We chat for a few minutes about the twins, who is whom (I was right about Mason), what their favorite foods are, and how much they love the outdoors. After a bit, I motion to the cactus, feeling nervous.
“That’s for you. It’s a prickly pear. It’s spineless, but there are tiny barbs, so the boys need to be careful.”
Mallory blushes. “I love it.”
I scoot to the edge of my seat. “There are actually two plants in the pot; one for Mason and one for Kasen. Each has a ton of buds already, so I thought they can learn about flowers as they bloom.”
My front-row rebel points to an end table by the outdoor sofa. “The boys are never out here without supervision. That’s the perfect spot.”
A big sigh of relief escapes me. Who knew I’d be so nervous about a cactus?
“Why are you here, Cam?”
I love that she’s using my given name. That’s a good sign, right?
“I owe you an apology.” My eyes search hers, seeds of hope dotting through the gray that’s been in my heart for this last week without seeing Mallory. “And I miss the fuck out of you.”
Her toes tap the concrete, even her bare feet beautiful. But she doesn’t move otherwise.
“This last year has been rough. It’s been nonstop work and travel. My mom’s friend owns Wild Vista Ranch and offered for me to detox from tour life there. I wanted to earn my keep, so I decided to hide in plain sight. That plan was set months ago.” Her blue eyes hold mine, her jaw tight. “I didn’t anticipate meeting you and wasn’t sure how to handle it. I should have told you right away.”
“Yes, you should have.”
“But can you honestly say you would have given me the time of day?” My knees bounce nervously. Old habit.
“We’ll never know.”
Damn. “Am I too late, Mallory? Whatever this is between us, it’s the most real thing I’ve ever felt in my life.” I shift in my seat and grab her hand with both of mine. “Please tell me I’m not too late.”
“We barely even know each other, Cam.” She pulls her hand away and crosses her arms over her chest. “You don’t even live in this state.”
I tilt my body forward. “I saw you at Boots on the Lake.”
“What?” Her eyebrows shoot up.
“When I was singing. You were wearing jean shorts and black tank. Your hair was in a black bandana. Kate was jumping and dancing with the crowd while you just stood there, sort of swaying every once in a while.”
Her face turns pink. “I’m not a big country music fan.”
“I got that.” I scratch the back of my neck, the humor of the situation not lost on me. “Point is, I was into you. Even then. I had to sing from the other side of the stage because I couldn’t quit staring. Then, when I saw you at Wild Vista, it was like the universe gave me another chance to get to know you.”
She tucks a strand of dark hair behind her ear, something in her expression shifting. It’s not a smile exactly, but the wall she’s built comes down just a little.
“Can we go for a walk? We can bring the boys.”
Her eyebrow pops up. “Sure you can handle them?”
“Definitely not. But you’ll be there, so I’m not worried.”
There’s a park three blocks away, so we head there, the twins in their double stroller. They narrate everything they pass in a language that’s about sixty percent actual words. Mallory translates without missing a beat. I file everything away. Kasen calls dogs “woof woofs,” and Mason loves to point at all the “frees,” or trees.
When we approach a large oak tree that hangs over the sidewalk, I stop. “Wanna see the tree, Mason?”
“Free!”
I look at Mallory and point to his seat belt. “May I?”
She smirks. “I know what you’re doing. And yes.”
