Chapter 41
forty-one
Rosalie
After a wild girls’ night in, Paige and Addison have finally passed out, and I’m not far behind.
Tonight’s shenanigans were too much fun, and the smile plastered on my face simply won’t drop.
I loved every minute of it, even looking like a very terrifying and distorted pig during the spa portion of the night.
I hope Cam got a good laugh out of that particular picture.
He sent little reactions here and there throughout the night, but nothing too detailed.
A glance at the clock shows it’s ten fifteen, and there’s a good chance he’s still at the bar with Beck.
I send him one last selfie of me curled up on the couch with the silly peace sign the girls used all night in every photo.
The girls are asleep and I’m about to peace out too…see what I did there? ::laughing emoji:: I hope you’re having a good night with Beck. See you in the morning. I love you!
Oh, Paige and Addison would both like the donut holes and I’d love the largest coffee they sell and a maple long john. Good night. ::heart emoji::
I hit send and grab the book of my mom’s letters and pull the blanket over my legs, ready to decompress after tonight’s festivities.
I’m not even through the first letter when there’s a quiet knock on the front door.
Wearily, I put the book of letters down on the coffee table and head to the door.
My heart is racing. It’s late, and although I know Winhaven is a relatively safe place, it’s odd to have someone knocking on my door at this time of night.
Looking through the peephole, I see Cameron, and my heart races for a different reason. I open the door with a giant smile plastered to my face.
“What are you doing here?”
He scoops me up and walks me backward through the door, my legs automatically going around his waist, my arms draping over the back of his shoulders, and my face buried in the crook of his neck.
“I came to give you my long john.”
I pull back, startled and speechless, wondering if he just said what I think he said.
“I’m sorry, what did you just say to me?”
Cameron tries to keep himself composed as he attempts to repeat himself.
“I came to give you—” He barks out a loud laugh, and I quickly put my hand over his mouth so he doesn’t wake the girls.
He pulls it down and whispers, “Rosie, you said you wanted a long john?”
Realization hits, and we’re both laughing so hard he has to set me down.
Trying to catch my breath, I ask, “Did you honestly think that’s what I meant?”
“Oh, hell no, but after the taco comment earlier, this one seemed like a no-brainer.” Cam takes a deep breath, attempting to calm himself. “But seriously, please help me understand because I refuse to walk into the donut shop and ask for a long john. What on earth is that?”
“You know, it’s a long, rectangular donut”—I gesture with my hands to show the general size and shape—“and my favorite is the maple flavored one. It’s tan, but there are usually vanilla and chocolate ones, too. And, if you want, they can fill them with marshmallow crème or custard.”
By the time I’m done, Cameron is barely breathing through silent laughter, his whole body shaking as he tries to contain himself. Meanwhile, I’ve gone the superwoman route and have remained supernaturally stoic through my elaborate donut description.
When he’s finally able to breathe again, he speaks. “Wow, so that’s what they’re called.”
Allowing my face to finally give in to the hysterics I’ve been holding inside, my mouth turns up into a smile so broad I feel it all over my face. I answer with a single, prideful word. “Yep.”
He takes another calming breath. “I see them in the display case when Addie and I go to the shop, but she sticks to the same order, and I’m a plain glazed guy.”
“Well, there’s a first time for everything because tomorrow morning you’ll be asking the person behind the counter for a long john, and I dare you to keep a straight face!”
He lunges for me, tickling my sides and making me work hard to stifle my laughter. He pulls me to him, so my back is to his front, and his arms are wrapped tightly around me.
“Truthfully, all the pictures you sent made me miss my girls, and I just couldn’t go home to an empty house when my home is right here, with you.”
My heart melts at his admission, and I turn in his arms to kiss him.
It’s soft, loving, and languid like we have all the time in the world to do exactly this.
We stay there, kissing in the middle of the living room, Cameron holding me close like he never wants to let go.
When both of us eventually come up for air, my hands slide from around his neck to the sides of his face, and I adjust it so he can see the sincerity and love in my eyes.
“I’m glad you came home.”
He kisses me again, long and drugging. I’m so mesmerized by how a single kiss can convey so much love I barely notice he’s moving us through the house, shutting off all the lights, and heading for the bedroom.
He lays me down on my side of the bed, giving me one last soft peck before pulling away.
“I want nothing more than to crawl in bed with you right now, but I smell like a long day at the office and the bar, so I’m going to hop in the shower really quick, okay?”
“Okay,” I say drowsily, already snuggling down beneath the covers. The comfort of just having him here is enough to relax me into a state of sleep, waking only briefly when his warm body wraps around mine, and his lips meet the back of my head.
“I love you. Thanks for coming home.”
He squeezes me just a little tighter to his body.
“There’s no place I’d rather be. Good night, baby.”
***
The next morning, I wake up to a note on my nightstand.