She’d passed out early last night but asked Cam to stop by this morning to discuss things before the interview. She’d been so consumed with the puppies she hadn’t noticed when he’d stopped by with coffee, and he’d had to leave before they had a chance to talk.
Ivy fiddled with the remote and smacked the side of the old set a few times to find the interview was already in progress. They gathered around to see Cam on camera, dressed in a shirt and tie and looking like the sexiest man alive. Which he definitely was, Hadley thought with a pang. She knew how uncomfortable he felt but also knew he’d handle himself well. And maybe he’d see that not having his life perfectly in place wasn’t the big deal he thought it was. That would be a good thing, right?
The popular local sports reporter who scored the national interview sat beside Cam at a desk. Cam made the nervous gesture of tugging at his tie as the reporter began. “We heard you and Ms. Wells are in competition for a downtown building owned by a longtime business owner, Maddy Edwards.”
Hadley gasped and held her breath. Her friends glanced anxiously at her and then the TV. The pounding of her heart was so loud that she had to lean forward to make sure she heard Cam’s reply.
“Not anymore,” Cam said.
“What do you mean?” the reporter asked.
“Hadley Wells, Maddy’s granddaughter, has created a dog rescue in the building that’s really unique—it will provide spay, neuter, and vaccination services at a very reduced rate. It’ll also be a fantastic place to go volunteer if you love dogs or even want to foster a dog. This is going to provide a valuable service that’s greatly needed in our part of the state, and it’s a way for our community to get involved with an important cause. So I hope everyone will check it out.”
Wait…what? Hadley reached for the nearest chair and managed to sit.
“Well, look at that,” Ivy said proudly. “Cam just did a commercial for us!”
“And he gave you all the credit, honey,” Mayellen said to Hadley.
“Not to mention the building,” Darla said.
Kit just stood there, grasping Hadley’s hand while Hadley stared incredulously at the TV.
“So what will you do next?” the reporter asked.
“I’ve partnered with a group of investors who want to roll out a chain of my restaurants,” Cam said. “As far as location, I’m keeping all my options open at this point. But as soon as I decide, you’ll be the first to know.”
“Well, we love having you back in town, Cam.” The reporter held out his hand, which Cam shook firmly. “Best of luck.”
Darla turned off the TV. Hadley sat, stunned, unable to move. Cam had eloquently minimized all his big plans in order to showcase her rescue. He’d given up the building, the fight for his restaurant location. For her.
Chapter 27
I heard your interview,” Hadley said that evening as soon as Cam walked into her grandmother’s cottage. Gran was out of rehab and claiming she’d rather stay with Paul so he could help her out when she needed it. Hadley knew she’d have to make a decision soon about another place to stay. But for this evening, she planned a special dinner for her and Cam to celebrate the end of their competition. And what she hoped would be the beginning of another phase in their relationship.
It was a rare rainy evening, and she’d been sitting reading in one of the cushy yellow flowered chairs by the tiny fireplace, letting her made-from-scratch spaghetti sauce simmer until he got home. She’d gotten them a lovely bottle of wine and a crusty loaf of bread from Mimi’s. The dogs, who had been passed out on the rug in front of the fireplace, immediately rose to greet Cam at the door.
The only thing was, she hadn’t heard from him all day. He’d texted:
Crazy day, see you tonight
But that was it. Radio silence after the interview.
Hadley reassured herself that everything was okay, that maybe he really was just busy, that he’d done an incredible thing for her, and she shouldn’t dwell on negatives.
“The phone at the Palace has been ringing off the hook,” she said to fill the silence as he walked in, setting his keys down in the little basket on the table by the door. He seemed full of energy, restless, his smile seeming a little forced. “People are donating to the shelter from all over. Someone even started a GoFundMe page. And ESPN wants to interview me. Can you believe it?”
She stood there, wanting to race into his arms and smother him with kisses. Wanting to tell him how much his gesture meant, and how she was going to turn the shelter into something wonderful, and now that they weren’t competing for the building, they could focus on their future together, no-holds-barred.
She wanted to tell him I love you.
He squatted down to greet the dogs, but not with his usual round of roughhousing and general riling up. At last he straightened up and faced her.
“Tony, I—” She started to say a thousand things, but he spoke instead.
“I watched you with those puppies,” he said, his voice subdued. Hadley pushed her anxiety away. She wasn’t going to assume the worst. He was here, wasn’t he? And they both had the whole night off. They would celebrate! “You’re a natural,” he continued. “It’s what you should be doing, Had.”
His words made her breathe a little easier. And she took comfort in the fact that he’d called her Had. “Well, maybe I’m crazy, but you’re absolutely right. I really love the shelter. I have so many plans. But…are you okay with this?”
He nodded firmly. “One hundred percent.”
She blew out a pent-up breath. There, you see? she told herself. He’s fine with it.
“Thank you,” she said with all her heart as she walked over and wrapped her arms around him. “I know how much it cost you to give up the building as the location for your restaurant.” He seemed tense but rested his cheek against her hair, and she heard him suck in a deep breath. She opened her mouth to say it—to say she loved him—but they both started talking at the same time. “I love the way you smell,” he said.
There was something about the way he said it—his tone, his inflection, something that sounded like he was saying it for the last time. Hadley shook off the sinking feeling in her stomach that was growing by the second. He’d just surrendered his plans to open a restaurant in Gran’s space. He’d just given up everything for her. Thank you had sounded awkward and inadequate. But what else could she say?
She went for lightening the mood. “That’s funny because I probably smell like puppy milk replacer and a few more unpleasant things.” As she chuckled and drew back, she prepared to ask him, What’s next? What are your plans? But something in his eyes scared her. “You know, I could help you scout out another location for your restaurant. Maybe beachfront. We could have Carol make a realty portfolio for us and take a whole day—”
“Hadley,” he said in such a flat tone she stopped midsentence. “Sit down a minute, okay?” He tugged her gently to a wooden bench near the door that her grandma used for pulling off shoes and boots.
“Cam, wh-what is it? Are you okay?” Because she wasn’t. Suddenly she was shaking all over. A flashback to Cooper, no doubt. She remembered what it had felt like just before he dropped the Maeve bomb on her. Somehow, even then she’d known something bad was coming. Call it a sixth sense. But the radar of her soul could predict crushing disappointment a mile away.