Ivy chuckled. “That Cam. He’s so funny.”
“The other thing is, you should sign up for a booth at the Blueberry Festival,” Cam said. “This is the last week to register.”
“That’s a great idea,” Mayellen said. “We can try to get these sweethearts adopted.” The bulldog huffed. Jagger twitched an ear in his sleep.
The phone rang, and at the same time, the bell above the door tinkled. Mayellen and Ivy both got up to tend to business.
“I got a festival booth for myself,” Cam told Hadley. “But you better hurry—they’re going fast.”
“Why are you telling me this? Because you’re trying to be nice instead of a cold-blooded opportunist?” She smiled sweetly.
It was his turn to frown. “That’s not fair.”
“Let’s be honest,” she said. “Neither of us is stopping at anything to get this place. I saw your…your cronies last night. You’re in this to win it.”
Cronies? Okay, so Ian and his Camminator has been over the top. He wanted to tell her that wasn’t who he was. But what would be the point? “Look, Hadley. I am in it to win it. But only because I think it’s the best thing for everybody.”
“Whatever.” She waved her hand dismissively in the air.
“Don’t be angry with me.” A giant red warning light should have turned on in his head because what was he doing saying that?
Just then, Lucy walked through the door, a slightly panicked expression on her face. “Is Bernie…okay?”
Cam rotated slowly, showcasing Bernie fast asleep in the sling.
“Oh, thank heavens.” She gripped her chest. “She’s not crying.”
“I take deep offense at that.” Cam flourished his arms proudly, demonstrating the sweetly sleeping baby. “Because this big tight end is tough on the field but gentle where it counts.”
Hadley rolled her eyes, but Lucy still looked a little frantic. “I came down because I have to breastfeed her before I go back to work.” She approached Cam and held out her hands.
He turned his mouth up in a smile and lifted his arms. “Get me out of this straitjacket and she’s all yours.” Lucy proceeded to work some kind of unhooking/untangling magic and placed Bernie effortlessly back into the stroller.
“I think I’m going to stop at the courthouse to get a booth for the festival,” Hadley said to Lucy. “I’ll walk with you.” She turned to Mayellen and Ivy. “I’ll be back in a few.” She tossed Cam the slightest wave as she left with Lucy, leaving him staring after her.
What was he doing? This attraction would be the death of him.
He needed to separate what he wanted—no, needed—from his desire for her. He had to get his life back on track, and she would be a formidable foe unless he stayed on his toes.
And following his feelings could only lead to disaster.
* * *
Hadley was more than happy to get out of Pooch Palace and away from the effects of the Camminator, which was how she was beginning to think of Cam. Away from not only his disruptive presence, unwanted advice, and competitive nature, but also his hot, hot body.
Ugh.
It was good to get out, because her mind was spinning. Gran had given her a heads-up on wanting to retire. And she had to admit, excitement fluttered in her stomach at the idea of a rescue. She hadn’t felt this sort of thrill about anything for a really long time.
Well, except for when she was near Cam. But that didn’t count. She chalked that up to pure, raw chemistry. She might not be able to control her physical reaction to him, but she was determined to control her mental one.
A block away from the Palace, Lucy put a hand on Hadley’s arm. “Do you have a minute to sit?” She pointed to a bench along a big grassy knoll in the park.
“Sure. Of course.” Hadley hoped that talking to Lucy for a while might distract her from her troubles.
As they crossed the expanse of green lawn, the sun was warm on Hadley’s skin, and a gentle, salt-tinged breeze blew in from the ocean. They picked a bench in a shady area for Bernie and sat for a few moments enjoying the perfect day. When the baby stirred, Lucy picked her up from the stroller and placed her back in the sling, slipping her little brimmed sun hat on her head.
Past the park, Hadley could see the walking path that led to the beach. Kids ran about laughing and playing tag, moms strolled babies, and a couple sat on a blanket under a tree. Summer in Seashell Harbor was hands down Hadley’s favorite time of year, and just sitting here listening to the kids giggle and the gentle sound of the surf made her feel calmer.
“So, about my brother,” Lucy said, sending Hadley’s one minute of summer serenity right out the window. On the horizon, clouds were gathering…a reminder of Mayellen’s looming gullywasher.
“Your brother,” Hadley echoed. She hoped this wasn’t about to get awkward. “Lucy, you know I’ve always thought of you like a little sister. But Cam—”
“He’s got a good heart,” Lucy interrupted.
Hadley cracked a smile. “If you say so.”
“He might be a little misguided.” Lucy squinted against the sun to watch two girls tossing a softball in the distance. “But there’s a reason.”
Hadley sat up straighter and faced Lucy. She knew how much Lucy looked up to Cam, and she would never ruin that. “Lucy, I know you want to defend him. And you should, because he’s your brother. But I’m not sure we’re going to agree about this.”
“Cam’s always plowed full force ahead whatever the obstacles, you know that. Even when our mother left, he never cried. I mean, he probably should have, but he took the opposite tack. He would ask us to toss the football with him over and over. He’d do push-ups and pull-ups until he was exhausted. He drove himself hard. I’m not saying that was necessarily healthy, but I think that’s what he might be doing now.”
Hadley knew exactly the kind of drive Cam had. And Lucy was right—Hadley had never known him not to be in motion. “You mean rehabbing from his injury?”
“This restaurant scheme. He’s more determined than ever to make it work.” Lucy blew out a sigh. “And there’s something else, but it’s a little personal.”
“Lucy, it’s okay.” Hadley held out her hands. “You don’t have to say anything else. I get that Cam is driven and focused and throws his whole self into anything until he succeeds and that failure isn’t an option.” All that made him a formidable opponent. Except none of that scared her. She was capable of giving him a run for his money.
“I have to,” Lucy insisted. “I have to tell you for his sake.”
“For his sake?” Was Cam in trouble?
“Cam’s pushing to open that restaurant because of me.”
Opening the restaurant because he was a star and it fit with his big personality, yes, she could see that. Because he loved crowds and joking and entertaining people—yes, that too. But because of Lucy?
“I used to talk about going to cooking school.” Lucy glanced down at Bernie, now snoozing again. “I actually got into the Culinary Institute of America when I applied last year. But life had…other plans.” She kissed Bernie lovingly on the head. “Cam’s trying to make it easier for me to get my life going again.”