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His lips turn into a smile before he hands her a second bill. “You better invite me to your graduation with how much I’m paying for your education.”
“Okay!” Cami takes off for the swear jar. She drags a chair toward the fridge, but Cal swoops in and stops her before she has a chance to climb it.
“I’ll help you.” He lifts her into the air so she can drop the bills inside the jar. I already had to empty it last week with how often Cal and I slip up around one another.
Someone might need to call the heart doctor because mine is about ready to explode from how full it feels. I never thought watching Cal interact with Cami—watching him care about her—would make my entire body feel warm and tingly.
I take a seat on the couch and watch the two of them rip open the birthday present he got her.
Cami pulls out a second nondescript box that is the size of her entire body.
“Uhhh. What is it?” She stares at the box with scrunched brows.
“Hold on.” Cal pulls out his phone and searches for a photo.
He shows it to Cami, and she gasps. “Princess Marianna’s ship?”
“Wait. What?” I stand and peek over her shoulder at the phone screen. The picture was taken in a workshop of some sort, with wood shavings everywhere and a bottle of glue on its side. In the center of the photo, there is a replica of Princess Marianna’s ship that she went searching for sunken treasure in.
Cal rubs the back of his neck. “I asked Rowan to make us something special. He got his Creators to base it off one of the model ships I recommended after doing some research.”
Oh my God.My legs shake from how weak in the knees I feel. “How is that even possible?”
“For once, it pays to have the Kane name.”
My heart doesn’t stand a chance.
Cami and Cal open the box and pull out the pieces, and I sit next to them while they get started. I keep out of the way while they work together. Sometimes I offer assistance when she can’t do what he asks, but for the most part, I’m happy to watch them work with each other. There is something sweet about how patient Cal is with Cami and the way he takes time to answer her every question.
At one point, Cami climbs into Cal’s lap so she can get a better look at what he is doing. He freezes for a second before clutching her hands and modeling how to glue a piece together.
I always knew Cal would be an incredible father one day, and how he treats Cami is proof of that, even if he doubts his own skills. It’s in the little things he does without even noticing.
The patience. The understanding. The reassuring way he speaks to Cami when she gets frustrated or upset.
The longer I stick around watching them, the more apparent it becomes that I don’t want this to end once we sell the house. Just the idea of Cal leaving makes my chest ache, and I’m not sure what to do with that feeling.
There are so many things standing in our way of ever moving forward together—his drinking being the biggest one. But I can’t help but wonder what might happen if he gets that part of his life under control. Would we have a real chance at the life we could have had six years ago? Could we let go of the past and make a family of our own?
I’m tempted to find out.
On Saturday, I wake up to chaos. Lana is hunched over the counter, finishing up Cami’s birthday cake while the kid runs around the kitchen in circles, trying to steal frosting from the bowl.
“Go get dressed before everyone gets here.” Lana points in the direction of Cami’s room without glancing up from her task.
Cami takes off, not looking where she is going. I jump out of her way before she can crash against my legs, saving us both from falling over.
“Watch where you’re going there.”
Her eyes light up. “Sorry!”
“Happy birthday.” I rub the top of her head.
She launches herself at my legs, giving them a big squeeze. I never thought I would come to crave hugs from a little kid, but every time Cami does it, I feel like I’m winning at life. Although mine isn’t put together like my brothers’, Lana and Cami make me feel whole in a way a job or an inheritance could never even attempt.
Maybe Declan and Iris were on to something when they said they wanted a whole brood of kids and a dog. There’s something about a family that can’t be beat.
Cami breaks away and runs into her room, leaving Lana and me alone.
