Chapter 15 Emily
EMILY
The pizza arrived twenty minutes later. Cam paid the delivery guy with hands that weren’t quite steady. He was holding it together for the girls, keeping his voice light and his movements controlled, but tension bunched in his shoulders and a muscle ticked in his jaw.
The girls didn’t notice. They were too busy arguing about whether they should eat in the kitchen or the living room, a debate that Alice was losing based on Audrey’s very logical point that they always ate at the table.
“Kitchen it is,” Cam set the pizza boxes down in the middle of the table. “Plates or paper towels?”
“Paper towels!” Alice bounced in her seat.
“Plates,” Audrey countered. “We’re not savages.”
That made me laugh, earning a half smile from Cam.
“She gets that from my mom.”
“It’s cute. And she’s right. I’ll grab the plates.”
I did just that, refusing to think about how easy all this seemed. How natural it felt to be here. Or how good Cam looked in his worn jeans and fitted tee.
Then when he set a slice of pepperoni pizza on my plate, his fingers brushed mine as he pulled back. Just for a second. Just long enough for my brain to short-circuit.
“Thanks,” I managed.
He nodded, not quite meeting my eyes, and turned back to serve the girls.
There was a lull in conversation while we got started on the pizza, until Alice said, “I saw a dog at the park today.”
Cam reached over to wipe some sauce from her mouth with a napkin. “Did you?”
“Yeah, it was just a little one and I wanted to pat it so bad.”
“So did I,” Audrey added.
Something about her tone had my ears pricking up. “But you couldn’t?”
“No, because Mommy was trying to take some pictures and the light was just right. But I was cross about not being allowed to pat the dog and Mommy said I was being difficult.” Alice took a bite of pizza, talking around it when she said, “But it was so cute, Daddy. It was fluffy and white and it looked like a cloud.”
“Sounds like you made the right choice.” Cam’s voice had an unmistakable edge to it.
Okay, what was going on here? And what the fuck was the deal with his ex?
I picked at my own pizza for the rest of dinner, only half-listening to the conversation flowing around me. The girls had moved on to talking about school, about some project Audrey had due next week, about whether Alice’s teacher was going to let them have a class pet.
Normal things. Easy things. The kind of comfortable family dinner I’d never really had growing up.
It all made me feel a little odd, so I pushed back from the table. “I’ll head home now, let you guys have your evening.”
“But ice cream,” Alice protested weakly.
“You can have ice cream. I’ll just have mine at home.”
“That’s not as fun.”
“Alice.” Cam’s voice was gentle but firm. “Emily’s been here for hours. She’s allowed to go home.”
I stood, grabbing my plate to take it to the sink. Cam was faster, taking it from my hands before I could protest.
“I’ve got it,” he said. “You’ve done enough. Can you give me a few minutes to get the girls ice cream, then I’ll walk you out.”
“Oh, sure.”
“Come say goodbye to Emily.”
While Cam took care of the ice cream, the girls shuffled over and I crouched down to hug them both.
Audrey clung a little longer than necessary, her arms tight around my neck.
“Thanks for staying with us,” she whispered.
“Anytime, sweetheart.”
Alice’s hug was quicker but no less sincere. “Will we see you again soon?”
“I live right next door. I’m not going anywhere.”
That seemed to satisfy them and with Cam placing their ice cream bowls on the table they were distracted enough for me to leave.
We moved through the house toward the front door, neither of us speaking.
He pulled the door open but didn’t step back to let me through. Just stood there, one hand on the doorframe, his green eyes searching my face. My pulse fluttered at my throat. I had to drag in a breath to calm it.
“Thank you,” he said again. “I know I keep saying it, but I mean it. You saved my ass today.”
“It’s honestly no problem. Anyone would have done the same thing.”
“But you’re the one who did.” He ran a hand through his hair, messing it up in a way that was completely unfair.
“It wouldn’t normally be an issue, but I’m overseeing a huge corporate move across the state and it’s a fucking nightmare.
Usually my Mom backs me up, but she just had knee surgery this morning, so she’s out of commission for at least six weeks.
And I’ve got three major moves scheduled after this one that I can’t exactly cancel. ”
The penny dropped. “You need someone to watch the girls.”
“Yeah.” He let out a long breath. “I’m going to have to hire a nanny or something, but finding someone trustworthy on short notice...” He trailed off, shaking his head. “Anyway, I’ll figure it out.”
The offer was out of my mouth before I could think it through. “I could do it.”
He blinked. “Huh?”
“I’ll watch them. Until your mom recovers.” I shifted from one foot to the other, suddenly nervous. “I mean, if you want. I work part time, so I have flexibility. Plus, I’m right next door, so it’s not like I have to travel far. And they already know me. It makes sense.”
“Emily.” He was staring at me like I’d just offered him a kidney. “Are you serious?”
“Completely serious.”
“You’re sure? It’s likely to be a lot of evening work, if moves run late. That seems like a lot to ask. I mean, obviously I’d pay extra, since it’ll involve feeding the girls and getting them to bed, but still.”
“Actually, evenings are even better, except for Mondays, because that’s when I have art classes. Which I want to do more of, so the extra money would really help me. So you’d be doing me a favor, honestly.”
His shoulders dropped and he let out a breath that sounded like he’d been holding it for hours.
“Okay.” His voice was rough. “Okay. Yeah. Oh, thank God, yes. Please.”
I smiled despite myself. “That’s a lot of affirmatives.”
“I’m just really fucking grateful right now.”
“Language,” I teased.
That earned me a crooked smile that did all sorts of things to my heart rate. “Sorry, but like I said, you’re really saving my bacon.”
“Yeah, well, every team needs a good backstop. I’m happy to be yours for a little while.”
We stood there for another beat, the evening air drifting in through the open door. A car drove past, headlights sweeping across us briefly. It seemed to break the spell that had fallen over us.
“We should figure out logistics,” he said. “Schedule, pay, all that stuff. But maybe tomorrow? It’s been a long day.”
“Tomorrow works.”
“Thank you.” He said it quieter this time, more intimate. “Really. You have no idea what this means to me.”
I did, actually. It was written all over his face. Gratitude, relief and something else that I refused to acknowledge, even to myself.
“Goodnight, Cam.”
“Goodnight, Emily.”