CHAPTER Thirty Nine
The next day, bright and early, Camille was up and asking about Ross and when she could see him. Her relentless questioning was most likely the reason the doctor discharged her, and the nurses let her go see him earlier than expected.
When Camille first laid eyes on Ross, she was unprepared and then emotional.
He looked so helpless and weak lying there, and the thought of going through life without him rushed back to her.
She took a moment to collect herself, and by the time she got to the side of his bed, Ross had opened his eyes the best he could.
Even though he couldn’t see clearly, he knew it was Camille, and a tear began to form.
He was so happy to see her and so relieved that she was okay.
“Hey,” Camille said softly, wiping a tear. “I thought I lost you,” she said, grabbing his hand.
Seeing her now, alive and well, but remembering her helplessness in Shane’s death grip, sent a chilling wave of both relief and dread through Ross’s body.
The reality of the situation hit him hard.
He didn’t want to think about it, but he was helpless to save her in her most critical moment, and that fact made him feel horrible.
“Camille, I’m so sorry,” he began.
“Stop right there, mister,” Camille said, shaking her head. She wasn’t going to listen to any of his regrets. “We’re both here, and we have each other, and Shane Simpson is out of our lives forever.”
“Forever?” Ross asked, hoping that meant he was dead.
“I don’t know if anyone’s told you, but Shane’s dead.”
Ross closed his eyes and exhaled, releasing the one last worry he owned. Knowing all this serious talk was too stressful, especially in Ross’s condition, Camille changed the subject.
“Ike and Janelle are here. And let me tell you, I’m getting a weird vibe from the two of them.”
Ross looked perplexed and honestly had no idea what on Earth that comment meant. He was having trouble talking, so he just waited until Camille explained.
“We don’t have to worry about hiding our affection around them,” she said, raising her eyebrows.
Ross was still in the dark, so she laid it out plain and simple.
“Like, they got something going on,” she said, raising her eyebrows again.
Ross was shocked. “No?” he questioned.
“Yes!”
The reality that their exes were now a couple hit them at the same time, and they both found the irony kind of funny.
“Is it weird that I’m relieved?” Camille asked.
Ross was still a little shocked, and his face formed a grin as best it could. He tried to shake his head in disbelief. Camille could tell that even that small movement pained him, so she leaned down and lightly kissed his lips as she gently held his hand.
“I love you, Ross!”
Ross’s smile was bigger now, and he managed to respond, “I love you too.”
The mood was lighter, and their hearts were full.
Ross and Camille were finally free from the chaos Shane Simpson had created.
It had been a long road to travel, but they both knew that despite all the tragedy, Shane and the events surrounding his life had brought them together.
And even though parts were terrifying and extremely dangerous, they survived.
Neither Ross nor Camille let the realization of this blessing escape them.
Somehow, they both knew that making it to the end of this journey together had to mean something significant.
After a long and difficult recovery, Ross was healed, and it was time to take Camille to meet his parents.
Of course, they loved her dearly, and even though Camille liked them just fine, she struggled to understand how her simple and ordinary Ross had come from such hoity-toity parents.
She understood right away, however, exactly why Ross kept his distance.
The rich pharma family was just a little too much to handle.
The Hargroves resumed life as usual at the brewery but began making plans to retire.
It seems a brush with death will do that to people.
Ike and Janelle’s romance continued to heat up, and they were officially a couple, deciding to stay in Cobden.
The Hargroves loved Janelle’s bartending experience and gave her a job right away.
They attempted to recruit Ike as their new dishwasher, but he was more interested in sitting at the bar and flirting with the new, hot bartender.
After visiting Ross’s parents, Camille and Ross took a much-needed break from dangerous investigations to formally begin their lives together.
But Ross knew it was just a matter of time before Camille would get that serious, nose-to-the-grindstone attitude he fell in love with when he first saw her at Lochlan’s Point.
And when the time came, he wouldn’t be able to keep her away from the excitement and suspense of resuming her career.
Frankly, he didn’t want to either. Now, he was an investigator as well, and wherever his beautiful sleuth headed, he would be right there with her.
Camille Hargrove had a hot new partner in both business and life.
Even though Camille was damn good at solving cold cases all by herself, she was thrilled to begin this exciting new phase of her career working side by side with Ross.
After surviving her harrowing experience with serial killer Shane Simpson, Camille was certain she could do anything—and now, she would spend her life proving it with the man of her dreams right by her side.