“Sure.” Amy dropped down on the other side of the mattress and settled back against her pillows. “It’s been forever since we’ve talked like this.”
“How’s it been going here?”
Amy filled her in on how it had been, helping with the bed and breakfast side of things, as well as how Jessa had done. “And, of course, there are the preparations for Isabella’s party.”
“She seems to have mellowed a bit since we were last here,” Cami said. “And, for that matter, so has Will. Is that your doing?”
“Me?” Amy shrugged. “I don’t know. I just loved her, like I do all the kids I come in contact with.”
“And Will? Did you love him, too?”
Amy willed herself to keep her gaze on Cami. “He’s undergone some changes, but Jessa is more responsible for that than I am. She had a long chat with him, apparently, about being a better parent to Isabella.”
“I saw the way he was watching you when we arrived.”
“Watching me? We were tying the bags for the party.”
“That may have been what you were doing, but he was watching you.”
No matter how she tried, Amy couldn’t keep the heat from rising in her cheeks. “I wasn’t paying attention.”
“I thought you said you were over your feelings for him from back then.”
Amy shrugged. “Guess I was wrong. And even if I was, it doesn’t mean new ones can’t grow in their place.”
“Is that what’s happened?” Cami asked.
This time Amy dropped her gaze to where her hands fidgeted in her lap. “I don’t know.”
“I told him not to hurt you.”
Amy jerked her gaze back up to meet Cami’s. “Why would you do that?”
“Because I saw what happened the last time and if this time around he actually showed interest in you before ending things, it would be even worse.”
“I don’t know what’s going to happen, but believe me, I’m not rushing into anything. I know you still see me as a teenager, but I do have a little more common sense now, and my emotions aren’t controlling me like they did back then.”
“Do you still believe he’s the man God wants you to marry?”
Amy shook her head. “I haven’t believed that in a very long time. Not saying it couldn’t happen, but I’m not clinging to that belief like I did last time. In fact, God will have to make it pretty clear to me this is what He wants. I have my own reservations about things with Will.”
“Like what?”
“Like having seen his previous relationship with Delia, and knowing how different I am from her. Not just in looks, but it seemed in personality, too. If he loved her, why would he love me?”
“You’ll have to figure that outif you do want anything to work between you two.”
“I know. Right now, for me, that would be the biggest hurdle.”
Cami reached out and laid a hand on hers. “Just don’t rush into anything. If you aren’t one hundred percent atpeace about that, it will undermine everything.”
Amy nodded. “I know.”
“I love you both.” Cami squeezed her hand. “I wanteach of you to be happy. And if that’s together, that’s great, but if not, I don’t want to see you hurt. Either of you.”
“Thank you.” Amy sat forward to hug Cami. “I love you, too. And I’m so glad you’re here.”
“I did have an ulterior motive when I suggested you come here for the summer,” Cami said as she sat back from the hug. “I knew I’d get to see you.”
