Chapter 45 Natalie
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
natalie
Three months later
“SURPRISE!”
Chloe’s voice was the loudest as we cheered.
She bounced on her toes beside me as Cameron took one step in the door, only to take two steps back, blown away by the crowd gathered near the entrance of Mulligan’s, ready to celebrate him.
Shock painted his expression, which quickly bloomed into something pure and wholesome—a joy so real I could breathe it in from across the room.
“What’s this?” he laughed, his eyes wandering the people in front of him until they landed on me. I couldn’t help a giggle from escaping me as he shook his head, knowing this was my doing.
“What’s this, Sunshine?” he repeated, but it was softer this time, and my heart leapt into my throat.
I felt my feet moving, unable to stay away from him, and Cameron opened his arms. I dove into them with another laugh, and he looked down at me, radiating warmth.
“Congratulations on your promotion, baby,” I whispered, and Cameron’s eyes grew a little wider. A sheen covered them as he stared at me, like he couldn’t really believe any of this.
But I could.
I’d always known that if Cameron set out to achieve something, he would make it happen.
It took him a little longer to make junior partner than I think he originally wanted, but he’d never once complained.
Daphne had been a little disappointed with the turn in the custody case but had also understood, given the pressure from Korey.
Cameron hadn’t faced any real pushback or consequences, and Daphne seemed mostly supportive of our relationship, though I don’t think she realized when our relationship started.
I doubted Cameron would lie if she ever asked directly, but so far, it hadn’t happened.
Overall, it took a handful of months after the case and many long days at the office before he was offered what he wanted, but finally, he’d gotten there.
Junior partner—the youngest at the firm.
He’d tried to downplay it, but I knew it was a big deal for him.
I knew that even though he told me that his priorities had shifted, that he wanted to put more focus on his family and the beginning of our family, that this moment was still huge to him.
It was a way he was connected with his dad, and the occasion deserved to be celebrated.
“We’re so happy for you!”
Cameron’s mom rushed forward next, and I tried to pull back from his side to let him greet her, but Cameron held me tighter, pulling me into his side and not letting go. But he looked toward her, grinning, surprised and happy to see her here.
“Thank you, Mom.” He draped his free arm around her, enveloping her on his other side and tilting his head so it rested on top of hers.
I saw his eyes wander to the rest of the crowd, who had gone back to chatting, milling around the bar and high-top tables in Mulligan’s.
Behind them, a large sign hung on the back wall that Chloe had made, her loopy handwriting spelling out “Congratulations” and “Gardener Law is lucky to have you” with drawings of sunflowers sprouting from the bottom.
I didn’t have the heart to tell her that she’d spelled the name of his law firm wrong, and I thought it sort of fit anyway.
Gardner was one of the reasons Cameron had planted himself here in Boston, why he’d grown as a professional and as a human until I’d been lucky enough for him to bloom into my life.
And the other reason…what had drawn Cameron to this city and brought us together the first time? It was this place right here: Mulligan’s.
I’d rented it out for the afternoon and evening; I thought it’d be nice to have the place to ourselves.
I’d also wanted Chloe to be involved today and knew that likely wouldn’t be appropriate with other patrons around.
Cameron’s mom, Mia, was friendly with the owners who had taken over after her parents, and they were more than happy to let us have the bar tonight, so much so that they tried to let us have it for free.
But I wasn’t going to let that happen. It was my way of giving back to them.
For being the place that introduced me to Cameron.
A place where I’d felt alive for the first time in so very long.
“I can’t believe…” Cameron trailed off as he took everyone in—from Julian and Juniper laughing with my brothers to his grandfather and uncle studying the baseball game on the huge wall-mounted TV, Chloe between them, watching with just as much intensity.
“You’re here,” he finished finally. “That you all came, that you’re all here. ”
“We wouldn’t miss it for the world,” his mom gushed. “When Natalie proposed the idea, I don’t even think I let her finish her sentence before saying yes.”
“It’s true,” I laughed.
Mia had been so enthusiastic when I’d called about the idea.
Although, to be honest, since I first met her at a family baseball outing a couple of months ago, there hadn’t been a time where she hadn’t been enthusiastic. Mia was so lovely, so excited to welcome Chloe and me into their family folds.
But I was pretty sure today was extra special for her, too.
I’d seen the wistfulness in her gaze when she’d looked around Mulligan’s after first arriving.
There was a sparkle in her gaze, a flush rising over fair, freckled skin.
Memories danced over her face, so apparent that I had to look away, feeling like I was intruding on a private moment.
I felt Cameron’s gaze fall on me again and grinned up at him, feeling a little watery, like my emotions lived too close to the surface today.
“You’ve got such a special girl,” his mom was saying as Cameron stared down at me, just…looking. And all I could do was look back. “Two special girls,” his mom amended as Chloe’s bright laughter rang throughout the room.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Noah standing with his arms across his chest, lips twitching with reluctant amusement. Beside him, the devious crinkle in the corner of Pops’ eye made me suspect that Cameron’s grandfather just roasted my brother about something.
“I sure do,” Cameron breathed, and I rolled my bottom lip into my mouth, slightly sheepish. “So fucking special.”
I was still getting used to being with a man who didn’t shy away from public affection or declarations. A man who was loath to take his hands off me, really no matter where we were, as evidenced by the way he still had me pressed into his side.
Mia drifted away. I heard her saying something to Pops that made me think she was playfully chastising him, but I couldn’t get myself to look away from Cameron to see what, exactly, was going on.
“Thank you for this.” Cameron’s eyes dropped to my lips a second before his mouth did, landing a tender kiss that seemed to travel, making its way to my ear where he whispered, “I’ll give you a proper thank-you later tonight, yeah?”
My breath hitched as I tried to fight the burst of heat inside me, and I had to clear my throat before I was able to respond.
“I can’t wait,” I said, my husky voice betraying me. Cameron pulled back, unnamed intensity swirling in his expression. “I’m so proud of you. We all are.”
Cameron’s eyes fluttered shut at my words, and he leaned forward, pressing a kiss to my forehead this time. “Fuck, you make me so happy.”
“I could say the same thing about you.”
So happy.
I hadn’t known happiness like this existed.
Every day, I felt lucky to experience it. What a privilege it was to not only have that emotion sprinkled in with all the others that life brought, but to have it feel so present.
Cameron brushed the tip of his nose along my hairline, inhaling as he murmured, “And here I thought you told me to meet you at Mulligan’s because you wanted to celebrate it being a year since the first time we shared a drink here.”
I tipped my head back so I could meet his warm gaze.
“I think we can celebrate that, too.” I grinned. “As long as you’re okay with sharing that drink with others this time.”
“I’m definitely okay with that.” Cameron’s lips curved, too. “Having our family together, here? I couldn’t be more grateful for this.” Something danced in his gaze as his voice dropped. “I’ll get you to myself later.”
My cheeks heated. “Yes, you will.”
“Come on, Sunny.” Grabbing my hand, he led me toward the bar, where a single bartender was working. We sidled up to it, Cameron’s large hand palming the small of my back as he looked at me. “What do you want, baby?”
While I thought on it, Cameron glanced at the bartender, saying, “Whatever it is she wants, I’m paying for it.”
The familiar words caused a laugh to bubble up inside me.
A year ago, I had been so uncertain about letting anyone crash into my life again, to tear down the walls that I’d so carefully constructed.
And now, instead of building walls, I was building roots. A life.
And I wasn’t at all afraid to share it.
A sense of calm washed over me before I replied.
“I think I’ll have whatever he’s having.”