Chapter 15
Stone
“Why the tears?” I haven’t kissed many girls, but I’ve kissed enough to know that they aren’t supposed to cry after the fact.
“I’m not crying,” She lies with a sniffle.
“You’re not sobbing, but these drops rolling out of your eyes are tears,” I say as I swipe another one away. “And they keep coming, so I’d say you’re crying.”
She shakes her head and pulls away from me, taking her warmth and soft curves with her. I don’t usually notice small shifts in temperature, but the further Camilla gets from me, the colder and emptier I feel.
“I’m fine. I just need a minute.”
My muscles twitch as I strain to stay put and give her the time she asked for to collect herself.
I can see that she’s engaged in a silent battle, and I want her to open up and tell me what’s really going on.
I can help if she gives me a chance. I debate sharing my own secret.
That will make her see I can be her safe space.
Either that, or she’ll be terrified and run for the hills.
“I’m sorry,” Her voice snaps me out of my thoughts. “I didn’t mean to kiss you.”
She has to be kidding. No one puts on a show and kisses like that by accident. “I’m pretty sure you did. You see, first, you grabbed me—”
“I don’t need to relive it, okay!?” She scrubs her hands over her face. “Are you always so contrary?”
“I’m just telling it like it is. By the way, I’m not complaining.”
“My parents are obsessed with my dating life. I thought if I told them I have a boyfriend, they might back off.”
“Tell yourself what you need to, but I know your secret.”
“What’s that?”
“You can deny the fact that you want me, but I know what I felt in that kiss. The truth is, Camilla, I want you too. Have since I first saw you.”
“I can’t do this, Stone. Not now. Not with you.” Her voice trails off for the last part.
“Why not? Why not take a chance on something new?”
“I did. That’s how I ended up here. I don’t know anyone but you and a couple of your friends. What do I do when it’s over, and Raven and Cayden stop talking to me?”
“Why does it have to be over?” I can’t believe those words left my lips. It’s like someone else is speaking for me. “Even if it were to end, Cayden and Raven are trying to help you because they’re good people. Not because of me.”
“What were you doing outside? Why were you waiting for me?”
She’s changing the subject. I leave it for now. She’s going to see what she wants. I’m just a dumb construction worker in her mind. A blockhead, like my friends say. Time is the only thing that can open her eyes.
I clear my throat as I pull the designs from my back pocket, hoping they aren’t too creased. “I promised, before we give you an estimate, that I’d bring the designs by to make sure we’re on the same page. So I have what I think you want.” I hand her the first image. It’s nice. Neat. Boring.
“This looks interesting,” she nods, keeping her eyes away from mine. She frowns. “The arches look out of place.” I give her time to soak it in. “And, I’d like for the display case to face the outside window.”
“And this,” I hold the next image close to my chest, “is the experience I tried to describe to you.” I turn the image around for Camilla to see.
Her eyes open wide, and her hands cover her mouth.
“Wow,” she whispers before turning back to me.
“This is stunning!” I beam with pride. “Using marble as the backdrop for the accent wall, isn’t it too heavy?
Is this even possible? I mean, do you think Eternal by Design can do it?
” Her questions come faster as excitement bubbles inside of her.
“I wouldn’t present you with something we can’t do.”
“This is so much brighter and warmer than I thought it would be.”
“As long as we go with a light marble for the floor. It will pick up hints of color from the chandeliers and the fairy lights, so it offers a soft candlelight feel.”
“The trees are perfect. They don’t look out of place at all. They look like they grew inside the bakery.”
“That’s the point.”
“I’m just not sure about the vines and flowers connecting the trunks. After a while, they’ll look dingy.”
“Not if they’re real.”
“There’s no way to keep real vines and flowers growing once you cut them.”
I take a step closer to her, crook my pointer finger under her chin, and lift her head until she meets my gaze. “Anything is possible if you can imagine it.”
Her excitement wanes. She shakes her head. “There’s so much marble. I mean, look at this beautiful island, it’s all marble.”
“Don’t forget the light underneath it.”
She frowns.
“What’s wrong?”
“You thought about accent lights under the displays. Fairy lights. Accent walls. I’m impressed, Mr. Flint.”
“Then why do you look so upset?”
“Because I love it, but I can’t possibly afford it. I had to start from scratch with the ovens and racks. I have to stay within a budget, and there’s so much artistry in this design.”
“Just say the word, Camilla, and it’s yours. I’ll make it happen, and we’ll stay within your budget, even if that means doing the work myself.”
Her eyes trail off to the side. “I can’t ask you to do that.”
“You can repay me with burnt cheesecake.”