Page 48 of I Loved You First

“I’m sure they’re off causing trouble somewhere.”

She grinned. “I imagine you’re right.”

He shrugged. “I’ll find them later.” Because talking to Fiona worked just fine for him.

Grandpa headed their way with the cane he occasionally used when his left hip gave him trouble. He looked damn good for seventy-five—still fit with a few wrinkles and a full head of gray hair. There was no mistaking Grandpa and Dad for father and son. The fact that the man hardly ever sat down kept him young. “Where’s my honorary granddaughter?”

“Grandpa.” Fi beamed as she wrapped him up in a hug.

He held her for several seconds before easing back. “You’re all grown-up and beautiful.”

“Thank you.”

“I heard you put this entire shindig together.”

“I helped a little,” she said, holding her thumb and index finger open an inch.

Grandpa hooted out a laugh. “You’re too modest. You did a hell of a job. Be proud of that.”

“Thank you, Grandpa.”

“It’s good to see you here in Maple Ridge. And with Cameron, where you belong. Not in that crowded city on the other side of the country.” Grandpa tossed his hand up in a dismissive wave as he made a sound of disgust.

Cam struggled not to wince. “Fi’s happy in Seattle, Grandpa.”

“We’ll have to work on that.” He winked at Cam. “You two have fun. I’m still making my rounds.” And with that, he was gone.

Cam looked at Fi. “I’m sorry about that.”

She shrugged. “It’s fine. But I should take a look around and make sure everything’s still running smoothly.”

Cam looked toward Brady’s plate that was piled high with at least a dozen jumbo shrimp. “Oh, jeez. I’ll see you around. Have fun tonight.”

“Yeah, you, too.”

He hurried toward his son before Brady could help himself to anything else.

Nearly three hours later, Cam sat with Brady on his lap while a slideshow his older brother had put together played in the room. Music had been synced with fifty years of business and family photos flashing on a large screen.

There was a shot of Cam with Luke, Liam, and their dad when the three of them had been in middle school. There was another with Grandma Bennet and Mom at one of the company picnics at least a decade ago, not long before Grandma passed away.

Cam and Luke appeared on-screen, carrying two-by-fours on their left shoulders.

“That’s you and Uncle Luke.”

“It is.”

Another popped up of Cam carrying an infant version of his son in a front pack as he walked around one of the build sites in construction boots and a Bennet & Sons T-shirt.

Brady grinned. “That’s me.”

Cam smiled back. “When you were teeny tiny.”

Then a picture popped up showing Cam and Fiona standing with their arms wrapped around each other’s waists. Mile-wide grins split their young, happy faces while they wore hard hats, Bennet & Sons T-shirts, and jeans at a community build they’d participated in during their junior year of high school.

“Hey, that’s my best friend,” Brady said.

Cam nodded. “There she is.”