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“It wasn’t easy. But having Emma brought everything into sharp focus. Forgiveness isn’t just a gift for the one who’s forgiven. It’s a blessing for me, as well. I couldn’t carry all of his sins on my shoulders, and I surely didn’t want to harbor hatred in my heart.”
Cameron heaved a tremendous sigh. “I thought I had stopped harboring bad feelings against my parents for walking away from us, but I haven’t been able to let it go. Not fully.”
“If you do, you’ll lighten your own burdens. It won’t just benefit you. Think of Emma and what it will mean for her. Both your parents are still living. You still have time to reach out to them and forge a new beginning.” Her voice went soft. “At least you have that option.”
Cameron nodded. “I’m sorry you don’t have that choice, but thanks for reminding me that I still do.”
He leaned in and placed his arm around her. She laid her head on his shoulder and enjoyed the quiet splendor of the Alaskan afternoon. Everything was still and quiet, and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. An eagle dipped down long enough that they could admire it before soaring back up toward the mountain and its nest. She closed her eyes and imagined that Cameron had not a single doubt about her. For just one carefree moment she could pretend that they were still in love and that nothing had ever torn them apart.
Chapter Nine
The next morning dawned bright and beautiful. A radiant sun shimmered from above. The sky was a clear cornflower blue. The temperature was practically balmy. It was a perfect day for the spring festival. The event, held every year on May 1, was a town tradition in Love. It was a widely attended community gathering with a variety of activities—a pie bake-off, kiddie rides, a battle of the bands, a quilting competition, arts and crafts, athletic contests and more. There was also a blessing-of-the-fleet ceremony down by the pier. Since fishermen had always been important to the Love economy, it was a way of honoring them and their boats.
For as long as Cameron could remember, he had attended the festival. As a kid, he had always looked forward to the whipped-cream-eating contest. He chuckled at the memory of all the first-place ribbons he had won, much to his mother’s chagrin. Mama. He hadn’t thought of her in a while. If he was being honest with himself, he had made little or no effort to keep in contact with her over the past few years. Maybe that needed to change. He owed it to Emma to at least try.
He had decided to close the doors of the café at 11:00 a.m. this morning. There was no way in the world he was going to miss Emma’s first festival. And most of the town would be too busy enjoying the activities to stop in at the Moose Café. He had driven to the festivities with Hazel, who was eager to attend her first festival since being coupled up with Jasper. Cameron had been skeptical when they’d first started dating. Both of them were opinionated and forceful. He hadn’t been of the belief that they’d last a week. Over the past few months they had grown on him as a couple. Hazel brought out Jasper’s sweet side, while Jasper elicited a tenderness in Hazel he hadn’t seen before. It was shaping up to be a great partnership.
Once they had arrived, Cameron found himself scouring the fairgrounds for Paige and Emma.
“You look like you’re going to jump out of your skin,” Hazel noted as she looked up at him.
“I’m excited to spend time with my girl,” Cameron said, rubbing his hands together. “Paige said she would bring her around eleven thirty.”
“Which girl are you talking about?” Hazel asked with a sly grin.
Cameron sent her a quizzical look. “There’s only one girl in my life. And that’s Emma. She’s all that I need.”
Hazel snorted. “She’s a baby, Cameron. It’s great that you two are bonding, but you still need romance.”
He held up his hands. “Things didn’t go so well the last go-round. Not sure I’m ready to throw my hat in the ring again.”
What he did know was that he didn’t want his heart handed to him on a platter again.
“If you think I don’t see the way you light up when Paige is around, you must think I’m a blind fool.”
Cameron groaned. “We have history. Not to mention we have a child. Plus, she’s a gorgeous woman. Who wouldn’t light up around her?”
Hazel put her hands on her hips. “So what are you going to do about it?”
“Nothing! She might not be staying in Love, Hazel. If this cannery thing doesn’t pan out, she might head back to Seattle.”
The older woman let out a groan. “Oh no, Cam. Would she really go back to Seattle? After making such an effort to come back here and right Robert’s wrongs? Not to mention you and Emma are getting on like a house on fire. I can’t even imagine!”
He clenched his teeth. “That’s not the only issue standing between us. I still don’t know if I can trust her.”
Hazel’s eyes resembled storm clouds. “Cameron Prescott! I was one of the most vocal people in town who spoke out against Paige. I’m ashamed of that now. She’s a good woman, Cam. She’s shown it over and over again ever since she stepped foot back in this town. It’s time for you to man up and take a good look at why you’re so intent on believing the worst about her. Why can’t you see what’s staring you straight in the face? And I’ll be offering up prayers on your behalf that you come to your senses before she leaves town.”
He shrugged, stuffing down the emotions that threatened to swallow him up whole. The thought of losing Paige all over again terrified him. But how could he lay his emotions on the line when he had no idea if his heart was going to be ripped out of his chest again? And this time it would be far worse, because if Paige left Alaska, she would be taking his daughter with her. The very idea of so much loss made him shut down a little.
“It’s pretty obvious you’re guarding your heart, Cameron.” Hazel stared at him with a knowing look.
“Let’s just say I’m playing it safe,” Cameron said. “I have no idea how she feels about me.”
“Don’t you? Then you’re not half as smart as I thought you were.” Hazel began making a tutting sound. “No good comes from keeping your emotions under lock and key. Take a page from Boone’s handbook. He laid it all on the line. He threw fear out the window to chase Gracie down and profess his love to her. And if I remember correctly, you cheered him on.”
“That was a little different,” Cameron grumbled. “They didn’t share a tortured history. There wasn’t so much baggage between them.”
Hazel jabbed him in the side, causing him to let out a howl of pain.
