Page 125 of I Loved You First

Brady laughed. “Dad, you’re silly!”

Smiling again, he taped the box and labeled it, glancing around the disheveled space.

They’d made decent progress over the last couple of hours. Everything that wasn’t being used in the guest room and kitchen had been packed away. But he wanted to get even more accomplished so Fi could rest tomorrow instead of getting ready for the movers that were set to arrive in less than forty-eight hours.

He'd been relieved when she kept down the eggs, toast, and fruit she ate for breakfast. When she left looking professional and gorgeous, he’d relaxed even further because it had been impossible to tell she’d been vomiting only a couple of hours before. Fi was definitely a trooper, but that didn’t mean she didn’t need to take it easy.

“How about we set up another box? Then you can have a cartoon break.”

“Yeah!” Brady grabbed another box from the stack in the corner. “Can I watch two cartoons?”

Cam narrowed his eyes as he nodded slowly, letting Brady know he was considering it. “I think we can make that happen.”

Brady jumped up and down. “I like this idea.”

Cam grinned. “You’ve been a big help.” But he could move faster if Brady was occupied. An electronic babysitter wasn’t ideal, but a couple of cartoons would help him out for the next hour. “Go ahead and find something to watch.”

“Okay.” Brady hurried to his favorite corner of the couch, snatching up the remote and turning on the television.

Cam grabbed for the box as his phone alerted him to a text. Pulling it from his back pocket, his stomach sank when he realized it was Ally.

I’m officially settled in my new apartment. I’m heading up to Maple Ridge. I’ll drop the papers off with Darius. Is there a chance we can meet up?

He sighed as reality slapped him in the face. He and Fi were having a baby. Brady was thrilled that Fiona was moving home with them. But that didn’t mean Ally would be okay with any of it. Thanks for taking care of the paperwork. Brady and I are out of town for a couple of days. We’ll be back Tuesday evening.

Oh. Good to know.

He rubbed at the back of his neck as the tension he hadn’t felt in days immediately made his muscles ache. I’ll reach out when we get home. Maybe we can meet at the park on Wednesday.

How about we grab a cup of coffee instead?

He exhaled another long breath. Sure.

I’m looking forward to it, Cam.

I’ll see you then, he responded. Because he certainly wasn’t.

It felt wrong not to mention that he and Brady were in Seattle—that they had been on the West Coast for the last four days. He and Ally certainly had plenty to talk about, but he wasn’t telling her anything until they were face-to-face. Because if history had taught him anything, it was that Ally had a penchant for going off half-cocked. The last thing he wanted was her losing her shit when he was hundreds of miles away.

Shoving his phone back in his pocket, he got busy filling the next box. But he worried as he wrapped Fi’s pretty vase in paper. He and Ally had worked amicably up to this point, but it was possible all of that would change now that Fiona was very much back in the picture.

thirty-three

Fiona stood on Cam’s bedroom deck in her pretty chemise, breathing in the scent of the lake while the warm breeze kissed her skin. She stared up at the full moon as the water gently lapped at the shore, still struggling to believe all of this was real.

She was officially back in Vermont after her first-ever flight with an excited five-year-old. Her condo was under contract, and her suitcases and a couple of the boxes she’d overnighted were tucked away in the corner of the master suite. Tonight, she would fall asleep snuggled up in Cam’s arms.

She smiled because this was her home now. With her two favorite people.

In just a few days, Brady would start his kindergarten adventure, and next spring, she and Cam would welcome their sweet baby right here in Maple Ridge.

“I love that you’re standing here,” Cam said as he walked her way in a pair of shorts, wrapping his arms around her waist as he stepped up behind her.

“Mmm,” she hummed, resting her head against his naked chest as she settled her hands on his forearms, smelling his soapy scent after his shower. “Me too.”

His palms wandered to her belly as he kissed her neck. “I’ve wanted to be here with you like this since the day we broke ground on this place.” He kissed her again. “I guess if you hope for something long enough, it finds its way to you.”

“Cam,” she whispered as her heart melted. Turning in his arms, she locked her wrists at the back of his neck, kissing him. “I love you.”