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And he was an ass for not giving her this chance before.
The moment she returned to the table, he took her hand. “I apologize.”
“For what?” she asked, as if she couldn’t see how he’d held her back.
“I’ve given you raises, but I should’ve realized that wasn’t enough. You’ve always taken on more responsibility, doing whatever new task I asked of you. We just never acknowledged it. You’ve always directed my projects. And I’ve always listened to you.”
She shook her head, staring him down. “Don’t rewrite history, Dane.” Then she patted his hand as if it were Rex’s head. “This is different. This is me calling the shots. I’ve never asked to do that before. But I want it now. So please don’t apologize. You had no idea it was important to me, because I didn’t even know I wanted it. Maybe I had to get through the ordeal with Uncle Lochlan.” She shrugged. “But now I know what I want. And thank you for the promotion.” She put her hand to her heart. “Thank you so much.”
“Of course you’ll get a raise commensurate with your new title of project manager.”
“Thank you.” She didn’t turn him down. He wouldn’t have let her.
He still could have smacked himself. Why hadn’t Fernsby forced him to open his eyes? “You need to know I’m in awe of you. And I can’t wait to see everything you come up with along the way. Because it will all be astounding.”
Her smile turned him inside out. He should have done this years ago. Just so she’d smile at him exactly that way.
* * *
Cammie’s cheeks flushed at his praise. Something wanted to bubble up inside her. Excitement. Maybe even joy. Certainly pride. Because Dane hadn’t given her the promotion. She’d asked for it. She’d taken her own personal bull by the horns and wrestled it to the ground, telling Dane what she should have told him years ago. She wanted a project, and what better project than a resort for special needs kids? It was almost like a calling. And she was going to do the absolute best job ever.
But she smiled so Dane wouldn’t know the overwhelming effect his words had. “Now that’s out of the way, let’s talk about our plans for the day. We’ve always done our best brainstorming while we’re outdoors—golfing, hiking in Pebble Beach, or wherever.”
Just as she had on the island, she remembered that fateful golf game. All their golf games. But she also remembered the long hikes when she’d felt so in tune with Dane. A walk around San Francisco would be the next best thing.
“Why don’t we go to the windmills in Golden Gate Park?” she suggested. “It’s the perfect time of year for the tulips.” She chuckled at herself. “I always seem to think about visiting the windmills when the tulips are out of season.”
“Deal.” Their coffees finished, they headed out, and Dane pulled her hand around his crooked elbow. “I’m glad we both wore our walking shoes.”
Since Fernsby had taken the car back to the flat, Cammie booked an Uber.
They were picked up by a massive SUV. Once they were ensconced in the back seat, she enjoyed the drive across San Francisco, with a brief detour around Alamo Square and the Painted Ladies, those gorgeous Victorian houses, then through Golden Gate Park past the Botanical Gardens.
They climbed out of the car to find the tulips still blooming in the Queen Wilhelmina Garden at the Dutch Windmill. Hand over her mouth to cover her gasp, she clutched Dane’s arm. “Have you ever seen anything more beautiful?”
Looking at her, he said softly, “Yes, I have.”
For a moment, she was struck speechless. But of course he wasn’t talking about her. He might not even have meant a woman. He was probably thinking of Kew Gardens in London or the Tuileries in Paris or a Pebble Beach sunset.
The tulips flowered in a burst of color—red, yellow, white, pink—all against the backdrop of the Dutch Windmill.
“Let’s sit,” she said. She would beg if she had to. “And just contemplate.”
They found a bench amid the flowers, the perfume of sweet, growing things filling the air. “Doesn’t it make you feel serene?”
In the oddest gesture, Dane laced his fingers through hers and held her hand. Usually, it was a squeeze or a touch, but he didn’t let go. “It’s the perfect place for reflection.”
Cammie dropped her voice to a low note. “Thank you for coming here with me.”
She’d been pushy about the promotion, but he’d acquiesced with such chivalry, taking blame for never before giving her a project to manage. But how could he have known when she’d never said what she wanted?
He smiled down at her. “Fernsby damn near ordered us to go out and enjoy the day. So I say no work, no brainstorming, just enjoying. What else can we do when Fernsby lays down the law?”
