Chapter 17
The moment Cami had left Dad’s town house the other night, she’d known her life had changed. She felt lighter, brighter. And the urge to paint and create was stronger than ever.
Ben had been on her mind. A lot. She’d start to text him, then chicken out every time. She had to somehow transfer her confidence in closing a property deal to her love life. To her love for Ben.
While she’d gained so much healing after Dad had asked her forgiveness, she still couldn’t see a way to reach out to Ben.
Besides, weren’t they headed on very different paths? Why start something they couldn't finish? She’d decided to at least tell him the environmental study was a standard Akron deal and the company had no intention of destroying the inn.
She’d removed his contract from the project board with a bit of sadness and tried to move forward. There were plenty of things to distract her between Vicki’s wedding and the move to Indy.
Then Dad had called her into his office with the most surprising offer.
“I was thinking you could stay here, become the director of operations with a plan to make vice president in two years. What do you think? I’ll send Geoffrey to Indianapolis. I spoke with Astrid, and she still wants to go. She’s apparently met someone there.”
“What? That rat, she never said.”
Dad grabbed her hand. “I want you here with me and your sister and your new niece or nephew.”
“Niece.”
“I’ll miss you too much if I send you to Indy. Even when I first assigned you, I almost regretted it, but—”
“Yes, Dad, yes. I’ll stay. I never wanted to move.
I don’t even have a place to live up there.
Everything kept falling through. I want to be here for Annalise, the baby, and you.
” She squeezed his hand. “But if we’re really being honest, I don’t want to be director or vice president.
I love buying and selling, I love working for you.
But, Dad, I want time to breathe, relax, paint.
I want to bring back the part of me that was Mama.
I was so busy trying for your approval, I left her behind. ”
Dad had held her so tight she’d thought he’d never let go. And that was fine with her.
So, she wasn’t moving after all. She’d heard Annalise’s scream all the way across town when they’d called to tell her. Even though she was busy with the wedding, she’d shared in Cami’s excitement in the change of events.
However, the good news had dumped her into the deep end, requiring her to bring Geoffrey up to speed on everything and find a new Nashville place to live. If she’d had any doubts about her decision, they’d ended the moment Marta called—one hour after Cami had put her on the hunt for a new place.
You’re not going to believe it, but I found the most charming and perfect bungalow not five minutes from your sister.
Cami had signed the lease that afternoon and called the movers to haul her stuff back to Nashville. They were willing to store her belongings for a few weeks. The place needed work, but the owner had said she could do what she wanted as long as it didn’t involve any demo.
Once she’d settled in and handed the reins of Indy to Geoff, she could no longer avoid the obvious. She had to talk to Ben. He’d be leaving on Wednesday, if not sooner. What if he’d already left?
A quick text to her sister told her he was still in town. In fact, he was staying through the wedding.
“Really? Doesn’t he need to be in Sydney?”
“Apparently, he’s extended his stay. He found a new buyer for the inn.”
A new buyer? Well, what had she expected? And for the life of her, she couldn’t think why she hadn’t offered to buy it again once Dad had pledged to not tear it down.
Because she loved him. Because she didn’t want him to tell her no again.
But here she was, Wednesday before the wedding, heading to Hearts Bend because Annalise had sent an all hands on deck message and Cami had replied with a Yes, ma’am.
She took the day off and prayed all the way down I-65. As she eased up the inn’s long driveway, the gravel popped under her tires. She parked in the shade next to Annalise’s Volkswagen and headed off to find her sister, pausing when she passed an electrician’s truck.
What was going on? A delivery truck drove past her and parked by the kitchen door.
From inside, Myrtle May could be heard directing traffic.
“Over there, Ted. Careful now, don’t scratch the hardwoods. We just had them polished.”
Making her way around to the front door with a floral wreath hung in the center, Cami found Annalise at the front desk, iPad in hand, going over something with Ben. They stood under Mama’s painting.
Cami hung back, waiting for them to finish, and gazed at the image on the wall. She painted it for you, Dad had said.
But when she’d asked why, he’d simply said, In due time.
She took in the pastoral scene with green trees and a field flooded with golden light. Then the couple on the bench.
Can we jump into the painting? Ben had once asked.
If only they could. Cami shifted her gaze to him. Dressed in his usual jeans and T-shirt, hat with the bill in back, he was tan, relaxed, and smiling. He’d been gorgeous before, but in this moment, he was heart stopping.
“Finally!” Annalise gave Cami a quick hug. “What took you so long?”
“You only texted two hours ago.”
Annalise’s phone rang and she stepped away. “Caterer,” she whispered. “Nicole, give me good news.”
Ben smiled. “She’s really been scrambling since the kitchen is torn apart.
I think we can get the refrigerator up and running in time for the wedding, and Tina over at Ella’s volunteered her ovens if we needed.
But Vicki had to invite her to the wedding.
” Ben stepped a little closer. “How’ve you been? How’s Indy?”
“I’m not going. Gave the project to someone else. Dad and I had the heart-to-heart we’ve needed to have for fifteen years, and neither one of us wanted me to go. What about you? Aren’t you needed in Sydney?”
“I resigned.”
“What? Ben, why?”
