow them. The students here fulfilled a big part of me as a teacher because I could see in them how much they wanted this knowledge and what it could offer them. Of course, the resources at the university are much more than here. Which brings me to why I'm here."
Camden looked enthralled as I described my idea of a satellite program for the colleges. I'd set up filming equipment at the community college and teaching the courses, and the students at the university would be able to access them. Both sets of students would get credit for the classes, but I'd be able to keep up with my adult education classes and other work, and I would feel good knowing I really was making a difference. I was giving students access to the kind of education they couldn't have before.
"So, you're staying?" he asked.
I nodded. "Yes. I'm back for good. I know we didn't make any decisions about us …"
