Chapter 19
Chapter nineteen
Kate
I should’ve known something was off the moment I walked into Cedar Perk and everyone looked up at once. Not in a creepy, horror-movie way—more in the small town we-heard-something-about-you kind of way.
The bell above the door jingles, the scent of espresso and vanilla warming my senses. But the second I step inside, a hush falls over the room.
“Good morning,” I say slowly.
Levi, who’s manning the counter in his usual apron and no-nonsense flair, gives me a grin that’s so wide I’m not sure it will fit behind the counter. “Well, good morning, Miss Popular.”
I frown. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Before he can answer, Haddie Carmichael swivels on her stool near the window, coffee cup in hand and mischief written all over her face.
“Oh, don’t play innocent, dear Kate. Word’s out.”
My stomach drops. “Word about what?”
She leans forward, lowering her voice in a way that makes everyone else lean in, too. “You and Coach Wells.”
The air leaves my lungs. “Excuse me?”
Levi slides a latte toward a customer, clearly eavesdropping. “You two were spotted together. Cozy little coffee date, all smiles. Haddie posted about it this morning.”
Haddie beams. “One of my little birdies texted me yesterday—said you were out with Cam Wells, looking real sweet together. So I shared it on the community page. People love a love story, Kate.”
“Oh my God.”
Levi chuckles, wiping down the counter. “You’re trending, Prescott. By the time I poured the first espresso, half the town had already liked it.”
Haddie waves her phone. “See? ‘Spotted leaving Penny’s Café: our hometown librarian and Coach Wells sharing coffee and smiles. Could love be in the air in Cedar Falls?’ Isn’t that precious?”
“Precious isn’t the word I’d use,” I whisper under my breath.
Before I can demand she delete it, the bell over the door rings again—and in walks the cause of my impending public meltdown.
All six-feet-plus of infuriating calm and impossible charm of him.
Every head swivels toward Cam. Levi actually pauses mid-pour, grinning like he’s watching a live-action rom-com.
Cam blinks, clearly confused by the sudden silence. “Uh…morning?”
Haddie nearly claps. “Speak of the devil! Here comes the man of the hour.”
Cam looks from her to me. I glare, silently screaming do not enjoy this.
“Kate?” he says carefully. “Everything okay?”
“Depends,” I lean toward him, whispering, “Do you have a public-relations plan I should know about?”
He tilts his head, catching sight of Haddie’s phone—and when understanding hits, the corner of his mouth lifts in a barely-there grin.
“Don’t,” I warn.
“Don’t what?” he asks, that grin spreading.
“Smile.”
He fails immediately. “Guess we’re Cedar Falls official, Katie.”
I close my eyes and count to three. “You realize everyone here thinks we’re dating?”
“Good,” he says quietly, stepping closer so only I can hear. “That’s kind of the point.”
“What?” I hiss.
He gives a low laugh. “Phase One.”
“Unbelievable,” I mutter, grabbing a napkin just to have something to do with my hands.
Levi clears his throat, smirking. “So, uh, lovebirds—what’ll it be today?”
Cam doesn’t miss a beat. “Two lattes. Be sure the one for my girlfriend has oat milk.”
The word girlfriend hits like a spark.
Haddie squeals, clutching her cup. “You heard it here first, folks!”
The café erupts in chatter again, voices overlapping—I knew it! and about time! floating through the air like confetti.
Cam leans down, whispering near my ear, “See? Smooth rollout.”
“You’re insufferable,” I whisper back.
He just grins wider. “You like me anyway.”
Levi laughs outright. “Oh yeah, this is definitely going on the page.”
“Levi!” I bark, but it’s useless.
As Cam hands me my cup, I’m half mortified, and unfortunately, the other half of me is trying not to smile.
I tip my head toward the door and he follows, holding it open, eyes glinting. “Ladies first, girlfriend.”
I glare up at him, cheeks burning. “You’re enjoying this way too much.”
“Absolutely.”
And as we step outside, Haddie calls after us, “Have fun, lovebirds!”