“If I told you it was the miracle of antique doorknobs in a tin bucket, would you believe me?”
Cami laughed. “Oddly enough, yes.”
“Look, Cami, I’m so sorry about that phone call.
” When he reached for her hand, her heart gave a happy thump against her chest. “I realized I had some resentment toward my folks for dropping me off here and never coming back for me even though they said they would. When I saw the environmental surveyors and they said they were prepping to tear this place down, I thought you’d broken your promise to me. ”
“It’s SOP with Akron. We do surveys with every property. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”
“But I blamed you, and that’s what your dad did to you when your mom died.”
“Goodness,” she said, brushing away tears. “I feel like a leaky faucet these days.” She raised her gaze to his. “I’m sorry about Dean, and really, for the last week of silence. I should’ve called.”
“No, I should’ve called. I flew off the handle, said things that were uncalled for. I’m sorry.”
“Me too.” She didn’t resist when he pulled her into a hug. In his arms, her world was right again.
When he released her, he said, “I have a surprise. Come on.”
He led her outside and down the garden path. When his hand brushed hers, the excitement and tingles from the Fourth of July returned.
“Where are we—”
They rounded the path, and there, under the oak tree, sat the bench.
The bench.
“You found it.”
“Ray did, yes. He fixed it up and brought it out here this morning.”
“It’s just like the painting. You know she and Daddy always sat here.”
“Yeah, he told me when he came to the inn.”
“I still can’t believe he didn’t tell me he was here. What else did he say?” Cami perched on the edge of the seat, then slid back. Perfect.
“He said the couple in the painting was not them.”
“Not Mama and Dad?”
“He said your mom had a dream about coming to visit here in their later years. They were coming to visit us. We’re the couple in the painting, Cami.”
“She painted you and me? W-what? I don’t understand. What dream?”
“She dreamed we married, but she didn’t want to force fate. Your dad said she wanted the Lord to be our matchmaker.” Ben joined her on the bench, taking her hand in his. “I still love you.”
Cami brushed her hand over his soft beard and gently kissed Ben’s lips. “I still love you.”
How long they lingered on the bench—their bench—enjoying sweet kisses and whispered words of love, making promises and plans, Cami couldn’t tell. But the afternoon was bliss. Pure, unadulterated bliss.
Ben’s first event—the wedding—went off without a hitch. The eighty-two guests raved about the inn, and several of them talked to Ben about future bookings. Two anniversaries and a couple of birthday parties. And one possible wedding.
The catering was flawless as the team moved between the inn’s refrigerator and Tina’s kitchen.
The tent and wooden chairs, the arch and flowers, the string quartet were magical. Vicki was a stunning bride, and when her groom teared up as she came down the aisle, Ben felt it in his chest.
At the reception, some of Vicki’s band members filled their corner of Hearts Bend with music. Buck Mathews and his wife, JoJo, attended, and toward the end of the night, he and Vicki surprised the guests with a new song they’d written and recorded together.
But for Ben, the best part of the night was Cami.
She was beautiful. Light and free. She’d taken the week off from work and all but lived at the inn.
She’d set up Cottage Three for Vicki and her bridesmaids.
The small floral arrangements, snacks, and mirrors Cami had arranged made the room shine.
Without Cami’s mindful attention to the cottage, it wouldn’t have been half so special.
Vicki cried when she saw Cami’s thoughtfulness and care.
“So Cottage Three?” Ben said, holding her close. “No longer a place of pain?”
She shook her head and kissed him. “A place of love.”
Annalise found him and said the few wedding photos Vicki’s assistant had posted on social media were getting all sorts of inquiries about the location.
“I’m getting married next March. Is this place available?” a petite woman had asked as she snuggled into a lanky, dark-hair man.
“Vicki just put you on the map,” Annalise said.
The band started the melody to “I Will Always Love You,” and Ben led Cami to the dance floor.
“I’ve been thinking,” she said. “You’re going to need investors for this place.”
“You’re right, but I think I need to be very particular. Can’t get into business with just anyone.”
“True, true,” Cami said, peering into his eyes. “She needs to be smart and savvy, with business experience.”
“Agreed, but where do I find such an amazing woman?”
She laughed, then kissed him. “I want to invest. I have money from the sale of my condo, and besides buying ridiculously expensive shoes, I put most of my bonuses in savings.”
“Your dad offered to invest too.”
“You’re kidding.”
“He said it’s what Macie would want. He said he owed you anyway for all the pain he left you in.”
“He didn’t really leave me in pain, and I don’t own the inn. How is investing—”
“It would if you’d consider a future with me.”
Cami shifted her gaze to take in the crowd around them on the dance floor. “Ben Carter, you’re not asking me to marry you, are you?”
“Not right now. You’ll known when I’m asking.” He turned her toward him in time with the music. “But I am asking if you’d consider working toward making your mama’s painting a reality.”
Her eyes welled up and a sassy grin spread across her face. “I’d consider it.”
Oh, what a glorious kiss followed. He lifted her off the ground, swung her around, then kissed her again.
He didn’t need fancy resorts or to live in cities like Sydney or Hong Kong to have adventure. All he needed was a purpose and the woman he loved.
In truth, his adventures were just beginning.