EPILOGUE
The large screens showed security footage from the gala partying several floors below Titan’s Abu Dhabi operations center.
Camden spiraled a football toward Shah, grateful he wasn’t assigned to cover the event.
That night, none of his teammates were.
He tried to catch a glimpse of his wife working from the sidelines, but Amelia was nowhere to be seen.
That was her favorite way to run the show: from the shadows.
Little did she know how the tables would turn.
The secure doors swooshed open as the football shot across the room.
Camden snapped the ball to his chest.
“Caught red-handed,” Amelia announced as she walked in with Amanda.
“One day, the two of you are going to miss.” Amanda put her hands on her hips.
“Never.” Camden tossed the ball to himself but then made a show of carefully stowing it in a filing cabinet.
Amanda gave a subtle nod to Shah.
Camden strode to Amelia and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close.
They’d been married for six months, and every day since she slipped his ring on her finger, he’d fallen harder and harder for her.
He didn’t know how it was possible to wake up and need Amelia more than when he’d fallen asleep, but he wasn’t complaining.
“How’s it going down there?”
“Easy, breezy.” She tilted her head to give his mouth access to her neck.
“We’re just taking a small break before the live band transitions to the deejay. When do you leave for Cairo?”
“The project’s been postponed.”
“Oh—problem?”
“Nope.” He glanced over as Shah and Amanda left the operations center.
Camden hadn’t worked there since his return, but his wife’s office, where she organized parties and had absolutely nothing to do with the business side of things, was on the same floor.
My wife. He liked the way that sounded.
“I ordered a sandwich and was going to pick it up. Want to split it with me before you go back?”
“Sure.”
They took the elevator downstairs and entered one of the restaurants that was far more popular with the team’s wives than with any of the men he worked with.
It was the kind of place that served social-media–worthy cocktails and meals that were as pretty to look at as they were to eat.
They said a quick hello to the hostess and beelined for the bar.
“Hey, man,” the familiar bartender greeted them.
“Food’s not ready yet. Go back there, and I’ll bring it to you.” He pointed toward a private room.
“Two minutes. Tops.”
“I didn’t realize how hungry I was until we walked in here.” Amelia threaded her fingers into his.
Camden opened the door to the private room.
“Happy birthday!”
Amelia stopped cold.
Her hand squeezed his as she took in the packed space.
“Oh my—” Jaw dropping, eyes wide, she looked up at him.
“Are you kidding me?”
Amanda and Angela, the women who worked in the office with Amelia, wrapped her in their arms and tugged her away from him.
“You’re not the only one who can plan a party.” Amanda grinned.
Angela handed Amelia one of those drinks that people liked to take pictures of.
“But I have to go…” Amelia gestured toward the floor where the event she had just left was still partying.
Jared crossed his arms. “It’s covered.”
Amelia turned to Camden.
“You threw me a birthday party. I can’t believe it.”
“You said your family always did.”
She rapidly blinked her dark eyes and said, “Thank you” before Chelsea and Jane linked arms and pulled her away.
The night passed in a blur of friends and fun.
Laughter and camaraderie flowed like the food and drinks.
Camden watched the people in the room.
His teammates—the men he trusted with his life—and his boss had believed in him.
Their wives and the operation center staff had accepted him and Amelia.
They were part of his family even before he realized it.
Now, they were Amelia’s also.
If he hadn’t been sure of that before, partying the night away to celebrate Amelia confirmed it.
It was getting late, but Liam handed him a fresh beer.
“She was surprised.”
“I don’t think she had any idea.”
“What about the—” Liam cut himself off as Amelia and Chelsea joined them.
He checked the time.
“You ready to head out?”
Chelsea folded against Liam’s side.
“I think we’re all about partied out.”
One by one, everyone hugged, slapped hands, and chin-lifted their way out until Camden and Amelia were the last ones left.
“There’s one more surprise. Come on.” He pulled her from the party room and out of the restaurant.
“We have to go upstairs.”
The elevator sped them to the hotel floor that housed most of the Titan suites.
As they approached their apartment, he recalled the anxious expression on her face when they first walked in together.
He’d promised she could do whatever she wanted to turn it from a bachelor pad into their home.
More than a year later, he was certain it was exactly what she wanted—except for one thing.
Camden opened the door.
Shah waited in their living room.
“Shah’s my big surprise—” Amelia’s eyes locked on the black kitten curled in Shah’s arms, and she sucked in a gasp.
“Are you serious?”
Shah offered her the kitten and raised his chin.
“Just taking care of this fluffball until you arrived.”
“Oh…” Amelia wrapped it against her chest.
The kitten purred as if it recognized its human mama.
“Cam,” she whispered as Shah saw himself out.
“I was hoping for a cat one day.” Amelia settled onto the couch with the purring kitten.
She cradled the tiny ball of fur against her chest, pressing a soft kiss to its head.
“ Now you’ve made me the happiest person alive. Every time I think I’m there, you make me so happy I want to scream.”
The kitten purred and flexed its little feet on her lap.
Never in a million years did he think this was the turn his life would take.
Camden settled next to her and draped his arm over her shoulder.
He tucked her closer, and his lips brushed against her temple.
“Happy birthday, baby. I promise to always make your dreams come true.”