The second the door swings shut behind us, I grab Cam’s arm and march him down the sidewalk.
“Kate—”
“Don’t ‘Kate’ me,” I whisper shout, glancing back at the windows of Cedar Perk, where I’m positive Haddie is already putting together a follow-up post. “Do you have any idea what you just did in there?”
He has the audacity to look amused. “Ordered coffee?”
“You called me your girlfriend! In front of Haddie Carmichael! You might as well have hired a skywriter.”
He shrugs, easy, infuriatingly calm. “Phase One needed momentum.”
“Phase One does not need Haddie humming ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’ while the whole town watches.”
He grins, unapologetic. “I thought it was cute.”
I stop so abruptly he nearly collides into me. “Cute? The entire town now thinks we’re dating! My mom’s probably getting tagged as we speak. Kinsey’s definitely calling me by noon.”
“It worked, though,” he says with maddening calm.
“This isn’t funny, Cam.”
“I didn’t say it was.” His voice softens just enough to make my pulse trip. “I just said it worked.”
I glare at him, arms crossed tight over my chest. “I should kick your shins.”
“You’re cute when you’re mad.” He grins. “But if we do go through with the plan, we needed to start laying the groundwork.”
I sigh. “But did you have to build it through Haddie?”
He chuckles. “Do you really think anyone in this town believes anything without Haddie’s stamp of approval?”
“That’s not the point.”
“Then what is?”
I open my mouth, ready to snap, but the words falter. Because underneath the embarrassment and chaos, there’s truth. He’s doing this for me—for Evie. And I know it.
Still, I shake my head. “I never even agreed to this whole fake dating thing or the marriage. You can’t just decide for me.”
That finally wipes the grin from his face. “You’re right,” he says quietly. “You didn’t. I’m sorry I got ahead of myself.”
The sincerity in his tone pulls at me. His shoulders square, and for once, the teasing is gone—just Cam, standing in front of me with that patient kind of strength that feels safer than I want to admit.
“I’m sorry,” he says. “I should’ve asked. I just…I want to help. And this is the perfect solution.”
I look up at him. “You really think us going through with this will make a difference?”
“I think it’s a start. People trust what they read on that Facebook page before they see it in this town.
If we double down and everyone sees us together, Daniel’s picture-perfect act looks hollow by comparison.
It’s stability that counts—and you already give Evie that. I’m just…standing next to it.”
I stare at him, my mind spinning, my heart trying to catch up. The logical part of me screams that it’s reckless. But the part that’s been alone for too long, the one that wakes up tired and still pushes through every day—that part wants to believe him.
Finally, I exhale. “If we do this…it’s temporary. Just until after everything calms down.”
“Whatever you need,” he says softly.
“And we have to tell Evie,” I add quickly. “She’s not blind or deaf. She’ll know something’s up.”
His expression is gentle. “Of course. She should hear it from us.”
I nod, my stomach flipping as the weight of what I’m about to agree to settles in. “Okay,” I whisper. “I’ll go along with this dating thing.”
Cam’s smile is small this time—genuine, not smug. “Really? You won’t regret it.”
“Oh, I already do.”
He chuckles, shaking his head. “This will work, I know it, Katie.”
“Don’t call me that when I’m making bad life choices.”
“Too late.”
There’s a beat of quiet, then he reaches out, brushing his thumb lightly across my hand—a touch so fleeting I almost think I imagined it.
“We can tell Evie tonight if you want. That way she hears it directly from us,” he says.
I nod again, throat tight. “Okay. Come over for dinner around six?”
His grin returns, softer now. “I’ll be there. And for the record? You pull off ‘fake girlfriend’ really well.”
“Cam—”
He backs away, walking toward his truck, eyes still on me. “See you tonight, sweetheart.”
I stand there on the sidewalk, heat climbing up my neck as he walks away with that easy confidence that’s starting to drive me insane.
It was supposed to be an argument. Instead, I’m leaving with a boyfriend.