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“I’m Emi.” She stepped back, and reading the room, offered her hand to shake.
“Nice to meet you, Emi.” Vivian said the right words, but her gaze kept coming back to Cam. “So, you’re going to be assisting with the sleigh.”
“Right? So excited. Did you know—”
“I’m going to stop you right there. Also, I have to get back to work.” She turned to Cam and crossed her arms. “When you’re done here, can you come over so we can get this party started?”
“Sure.”
He watched her turn and walk out, not looking back as she made the corner at the doorway on the far side of the workshop.
“No hugging Vivian or in front of Vivian.” Emi nodded as if she’d made a note to herself.
“No harm done. Trust me. Vivian needs more hugs.”
“Yeah, I’m sure that’s totally what you were thinking.”
Cam grinned. He was going to like this girl. “Come on, let’s get you settled at the inn. I’ll take care of Vivian.”
15
Vivian
Vivian had wokenup happy but confused. And then confused had taken over happy. And then annoyed had taken over confused.
She didn’t usually wake up annoyed, which made her even more annoyed.
Cam had just inserted himself into her life like he belonged there.
She’d been annoyed last night. Okay, that wasn’t the right word. She’d wanted to be annoyed. That was the problem.
But when he’d taken her hand, after she’d finally given up trying to get it back, she’d felt a heartbreak of nostalgia.
A memory, long-buried of when she’d lived in the halfway house bubbled up. She’d be doing something completely mundane, like watching a video for school, and suddenly have the oddest sensation her hand was empty. That it was missing something.
She’d tried to shake it off, but it wouldn’t ease.
Until one day, she’d realized what was missing: Cam’s hand in hers.
Two steps into the walk to get Tyler, hand in hand, she’d nearly burst into tears.
But she’d held it together.
And she’d held it together when his mom had made her feel so welcome.
And watching her son being safely carried in his arms and laid to bed, she’d just stood there in awe. A flash of what could have been ripping her soul from her body.
And then he came to her and kissed her so gently she’d nearly wept, afraid to reach up and touch him and break the spell.
And so, of course, she woke up annoyed.
Oh, they were going to talk about this whole him-just-magically-inserting-himself-into-their-lives thing.
Vivian was almost done shifting all the work she could out into the yard so she could clean down the garage. It had dawned on her as she lay in bed last night, absolutelynotthinking about Cam telling her he loved her or that kiss, that she needed to degrease some spaces for them to place their tools so they wouldn’t get anything on them.
Also, she just wanted some time to herself. Some time to put a little distance between her heart and last night.
Cam’s emotional full-court press was new and not something she’d seen coming.
