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A dab of whipped cream remained on his lips after the first sip. Cammie reached out to wipe it away, as if it were an automatic gesture. But touching had never been automatic between them. So she simply pointed. “Whipped cream.” Dane licked it off, sending shivers through her that she barely managed to contain.
What was up with these weak moments? Maybe it was the months she’d spent away from Dane, making everything as fresh as the first time she’d seen him.
But she was tough. She had amazing control. Things would go back to normal.
Will Franconi drummed his fingers on the table, breaking the spell. “We’ve been thinking a lot about your family.”
Dane grinned, and Cammie looked away quickly before his smile brought back those butterflies. “We’ve been thinking about yours a lot too.”
The table went silent as a cable car rang its bell on the street. Then, as if by magic, or synchronicity, they all called out in unison, “Merger!”
When Dane once again reached for her hand under the table, she squeezed back lightly, telling him without words that she agreed. They often communicated with gestures, a smile, or just a look. And his smile warmed her, as if it were only for her, even if their rules made anything personal off-limits.
“If we look at the potential numbers,” Will began, only to stop when the Harringtons shook their heads as one.
Troy spoke for them all. “We don’t need to look at numbers. This is going to work. Big-time.”
The Harrington siblings had taken a month to think it through and talk it over, conducting one-on-one meetings with different Mavericks, each side testing the other’s mettle.
They all, especially Dane, knew a good thing when they saw it.
Cammie took that moment to check her phone. Her uncle lived in Ava’s stylish San Juan Bautista facility. But during the entire soccer game, Cammie couldn’t help looking for updates. She trusted Ava’s people implicitly, yet she couldn’t dispel a nagging fear that without her at his bedside, things could go sideways, and he’d be gone before she could get back.
Ava patted her hand, her lips close to Cammie’s ear. “Don’t worry. I’ve got my people with him all the time.” She held up her phone so that Cammie could see a text with a photo of Uncle Lochlan sleeping peacefully.
She should have known Ava would make a special effort. “Thank you.”
She would forever be grateful to Dane and Ava for making it possible to keep Uncle Lochlan with such comfort and oversight. Cammie could never have afforded the care home in San Juan Bautista without their support. Their kindness brought tears to her eyes even now. She’d sold Uncle Lochlan’s house right after the move seven years ago and put all the proceeds toward his support. When that was exhausted, she paid whatever she could out of her salary. Of course, it wasn’t enough. But she would pay them back over time. Every penny.
Dane had stopped by to see Uncle Lochlan last week, and he’d talked with Cammie about this game. “You don’t have to come,” he’d said.
Cammie had immediately shot back, “You think I’d be on board with making such a massive decision without meeting the Mavericks too?”
When he raised his arms, she’d been sure he was about to envelop her in his comforting embrace. Nothing personal, just gratitude that she would do this for him. It warmed her to know how much he valued her input.
Dane was an amazing boss.
She would never leave him. Especially since it would take years to pay him back for all he’d done for her and her uncle.
* * *
He and Cammie were on the same wavelength. This merger was the best thing for the family. But Dane was glad for the simple agreement in her squeeze of his hand.
If her touch shot a bolt of lightning through him, that meant nothing. He needed Cammie for her smarts, her diligence, her efficiency, her quick mind, and her intuition. Anything else took second place. Even if sometimes…
But now he needed her impressions. Dane wanted this merger for his family. Badly. And he needed Cammie to agree.
His family had good lives. They’d come a long way since losing their parents. He and Ava had to quit college back then, but the sacrifice had been worth it, because together they’d helped their younger siblings achieve their goals. Troy pursued his dream of Olympic diving, Gabby had visions of cooking school, and Clay was their computer geek. Ava, too, had finished business school, getting her degree in healthcare management. Now they never had to want for anything again.
Except love.
After meeting Bob and Susan Spencer at Gideon’s New Year’s Eve gala, Dane had recognized the potent, cohesive, loving element that parents added to the mix. His family had so much to learn from these Mavericks, not just businesswise, but emotionally.
